BigCommerce, FedEx in new e-commerce offering for small, mid-sized businesses
A major e-commerce platform is partnering with a shipping giant to enhance shipping options for small-to-mid-sized businesses as online demand surges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
BigCommerce is collaborating with FedEx to give SMBs using the BigCommerce platform access to the FedEx portfolio of e-commerce solutions. With this enhanced feature set, SMBs on BigCommerce can receive enterprise-like shipping capabilities to provide their customers with a more premium delivery experience. BigCommerce retailers that leverage this partnership will receive discounts up to 40% on FedEx Ground and 50% on FedEx Express services.
Services offered via the new partnership include FedEx home delivery, a portfolio of flexible return solutions, and the FedEx retail convenience network to give consumers the choice to have their packages delivered to various grocery stores, pharmacies and FedEx Office locations. Retailers will receive their own FedEx account number or have the ability to keep an existing account number.
Participating retailers can contact FedEx directly for pickups and billing questions, as well as to order supplies, reroute packages and manage their rewards account.
“Great e-commerce experiences need to be paired with great shipping options, but it can be difficult for growing merchants to provide affordable shipping at price points that align with today’s customer expectations,” said Russell Klein, chief commercial officer at BigCommerce. “Teaming up with FedEx, one of the world’s most well-respected e-commerce transportation and logistics carriers, gives all our merchants access to a unique set of capabilities and rates, which ultimately enables them to compete more equally on a global scale.”
“Timing of this alliance and offer couldn’t be better for growing businesses looking to build their brand through their own web store that has integrated, competitive shipping options with a range of services to deliver the intended consumer experience,” said Ryan Kelly, VP of global e-commerce marketing at FedEx Corp. “This pandemic has made it absolutely clear that businesses need options and partners they can trust. For businesses that are only using a marketplace or only have a physical presence, now is the time to own your future.”
Through this partnership, BigCommerce and FedEx both bolster their competitive standing with Amazon. BigCommerce becomes a more viable alternative to Amazon Marketplace for SMBs, while FedEx can recapture some of the delivery volume it has lost as Amazon has increased its reliance on internal and other third-party shipping options.