Australia Post is one of Australia’s largest parcel delivery networks, but ecommerce businesses don’t necessarily need to rely on a single carrier.
As parcel volumes grow, businesses may look at alternative delivery providers for reasons such as next-day delivery, metropolitan coverage, warehouse collections, tracking visibility, integrations, customer experience or commercial requirements.
The right choice depends on where your warehouses are located, where your customers are, how many parcels you send and the delivery experience you want to provide.
Here are some of the options Australian ecommerce businesses can consider.
1. GoPeople
GoPeople provides business delivery services designed for retailers, ecommerce businesses and other organisations requiring regular deliveries.
For ecommerce parcel delivery, GoEXPRESS provides next-day delivery from participating customer warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
Unlike an individual on-demand courier booking, parcels are collected from customer warehouses, processed through the GoEXPRESS network and delivered through GoPeople’s last-mile operation.
GoPeople also provides:
GoBUNDLE — multi-drop delivery
GoSAMEDAY — same-day delivery
GoVIP — on-demand courier delivery
This makes GoPeople particularly relevant to businesses looking for metropolitan delivery options alongside or instead of their existing parcel carriers.
Best suited to: Businesses with delivery requirements within GoPeople’s service areas, particularly ecommerce retailers and 3PLs with regular parcel volumes.
2. Australia Post
Australia Post provides several options for ecommerce businesses rather than a single parcel service.
MyPost Business is aimed at business shipping, while businesses sending larger volumes can access services including eParcel and StarTrack. Australia Post says eParcel contract accounts are available to businesses shipping 2,000+ domestic parcels annually, while StarTrack Contract is aimed at businesses spending $20,000+ annually on parcel shipping. Australia Post
Its next-day options include Express Post, Metro and StarTrack Premium, with availability depending on the service, origin and destination. Australia Post
Best suited to: Businesses requiring broad Australian delivery coverage and access to Australia Post’s wider parcel network.
3. CouriersPlease
CouriersPlease provides domestic parcel and ecommerce delivery services across metropolitan and regional Australia, although service availability varies by location. support.couriersplease.com.au
Its ecommerce offering includes API integration, bulk order uploading, recipient notifications and collection-point options. couriersplease.com.au
CouriersPlease also advertises next-day metro delivery for eligible same-state and next-state metropolitan routes. couriersplease.com.au
Best suited to: Ecommerce businesses looking for another established Australian parcel network with metropolitan and broader domestic coverage.
What Should You Compare?
Choosing an Australia Post alternative shouldn’t come down to the parcel rate alone.
For an ecommerce operation, consider:
- pickup availability from your warehouse
- delivery coverage
- next-day capability
- expected delivery timeframes
- tracking visibility
- customer notifications
- proof of delivery
- ecommerce and API integrations
- unsuccessful-delivery processes
- customer support
- capacity during peak periods
- total delivery cost
A provider with a lower headline rate isn’t necessarily less expensive if unsuccessful deliveries or customer-service enquiries create additional operational costs.
Do You Have to Replace Australia Post Completely?
No.
For many ecommerce businesses, a multi-carrier strategy can make more sense than completely replacing an existing provider.
For example, a retailer could use one carrier for nationwide and regional deliveries while using another delivery network for eligible metropolitan orders.
Orders can then be allocated according to factors such as destination, service level, delivery speed and cost.
This also reduces the assumption that every parcel must travel through the same network.
When Does a Metro Delivery Provider Make Sense?
A metropolitan delivery network becomes particularly interesting when a significant proportion of orders are concentrated around major cities.
Rather than asking:
“Who can deliver everywhere in Australia?”
an ecommerce business can also ask:
“What’s the most effective delivery option for each part of our customer base?”
A business may therefore use different solutions for metropolitan, regional, interstate, same-day and urgent deliveries.
Where GoEXPRESS Fits
GoEXPRESS is not intended to replicate every service provided by Australia Post.
It is designed around a more specific requirement: next-day business parcel delivery from participating warehouses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
That makes it worth considering for ecommerce retailers and 3PLs that have regular parcel volumes in these markets and want another delivery option within their carrier strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some alternatives to Australia Post for ecommerce delivery?
Australian businesses can consider providers such as GoPeople and CouriersPlease, among others. The appropriate provider depends on parcel volumes, warehouse locations, destinations, required delivery speeds, integrations and coverage.
Can an ecommerce business use more than one delivery company?
Yes. Businesses can use multiple carriers and allocate deliveries according to destination, service requirements, cost or other operational criteria.
Does GoPeople replace Australia Post?
Not necessarily. GoPeople can be used as part of a multi-carrier strategy or as a delivery provider for eligible deliveries within its service network.
Does GoPeople provide next-day ecommerce delivery?
Yes. GoEXPRESS provides next-day delivery for participating business customers in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.
What should I compare when choosing a parcel delivery company?
Consider coverage, collection arrangements, delivery speed, tracking, proof of delivery, integrations, support, unsuccessful-delivery processes, scalability and total cost.
Looking for Another Delivery Option?
If your business sends regular ecommerce parcels from Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane, GoPeople can assess your warehouse locations, parcel volumes and delivery requirements to determine whether GoEXPRESS is suitable.