Are you using a product like ShipStation but would like to take it to the next level and integrate it directly into an automated packaging solution? While shipping software can be a great tool for automating your shipping functions, most products stop short of taking your package from the shelves to the loading dock. Imagine having an automated packaging solution that will determine which carrier is the best fit for an individual package based on weight, size, destination, and other parameters you set, such as your company's negotiated shipping rates. Such a scenario isn't just something to hope for in the future. Connecting your shipping and packaging automation is possible now.
How to integrate ShipStation and packaging automation
1. Set your rules in ShipStation. Few companies ship all of their packages using the same product from the same shipping carrier. If you're like most companies, you use a variety of carriers, depending on the size and weight of the package and when the package needs to arrive at its destination. ShipStation allows you to set parameters or what they call "rules" so that the system automatically knows what carrier and what product to use based the package weight, size, and destination. These rules are basically "if that, then this" type commands.
2. Select insurance options. You can also automate whether you insure your packages, based on criteria, such as packages valued at above a certain amount. For example, USPS Priority Mail automatically includes insurance of up to $50, so you'd want to select insurance for Priority Mail package valued at more than $50.
3. Integrate with your shopping cart function. If you use BigCommerce, Shopify, Wix, or Magento as your shopping platform, your shoppers can instantly see what shipping options are available to them based on the parameters you've set. Letting your customers see this live shipping information can help convert sales. You can also opt to pass through negotiated shipping rates to your customers and/or add a handling charge.
Customizing your automation solution
Not all packaging automation falls so easily into these pre-set "rules". That's where Prime Test Automation can help. We have more than two decades of experience creating customized automation integration solutions to help your shipping functions run efficiently and seamlessly. We take the time to sit down and get a feel for your operation and your unique needs before we ever suggest a product or a system. Only when we have a good feel for what you expect and need from your automation do we get to work.
Working with PrimeTest Automation
Here's an example, using a real case study. We recently had a customer come to us looking for a custom fulfillment solution. They were shipping 10 to 15K packages a day, all with manual pick and kit multiple product and placement into packaging with a mostly-manual, ShipStation-based postage application process. This was a good system when they started in business, but it had grown inefficient and unwieldy.
PrimeTest created a system that received their order information from the customer's MES system and worked in conjunction with ShipStation to automatically kit, package, and apply shipping/postage to the customer's orders. We gave them full tracking of all applicable products, tremendous quality improvements, and big labor savings. Needless to say, they were delighted.
Prime Test Automation is a leader in manufacturing automation testing platforms and quality industrial control systems. We work with plant managers and engineers to create automated solutions that meet and exceed your company's requirements and expectations. We have years of manufacturing automation experience and will work to solve your manufacturing challenges in today's ever-changing environment.
To learn more about getting the most from your automation and industrial quality control systems with things like integrating your packaging automation, visit primetest.com or contact us at info@primetest.com. We've been helping companies like yours use automation efficiently since 2011.