One of these decisions can unlock or limit your growth potential: should you work with one shipping carrier or multiple?
It's not a straightforward choice. Single-carrier shipping offers simplicity and, in some cases, better rates. Multi-carrier shipping gives you flexibility and resilience. And the "right" answer depends entirely on your business needs, your markets, and how much risk you're willing to take.
In this article, we will explain what a single and multi-carrier shipping approach is and delve into the disadvantages that come with having a limited carrier provision for businesses.
Let's start with the basics.The Single-Carrier and Multi-Carrier shipping approaches refer to different strategies that businesses and individuals can adopt when it comes to selecting and utilizing carriers for their delivery needs.
The Single-Carrier approach means you rely on one carrier to fulfill all your shipping needs. You sign a contract with one provider – DHL, UPS, FedEx, or a local postal service—and they handle everything. All your volume goes to them, and in return, you (hopefully) get better rates and a simpler workflow.
Multi-carrier shipping means you work with multiple carriers simultaneously. Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, you diversify. You might use one carrier for domestic shipments, another for international, and a third for express deliveries. This approach is also called “carrier diversification.”
Both have their place. The question is: which one is a fit?
Think of single-carrier shipping as putting all your eggs in one basket. Sometimes, that's not a bad thing – especially if it's a really good basket.
For small businesses with limited resources, this simplicity is a huge advantage.
Working with one carrier simplifies everything. You maintain one relationship, integrate with one system, and manage one set of processes. This means fewer management hours, less IT complexity, and a cleaner workflow.
A single-carrier model can lead to more consistent delivery experiences. You know what to expect, your customers know what to expect, and you have better control over the customer experience.
For product categories where consistency is crucial, like perishable goods or time-sensitive deliveries, this can be a deciding factor.
But here's the risk: if your carrier faces major service disruptions, your entire operation is at risk. No backup plan means no shipments.
Volume equals leverage. By giving all your shipments to one carrier, you maximize your negotiating power. In the shipping industry, volume is king. The more you ship, the better rates you get.
When you split volume across multiple carriers, you lose that leverage, and you'll likely pay more per shipment.
Go single-carrier if:
On the other hand, the multi-carrier approach provides independence and resilience in your last-mile delivery processes.
Different carriers excel in different areas. Some have strong domestic networks. Others dominate international shipping. Some offer the best express options, while others have unbeatable economy rates.
With a multi-carrier strategy, you can match each shipment to the carrier that handles it best. Domestic order? Use the local postal service. International express? Switch to DHL or FedEx. This flexibility improves service quality and customer satisfaction.
The right shipping strategy depends on your business model, market reach, and need for flexibility.For sellers operating only domestically, a single-carrier approach may be enough. But if your business is growing fast or expanding into new regions, a multi-carrier strategy helps you stay competitive and avoid bottlenecks. Many companies also choose a hybrid model, relying on one primary carrier for about 80% of shipments while using additional carriers to cover specific needs or locations.
As e-commerce keeps accelerating, customer expectations rise just as fast. Shoppers want flexible delivery options, faster last-mile speeds, and reliable service no matter where they live. To meet these expectations and build more resilient supply chains, experts agree that the future of last-mile delivery is shifting toward multi-carrier shipping.With globalisation pushing more businesses to sell across multiple regions, relying on a single carrier simply isn’t enough. A multi-carrier strategy allows brands to reach new markets, avoid service disruptions, and stay competitive on speed and price.
Here’s the plot twist: shipping has finally caught up with e-commerce. You no longer have to choose between chaos and limitation. There’s a smarter middle ground, powered by modern platforms built to simplify and strengthen your entire logistics flow.
Modern multi-carrier shipping platforms like Swotzy now make it possible to run these setups at the lowest possible cost, automating rate comparisons, label creation, tracking, and carrier selection in one place. What used to be complex and time-consuming is becoming accessible and efficient for businesses of every size.We understand the complexities and dilemmas faced by businesses in developing their last mile strategy. That’s why we have designed a platform to offer our customers the flexibility of both single-carrier and multi-carrier shipping models, depending on the business preferences and requirements.
Here's what you get:
We take care of all integrations and management tasks for you, and we ensure strong relationships with the carriers. You get the negotiating power of volume, the resilience of diversification, and the simplicity of one platform. There’s no need for you to maintain multiple relationships or navigate through complex IT systems.
You can use the Swotzy platform for free! Pay only for the actual shipments you send out (for lower rates!)
One of these decisions can unlock or limit your growth potential: should you work with one shipping carrier or multiple?
It's not a straightforward choice. Single-carrier shipping offers simplicity and, in some cases, better rates. Multi-carrier shipping gives you flexibility and resilience. And the "right" answer depends entirely on your business needs, your markets, and how much risk you're willing to take.
In this article, we will explain what a single and multi-carrier shipping approach is and delve into the disadvantages that come with having a limited carrier provision for businesses.
Let's start with the basics.The Single-Carrier and Multi-Carrier shipping approaches refer to different strategies that businesses and individuals can adopt when it comes to selecting and utilizing carriers for their delivery needs.
The Single-Carrier approach means you rely on one carrier to fulfill all your shipping needs. You sign a contract with one provider – DHL, UPS, FedEx, or a local postal service—and they handle everything. All your volume goes to them, and in return, you (hopefully) get better rates and a simpler workflow.
Multi-carrier shipping means you work with multiple carriers simultaneously. Instead of putting all your eggs in one basket, you diversify. You might use one carrier for domestic shipments, another for international, and a third for express deliveries. This approach is also called “carrier diversification.”
Both have their place. The question is: which one is a fit?
Think of single-carrier shipping as putting all your eggs in one basket. Sometimes, that's not a bad thing – especially if it's a really good basket.
For small businesses with limited resources, this simplicity is a huge advantage.
Working with one carrier simplifies everything. You maintain one relationship, integrate with one system, and manage one set of processes. This means fewer management hours, less IT complexity, and a cleaner workflow.
A single-carrier model can lead to more consistent delivery experiences. You know what to expect, your customers know what to expect, and you have better control over the customer experience.
For product categories where consistency is crucial, like perishable goods or time-sensitive deliveries, this can be a deciding factor.
But here's the risk: if your carrier faces major service disruptions, your entire operation is at risk. No backup plan means no shipments.
Volume equals leverage. By giving all your shipments to one carrier, you maximize your negotiating power. In the shipping industry, volume is king. The more you ship, the better rates you get.
When you split volume across multiple carriers, you lose that leverage, and you'll likely pay more per shipment.
Go single-carrier if:
On the other hand, the multi-carrier approach provides independence and resilience in your last-mile delivery processes.
Different carriers excel in different areas. Some have strong domestic networks. Others dominate international shipping. Some offer the best express options, while others have unbeatable economy rates.
With a multi-carrier strategy, you can match each shipment to the carrier that handles it best. Domestic order? Use the local postal service. International express? Switch to DHL or FedEx. This flexibility improves service quality and customer satisfaction.
The right shipping strategy depends on your business model, market reach, and need for flexibility.For sellers operating only domestically, a single-carrier approach may be enough. But if your business is growing fast or expanding into new regions, a multi-carrier strategy helps you stay competitive and avoid bottlenecks. Many companies also choose a hybrid model, relying on one primary carrier for about 80% of shipments while using additional carriers to cover specific needs or locations.
As e-commerce keeps accelerating, customer expectations rise just as fast. Shoppers want flexible delivery options, faster last-mile speeds, and reliable service no matter where they live. To meet these expectations and build more resilient supply chains, experts agree that the future of last-mile delivery is shifting toward multi-carrier shipping.With globalisation pushing more businesses to sell across multiple regions, relying on a single carrier simply isn’t enough. A multi-carrier strategy allows brands to reach new markets, avoid service disruptions, and stay competitive on speed and price.
Here’s the plot twist: shipping has finally caught up with e-commerce. You no longer have to choose between chaos and limitation. There’s a smarter middle ground, powered by modern platforms built to simplify and strengthen your entire logistics flow.
Modern multi-carrier shipping platforms like Swotzy now make it possible to run these setups at the lowest possible cost, automating rate comparisons, label creation, tracking, and carrier selection in one place. What used to be complex and time-consuming is becoming accessible and efficient for businesses of every size.We understand the complexities and dilemmas faced by businesses in developing their last mile strategy. That’s why we have designed a platform to offer our customers the flexibility of both single-carrier and multi-carrier shipping models, depending on the business preferences and requirements.
Here's what you get:
We take care of all integrations and management tasks for you, and we ensure strong relationships with the carriers. You get the negotiating power of volume, the resilience of diversification, and the simplicity of one platform. There’s no need for you to maintain multiple relationships or navigate through complex IT systems.
You can use the Swotzy platform for free! Pay only for the actual shipments you send out (for lower rates!)
