The short answer
Compare D2C shipping on total landed cost, not the forward rate. Run every proposal on your own shipment mix and add return charges, COD fees, weight-dispute losses and the cost of failed deliveries. The cheapest forward rate often loses once RTO and disputes are counted.
At a glance
- Use your actual shipment mix for the comparison.
- Include returns, COD and dispute costs in the model.
- Compare exception handling alongside the rate card.
Start with your shipment profile
Group recent orders by destination pincode, declared weight, dimensions, payment type and service level. A single headline rate cannot represent every combination. Use the same shipment set for every carrier or aggregator proposal.
List the complete charges
Ask for forward and return charges, COD fees, volumetric-weight rules and any other charges, plus minimums and billing conditions. A comparison only holds when each proposal covers the same activities.
Price the failed deliveries
Every RTO costs shipping both ways and leaves stock stuck in transit. Ask how a non-delivery report (NDR) is raised, how fast someone contacts the buyer and how many attempts are made before the parcel goes back. At Prozo, an NDR is flagged within minutes, the buyer is contacted on WhatsApp and by a call in their language, and 3 attempts are made before any RTO.
Check reconciliation and ownership
Confirm COD settlement terms, the weight-dispute process and the records available for reconciliation. Assign an owner for unresolved delivery and billing exceptions. Test the reporting before moving regular volumes.
How ProShip by Prozo allocates
ProShip connects you to 30+ courier partners on one integration, and Prozo signs every courier contract. Its AI-PACE engine reads 85+ signals per order and ranks every eligible courier in under a second, on the chance of first-time, on-time delivery at the right price. Couriers that slip on a lane lose the lane.
Related questions
What should a brand compare beyond the forward shipping rate?
Compare destination coverage, weight rules, return charges, COD terms, non-delivery handling and support, on your own shipment mix. The cheapest forward rate often loses once RTO and disputes are counted. ProShip by Prozo connects you to 30+ courier partners and allocates each order on all of these terms.
Answer & related readingHow are NDR and RTO different?
A non-delivery report (NDR) records a failed delivery attempt that needs action. Return to origin (RTO) means the parcel is sent back to the warehouse. An NDR becomes an RTO only if no one fixes the problem. Prozo flags every NDR within minutes, contacts the buyer and makes 3 delivery attempts before any RTO.
Answer & related readingWhich courier partner is best for my ecommerce business?
No single courier is best everywhere; performance changes by pincode, weight and payment type. ProShip by Prozo connects you to 30+ courier partners, and its AI-PACE engine reads 85+ signals per order to pick the courier most likely to deliver first time, on time and at the right price.
Answer & related readingSources & service information
- Prozo D2C freight ↗
- Prozo freight technology ↗
- Figures: Prozo corporate presentation, October 2026
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