Online trade instead of online shopping

Any local retailer is now a global exporter

Express Trailers’ online platform ShipLowCost.com started operating to satisfy a growing need from local online shoppers to buy products and have them delivered to Malta notwithstanding apparent size or weight limitations. The platform was initially servicing incoming online purchases but six years ago, Express Trailers took the bold decision to extend the service to any business or individual who wanted export.

“In reality, it was a decision borne out of a will to operate more sustainably,” explained Etienne Attard, CEO of Express Trailers.

“ShipLowCost’s strength lies in the fact that we own our fleet which operates an extensive road network to and from our depots across Europe. This means thousands of trips to and from Malta. While ShipLowCost was serving local online shoppers, we knew that our network could easily be extended to businesses and individuals who wanted to sell and ship to anywhere in the world,” explains Etienne Attard.

“This effectively means that now, anyone in Malta, even if it is a small retailer, has the potential to become a global seller and retailer,” he added.

The numbers speak for themselves. Figures for Ship Low Cost continue to show an upward trend as more local customers are using the online platform for their import and export requirements.

“One does not need to be a huge exporter to sell abroad. Local large volume exporters are reliably serviced through Express Trailers but when it comes to smaller quantities, customers will always be guaranteed the same best-of-breed logistics for export and final delivery.”

A case in point is Olimpus Music, one of Malta’s leading shops for musical instruments whose General Manager Robert Piscopo recalls how the company has been using ShipLowCost’s export service to ship instruments to online buyers across the European Union since 2018.

“Compared to other shipping options, we have found ShipLowCost’s service very good and cost-efficient and the few issues we encountered in the past were always resolved quickly by their support personnel. The platform is also easy to use and as a service,” added Mr Piscopo.

Whereas online shoppers can buy anything from across Europe by having their purchases reliably sent to any of ShipLowCost’s eight depots located in the UK, Germany, France, Austria, Spain, Italy, Sicily and the Netherlands, the export facility of ShipLowCost enables Maltese customers to ship to anywhere in the world.

Antoinette Doneo, Director at Doneo Co Ltd explained how their company has been using ShipLowCost for more than five years and today, Doneo is also shipping to Belgium, the Netherlands and other countries as far as the UAE, Australia and South America.

“We use ShipLowCost to ship items purchased from our online shop to our foreign customers as well as to ship items that require specialised repairs by the suppliers. We have found SLC service to be very efficient and inexpensive which makes the cost of repair affordable to our end customers. SLC portal conveniently works out our export price since its calculated immediately and also offers an option to add insurance,” she said.

“In fact, the beauty of ShipLowCost lies in the way it has given an export dimension to our business. The service is very reliable. Packages are trackable, so we can monitor their movement and whenever we have had queries, their ‘chat’ service is instant. SLC staff are always ready to assist and listen whenever we have requested specific services,” she added.

ShipLowCost’s portal is considered very user-friendly, guiding users through a step-by-step process to input the dimensions, and weight of the packed items.

Online shoppers have their ordered items sent directly to Express Trailers’ closest depot in Europe from where they are loaded and shipped to Malta with the system generating a comprehensive instant shipping quote in a matter of seconds.

Export customers on the other hand, with a few clicks, can organise the collection of their items, right-size the packing boxes and track their shipments.

SLC customers are kept constantly updated with the delivery status through timely notifications and updates about the package’s journey and online shoppers can track the itinerary of their orders, leaving no room for uncertainty.

“When it comes to online shopping from abroad or the export of products, customers in Malta should no longer feel restricted by our geographical barriers. This is the rationale with which ShipLowCost was conceived and how this service continues to grow. What used to be a shipping barrier, ShipLowCost has turned it into the solution for many satisfied customers,” concluded Attard. *

“Any small retailer now has the potential to become a global seller”