The Last Mile Lens featuring Lori Boyer, Head of Content Marketing at EasyPost

Retailers are raising the last-mile delivery bar, and not just when it comes to delivery performance. They’re also demanding more from the technology that powers it. From API reliability to real-time tracking and rapid carrier onboarding, their expectations are shifting. 

We recently connected with Lori Boyer, Head of Content Marketing at EasyPost and host of Unboxing Logistics, to unpack what retailers now expect from carriers, how reliable APIs are reshaping the last-mile, and why clean data and fast integrations are no longer optional, but must haves for retailer-carrier partnerships. 

Lori gives us a candid look at what separates easy-to-work-with carriers from their competitors, and what it takes to onboard and navigate peak shipping seasons smoothly. 

Retailers are under immense pressure to meet ever-shifting consumer shipping expectations. What trends is EasyPost seeing in how retailers are now integrating carriers today and how APIs are reshaping expectations?

Retailers are done with rigid, one-to-one integrations. They now want fast, modular, plug-and-go carrier onboarding through APIs because they have zero patience for long IT projects. The expectation from retailers today is that adopting a new carrier should feel like adding an app to your smartphone with instant setup, reliable documentation, predictable performance, and real transparency across rates, labels, tracking, and insurance.

APIs are also changing how retailers evaluate carriers,  looking beyond the on-road experience and toward how well their data flows into their tech stack. If the API is slow, inconsistent, or missing fields, retailers see that as an operational risk. Today’s retailers want carriers who keep up on performance, uptime, and rich data –– not just trucks.

As a bridge between retailers and carriers, what makes a last-mile carrier easy (or more difficult) to work with from a technology standpoint?

The carriers that are easiest to work with provide clear specs, predictable responses, excellent test environments, modern authentication, accurate tracking states, and a real human who can answer technical questions. The ideal partner cares just as much about API performance as they do about trucks on the road, and they’re willing to collaborate so both sides can deliver the best possible experience for shared customers. 

On the other hand, hard-to-work-with carriers have unstable endpoints, undocumented edge cases, inconsistent tracking events, slow response times, and frequent schema changes. Retailers feel that pain immediately, so a carrier that cannot provide clean data or consistent behavior creates a support load for everyone.

Building on that, when retailers decide to add a new delivery partner, what basic tech capabilities do they now expect carriers to have?

At a minimum, retailers expect carrier partners to have:

• A stable, well-documented API
• Clean rate data with clear service definitions
• Standardized tracking statuses
• Webhooks for status updates that deliver real-time visibility so retailers can keep shoppers informed through SMS, email, and tracking links
• A sandbox that behaves like production
• Clear SLAs for delivery speed and data accuracy
• Proof of delivery and photo delivery options
• Clear, actionable error messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it

Many retailers also now assume carriers will support basic labels, insurance, claims workflows, and flexible pickup or manifesting. These used to be nice to have, but now determine whether a retailer can even adopt a carrier.

Once a retail-carrier partnership is live, the shopper experience becomes the ultimate test. How important is accurate, real-time tracking data to not only creating a positive experience, but also to building consumer trust and brand loyalty? 

Retailers now view tracking as part of the customer journey, not simply an afterthought. 

Real-time accuracy improves confidence, reduces WISMO tickets, and tells shoppers the brand has its act together. Conversely, bad tracking creates brand damage. And even when the carrier is the one struggling, the retailer still takes the blame for shipping errors. That’s why clean data, timely updates, and reliable delivery events have become non-negotiable. 

Beyond the shopper experience, high-quality tracking data powers automation, forecasting, and proactive customer communications, all of which retailers need to protect margins.

With these expectations in mind, how do last-mile carriers like UniUni simplify shipping operations for brands. And what does a smooth onboarding experience look like?

Last-mile carriers help retailers run a smoother operation when they keep their tech side just as polished as their delivery side. With strong performance, clean data, and fast APIs, carriers give retailers confidence that adding a new carrier partner won’t slow anything down.

When it comes to onboarding, the smoothest experiences look like this: 

• Fast, reliable API responses that make rating and label creation feel immediate
• Clear and accurate service levels that map easily into a retailer’s system
• Predictable pick-up capabilities so retailers know how volume moves from day one
• Consistent, standardized tracking events that flow cleanly through EasyPost
• Webhooks or status updates that allow retailers to inform customers in real time
• Responsive support when questions inevitably arise during setup
• Efficient test cycle where retailers can validate labels, pickup expectations, and tracking behavior before going live

When these pieces are in place, retailers can add UniUni and start shipping quickly. The goal here is to reduce friction so operational teams feel confident, even during peak volume seasons or when facing tight timelines.

Peak seasons can quickly expose both the strengths and weaknesses of a retailers’ shipping operation. Based on what EasyPost sees during high-volume shipping periods, what lessons have you learned that retailers and carriers need to know? 

Peaks are the ultimate stress test that have revealed many valuable lessons, including: 

• Data integrity breaks first. Tracking delays, inconsistent statuses, and missing events are more common during peak season. Retailers who have strong carrier diversification plus predictive analytics handle it better than those relying on a single provider.
• Small performance issues turn into big operational pain very fast. A two-hour outage in November has a ripple effect that can last days.
• Fast carrier onboarding matters. Retailers often need to shift volume quickly, so carriers who integrate cleanly win more share.
• Automation is not optional anymore. Manual processes can’t keep up with peak seasons. Intelligent rate shopping, proactive tracking, and smart exception handling make a measurable difference in both cost and customer satisfaction.
• Transparency wins. The carriers who admit problems early and share real data earn more trust from retail partners than the ones who stay silent. 

For more conversations with the leaders shaping the future of e-commerce, technology, logistics, and supply chain, check back in with The Last Mile Lens. As always, reach out to learn more about our last-mile delivery offerings to hello@uniuni.com.