Vareya
Comparison

Shipping software, carrier contract or fulfilment partner: what is the difference?

Three different solutions for getting orders out: shipping software, a direct carrier contract, and a physical fulfilment partner — and when each one fits.

Three solutions, three different problems

Shipping software prints labels and automates shipping rules by connecting a shop to multiple carriers. A direct carrier contract sets the rates a business pays a carrier for transport. A fulfilment partner stores the stock, picks, packs and ships the orders — and typically brings software access and negotiated carrier rates with it.

They are not interchangeable, and they solve different problems at different scales. The useful question is which layer of the process you want to operate yourself.

  • Shipping software: you store, pick and pack — software automates labels, tracking and returns flows.
  • Carrier contract: you store, pick, pack and label — the contract sets transport pricing.
  • Fulfilment partner: the partner stores, picks, packs and ships on your behalf.

How the choice plays out in practice

A brand running its own small warehouse and wanting cheaper, smarter shipping benefits most from shipping software. A brand that already has an efficient in-house operation and only needs better transport rates can negotiate a direct carrier contract.

A brand whose order volume has outgrown the space, time or process available in-house is the natural fit for a fulfilment partner. The operational handover — receiving, storage, picking, packing, dispatch and returns — is the core of what changes hands.

Vareya is generally best suited to brands shipping 500 or more orders per month.

What a fulfilment partner adds

A fulfilment partner operates the physical warehouse and the fulfilment process. Vareya operates from Breda in the Netherlands, uses ShipHero as its warehouse management system fully integrated with Shopify, and ships through a carrier network led by PostNL for shipments within the Netherlands.

Vareya's shipping system can automatically select an appropriate carrier for each shipment, based on destination and parcel characteristics.

The scan is the practical bridge: it collects the order profile a partner needs to check fit, without a sales call as the first step. Product fit is confirmed during qualification.

Continue the review

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Check the operation against your order profile

The Free Rate Scan collects the practical inputs Vareya needs for an initial fit review. Product fit is confirmed during qualification.

Check your EU fulfilment fit