What Questions Should Be Asked Before Choosing a NetSuite Shipping Solution?

Your business is growing rapidly. You know you need a more robust shipping solution to support your next stage of growth and scale your business. 

When engaging in a conversation with NetSuite about your shipping solution options, it’s important to enter the discussion with questions that will help you find the best solutions for your unique business needs. Here are some of those key questions to ask your NetSuite representative to ensure you invest in the right solution for your business. How can we lower our shipping costs?

1. How can we lower our shipping costs?

This may seem like an obvious question to ask, but it’s a great way to start the conversation, especially if high shipping costs are eating into your bottom line. Be sure to ask about shipping solutions that have cost-saving features like automated rate shopping to ensure you are getting the cheapest shipping rates that meet your customers’ shipping expectations, as well as packing optimization to ensure you are effectively packing orders in the right size box. An automated shipping solution that offers robust features in one central platform and is directly integrated with NetSuite will lower your shipping costs.

2. We need a scalable solution that fits our unique business needs and custom rules. Do you have any shipping partners that are easily customizable and flexible?

When looking to graduate from your basic shipping software to a more robust solution it’s important to make sure the solution you choose has features that adapt to your unique business needs within the warehouse. There’s nothing more frustrating for warehouse operation workers and company executives than heavy manual processes that can easily be automated by a shipping solution with a rules engine to accommodate all your if, then scenarios. 

Imagine being able to create a custom rule that selects the cheapest rate among your carrier mix for every proposed shipment. This would enable warehouse staff to no longer manually rate shop - saving you time and money in your fulfillment operation.  

3. What shipping partners have a direct integration with NetSuite and are good for high-volume shippers?

Selecting a shipping solution with a direct NetSuite integration will ensure that your business doesn’t need middleware or multiple systems within the warehouse. If your current shipping software is making it so your team has to jump from system to system to get orders out the door–whether parcel or LTL – a shipping solution with a direct NetSuite integration is what you need. A shipping solution that is directly integrated with NetSuite allows for accurate data to be posted back into NetSuite in real-time and eliminates manual work and processes to increase your order throughput.

Additionally, a directly integrated NetSuite shipping solution means your business can maintain and gain a variety of benefits including robust data integrity and security, lower shipping costs, and greater efficiency in the warehouse. 

4. Do you have a shipping partner that provides ROI benefits on both the back-end and financials side, as well as in the warehouse?

Asking a question like this to your NetSuite rep will help ensure you find a shipping solution that not only yields ROI benefits to your bottom line but provides tangible ROI within the warehouse. ROI in the warehouse looks like increased throughput, reduced headcount (peak season or not), and reduced shipping costs. Seeking out a solution that prioritizes ROI through both a financial and warehouse lens can enable your shipping operation to become a profit center. For example, imagine doubling or tripling your daily throughput without having to hire additional warehouse staff. You are not only saving on labor costs, but you’re able to meet the higher demand for your products while delivering on customer expectations.

Bonus Question: Does the shipping solution have other features or benefits?

Asking this question will allow you to determine if the solution recommended has other complementary solutions like a NetSuite WMS solution built for NetSuite. While it might not be a focus today, rapid growth means that the future roadmap of a partner is important for the long term.

Additional resources to help select the right NetSuite shipping solution

While your NetSuite rep’s guidance will be critical for selecting the right shipping solution for your business, it’s important to do your own research to gain a deeper understanding of the options within the market. Prior to engaging in a conversation with your rep, take some time to search key terms related to the shipping solution you are looking for, including features, integrations, and customer reviews. This will help add to this list of questions above and make for a much more productive conversation with your NetSuite rep while getting you one step closer to the right shipping software for your eCommerce business.

For additional resources and questions to ask when considering a NetSuite shipping solution, reach out to a member of our team today to schedule a time to chat.