This is especially true within the ecommerce and retail sector, where customs issues, additional charges and delays can all hamper the consumers experience of the brand they’ve purchased from.
In the wake of these challenges, SAMOS was launched in 2018 to help UK businesses with innovative solutions for shipping to the EU, and worldwide. In this article, we’ve asked them to discuss some of the challenges still being faced by 3PLs and ecommerce retailers in the UK.
What type of businesses are affected by the challenges of EU shipping?
Many of the businesses affected by EU shipping are ecommerce retailers or 3PLs that have successfully expanded their business into Europe.
Shipping their consumer’s goods to the EU was simpler before Brexit, but since have been subject to poor shipping and delivery experiences hampered with issues.
What are some of the typical issues these businesses have with EU shipping?
There are multiple issues facing UK businesses concerning EU shipping, these include:
- Different customs criteria across multiple customs entry points for goods entering EU countries
- Cost increases caused by surcharges
- Parcels being returned due to EU customs issues – sometimes even after they’ve cleared customs, such as additional VAT handling charges, or consumers refusing to take delivery because of them
- Perplexing EU rules and regulations
How have shipping rates changed since the UK left the EU?
The cost of shipping into Europe has increased dramatically. There is a charge for shipping and returning parcels, but carrier invoices also include several additional charges such fuel, residential and clearance surcharges - sometimes this doubles the expected cost. Increased shipping rates lead to brands experiencing increased cart abandonment and reduced sales.
How do SAMOS overcome EU shipping challenges?
SAMOS operates a bespoke EU shipping solution that works unlike other carriers. It ensures EU parcels are successfully delivered across the EU within 7 days. SAMOS clears parcels through one EU entry point, meaning that the customs process is less complex and frictionless. The SAMOS VAT process also guarantees that no receiver will be asked for tax or fees before delivery. 98% of EU packages shipped with SAMOS are cleared and delivered successfully and taxes or fees are never charged to receiver. For SAMOS customers, this lowers the risk of rejected or returned parcels. Therefore, SAMOS customers experience increased repeat orders, customer loyalty and growth across the EU. SAMOS also has a fixed rate policy. The rate on their website is what the customer pays pay without the fear of additional surprise charges or fees.
Can SAMOS help handle returns & make the process easier?
SAMOS have a fully managed returns platform and customer portal allowing consumers to self-serve their returns. It allows customers to use their outbound order number to select items they wish to return, create a return label, and shows nearest drop-off points. SAMOS customer have access to their own returns platform at no extra cost.
Can SAMOS support shipping outside of the EU?
SAMOS have delivery services within 7 days to US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Singapore.
Does SAMOS work alongside Mintsoft?
SAMOS is proud to work with Mintsoft. They have a native integration on the Mintsoft platform that allows seamless data export and creation of SAMOS labels. See more about the integration between SAMOS and Mintsoft.
