Setting Up International Shipping the Right Way – Answers from the even Webinar with shipcloud

In a nutshell: A global carrier covers Europe – but is that really the best Solution? Marcus Rissmann, Senior Product Manager at shipcloud, explained in the even Webinar when local carriers are the better choice, how merchants should build their international shipping step by step, and why technical integration is often underestimated.

Missed the Webinar? Click here for the full recording.

Those shipping internationally for the first time often think: I already have a carrier – they deliver abroad too. True. But whether that's the right decision depends on more than just geographic reach. In the even Webinar, Marcus Rissmann answered the most important questions around cross-border shipping.

Shipcloud describes itself as a parcel logistics company, not just a software Vendor. What's behind that?

Marcus: We connect merchants with shipping service providers – both global and local carriers. The difference: global carriers like UPS have their own nationwide network and can deliver end-to-end, including specialty services like express or hazardous goods. Local carriers, on the other hand, know their market much better – they're close to the recipient, understand local delivery preferences, and cover the last mile more reliably. Both have their place.

When does a local carrier make sense – and when doesn't it? Is this primarily a B2C topic?

Marcus: It's definitely an important distinguishing factor. In B2C shipping, local carriers play to their strengths because end customers expect delivery to fit their familiar pickup points and parcel shops. In B2B, that's often less relevant since the recipient is a business. But we look closely there too – it always comes down to what the recipient actually needs.

What are the typical decision criteria when choosing a carrier? Price is one. What else matters?

Marcus: Price is an important criterion, but not the only one. What we see time and again: in the end, it's about serving the recipient well. And that doesn't just mean low-cost shipping – it means reliable transit times. Not necessarily the fastest, but the one that's actually met. When we agree on an SLA with a carrier, we measure exactly that: does what was promised hold up?

How does shipcloud handle the technical complexity behind the scenes? Every carrier has its own API, its own formats.

Marcus: That's precisely the challenge – and at the same time our core offering. We harmonize: a merchant comes to us with the same information regardless of which carrier is involved. We translate that into the respective carrier formats. The same applies in reverse: status data arrives in different formats, we normalize it into our internal model and deliver it in a consistent way. With 20, 30 or more shipping service providers, that's a real challenge.

One contract – with shipcloud or with the carrier? If I start with you, do I also need to sign separate contracts with each individual carrier?

Marcus: No. You sign one contract with us. We handle communication – contractually, operationally, and technically – with all the carriers in our portfolio. That's particularly advantageous when you're just starting out or want to test a single country first. Our customers also benefit from the rates we've negotiated, because we pool volume across all clients.

Germany is the world champion of returns. How relevant is that in a cross-border context?

Marcus: Very relevant – and often underestimated. Returns are essentially the mirror image of parcel shop delivery: the recipient needs somewhere to drop off the package. We offer a dedicated software Solution for this, allowing the end customer to choose which carrier and which drop-off point suits them best – by proximity or by location on the way to work. That's the kind of flexibility you can give your customers.

What's your advice, Marcus, for merchants who want to get started now?

Marcus: Start small. Don't pick the largest market by volume as your starting point – choose a country that already has significant volume and deliberately test a local carrier there. Set up an A/B test, monitor KPIs, then expand step by step. But it doesn't start with shipping alone – it starts earlier: market analysis, product selection, the question of whether the market is even ready for your assortment.

Conclusion: International Shipping Is More Than a Carrier Decision

Anyone looking to expand their shipping abroad faces more decisions than it may initially seem – from carrier strategy and technical integration to returns logic. Shipcloud consolidates this complexity into a single platform, making it possible to enter new markets step by step, driven by data.

Missed the Webinar? Here you can access the full recording.