In today’s fast-paced retail industry, companies need to innovate and adapt quickly in order to stay competitive. One of the most significant changes retailers have faced is a shift from brick-and-mortar stores to eCommerce websites. This change has been driven by consumers who want convenience and more options when shopping. But what if you could combine the best of both?

Ship from store offers an effective way for retailers to boost their omnichannel presence. A boost without incurring high costs or long lead times associated with traditional fulfillment methods such as regional hubs and warehouses. With ship from store, customers can easily browse your online inventory right up until checkout—and then conveniently receive items directly from your local retail location.

This post explains what ship from store is, its benefits, and how to ship from store with Packaly with a Ship From Store Readiness Calculator bonus.

What is ship from store?

To ship from store means reaching your customer directly from store to door with no intermediary location such as a warehouse. It is one of the fastest-growing omnichannel strategies as it is achievable in practice, and return on investment (ROI) is high and evident across different metrics, with names such as Lush, Decathlon, and Neleman implementing “ship from store model.”

Benefits of a ship from store omnichannel model

In practice, ship from store retailers will ship directly from their shops, no warehouses or fulfillment centers, but rather through a last-mile delivery partner. If done right, ship from store could have massive advantages for your business and give a competitive boost to your omnichannel strategy. So, what are the advantages of a ship from store strategy?

Faster delivery with a shorter last-mile

A major concern of consumers is the speed of delivery, as 59% of consumers say they will buy more frequently from retailers who offer fast and transparent delivery. By having a ship from store model, your parcel will be shipped from the location closest to your customer, which in most cases is closer than the local fulfillment center.

It also makes it easier for you to schedule same-day and next-day deliveries as you directly reach your customers.

Reduced costs and optimized in-store inventory

A ship from store approach would mean turning your store into a dark store or a micro hub. By fulfilling your orders from your stores, your business will save on warehousing and fulfillment center costs. Moreover, with less staff needed, you will reduce your training costs. 

However, the biggest cost reduction will be through limiting your physical store inventory markdowns by optimizing your in-store inventory. Which in turn allows you to have a more visible, easier-to-manage inventory.

Read how Lush used its extensive network of local stores to boost its eCommerce sales.

eCommerce growth with existing physical stores

Whether you’re kickstarting your eCommerce business or looking to expand and grow, ship from store could be the solution your business needs. When you start shipping from store, you can directly start selling online and reaching your local customers through your existing physical infrastructure.

By turning your physical stores into a dark store, you will speed up your eCommerce optimization process and cut the costs and time needed to find proper fulfillment partners and warehouses by simply keeping the fulfillment in-store.

Read our guide on turning your store into a dark store.

Improved customer experience

It is not only speed and reliability that the customer is looking for, but convenience is an essential part of a positive customer experience. According to a study conducted by Capgemini Research Institute, 73% of customers prefer having their parcel delivered in a convenient time slot rather than just quickly. Still, only 19% of the stores consider this a priority.

By offering Packaly’s last-mile solution, you will be able to meet all your customer’s needs. We offer an express, same-day, or next-day delivery service that allows your customers to receive their orders sustainably when the most convenient for them.

Try our Ship From Store Readiness Calculator

How to ship from store with Packaly in 4 steps

Packaly is a CO2-neutral last-mile delivery service that offers businesses an opportunity to reach their local customers in a fast, sustainable, and reliable way. We are currently partnered up with some of the biggest businesses, such as Blokker, LUSH, Samsung, and Decathlon, helping them move to a more sustainable and faster last-mile delivery.

You can start sustainably shipping from the store with Packaly in 4 simple steps.

Step 1 - Sign up to Packaly’s Delivery Dashboard

Create a new account with Packaly by filling up the following form, and our team will be in contact with you shortly after.

Our support team can answer any questions or concerns at all times of day—including weekends from 10 am-9 pm with a 1 minute 14 seconds average response time.

Step 2 - Register your store(s)

After setting up your Packaly Delivery Dashboard account, you need to provide business information, store locations, and opening hours. Go to settings > all locations where you will enter the details for each of your stores.

Step 3 - Receive and process your order

You just received your first order to ship from store with Packaly. Next, you need to visit the Delivery Dashboard and enter all of your details. Start by entering the customer’s name and delivery address, then fill in parcel info like size and delivery type.

Step 4 - Track and trace your order

Once you place the order, our Rider will come to your store and deliver the parcel sustainably. You can track and trace our Rider along the way- want to ensure that it reaches its intended recipient? We provide 4 uniquely generated verification codes for parcels in addition to barcode tracking verifications.