Carrier Integrations - Frequently Asked Questions
Guide to logistics partner integrations, supported features, and carrier-specific capabilities
Table of Contents
- Integrated Carriers
- Feature Support by Carrier
- Separate RTO Address
- Service Types
- Post-Booking Operations
- QC on Returns
- Common Questions
1. Integrated Carriers
Q: Which carriers are integrated with Velocity Shipping?
A: Velocity Shipping integrates with major logistics partners in India:
| Carrier | Coverage | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Pan-India | High volume, wide coverage |
| BlueDart | Pan-India | Express & premium shipments |
| DTDC | Pan-India | Cost-effective nationwide delivery |
| Ekart | Pan-India | E-commerce shipments |
| Xpressbees | Pan-India | Flexible options |
| Shadowfax | Metro & Tier-1 cities | Quick commerce, same-day |
| Pikndel | Select cities | Hyperlocal, on-demand delivery |
| Blitz | Metro cities | Quick commerce, rapid delivery |
| Urbanebolt | Select regions | Regional coverage |
| Amazon (ATS) | Amazon sellers | Marketplace integration |
2. Feature Support by Carrier
Q: What features does each carrier support?
A: Here's a comparison of key features across all carriers:
Basic Shipping Features
| Carrier | Forward Shipping | COD | Prepaid | Reverse Pickup | Separate RTO Address |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BlueDart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| DTDC | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Ekart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Xpressbees | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shadowfax | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pikndel | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Blitz | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Urbanebolt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Service Types
| Carrier | Surface (Road) | Air (Express) | Same-Day (SDD) | Next-Day (NDD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BlueDart | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| DTDC | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Ekart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Xpressbees | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Shadowfax | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pikndel | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Blitz | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Urbanebolt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Advanced Features
| Carrier | Reattempt via API | Address Update | COD to Prepaid | QC on Returns | OTP Delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BlueDart | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| DTDC | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Ekart | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Xpressbees | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Shadowfax | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Pikndel | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
| Blitz | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Urbanebolt | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Note: Feature availability may vary based on your specific carrier agreement and account configuration.
3. Separate RTO Address
Important: Not All Carriers Support Different RTO Address
Q: Can I have a different RTO (return) address from my pickup address?
A: This depends on the carrier:
| Carrier | Separate RTO Address Support |
|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes - Full support |
| BlueDart | Yes - Full support |
| Xpressbees | Yes - Full support |
| Shadowfax | Yes - Full support |
| Ekart | Yes - Full support |
| DTDC | No - RTO goes to pickup address |
| Pikndel | No - RTO goes to pickup address |
| Blitz | No - RTO goes to pickup address |
| Urbanebolt | No - RTO goes to pickup address |
Q: What does "RTO goes to pickup address" mean?
A: For carriers like DTDC, Pikndel, Blitz, and Urbanebolt:
- When a shipment is returned (RTO), it will be delivered to the same warehouse from where it was picked up
- You cannot specify a different return warehouse
- If you need returns to go to a central RTO facility, you'll need to use a carrier that supports separate RTO addresses
Q: I need different pickup and RTO addresses. Which carriers should I use?
A: Use any of these carriers:
- Delhivery - Most popular choice with wide coverage
- BlueDart - Good for premium/express shipments
- Xpressbees - Good coverage and flexible
- Shadowfax - Best for metro cities
- Ekart - Good for e-commerce shipments
Configure your RTO warehouse in Settings - Warehouses and mark it as the default RTO location.
4. Service Types
Q: What's the difference between Surface and Air shipping?
A:
| Service Type | Speed | Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surface (Road) | 3-7 days | Lower | Non-urgent, cost-conscious |
| Air (Express) | 1-3 days | Higher | Time-sensitive, premium |
| Same-Day (SDD) | Same day | Premium | Urgent, metro areas |
| Next-Day (NDD) | Next day | Premium | Fast delivery needs |
Q: Which carriers support Same-Day and Next-Day delivery?
A:
| Service | Delhivery | Ekart | Shadowfax | Pikndel | Blitz | Urbanebolt | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Same-Day (SDD) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Next-Day (NDD) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
Note: SDD and NDD are typically available only in metro and tier-1 cities. Pikndel and Blitz specialize in hyperlocal same-day deliveries.
5. Post-Booking Operations
Q: What can I do after a shipment is booked?
A: Post-booking operations vary by carrier:
| Operation | Description | Supported Carriers |
|---|---|---|
| Cancel | Cancel before pickup | All carriers |
| Reattempt | Request re-delivery after failed attempt | All carriers |
| RTO Request | Manually initiate return | All carriers |
| Address Update | Change delivery address | Delhivery, BlueDart, Ekart |
| Phone Update | Change customer phone | Delhivery, BlueDart |
| COD to Prepaid | Convert payment mode | Delhivery, Ekart, Shadowfax, Pikndel, Urbanebolt |
Q: Can I update the delivery address after booking?
A: Only some carriers support this:
| Carrier | Address Update | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Via landmark update API |
| BlueDart | Yes | Via alternate instruction |
| Ekart | Yes | Customer details update |
| DTDC | No | Must cancel and rebook |
| Xpressbees | No | Must cancel and rebook |
| Shadowfax | No | Must cancel and rebook |
| Pikndel | No | Must cancel and rebook |
| Blitz | No | Must cancel and rebook |
| Urbanebolt | No | Must cancel and rebook |
Q: Can I change COD to Prepaid after booking?
A: Some carriers support this:
| Carrier | COD to Prepaid | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Via payment mode API |
| Ekart | Yes | Via update request |
| Shadowfax | Yes | Sets COD to 0 |
| Pikndel | Yes | Via update API |
| Urbanebolt | Yes | Via update API |
| BlueDart | No | Not supported |
| DTDC | No | Not supported |
| Xpressbees | No | Not supported |
| Blitz | No | Not supported |
6. QC on Returns
Q: What is QC (Quality Check) on returns?
A: QC allows the carrier's delivery agent to verify the returned product before accepting it. This helps:
- Ensure the correct product is being returned
- Check product condition
- Verify quantity matches
Q: Which carriers support QC on returns?
A:
| Carrier | QC Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Custom QC parameters supported |
| Shadowfax | Yes | QC rules with images |
| BlueDart | No | No QC integration |
| Ekart | No | Basic returns only |
| Xpressbees | No | No QC integration |
| DTDC | No | No returns supported |
| Pikndel | No | No QC integration |
| Blitz | No | No QC integration |
| Urbanebolt | No | No QC integration |
Q: How do I set up QC parameters?
A: If your carrier supports QC:
- Define QC questions for each product category
- Include images for reference
- Set required vs optional checks
- Configure pass/fail criteria
Contact your account manager to enable QC on returns.
7. Common Questions
Q: Why did my shipment fail with one carrier but succeed with another?
A: Common reasons:
| Reason | Description |
|---|---|
| Pincode not serviceable | Carrier doesn't serve that area |
| Weight limit exceeded | Carrier's max weight limit reached |
| COD not available | Carrier doesn't support COD for that pincode |
| Service type mismatch | Requested service (SDD/NDD) not available |
| Temporary block | Pincode temporarily blocked (weather, etc.) |
Velocity Shipping automatically tries the next carrier when one fails (up to 3 attempts by default).
Q: How do I check which carriers serve a specific pincode?
A: Go to Tools - Serviceability and enter the pincode to see:
- Which carriers can deliver there
- Available service types (Surface, Air, SDD, NDD)
- COD availability
- Expected delivery time
Q: Can I use my own carrier account (BYOC)?
A: Yes! Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) allows you to:
- Use your existing carrier contracts
- Get your negotiated rates
- Maintain carrier relationships
Contact your account manager to set up BYOC integration.
Q: How do I enable or disable a carrier?
A: Go to Shipping rules - Courier Selection to:
- Enable/disable carriers
- Set carrier as Regular or High Performance mode
- Configure carrier-specific settings
Q: Why is tracking not updating for my shipment?
A: Tracking updates depend on carrier APIs:
- Most carriers push updates in real-time
- Some carriers have delays (15-30 mins)
- Check carrier's system status if delays persist
- Contact support if tracking is stuck for >24 hours
Quick Reference
Carrier Feature Matrix
| Carrier | RTO Address | Reverse | Address Update | COD to Prepaid | QC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhivery | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BlueDart | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Xpressbees | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Shadowfax | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Ekart | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| DTDC | No | No | No | No | No |
| Pikndel | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Blitz | No | Yes | No | No | No |
| Urbanebolt | No | Yes | No | Yes | No |
Choosing the Right Carrier
| Your Need | Recommended Carriers |
|---|---|
| Wide coverage + separate RTO | Delhivery, BlueDart, Xpressbees, Ekart |
| Budget-friendly | DTDC, Xpressbees |
| Same-day delivery | Shadowfax, Delhivery, Pikndel, Blitz, Urbanebolt |
| Premium/express | BlueDart |
| QC on returns | Delhivery, Shadowfax |
| COD conversion | Delhivery, Ekart, Shadowfax, Pikndel |
| Hyperlocal/quick commerce | Pikndel, Blitz, Shadowfax |
Need Help?
- Email: support@velocity.in
- Live Chat: Click the chat icon in your dashboard
- Account Manager: For carrier-specific configurations
We're here to help you choose the right carriers!