But at the end of the day, businesses want to know how much everything is costing, where their money is going, and what’s affecting their bottom line.

At a time when operating costs are stretched and profit margins squeezed, this has never been more important for a logistics operation.

Stream’s latest feature lets you calculate the total cost of a run. Plus, if you’re adding charges to your orders in Stream, it will enable you to get a clearer picture of the margin of a run.

And you can do all of this before the driver even departs on the run, giving you advanced visibility of whether a run is going to be profitable.

How does run costing work in Stream?

Run costing is the ability to generate a total cost for each of your delivery runs.

The total cost for a single run is calculated by taking the predefined costs associated with the vehicle being used and combining that with any additional costs you choose to manually add to the run.

Any charges applied to orders, such as delivery fees which are paid by the customer, will then be displayed and deducted from the total run cost, to give you the overall margin for the run.

Understanding the vehicle costs

• Hourly Cost – A cost that is applied for every hour that the vehicle is being used on a run [VALUE x run duration].
• Fixed Cost – A single fixed cost that is applied once, when the vehicle is used on a run.
• Distance Cost – A cost that is applied based on the distance covered on the run [VALUE x run mileage].
• Job Cost – A cost that is applied for each job (delivery/collection) on the run, calculated as [VALUE x no. drops].

Default vehicle costs can also be set against a ‘Vehicle Type’, meaning that any vehicle within that type will automatically use the associated costs.

The vehicle cost fields have been made flexible, as some businesses will determine certain costs in different ways to others. 

For example, Company A may choose to include the driver’s pay against the ‘Hourly Cost’ field, whilst Company B may assign this as a fixed cost, and Company C may pay their driver per delivery and therefore assign it in the ‘Job Cost’ field.

Benefits of run costing

The great thing about run costing is that it provides businesses with a variety of benefits:

• Receive a realistic picture of how much each of your runs costs
• Uncover reasons why your runs might be operating at a loss
• Highlight cost inefficiencies in your delivery process
• The process can be automated, meaning less time spent looking for various costs from different places

Run costing use cases

You may be interested in generating and reviewing run costs if you want to:

• Understand exactly how much each of your delivery runs is costing your business
• Identify routes, vehicle types, or delivery types that generate the highest margins.
• Calculate whether your delivery runs are profitable and understand whether you are charging enough for your deliveries
• Create a benchmark to work out how you can reduce the overall cost of your delivery runs

How do I calculate costs for my runs?

For details on how to calculate run costs in Stream, check out our knowledge base article Generating Run Costs.

The post What’s New: Calculating Run Costs appeared first on Stream.

Driving a Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) on the roads of the UK and Ireland can be somewhat challenging at times. 

Planning a safe and compliant route for a HGV requires meticulous planning to account for vehicle height, weight restrictions, narrow lanes amongst other factors.

With over 1,500 HGV bridge strikes reported annually across both the UK and Irish railway network, the margin for error is slim – and costly for transport companies; railway and highways operators. 

A single bridge collision doesn’t just cause traffic; it carries a heavy financial and legal price tag to boot. 

In this article, we explore how to plan a safe Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) delivery route, the true cost of getting it wrong, and the importance of using  purpose-built technology – such as Turn GPS – to keep professional drivers safe.

The cost of cutting corners

Bridge strikes are more than just an inconvenience. 

According to Network Rail, the average cost of a bridge strike is approximately £13,000. 

That’s around £23 million a year in taxpayer money. 

Beyond the immediate repair costs, bridge strike incidents cause:

• Significant delays: Every strike requires a structural inspection, halting both road and rail traffic.
• Damage to reputations: bridge strike incidents can damage the reputation of your business and trust from your clients.
• Legal action: Drivers and operators can face fines and the loss of an Operator’s Licence (O-Licence).
• Safety risks: At worst, these incidents lead to serious injuries or fatalities.

Shockingly, research by Network Rail shows that 32% of drivers don’t know their vehicle’s height before setting off and 56% fail to consider low bridges during route planning.

How to plan a safe HGV delivery route

1. Know your dimensions (before a journey!)

Your vehicle’s height isn’t fixed. It can change based on a number of factors, such as the dimensions of the trailer you’re pulling, the load you’re carrying, and even tyre pressure.

• Measure up: Never guess. Use a tape measure or a measuring pole.
• Display the height: It is a legal requirement for vehicles over 3 metres to have the maximum travelling height displayed in the cab.

2. Ditch generic Sat Navs

Using common navigation apps such as Google Maps or Waze means vehicle dimensions won’t be taken in consideration when routes are created.

These applications have not been designed for HGVs and other large commercial vehicles.

Turn GPS has been designed and developed specifically for vans, trucks and HGVs.

Turn takes into account the specific vehicle profiles, including height, weight, width, and length when planning routes for deliveries and collections.

Complex lane guidance and speed limit indicators keep drivers informed and compliant, reducing the risk of fines and accidents.

When a width, for example, is specified, the routing engine will take into account legal restrictions. Beyond legal restrictions, our turn-by-turn routing system is optimised for commercial vehicles. Turn favours high-priority roads and will actively avoid unsuitable routes such as narrow residential streets, small forest roads, or tight, narrow side streets, even if a formal width limit isn’t posted.

Because Turn GPS connects to Stream’s ecosystem, drivers can launch turn-by-turn navigation directly from their delivery stops, reducing the time spent manually entering postcodes.

3. Use van and HGV specific mapping

Safe routing for vans and HGVs isn’t just about avoiding bridges.

It is also ensuring that drivers are routed safely and efficiently.

Not only does Turn ensure drivers avoid low bridges, but it can also ensure drivers don’t need to make unsafe turns or travel down unsuitable roads.

For Land Energy, a supplier of wood pellet fuels, this was particularly important:

“Turn means any of our drivers can jump in the cab and navigate to each delivery location safely. Personally, I’m based in the South West. We do have a lot of narrow roads down here in rural locations, which aren’t necessarily restricted for weight, for instance, but we know that they’re not suitable for a truck.” 

If you have very specific routes you need your drivers to navigate, Turn also features ‘Waypoints’ and ‘Avoids’ to build custom routes to specific locations. 

For Explore, a specialist haulage and plant hire business uses this particular feature for managing routes to construction sites and urban areas:

“Due to the type of contracts Explore has, we have to ensure drivers follow specific routes. For instance, they might not be able to pass through a certain village when travelling to a construction site. Even though that might not be the most direct route. If you put a location into Google Maps, it will bring up three different ways in which you can go. Turn will do that as well, but we can now build the precise route within the software. We know then that is the precise route the driver will take as well. And that is critical.” 

Turn GPS uses a clean, familiar interface for drivers, offering clear, high-quality 2D and 3D map views that help drivers visualise complex junctions or turns before they arrive.

 It also features a Night Mode (Dark Mode) to reduce glare and driver fatigue during late-shift deliveries, ensuring safety remains a priority 24/7.

4. Conduct thorough digital walkaround checks

Pre-journey checks are your first line of defence. 

Using a digital walkaround check app ensures that height and width data are captured accurately and recorded before a driver sets off. 

This creates a tamper-proof audit trail, proving due diligence was performed before the wheels started turning and any issues are identified through to resolution. 

5. Obey signage!

While planning is vital, the driver must also remain aware, educated, and vigilant.

• Red circles vs. Red triangles: Understand that a red circle indicates a mandatory prohibition, whereas a triangle is a warning. Common examples include speed limits, “no entry”, no right/left turns, and no overtaking.
• Report discrepancies: If your measured height differs from what is shown on the vehicle’s headboard, report it to your transport manager immediately.

Safe & compliant routes for HGVs

Planning the perfect HGV delivery route is a combination of driver vigilance and smart technology. 

By knowing your vehicle’s exact dimensions, using HGV-specific navigation tools like Turn GPS, and obeying road signs, you can protect your cargo, your licence, and the general public.

Don’t leave your route to chance. Plan ahead, stay height-aware, and keep the UK’s roads moving safely.

Explore how Turn GPS can protect your fleet.

Frequently Asked Questions

The post 5 Ways to Plan Safer HGV Routes: Avoiding Low Bridges and Restricted Roads appeared first on Stream.

If so, you’re opening yourself up to a significant liability risk.

You’re also creating a significant blind spot in your operation that is costing you and your business time, money, and customer trust.

An electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD) app is nothing new, and is no longer a ‘luxury’ that’s exclusively available to large,  enterprise businesses. 

It should, in fact, be considered a requirement for any business delivering goods and products using its own fleet.

ePOD apps are accessible to fleets of all sizes, whether it’s a single-vehicle operation, or an enterprise business with hundreds (if not thousands) of vans, trucks, and HGVs.

So let’s dig into exactly why your delivery drivers need an ePOD app, and why the switch to digital proof of delivery will benefit your back office teams.

1. Stop guessing where your goods are

When a driver leaves the warehouse with a stack of paper, they are effectively entering a black hole. 

You don’t know if a delivery has been successful until they return to the depot at the end of their shift, assuming every paper POD finds its way back to depot, which can cause a whole host of issues.

With an ePOD app, delivery statuses and events update in real-time. 

Every barcode scan, every GPS location, every signature, note, and photo.

The moment a driver completes the required proof of delivery, the ePOD system reflects it. 

You effectively get a live feed of progress across your entire fleet, allowing you to manage exceptions as they happen, rather than wasting valuable time on doing damage control the following morning.

2. Irrefutable delivery evidence

‘I never received it’ is a phrase that significantly impacts profit margins. 

Without photographic evidence and a precise GPS location stamp, it is essentially your word against the customer’s.

ePOD apps allow drivers to:

• Capture sign-on-glass signatures: digital signatures that prove a person received their order.
• Take photo verification: Crucial for “safe place” deliveries or documenting the condition of goods upon arrival.
• GPS & time-stamping: Every event is anchored to a specific coordinate and an exact second, creating an audit trail that is impossible to argue with.

3. Protect marketplace ratings and reduce claims

Selling on marketplaces, such as Amazon and eBay, brings incredible volume, but it also introduces the risk of ‘Item Not Received’ (INR) disputes. 

Marketplace algorithms and customer service teams generally favour the buyer, unless you can provide airtight, digital proof of delivery and valid tracking.

If you manage your own in-house logistics for Amazon and eBay orders, maintaining your On-Time Delivery Rate (OTDR) and Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) is non-negotiable. 

Using an integrated ePOD solution, which is listed as an approved carrier on these marketplaces, ensures that every order is backed by valid tracking and clear, auditable evidence,to ensure funds are not withheld from your accounts.

4. Dynamic handling of on-site delivery events

Deliveries rarely go perfectly. 

Maybe the customer only wants half the order, or a specific item is damaged.

Using paper, these changes require messy scribbles that the accounts department has to decipher later. 

An ePOD app allows drivers to adjust quantities and split line items on the spot. If an item is rejected, the driver can record the specific reason and attach a photo of the damage. 

This data flows back to your ERP or accounting software instantly, ensuring the invoice is accurate the first time.

5. Answer the question:”Where Is My Order?” (WISMO)

Customer service teams spend hours answering phone calls from people asking for updates and the age old ‘where is my order?’ enquiry. 

By the time a driver finishes capturing proof of delivery in the app, the system can have automatically updated the delivery status and notified the customer.

Providing this transparency reduces the volume of inbound enquiries. 

Customers can then get the confirmation they want via email or SMS, and your team stays focused on high-value tasks instead of tracking down drivers for updates.

Should you switch to an ePOD app?

In an era of rising fuel costs and heightened customer expectations, efficiency is the only way to stay competitive. 

Moving to an ePOD app removes the friction of manual data entry and provides the ‘track and trace’ visibility that modern commerce demands. 

It protects your business from claims and gives your drivers the tools they need to work faster and more accurately.

However, these are only a handful of reasons your delivery drivers need an ePOD app.

If you’d like to learn more about all of the features available in an ePOD app, visit: Capture instant proof of delivery

Delivery driver ePOD app FAQs

The post Top 5 reasons your delivery drivers need an ePOD app appeared first on Stream.

We’ve recently extended Stream’s capabilities at the point of delivery, enabling your team to be notified immediately if a delivery is made outside of a predefined distance radius. 

An automated alert for an unexpected delivery location enables you and your team to investigate who signed for the order and where exactly it was delivered.

You can then liaise with your customers and have all the correct information right at your fingertips.

How do unexpected delivery location alerts work in Stream?

In Stream, when a delivery is completed outside of the expected delivery location, an event will be automatically created against the order. 

This event can then trigger an automated email or SMS notification to be sent to any team that may need to be aware of the event having occurred. 

The distance threshold can be specified in your account settings to determine how far away from the expected location the delivery needs to be made before this event will be created. 

This new feature complements the existing capture of precise GPS coordinates from the driver’s mobile device when the delivery is completed in the mobile app. 

Benefits of unexpected delivery location alerts

There are several benefits available to your team when setting up unexpected delivery location alerts in your Stream account:

• Acts as a backup for driver errors
• Notify relevant teams as soon as a delivery is delivered at an unexpected location
• Proactive resolution of delivery issues
• Highlight difficult delivery locations where more precise coordinates may be required
• Can be used as evidence in customer disputes to determine liability
• Could potentially highlight delivery fraud being committed by drivers

Unexpected delivery location alert use cases

There’s probably a great reason to set up these alerts, no matter what or where you are delivering; however, there are a few use cases that might make this a particularly useful feature:

• You’ve had drivers delivering goods to incorrect locations
• You’ve had complaints from customers who aren’t able to locate their deliveries
• You’ve had drivers falsely claiming that goods have been delivered to the correct location
• You are delivering high-value or high-compliance items and require an extra check on the correct goods being delivered to the correct place

How do I use unexpected delivery location alerts in Stream?

For details on how to set up these alerts in Stream, check out our knowledge base article on Setting up unexpected delivery alerts.

The post What’s New: Unexpected delivery location alerts appeared first on Stream.

Or are you considering selling on a particular marketplace and looking for guidance on how to launch, grow and (ultimately) win on those platforms?

If either is the case, then Thursday April 23rd is very much worth four hours of your time.

>> Register for the Linnworks Meet the Marketplace half-day virtual event

Starting at 2pm (BST), the online event involves leading marketplaces and industry experts sharing the key strategies that are working right now for sellers.

Sessions come directly from the likes of Amazon, eBay, Temu, B&Q, Tesco, Debenhams, The Range, TikTok Shop, Rackhams, and OnBuy.

There are three dedicated vertical tracks covering:

• Home & Garden
• Consumer Electronics & Refurbished
• Health, Beauty & Fashion.

What’s on the agenda?  Linnworks will be delivering more than 20 sessions during the event with themes centred on:

• How marketplaces continue to shift and how sellers can win in 2026
• Strategies to help you launch on marketplaces presented by TikTok Shop, Temu, SHEIN and Reebelo
• Playbooks to help sellers scale from Amazon, Newegg, eBay and Rackhams
• Plus tactics to help optimise your listing from Walmart, Buy Box on Amazon and how to use data to drive growth

Looking at specific sessions, these caught our eye:

Why Home & Garden Sellers Thrive on The Range: A Marketplace Built for Growth

Presented by: Brian Flower, Marketplace New Business Lead

TikTok Shop: Launch Where Discovery Happens

Presented by: Rohan Bhandari, Strategy – Seller Acquisition and Sidhant Mishra, Partnerships and BD Manager from eBusinessGuru

Temu EU Entry Strategy: What Electronics Sellers Must Know

Presented by: Arjang Salehi, Senior Business Development Manager Lead – Electronics & Automotive at Temu

How to start selling on the B&Q Marketplace

Presented by: Lucas Christiano, Strategic Partnership Lead at B&Q and Steve Collinge, Managing Director, Insight Retail Group

Explore the potential of Amazon Expanding Marketplaces

Presented by: Giovanni Bertora, Account Manager at Amazon

How Brands Thrive on Rackhams: The Growth Playbook

Presented by: Will Spencer, Sales Director and Mike Hart, Head of Marketing both from Rackhams

Supercharge Your Electricals Business on Tesco Marketplace

Presented by: Amber Charalambous, Marketplace Business Development Manager at Tesco

Debenhams Home Growth Blueprint: Expanding Beyond Fashion into Living

Presented by: Zoe Wills, Business Development Manager and Sally Sherman, Senior Account Manager from Debenhams

How Top Sellers Avoid Stockouts and Dead Stock with Inventory Planner

Presented by: Finn Coles, Solutions Advisor from Inventory Planner and Forrest Gordon, Senior Solution Engineer at Linnworks

Winning the Buy Box on Amazon: Advanced Tactics for Electronics Sellers

Presented by: Jason Rubenstein, Senior Partnership Development Manager at Amazon

Connect Linnworks with Stream

Stream is fully integrated with Linnworks and is available through their App Store. For sellers on Amazon, eBay and Temu who have in-house logistics operations, Linnworks and Stream helps you automatically update those marketplaces with the information required to provide valid tracking on self-delivered orders:

• Selects Stream as the recognised carrier in each marketplace
• Adds the Stream tracking ID to each order.
  

To see how Stream’s marketplace integrations work, book a demo with one of our specialists.

The post Register for Linnworks’ Meet the Marketplace event appeared first on Stream.

It promises Prime eligibility, hands-off logistics and, crucially, customer trust. 

What is Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA)?

Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a logistics solution where Amazon manages your inventory, shipping, and customer service. You simply send your products to an Amazon Fulfilment Centre, and they handle the entire post-purchase process. 

Over the years, independent sellers on Amazon have shipped more than 80 billion units with FBA, and in 2024 over 9 billion items were delivered to Prime customers on the same or next day from when they were ordered.

This model allows you to leverage Amazon’s massive infrastructure to scale your business effortlessly – instantly boosting buyer trust, visibility, and in some cases delivery speed. By outsourcing the picking, packing, and returns, businesses can focus on growth rather than the manual labour associated with fulfilment and logistics. 

Amazon’s global reach simplifies international expansion, allowing you to sell across borders without managing complex shipping routes yourself.

Qualifying is straightforward: you need an active Amazon Seller account and products that meet specific safety and packaging standards. 

While accessible to most, success requires maintaining a healthy inventory performance score to avoid excessive storage fees. If your products are compliant and ready for sale, you can integrate FBA into your business model quickly.

FBA for ‘big & bulky’ items

For Amazon sellers promoting big and bulky items, high-value furniture, or specialised goods, the FBA ‘dream’ can lead to your margins being eroded – fast.

Why?

Well, high storage costs and fees, surcharges for shipping ‘oversize’ items and a lack of control over the ‘final mile’ delivery experience often makes FBA a poor fit for big-ticket items.

The good news?

You don’t need FBA to scale if you’re selling bulky items. 

By using your in-house logistics fleet with the right technology stack you  can maintain better margins, offer a superior customer experience, provide added-value services (assembly / room of choice / mattress recycling etc.) AND keep your Amazon account health in the green.

The FBA ‘bulky item’ trap

As we’ve already explored, FBA is designed and set-up for speed and volume and products that fit on a standard shelf. 

When you start selling furniture, appliances, or building materials through Amazon, FBA fees can simply become cost prohibitive. 

‘General’ third-party couriers often struggle with ‘white-glove’ requirements, which can lead to damaged goods and frustrated customers.

For Stream subscribers within the furniture industry, self-delivery (using your own in-house delivery fleet or using one of the two-person delivery specialists subscribed to Stream) allows you to:

• Protect your margins: Avoid the heavy ‘oversize’ and ‘long-term storage’ fees that Amazon charges.
• Control the experience: Your drivers are your brand ambassadors. They can handle assembly, room-of-choice delivery, and packaging removal services FBA simply doesn’t provide.
• Reduce damage: Specialised handling by your own team means fewer returns and fewer ‘Item Arrived Damaged’ complaints.

Amazon’s strict performance metrics

If self-delivery is so great, why doesn’t everyone do it? Historically, the biggest barrier has been Amazon’s Valid Tracking Rate (VTR) and a-to-z claims.

Amazon demands transparency. 

If you deliver an item yourself but cannot provide a ‘valid’ tracking ID that their system recognises, your VTR drops. If it falls below 95%, you risk category suspension. 

Additionally, without ‘Amazon-approved’ proof of delivery, you are virtually defenceless against ‘Order Not Received’ A-to-Z claims, even if you know you handed the item to the customer.

Without valid tracking, Amazon simply won’t investigate the claim and side with the customer by default.

Scaling with Stream and Amazon ShipTrack

This is where valid tracking for in-house fleets with Stream changes the game. 

You no longer have to choose between the control of self-delivery and the ‘safety’ of FBA.

Through the Amazon ShipTrack’s self-delivery integration, Stream provides Amazon with valid tracking updates for orders with Stream listed as a recognised carrier..

1. Automate your VTR compliance

Self-delivery sellers are able to select ‘StreamTech’ from Amazon’s approved carrier list. Every order in Stream is assigned a tracking ID. Those IDs can be added to Amazon Seller Central and as they’re processed through Stream valid tracking updates are automatically passed to Amazon. This ensures your VTR stays well above the 95% target, protecting your account health without the need for manual data entry.

2. Eliminate fraudulent A-to-Z claims

A-to-Z claims can be costly (quite literally)  for any Amazon seller. 

Stream’s mobile app captures electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD), including photos, signatures, and GPS timestamps. Because Stream is a recognised carrier, this ‘trusted confirmation’ is visible to Amazon. If a customer claims they never received their item, you have the digital audit trail required to dispute the claim successfully.

3. Proactive customer communication

Scaling isn’t just about moving more boxes (or sofas); it’s about reducing the ‘Where Is My Order?’ (WISMO) enquiries that clog up customer service. Stream provides:

• Real-time delivery tracking: Customers get a unique URL to see their delivery’s progress.
• Automated delivery notifications: SMS and email updates let customers know exactly when to expect their bulky delivery, reducing the likelihood of a failed delivery attempt.

Ready to scale your Amazon deliveries?

Scaling your Amazon business shouldn’t mean handing over your profits and your customer relationship to a third party. For sellers of furniture and bulky goods, the most profitable path forward is often Self-Fulfilled Prime (SFP) or Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN) delivery – provided you have the tech to back it up.

By integrating Stream with Amazon, you get the best of both worlds: the efficiency of your own fleet and the account security of an Amazon-approved tracking system. It’s time to take the ‘oversize’ weight off your margins and take control of your final mile.

Don’t let rigid FBA fees or poor VTR metrics hold back your growth. 

Take full control of your logistics, protect your margins, and provide a delivery experience that keeps your customers coming back.

Take the next step towards more profitable Amazon sales:

• Existing Stream user? Contact your Account Manager today to discuss adding the Amazon ShipTrack integration to your plan and start automating your compliance.
• New to Stream? See how our award-winning Transport Management Software can transform your self-delivery operation.

Book Your Free Demo Today

Looking for a different eCommerce platform or marketplace?

Stream integrates with a number of popular eCommerce platforms and marketplaces, including Temu, AfterShip, and eBay.

The post Scaling Your Amazon Business Without Moving to FBA appeared first on Stream.

Controlling that brand and ensuring customers receive the best possible experience becomes increasingly difficult as retailers adopt multi-channel sales strategies, including selling more and more products through marketplaces.

To help retailers navigate this complexity, Linnworks has released the eBay Sellers Playbook: How Top UK Brands Scale Smarter. 

This comprehensive guide draws on the strategies used by high-performing brands to eliminate manual bottlenecks, automate complex workflows, and maintain total visibility across multiple channels.

Whether you are looking to expand internationally, optimise your inventory management, or leverage data-driven insights to outperform the competition, this playbook provides the exact roadmap needed to sell smarter and run a leaner, more profitable operation on one of the world’s largest marketplaces.

Success in modern marketplaces like eBay, which boasts over 134 million active buyers, isn’t just about listing products; it’s about selling smarter through automation and visibility. 

Stream’s subscribers mirror this trend with a growing number of sellers who fall into the furniture and home & garden categories and are selling (and growing) through eBay.

A critical component of this smarter approach is tracking.

The strategic value of marketplace tracking

For high-performing sellers, valid tracking is more than just a logistical update – it is a cornerstone of creating (and maintaining) buyer trust and ensuring seller protection.

No-one wants to sell lots of products through a particular marketplace and then find that funds are withheld or buyers raise item not received (INR) claims and you simply don’t get paid.

That’s potentially a very expensive problem.

Building buyer confidence

eBay’s ecosystem rewards consistency and quality. Providing valid tracking information converts browsers into buyers by leveraging eBay’s established brand credibility and buyer protection policies.

Improving search visibility

Maintaining high seller standards, such as achieving Top Rated Seller status, directly improves your visibility in search results. Consistent, valid tracking is a key metric in maintaining these standards.

Protection against claims

Detailed tracking and Proof of Delivery (ePOD) are essential for successfully disputing ‘Item Not Received’ (INR) claims. This evidence protects your business from the losses associated with delivery disputes and fraudulent claims.

Advanced tracking for marketplace self-delivery and global sales

As sellers expand, the complexity of tracking increases. 

Whether you’re shipping internationally or using your own delivery fleet, having the right tech stack and system integrations is vital.

Global expansion simplified

eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP) and Advanced International Selling allow UK retailers to reach buyers in 190+ markets. When using GSP, sellers simply ship to a UK centre, and eBay manages the international tracking and customs paperwork, providing seller protection against delivery issues.

Own-fleet tracking visibility

For retailers delivering goods via their own vehicles, integrating a Transport Management System like Stream ensures that valid tracking information is automatically passed to eBay.

For self-delivery or in-house logistics operations for eBay, you can select StreamTech as the recognised carrier in the eBay Seller Hub and add the order’s Tracking ID from Stream.

As that order is processed and fulfilled through Stream, the tracking integration provides real-time updates and tracking, alongside ePOD which builds a complete track & trace audit trail.

Automated dispatch

For multi-channel retailers, Linnworks is an ideal operational software application.

Stream has a robust integration with Linnworks, with the added value of enabling the automation of updating the information required in marketplaces to enable valid tracking to be made available.

This marketplace tracking automation prevents the manual errors that lead to missed tracking updates and poor customer experiences.

The bottom line: tracking as a driver for growth

In a competitive market, retailers who connect their inventory and delivery systems see significant gains in speed and accuracy. By ensuring every order – whether fulfilled by a global courier or your own fleet – has valid, real-time tracking, you reduce administrative overhead and focus your resources on long-term growth. As you build your roadmap to smarter selling, remember: ecommerce success isn’t just about selling more; it’s about the visibility and reliability that keep customers coming back.

Download the eBay Sellers Playbook: How Top UK Brands Scale Smarter

Looking to integrate with Linnworks and/or eBay?

The Linnworks and eBay integrations are available to all Stream customers.

If you are an existing customer and would like to learn more about setting up the integration, please contact our Sales Team.

If you’re new to Stream and use Linnworks to manage your commerce operations, you can schedule a demo. One of our specialists will demonstrate how these integrations will transform your order management and delivery process, helping you plan less and deliver more.

Or, if you’re just looking to integrate with eBay, we’ve also got you covered.

The post Mastering Self-Delivery Tracking for eBay Sellers From Dispatch to Doorstep appeared first on Stream.

According to the Online Retail Insights 2026 report by Linnworks and industry data on peak performance, retailers must pivot from siloed operations toward a true unified commerce model. 

To construct their report, Linnworks surveyed 4,000 online shoppers in the UK and US to find out “how they browsed, compared, and made purchasing decisions in 2025”. The results show how shoppers have changed their buying habits and why that shift has occurred.

What’s clear from the report is how how people’s shopping becoming “increasingly dynamic, as they move easily between devices, channels and platforms, even within the same purchase. Buyers seek a more seamless journey, and appear less tolerant of small hurdles (such as slow page loading or unexpected shipping costs).”

Nothing is easy in retail, but what is clear is that success now depends on the strength (and depth) of your integrations.

Those retailers that ensure data flows effortlessly between marketing channels, e-commerce platforms, inventory, order and delivery management systems to eliminate silos within the operation, provide greater visibility and are able to cope with the high-pressure demands and fluctuations in a retail business.

Let’s now dig into some of the findings.

Establish a marketplace-first approach

For consumers, marketplaces have become the starting point for their shopping journey.

According to the study, 59% of all consumers begin their search on marketplace platforms such as Amazon or eBay. 

However, taking a generic approach to marketplaces is no longer sufficient. Success requires tailoring your approach and presence to specific regional, demographic and product categories.

Regional nuances

While US shoppers rely heavily on large, one-stop-shop marketplaces (53%), UK shoppers typically show a significantly higher preference for direct retailer websites, with 25% starting their journey there. 

Brands in the UK must balance marketplace reach with a strong brand destination on their own site.

Linnworks’ research shows that there is a relatively even split between UK and US shoppers on the categories they buy online (with the only significant difference being UK shoppers who buy 12% more books and entertainment online than US shoppers).

In the home goods category, where lots of our retail, wholesale and distribution customers operate, there is no discernible difference between UK and US shoppers with 34% and 35% respectively choosing to buy online.

A social shift

For younger demographics (ages 18–34), social media and speciality platforms are rapidly becoming primary discovery hubs.

Data published by Rithum, a global commerce solutions provider, showed that TikTok Shop was shifting perceptions in January 2026 and was a destination for higher-ticket items.

According to Rithum, “UK shoppers are increasingly comfortable purchasing premium goods via social commerce” [Source: Direct Commerce].

That data certainly mirrors the feedback we’re hearing from Stream subscribers who sell big and bulky items through TikTok Shop and then deliver those items with their in-house fleet. 

Interestingly (and to prove the point that there’s never a dull moment and the landscape changes constantly), the latest research from the Retail Technology Show (RTS) showed that Roblox has overtaken TikTok as the fastest-growing Gen Z shopping channel. 

Where those consumers will be buying their high-ticket items in the future, who knows!

Strategic integrations

To thrive during peak periods, presence on these marketplaces must be backed by robust integrations.

This ensures that pricing updates, product listings, inventory, fulfilment, promotional changes and logistics operations if you’re delivering using an in-house fleet are synchronised instantly across every platform, preventing the overselling, stockouts and failure to meet delivery expectations that can damage brand reputation (and lead to issues with marketplace account health issues).

Prioritise a mobile-first hybrid journey

Mobile devices have become the cornerstone of the shopper experience, shaping most browsing and everyday buying.

50% of consumers cite smartphones as their device of choice, according to LInnworks, with laptops/desktops coming in at 39.5% and tablets at 10%.

Experience continuity

It is critical to support cross-device shopping so that a customer can begin browsing on a smartphone during a commute and finish the transaction on a laptop later without losing their basket.

Frictionless checkout

Implementing mobile-friendly tools and a simple checkout process reduces hesitation and keeps customers moving through the funnel.

When we attended Linnworks’ Linn Academy event last year, Retail Economics was amongst the presenters during the day. 

Their session suggested that an incredible £38.3 billion (yes, billion) was being lost at checkout due to basket abandonment (up 11% YoY).

24% of online purchases are abandoned at the final stage, said Retail Economics, due to unmet delivery expectations. 

Lack of delivery options and high delivery costs result in almost half of consumers abandoning transactions (47%).

Taking those numbers into consideration, it’s worth noting that everything isn’t lost and that retailers can actually use delivery to their competitive advantage…

Transform delivery and fulfilment into a retention engine

Shipping clarity and speed have evolved from operational necessities into competitive advantages.

Ever since Stream was first designed, the platform has been developed not only to ensure that in-house delivery operations are as efficient as possible, but also with the customer in mind. 

Real-time visibility

As discussed earlier, high shipping costs and out of stock messages are the primary drivers of cart abandonment.

By integrating your warehouse, inventory, order and delivery management systems with your marketplaces, you provide customers with accurate, real-time stock levels, reducing the risk of cancelled orders during high-traffic events.

Our subscribers can also benefit from integrations with Amazon, eBay and Temu to provide valid tracking for in-house deliveries. 

Valid tracking enables sellers and 3PL providers to grow with confidence through marketplaces by helping to maintain account health and reduce ‘item not received’ (INR) claims with valid ePODs.

The positive return loop

Returns management is a primary lever for repeat business; 81% of shoppers rate free returns as vital.

Proactive communication

Using automated SMS and email notifications for tracking reassures customers, giving them fewer reasons to switch to a competitor.

Centralise operations for unified success

Managing the complexity of an omnichannel strategy requires moving away from fragmented systems and adopting a single operating system for ecommerce. 

All-in-one inventory solutions like Linnworks allow brands to:

Unify and automate

Synchronise stock across all marketplaces in real-time. Automation minimises manual workloads, allowing your team to focus on strategy rather than data entry.

Scalability for peak season

Integrated systems are built to handle the sudden surges in order volume characteristic of Q4. They ensure your infrastructure doesn’t buckle under the pressure of increased API calls and transaction density.

Reduce errors

Use automation to eliminate mispicks and shipping delays. Since damaged or incorrect items are the most frustrating experience for shoppers, reliable fulfilment is essential for long-term retention.

Build trust through high-quality, transparent content

Shoppers in 2026 are highly discerning and will abandon a journey at the first sign of friction. Detailed, accurate product content is the most effective way to build early confidence.

The decision pillars

Consumers rely most heavily on clear descriptions (91%), high-quality images (88%), and precise sizing (81%).

The power of social proof

Reviews are critical for 76% of shoppers, rising to 82% for younger generations who value authentic feedback.

Centralised data

Using a single source of truth for your product data ensures that technical specifications remain consistent whether a customer encounters your brand on TikTok, Amazon, Temu, your own online store.

Adapt to the ‘hold-out’ economy and value sensitivity

Economic pressures have led to a ‘hold-out’ economy where consumers are less prone to impulse buys and more likely to wait strategically for final price drops.

Price and quality

Price remains the top decision factor for 69% of shoppers, but quality and delivery speed follow closely.

Agile pricing

During peak seasons, the ability to adjust prices in real-time based on competitor activity is vital. 

Integrated systems allow you to deploy targeted incentives and loyalty rewards to specific groups, protecting margins while providing genuine value to price-sensitive UK shoppers.

“62% of UK respondents look for discounts, compared with 48% in the US.”

Conclusion

Retail success can hinge on delivering unified commerce, not just a multi-channel operation. 

By centring your retail business on a mobile-first journey, high-quality content, deeply integrated marketplace systems and a superior delivery experience, you can turn market complexities into a lasting competitive advantage.

The post How to Build a Successful Omnichannel Marketplace Strategy in 2026 appeared first on Stream.

What is the eBay self delivery tracking integration?

For eBay sellers fulfilling orders through a self-delivery model, maintaining high logistics and delivery standards is critical to staying competitive and avoiding penalties.

Our new eBay integration enables Stream subscribers to automatically provide valid tracking information directly to the eBay Seller Hub.

When you self-deliver orders using your own fleet (or provide a delivery service on behalf of eBay sellers), you can now select StreamTech as your approved carrier in eBay and add the Stream tracking ID created for each order to the eBay Seller Hub. 

By linking your Stream Tracking IDs to your eBay orders, you ensure your customers and eBay has real-time visibility and tracking updates from order to door.

Why is this important for eBay Sellers?

eBay monitors seller performance closely, and providing valid tracking is a non-negotiable requirement for maintaining “Top Rated Seller” status and avoiding defects.

Adding Stream Tracking IDs to your orders provides essential safeguards for your account:

Maintain high seller standards

eBay monitors delivery performance through their Seller Hub. For self-fulfilled orders, providing valid tracking is essential for maintaining seller standards. 

Our eBay integration automatically provides  valid tracking information via Aftership. 

Providing real-time tracking data helps you minimise eBay tracking issues with your own fleet, maintain seller standards and protects your listings from being penalised and pushed down in search/ranking results.

Reduce “Item Not Received” claims

eBay’s consumer protection policies are robust. If an order is marked as undelivered or tracking is unavailable, sellers often lose “Item Not Received” cases automatically.

With Stream, your drivers capture irrefutable electronic Proof of Delivery (ePOD), including GPS-located, time-stamped signatures and photographic evidence of delivered products. 

As Stream is a recognised carrier for eBay, this data provides the trusted confirmation needed to successfully dispute fraudulent claims by buyers and prevent eBay from debiting your account.

Enhance the customer experience

eBay shoppers expect transparency and want to know exactly when their order will arrive. By using Stream’s eBay integration, you provide customers with accurate delivery windows and real-time (and valid) tracking updates. 

This reduces “Where Is My Order” (WISMO) enquiries and the likelihood of negative seller feedback, which is vital for eBay’s ranking algorithm.

Not yet a Stream customer?

Book a demo of Stream today to start automating your eBay logistics and protecting your seller rating.

Book My Demo >>

Want to provide valid tracking for own fleet deliveries to other  marketplaces?

Stream integrates with some of the world’s biggest and most popular  marketplaces, including Amazon and Temu. We also have integrations with post-purchase and package tracking platforms Aftership and 17TRACK.

The post What’s New: Provide Valid Tracking to eBay for Self Delivery and Reduce Item Not Received Claims appeared first on Stream.

Bridge strikes remain a persistent and expensive challenge for Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann).

Bridge Strikes: the current situation

Data from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Irish Rail (Iarnród Éireann) has disclosed that bridge strikes continue to be a regular occurrence across the Republic of Ireland. 

In the most recent recording period (Period 9 of 2025), four bridge strikes were officially recorded. 

While these incidents can happen anywhere, certain bridges have become notorious hotspots for strikes over the last decade. Here’s the top three bridges:

1. UBC145 – Portlaoise
2. UBN87 – Derrylusk
3. UBB25 – Grange/Malahide
   
   

Irrespective of where they occur, the financial burden of bridge strikes in Ireland over the last ten years has been significant with the financial burden carried by insurance providers, Irish Rail, fleet operators as well as rail and road users.

Ireland’s most frequently struck bridges (past 10 years)

Bridge strikes cause more than just a traffic jam

When a bridge is struck, the impact goes far beyond the initial collision. 

Safety is, understandably, the absolute priority for the rail and road network. No trains can pass over a bridge that has been struck until a structural assessment has been completed by a specialist team to ensure the integrity of the line.

Needless to say, whilst nothing is able to travel over the bridge, road users won’t be able to travel under it.

If that happens to be a major road, that’s potentially an awful lot of disruption.

Should a repair be required, the financial burden of repairing these structures is significant. 

These repairs span everything from emergency works on North Strand Road to traffic calming installations in Navan.

Debunking bridge strike myths in Ireland

There is often a belief that certain seasons or months are worse for these incidents. 

However, data received through our FOI request shows no clear connection between bridge strikes and specific months of the year.

Bridge strikes are a year-round issue that requires constant driver vigilance regardless of the season.

While there are often concerns regarding HGVs passing through local villages, the Chief Civil Engineer’s (CCE) department of Irish Rail has received no formal complaints from villages regarding bridge strikes. There is also no specific data on record regarding general complaints about HGVs passing through villages.

Know your vehicle height & navigate suitable routes

How to avoid bridge strikes? The message to HGV, van and other commercial drivers is simple: Know your vehicle’s height and plan your route accordingly.

Whether you are driving through Portlaoise or the streets of Dublin, ignoring a height restriction sign can lead to massive fines,rail and road delays, and serious structural damage.

To avoid these (avoidable) incidents, drivers should always:

• Check the height of their vehicle (including any load they’re carrying) before every journey.
• Ensure the correct maximum height is displayed clearly in the cab.
• Use a commercial vehicle-specific GPS sat nav that accounts for low bridges and other road restrictions, rather than a standard car sat nav.
• Report any damages or issues to their Transport Manager immediately.

The post The True Cost of Bridge Strikes in Ireland appeared first on Stream.