FedEx Express (FedEx) and e-commerce platform, BigCommerce, are partnering to tap what the companies described as "soaring opportunities" in the market.
In a statement, the firms said BigCommerce merchants signing up for the FedEx-BigCommerce alliance program can enjoy highly competitive rates and enhanced shipping capabilities.
"The collaboration with BigCommerce is yet another milestone for FedEx as we continue strengthening our capabilities within the e-commerce ecosystem to best serve businesses in this region," commented Kawal Preet, president of Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa (AMEA) at FedEx Express.
"With e-commerce being a key driver of global trade in the post-pandemic world, a level playing field will support e-merchants of all sizes to compete on a global scale."
Preet noted that alliances such as this with BigCommerce are "so critical" for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to boost their delivery capabilities while expanding their footprint overseas.
"The strategic alliance comes as e-commerce in the Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa region (AMEA) region is on a skyrocketing growth trajectory fueled by the pandemic," FedEx said in a statement, adding that in Asia Pacific alone, e-commerce sales are expected to nearly double by 2025, reaching US$2 trillion.
Meanwhile, it added that online sales in the Middle East and Africa region (MENA) are also projected to exceed US$50 billion by the end of 2022.
Alongside the rapid growth in e-commerce sales, merchants face mounting pressure in delivering products quickly and cost-efficiently to customers across the world.
Citing a BigCommerce survey, FedEx said it revealed that 77% of global consumer respondents would consider abandoning an e-commerce purchase if the shipping options are unsatisfactory.
"Every decision we make ladders back to helping BigCommerce merchants grow and scale their businesses and deliver the best customer shopping experiences. It's never been more important for merchants to equip themselves with the most reliable shipping solutions to ensure their products are delivered in a timely manner," said Shannon Ingrey, vice president and general manager of APAC for BigCommerce.
"Our collaboration with FedEx unlocks more options for BigCommerce merchants to offer premium delivery experiences as part of their end-to-end e-commerce journey. We look forward to working with FedEx to ensure our merchants have all the resources available to meet customer needs quickly and efficiently."
