Shipster & Huxloe team up to enhance parcel management for eCommerce
Shipster and Huxloe have signed a partnership to provide improved parcel management solutions for online retailers.
The collaboration aims to provide eCommerce businesses with a tailored logistics solution that integrates both fulfilment and delivery management, focusing on control, flexibility, and operational efficiency. Shipster, based in Manchester, specialises in custom shipping integration software, while Huxloe, headquartered in Kettering, delivers third-party logistics and parcel delivery services for a range of brands and marketplaces.
Integrated approach
The partnership combines Shipster's shipping rules engine and label generation with Huxloe's parcel delivery infrastructure and multi-carrier management. The combined solution encompasses the entire shipping process, from label creation to final-mile delivery. Both companies indicate this will provide benefits to a variety of eCommerce brands, from fast-growing independent shops to established household names.
Tony Cheetham, Founder of Shipster, based in Manchester, said:
"Retailers are looking for smart, joined-up logistics. By combining our strengths, Shipster and Huxloe can offer exactly that. Shipster clients can now access Huxloe's expansive fulfillment and carrier management services without compromising the highly customised shipping rule setups they rely on."
Huxloe manages over 50 million parcels annually, supporting a portfolio of brands that includes eBay, Amazon, White Stuff, Theo Paphitis Retail Group, Phase Eight, Glamify, and Hugo Boss. According to the partners, the new collaboration will allow Huxloe clients, in particular, to access deeper shipping customisation through Shipster's multi-layered shipping logic and automated compliance label solutions. These features are designed to meet the needs of industries subject to stringent regulatory requirements, such as the pharmaceutical and hazardous goods sectors.
Efficiency and cost benefits
Retailers using the Shipster platform through this partnership will be able to access Huxloe's negotiated carrier rates and broader parcel management features. Both companies state that this streamlines operational processes and helps reduce costs in both carriage and time spent managing multiple relationships with different carriers.
Nick Houghton, Sales Director at Huxloe Group, said:
"Our role is the bridge between retailers, marketplaces, and carriers - removing the headaches and complexity of parcel delivery so retailers can focus on what they do best - selling, marketing, and growing their business. We manage the full parcel lifecycle, from generating the right label at the right time, to ensuring successful delivery through the carrier network. This partnership makes the parcel journey more intelligent and responsive. It creates access to a broader courier network and greater cost efficiency, as well as deeper customisation and exceptional operational agility through Shipster's tech."
Both Shipster and Huxloe promote a carrier-agnostic strategy, enabling their clients to utilise a variety of delivery services including Evri, Yodel / InPost, Royal Mail, DHL, DPD, UPS and FedEx, for shipments domestically and internationally.
Response to market changes
The agreement is set against a backdrop of changes in the parcel delivery market, including courier mergers, fluctuating rates, and new service introductions. Huxloe's operational teams and relationships with major couriers are said to help clients adapt to these shifts.
Houghton commented:
"We're seeing real change in the market. This partnership equips retailers with the flexibility they need to respond to shifting demands without being locked into a single courier solution."
Shipster, founded ten years ago, provides shipping rule customisation and software integration specifically for eCommerce warehouses, and supports over 100 UK and international clients. Huxloe is positioned in global parcel logistics, fulfilment, and returns management, with plans to deliver over 50 million parcels in 2025 across B2C, B2B, and other channels.
