10 years ago, Express Trailers launched its ShipLowCost.com service to assist local online shoppers have their purchases delivered straight to their door. JOHANN VELLA, Director & Head of General Management & Quality Assurance at Express Trailers recalls the market’s reaction when the service was first launched in 2012 and how the customer base has been growing exponentially year on year ever since.
What has the uptake been like over the past years?
The service was an immediate hit because we were the first to offer a service that appealed directly to online shoppers. We saw a niche because customers were finding items online but then, were limited to what they could order because of size and weight constraints. Today we service thousands of customers every year, some of which have been with us from the very beginning. We even have individuals who started their business from using ShipLowCost.com and today have become successful importers and exporters who keep using our service. This project is a huge achievement for me personally and for the company especially due to the constant positive feedback we receive from our clients.
How does ShipLowCost.com operate?
ShipLowCost.com started off as an import service utilising four main depots on mainland Europe. As the service proved popular, we introduced more depots and today, it is operated through 8 distinct depots namely in Austria, France, Netherlands, Germany, Spain, Italy, UK and Sicily thus covering the most sought-after markets in Europe. Customers instruct their suppliers located in these other European countries to send their goods to these depots and from there, our logistics chain brings the goods to Malta where they are sorted and delivered in every corner of Malta and Gozo.
Which are the most popular hubs and what would be the reasons for this?
Most clients have always been very comfortable importing goods from the UK however Brexit changed everything because it made importing goods from the UK more expensive and complicated. Notwithstanding this, we still retained the service for online shoppers who still shop from the UK, but we have noticed users shifting their buying habits. I would say that today, Italy and Germany have become the most popular hubs amongst our clients.
Read the full interview here.