Operations

PitneyShip Cube boxes label printer, scale for ecommerce sellers

The new device from Pitney Bowes combines hardware and an app to help sellers process orders at home.

pitneyship cube printing a label

The PitneyShip Cube. (Courtesy photo)

After a customer clicks "Buy," an ecommerce order goes through a number of steps before it reaches their door. It has to be boxed up, weighed, labeled and assinged a rate. Then, it's taken for delivery, and tracked through what is often a number of stops to ensure the box reaches a customer's door.

Shipping company Pitney Bowes has a new product to help sellers take care of most of these steps, all without having to leave the house.

Called PitneyShip Cube, the WiFi-enabled device contains a label printer and built-in scale, all within a packaging smaller than a laptop. Paired with software that works with the device to capture dimensions, the system allows users to process orders from retailers like Amazon, eBay and Shopify.

The ability to start an ecommerce business from anywhere has brought a need for a new generation of office equipment that is designed for operating remotely. Pitney Bowes designed its device to save space as compared to traditional printers, and create an all-in-one tool for order preparation and tracking.

“PitneyShip Cube is intended for ecommerce sellers working out of their home or small offices who want a solution that will help them process customer orders quickly,” said Shemin Nurmohamed, Pitney Bowes’ VP of global strategy, pricing and offerings for SMB Solutions. “PitneyShip Cube can also be used by small and medium-sized offices looking to simplify their shipping workflows.”

It’s designed to solve a number of different challenges: Securing accurate package weights and measurements, finding the best shipping rate and, ultimately, reducing the steps it takes to get a package out the door.

“PitneyShip Cube simplifies shipping with its built-in scale and in-app package measuring tool,” Nurmohamed said. “The companion PitneyShip software lets users compare rates and ship across major carriers as well as schedule package pickups right at their door.”

Using the software, sellers can send email tracking notifications automatically to recipients including proof of delivery, and link their Amazon, eBay and Shopify stores to import orders.

pitneyship cube weighing a packageThe PitneyShip Cube weighing a package. (Courtesy photo)

The PitneyShip Cube was designed for conservation in a number of dimensions. At 7 in. by 7 in., It’s designed to be compact, and has a thermal printer that eliminates the need for ink cartridges. Plus, there is an automatic cutter to reduce waste. At the same time, it can allow sellers to cut down on the amount of equipment they need to weigh packages and print labels. The software also offers access to the lowest rates available from USPS and UPS.

Pitney Bowes indicates that it serves more than 90% of the Fortune 500 through its shipping, finance and tech offerings. The PitneyShip Cube shows how the company is also paying attention to the needs of a group of businesses that are often solo entrepreneurs or small outfits that realize opportunity by building their businesses and accessing audiences through ecommerce platforms. It’s a group that is only expected to continue to gain importance as ecommerce gains more channels. According to a recent report from Edge by Ascential, third-party marketplaces will account for about 60% of ecommerce globally by 2027, while adding add $1.3 trillion in sales over the next five years.

“PitneyShip Cube presents a great opportunity to address the needs of a growing segment of shippers – the home or small-office based ecommerce seller," Nurmohamed said. "This segment is growing rapidly in both number of sellers and total package volume they represent. They are an integral part of today’s economy and PitneyShip Cube is designed specifically to meet their needs.”

Subscribe to The Current Newsletter
Subscribe

Trending in Operations

Shopper Experience

ChatGPT for ecommerce: 3 rules of engagement

Constructor's Eli Finkelshteyn shares principles for responsible use of generative AI, and an experiment.

2 people looking at boots online

This is an article about how to approach the use of ChatGPT for improved ecommerce experiences without breaking shopper trust in the process. You probably aren’t expecting Jurassic Park references, but I’m going to make one anyway.

There’s a line of foreshadowing early on where Jeff Goldblum’s character speaks about the complexities and ethics involved in cloning dinosaurs. He says something to the effect of, “Everyone got so excited that they could that they never even stopped to consider if they should.”

Keep reading...Show less

Latest from Operations