As technology advances, more and more of the things we do each day, those repetitive tasks that take up time and often money, can be replaced by automation. Automation, or the form of having something set up to complete tasks itself, is used across multiple industries. We’ve gotten used to having it in our own pockets when we turn on our smartphones, and yes, you guessed it, even when we’re online shopping.
For eCommerce businesses, setting up your website with automatic web services can relieve much of the time-consuming stress of businesses. Sure, smaller businesses may get away with completing tasks such as the data entry of shipping labels. There is likely no possibility, however, to scale and grow your business if you’re wasting too much time on the mundane.
Australia Post has set up APIs that can be integrated into your website that will automate many services, including the shipping process. These APIs (Application Programming Interface) are keys and codes that a web developer or a shipping solution can implement with ease into your Shopify, WooCommerce, or another online platform.
If you are yet to utilize Australia Post’s web services in your eCommerce shipping system, here’s a brief outline of each service and how it can benefit your online business.
Lodge parcels
Create an order, including all the shipments and items, and lodge the parcels with Australia Post. You can lodge multiple parcels at one time to different domestic and international customers all from the dashboard of your website. PluginHive can automatically have shipments scheduled for pickup from your business, storage facility, or even your home.
Print labels
Print Australia Post’s most up-to-date labels to improve your operational efficiency, says Australia Post. These labels are generated automatically using a plugin like PluginHive. All of the necessary contact information, including the accurate address, is automatically filled in and printed on demand. This will save your business hours of employee time that can be better used elsewhere.
Validate postcodes and suburbs
Australia Post’s APIs will double-check all postcodes and suburbs to ensure they match. If an address is inaccurate or there are any discrepancies, the customer will be notified to fix the issue. This ensures that all orders have the right information, meaning fewer non-delivery returns.
Get your contract details
From your website, you can view all of your Australia Post account information in one place, including products, contract expiry dates, and product features. There’s no need to sign in to your account on the Australia Post website as everything can be viewed from your dashboard.
Get your contract pricing
Customers will be given accurate prices for different shipping methods at checkout. They can choose the best option for their budget or how quickly they want their package to arrive. This API increases the overall satisfaction and return rate of your customers.
Track your parcels
You can easily look up tracking information about parcels for your staff or customers. This information is updated in real-time so your customers always have the ability to see where their parcel is. Staff can respond to customer questions efficiently by easily looking up the status of a shipment.
Estimate duties and taxes for International shipments.
If customers are shopping your website from outside of Australia, they can easily have an estimate generated that will show them how much they will likely pay for duties and taxes when shipping internationally. With this valuable information at you and your customers’ fingertips, you’re more likely to increase your global audience and grow your business.
How to use Australia Post API and Web Services?
In order to benefit from Australia Post’s web services, you will need all three of the following.
A Contract With Australia Post
You must be a contract customer of Australia Post in order to use their API keys. If you don’t have a contract, you can often set one up with your developer or an official partner, such as PluginHive.
Australia Post Account
In order to use the MyPost APIs, you will of course need an Australia Post MyPost account. You can then use your credentials to log into the Developer Centre. After you have logged in, you will be able to see your account information and set up payments and shipments right from your website.
An Integration method
As mentioned earlier, you will either need to work with a developer or an Australia Post certified shipping app or shipping plugin. If you are a larger business, you will often require an in-house team to take care of all your software requirements and demand, but most mid-sized and small businesses benefit greatly by partnering with an authorized platform like PluginHive.
Why Choose PluginHive for Automating Australia Post Shipping?
PluginHive will effectively deliver all of Australia Post’s APIs so you can quickly start offering their many features to your customers. In addition to that, PluginHive goes one step further to allow you to integrate with multiple shipping carriers and choose options and features to focus on what works best for your business.
PluginHive’s support team can remotely connect to your website and ensure every tool is working properly and in sync with your business requirements. If you need extra features, we can likely integrate them. Our team is friendly and always available to answer your questions and provide you with cost-effective solutions to scaling your business and fully automating your shipping process.
Interested in finding out how PluginHive can integrate Australia Post shipping services right into your Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, or other commerce-based web platforms? Reach out for a conversation with our customer support team.
