ShipEngine partners with what3words to boost delivery precision

ShipEngine, a shipping API provider, has announced a partnership with location technology innovator what3words, aimed at enhancing online delivery experiences across the UK.

This collaboration integrates what3words' technology into ShipEngine's API, facilitating precise and efficient deliveries for e-commerce platforms, retailers, and third-party logistics providers.

what3words offers a distinctive approach to location communication, assigning each 3-metre square globally a unique identifier composed of three random words. For instance, the what3words address for their London headquarters is ///filled.count.soap. By incorporating what3words addresses at checkout, customers can specify exact delivery points, improving last-mile delivery efficiency and enhancing the overall e-commerce experience.

ShipEngine’s API, which already supports integration with over 100 carriers, is designed to streamline shipping operations for businesses by reducing costs and optimising delivery processes. The addition of what3words to this platform aims to bolster the accuracy and consistency of deliveries, ultimately leading to elevated customer satisfaction.

Rafael De La Vega, Senior Vice President of Global Carriers and Partnerships at Auctane, the parent company of ShipEngine, commented on the importance of the integration. "In today’s increasingly competitive market, the importance of getting delivery right has never been greater. Our new what3words integration provides an innovative solution to improving the success of deliveries, regardless of where the parcel is being sent. Partnering with what3words allows us to offer our carriers and logistics partners the ability to receive a what3words address from an e-commerce seller at the same time as other necessary logistics information."

De La Vega underscored the impact of delivery success on consumer behaviour, citing recent research. "Our latest research found that 45% of UK consumers would be less likely to shop with a brand in future if their package was lost. Not only does our integration with what3words enable more accurate deliveries, but it also enhances the experience for consumers and provides them with an incentive to become repeat customers."

Chris Sheldrick, Co-founder and CEO of what3words, highlighted the growing importance of precise location technology in the logistics sector. "what3words is fast becoming a standard in the e-commerce and logistics space, reducing delivery times for our partners and ensuring parcels arrive exactly where they need to go. This integration will go a long way in supporting ShipEngine’s mission to support scaling businesses, providing them with logistics solutions that allow them to focus their time, energy, and resources on what matters most."

The partnership promises to significantly benefit both companies by leveraging what3words’ precise location technology and ShipEngine’s extensive carrier integration capabilities. For businesses, this means an optimisation of delivery routes, reduced operational costs, and an enhanced consumer experience.

ShipEngine and what3words aim to set a new standard in the logistics and e-commerce sectors by addressing common delivery challenges with innovative solutions. As accurate delivery becomes increasingly critical for consumer satisfaction, such partnerships highlight the importance of technological integration in achieving operational excellence.