By Charles Pukas
American Worldwide Agencies (AWA), a global network of freight forwarders and agents, has teamed up with Australian e-commerce company Qannu with a direct-to-consumer internet shopping service.
Qannu’s services enable Australian consumers to order goods from any number of US websites while paying only one international shipping charge.
Consumers can order through the Qannu website or directly from a US e-retailer, using a shipping address that directs goods to a unique ‘mailbox’ at the Qannu warehouse in Los Angeles. When an order arrives at the warehouse, the consumer can opt for immediate shipping to destination or ask that goods be held for consolidation with additional orders.
Qannu uses AWA to provide delivery of consolidated packages direct to the consumer’s door in five to eight days, at a claimed saving of up to 80 percent over traditional shipping methods.
“The Australian consumer is looking for the lowest price and a selection of products available in the US market,” said Bridget Speed, Qannu’s marketing director.
“Qannu has grown 400 per cent over the last 12 months. Saving customers 50 to 80 per cent on shipping costs makes all the difference when it comes to the affordability of buying from American retailers.”
Using proprietary software that AWA developed for Qannu, consumers can automatically calculate shipping costs as they shop.
“We are able to guarantee the shipping cost for the consumer, so shoppers are better protected,” said Ms Speed. “We are expecting the upcoming holiday season to be our biggest ever and this is an important advantage.”
“There is going to be much more of a drive to serve the consumer directly,” said Andrew Scott, CEO of AWA. He cited recent reports that Australian online shoppers spent $14.1 billion over the last 12 months, with expectations for more sharp growth as traditional retailers expand their web presence
This article first appeared on TandLnews.com.au