Multi-Carrier Shipping: Gain Flexibility & Savings with Rate Shopping

Multi-Carrier Shipping: How Brands Gain Flexibility, Savings and Speed with Rate Shopping

Shipping costs eat a big share of the budget, and customers expect orders to arrive quickly without sacrificing the brand experience. Managing costs without cutting quality is already a balancing act. Relying on a single carrier makes that balance harder. One delay, one surcharge, or one policy change can throw off your entire operation. A multi-carrier approach backed by rate shopping gives brands options. Instead of being locked into one provider, you can choose the best rate, service level, and speed for every order.

What is rate shopping in logistics?

Rate shopping simply means comparing carriers to find the most cost-effective and efficient way to move each shipment. Instead of defaulting to a single provider, businesses use automated tools often built into transportation management systems (TMS), ecommerce platforms, or warehouse management systems (WMS) to surface the best option on every order.

Modern solutions weigh a range of variables, including:

• Carrier rates (ground, express, freight, etc.)
• Delivery transit time
• Package dimensions and weight
• Destination
• Service level agreements (SLAs)
• Accessorial fees
• Fuel costs
• Customer preferences

Factoring in all of these elements will help brands control costs while still meeting customer expectations for fast, reliable delivery.

How does multi-carrier delivery compare to a single carrier strategy?

Working with a single carrier seems simple, one contract, one system, fewer moving parts. For brands with large volumes, a carrier may even offer rate discounts.

But simplicity comes with tradeoffs:

• Higher exposure to surcharges, annual rate hikes, and fuel adjustments
• Little room to maneuver when disruptions hit, such as from weather, strikes, or limited capacity
• Missed savings from regional carriers that often deliver faster and cheaper in dense markets

A multi-carrier strategy will build flexibility. It will allow brands to match each order with the carrier that offers the best value and reliability at that moment.

Why choose a multi-carrier shipping solution?

Relying on a single carrier leaves little room to adjust when rates climb or delays hit. A multi-carrier solution spreads that risk. With rate shopping in place, brands can compare options in real time choosing the carrier that delivers the right balance of cost, speed, and reliability. The result: fewer bottlenecks, more delivery choices, and better control over shipping expenses.

How can brands benefit from rate shopping?

Automating carrier selection at the order level takes guesswork out of shipping. With rate shopping software, businesses cut costs, improve efficiency, and still meet the high bar customers set for speed and reliability.

Maximize Cost Efficiency

Rate shopping platforms surface the lowest price for every shipment whether small parcel, LTL, or FTL. Over time, those decisions add up to meaningful savings that directly improve margins.

Enhance Operational Scalability

When order volumes climb, manual carrier selection can’t keep up. Automation scales with growth, managing thousands of shipments without adding headcount.

Deliver a Better Customer Experience

Real-time rate shopping allows brands to offer shipping choices economy, standard, express based on accurate pricing. Customers choose what matters most to them, which reduces cart abandonment and boosts satisfaction.

Gain Flexibility

Rate shopping solutions evolve as new carriers and services enter the market. Adding those options keeps costs competitive and ensures brands aren’t locked into one provider’s constraints.

Transportation costs keep rising, and customer expectations aren’t slowing down. Rate shopping isn’t an extra feature any longer but a core capability. Brands that invest in it gain the visibility, control, and flexibility they need to stay competitive in a demanding supply chain.

FIDELITONE’s multi-carrier delivery and rate shopping capabilities

FIDELITONE helps small to mid-sized brands cut shipping costs and improve delivery speed through a multi-carrier network that spans global parcel carriers, postage providers, and regional carriers. This mix gives brands more options to secure the best rates and service while keeping customer expectations front and center.

Rate Shopping Models

Every brand has unique needs and specific requirements.  FIDELITONE’s rate shopping solution offers different models to meet these needs.  Whether a static “set and forget” model is preferred or a selective model that offers more flexibility and choice is preferred, we can deliver.  Leverage a selective model to connect shopping carts and give customers a choice at checkout.

What makes it work is more than technology. FIDELITONE pairs rate shopping with decades of supply chain expertise and a nationwide fulfillment network, ensuring every shipment is handled with cost efficiency and reliability in mind.

Ready to transform your shipping strategy?

A strong carrier strategy doesn’t hinge on one provider. Multi-carrier delivery with rate shopping gives brands flexibility, lowers costs, and creates a faster, more dependable experience for customers.

FIDELITONE partners with businesses to build strategies that deliver on both savings and service. Learn more about how to optimize your carrier strategy and strengthen your customer experience. Contact us today.