GLS Netherlands: Carrier Ecommerce Infrastructure in Practice
How one of the Netherlands' largest parcel delivery companies replaced fragmented, costly ecommerce integrations with a scalable, carrier-branded infrastructure layer, delivered in 8 weeks.
One of the largest parcel delivery companies in the Netherlands
GLS Netherlands understands the critical importance of connectivity between shop systems, marketplaces, and their shipping services. Smooth ecommerce integration is essential for incorporating merchants into their supply chain efficiently.
GLS Netherlands is part of the GLS Group, one of the largest parcel logistics providers in Europe with a strong foothold in the USA and Canada.
Significant cost and complexity in maintaining ecommerce integrations
Despite providing connectivity solutions to its customers for several years, GLS Netherlands faced significant challenges in maintaining and scaling their integrations before working with Shiptimize.
The existing solution was not only costly to launch, but also expensive to maintain. Ensuring that ecommerce integrations remained fully functional required continuous and substantial investment that was unpredictable in scale, making it an unsustainable long-term strategy.
Full white-label ecommerce connectivity infrastructure
GLS Netherlands collaborated with Shiptimize to address these challenges by adopting Shiptimize's full white-label ecommerce connectivity solution: a completely branded shipping portal and multiple branded ecommerce integrations, giving GLS Netherlands a reliable and scalable foundation.
A fully branded merchant-facing shipping environment under the GLS identity
Lightspeed, Bol, and Shopify at launch, expanding to 7 platforms over two years
Amazon, WooCommerce, Magento, and Picqer added as the partnership scaled
From fragmented integrations to scalable infrastructure
At launch, Shiptimize deployed a fully branded shipping portal and delivered GLS-branded integrations for Lightspeed, Bol, and Shopify. The timeline to launch was significantly shorter compared to previous efforts.
Over the following two years, GLS Netherlands expanded its set of in-brand integrations to connect with Amazon, WooCommerce, Magento, and Picqer. This expansion demonstrated the flexibility and scalability of Shiptimize's infrastructure approach.
As a result of these integrations and the organisation's sales efforts in the ecommerce segment, GLS Netherlands experienced substantial growth as well as improved retention of clients within the ecommerce sector.
"GLS Netherlands experienced substantial growth as well as retention of clients within the ecommerce sector."
Three reasons GLS Netherlands chose Shiptimize
According to Wouter Baas, Director of IT at GLS Netherlands, there were three primary reasons for selecting Shiptimize as their ecommerce connectivity partner.
As evidenced by increased connection, reduced costs, and notable business expansion, the partnership between GLS Netherlands and Shiptimize has proven to be a strategic success.
Three primary reasons for selecting Shiptimize as GLS Netherlands' ecommerce connectivity partner:
GLS Netherlands is one of several carriers we work with across Europe
We are building long-term infrastructure partnerships with Post & Parcel operators across various European markets. Additional case studies will be published as partnerships develop.
What could this mean for your carrier?
Every carrier starts from a different position. We take the time to understand your infrastructure, your merchant base, and your ecommerce ambitions before suggesting where Shiptimize can make the most impact.