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Our independent research proves Avasam is the best overall dropshipping supplier in London, providing a fully automated dropshipping experience. Dropshipping makes it much easier to start an online business as you do not need to find the space to store your inventory, or ship your orders.

If you’ve been wanting to jump onto the dropshipping bandwagon, we’ve rounded up the top dropshipping suppliers in London. For this list, we looked at their supplier reliability, product selection, and fulfilment and delivery process, which our research identified as the key factors to consider in a dropshipping supplier.

If you’re still looking for an ecommerce platform to start your dropshipping business, Shopify’s comprehensive sales features check all the boxes! It’s the best dropshipping platform in our in-depth research, as it’s fully equipped with sales features suited for your dropshipping needs.

Avasam: Best overall dropshipping supplier in London

Syncee: Best dropshipping supplier for product assortment in London

CJDropshipping: Best free dropshipping supplier in London

SaleHoo: Best dropshipping supplier for large businesses in London

Spocket: Best dropshipping supplier for control over your brand

What are the best products to sell as a dropshipper in London?

Dropshipping can be very profitable, and it only requires minimal effort on your side. Once you have found the right supplier, it should become a walk in the park. But with thousands of products right at your fingertips, where do you even start?

Here are some of the best-selling dropshipping products in London that you can start with:

Beauty, skincare, and personal care products

The beauty industry is estimated to be worth a whopping $758.4 billion by 2025, so better strike while the iron is hot! Sunscreen, health supplements, and cosmetic products make a great array of products, and Avasam can help you out.

Home improvement

With hybrid work setups gearing up to be the new norm, people are looking for ways to spice up their home. Listing products for home improvement, such as those that Spocket offers, is a great starting point!

Phone accessories

Screen protectors and phone cases are in such high demand that the market share for these two products alone is expected to reach $35 billion by 2027. Plus, these products are great for bundle deals, which can lead to higher sales and profits.

How did we compare the best dropshipping suppliers in London?

Here at Expert Market, we explore the top dropshipping suppliers around London according to the following criteria:

• Reliability: With dropshipping, most of the control lies with your supplier. We investigate if the dropshipping suppliers have a thorough screening process to ensure that the suppliers and their products are legit and profitable for your business.
• Product selection: More is indeed merrier with dropshipping. How many suppliers do they have? How many product categories can you explore and choose from? This will help you know which products speak to your business best.
• Fulfilment & delivery process: Since you have limited control over your shipping and inventory with dropshipping, it’s essential to look at how the suppliers process and ship the orders. How long does it take them to send out the products? Do they have an automated system? What features do they have to make dropshipping more convenient for you?
• Pricing: This is where we analyse their pricing plans, perks, and the included features to let you know if it offers great value for money. If they have an affordable price tag, all the better!

SumUp and Square are two major players in the payment taking market and, according to our in-depth analysis, Square is the best of the two.

Off our audience research findings and backed by our nearly 15 years of experience in the market, we know business owners look for card machines they can easily integrate and have support with. Square ticks those boxes with gusto: its reader ranks among the best card machines for small businesses and the provider itself scores an impressive 4.4/5 in our research. Not that SumUp is a weak contender: it offers great connectivity on its readers, landing a 4.2/5 score.

If you’re unsure about which to choose, simply fill in our free comparison tool to receive bespoke quotes from our trusted providers. However, if you want the specifics on SumUp and Square, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve researched both providers and have the gist at hand, so read on.

SumUp vs Square: Battle breakdown

According to our research, we found that Square has cheaper hardware, more third-party integrations, and better customer support when compared with SumUp. For its part, SumUp does offer cheaper transaction fees and boasts better customer reviews online than Zettle. Overall, Square’s 4.4/5 score outdoes SumUp’s 4.2/5.

Both providers offer native EPOS systems along with their card machines, but Square edges out SumUp by offering its EPOS service for free. SumUp charges a minimum of £9 per month for a similar offering.

Square’s payout time is also way faster than SumUp’s. While it pledges to transfer funds by the next working day, SumUp can take up to five working days to do so. Those factors, combined with Square’s plentiful features, make it one of the best mobile card machine providers for small businesses.

Best value: Square

While neither of the brands charge monthly fees, Square offers its reporting tools for free. SumUp, on the other hand, charges £29 per month for this feature. Despite this, SumUp outperforms Square in price in our research, scoring 3.7/5 and therefore narrowly beating Square’s 3.3/5. With these results, the fine print makes all the difference.

For starters, Square’s transaction fee for in-person payments is 1.75%, pricier than SumUp’s 1.69%. It is worth noting that they both charge 2.5% for keyed-in and invoice transactions. On the other hand, Square’s hardware starts at a lower price (£16 + VAT against SumUp’s £39 + VAT), which helps keep the initial investment down and makes it appealing to small business owners.

However, when it comes to card readers, SumUp gives Square a run for its money. SumUp has a mid-tier offering, Solo, which retails at £79 + VAT. Also, by having mobile data in two of its three card readers, SumUp has better connectivity than Square. This allows you to keep your business running without being dependent on Wi-Fi or your phone’s data. In contrast, none of Square’s two readers come with this feature, which is essential to mobile business owners.

That said, by packing plentiful features without charging monthly fees, Square offers better overall value than SumUp, scoring 4.4/5 against SumUp’s 4.2/5. Square also provides faster payouts than SumUp, While SumUp promises to transfer funds in up to five working days, Square can get them to you by the next working day, which benefits business owners who depend on dynamic cash flow.

For a full breakdown of Square’s costs, head over to our guide.

Best for features: Square

Our research shows that Square offers more overall features than SumUp, so it wins this round – something reflected in its 4.7/5 score in this category in our research, against SumUp’s 3.7/5. Both companies provide sales reports, easy invoicing, and a native ecommerce platform. However, Square enables team and inventory management tools, unlike SumUp. Square also packs countless integrations, while SumUp only integrates with 11. This makes Square a better fit for business owners keen on syncing up many segments of their ventures. That said, SumUp has a plus in that it accepts 10 different major cards, which is six more than Square.

Best for compliance: SumUp

SumUp beats Square in compliance due the credit checks it runs on new merchants and the mobile data it packs on its readers, which Square doesn’t do. Accordingly, SumUp scores 4.6/5 in this category while Square gets 3.5/5. For its part, Square has a faster payout time than SumUp, transferring your money by the next working day. SumUp takes up to five working days to do so. However, both providers encrypt their users’ data to prevent fraud and comply with the Payment Card Industry (PCI) standard, which is great because this means they take steps to secure the data of the transactions they process.

Best for customer support: Square

Square secures a victory here, scoring 5/5 against SumUp’s 3.5/5. Both providers offer support between 9am and 5pm on weekdays, via phone, and email. They also provide a knowledge base while lacking a community centre. However, unlike Square, SumUp’s support is not contactable via live chat and that proved fatal in this category. In fact, SumUp is the only mobile merchant account we looked at during our research that lacks this feature – a real Achilles’ heel.

Zettle vs. SumUp vs. Square

These providers put up a good fight against each other on several fronts. At £16 + VAT, Square has a cheaper entry reader than Zettle (£29 + VAT) and SumUp (£39 + VAT). Befitting the standards of the mobile card reader market, none of them charge fixed account fees.

Square and Zettle offer the same amount of reporting tools (five), beating SumUp’s three. However, Square beats both Zettle and SumUp for integrations: it offers countless, which is better than Zettle’s 21 and SumUp’s 11. This is a great feature to have if you’re a business owner keen on syncing up many parts of your venture.

By being PCI certified, Zettle is more secure than SumUp and Square, which are only PCI compliant. That said, they all offer their compliance procedures at no extra cost. Accordingly, Zettle bags a whopping 4.8/5 score for compliance in our research, trumping SumUp’s 4.6/5 and Square’s 3.5/5. Zettle also ties with Square for its number of support channels (three), besting SumUp, which has only two.

Alternatives to SumUp and Square

Revolut and Tyl are competitors worth a mention. Revolut scores 4.8/5 overall in our research, topping our mobile card machine provider analysis. At 0.8% + 2p, Revolut has a cheaper in-person transaction fee than both SumUp and Square. Also, with 16 integrations, Revolut beats SumUp while losing to Square, which has countless.

Read our review of Revolut for more information.

With a 4.4/5 overall score, Tyl ties with Square in our research. However, Square’s countless integrations made it score higher than Tyl for features. Unlike SumUp and Square, Tyl usually rents its readers for a monthly subscription – the minimum being £6.99 + VAT. This makes it a better fit for medium-sized and large businesses, for which the subscription won’t be bank-breaking. However, like those providers, Tyl lacks multi-currency support.

Our methodology

To find out the best between SumUp and Square, we researched them in five categories: price, features, compliance, customer support, and customer score. We also looked at four of their direct competitors to know how SumUp and Square compare against the wider market. We then consolidated the data into the scores we discussed throughout the article.

Square beats SumUp in two categories: features and customer support. In the first, we looked into the providers’ integrations and reporting tools. In the second, we scored them based on their number of support channels as well as the quality of their knowledge base.

Securing these categories proved to be crucial for Square’s victory, as they are the most heavily weighted ones in our mobile card machine provider analysis. This reflects the insights we gathered by interviewing business owners to discover their priorities when choosing a payment taking platform. This also explains why, despite not beating SumUp in most categories, Square wins.

When it comes to search engine optimisation (SEO) features, we found Wix to be the best overall, with an overall score of 4.6/5 in our in-depth research of the top ecommerce platforms. With its convenient SEO tools that are readily available as you set up shop, generating traffic to your online shop should become a walk in the park.

For a physical shop, you’d want them to be somewhere accessible, so easily accessible – it’s the same online! You want people to find you so they can buy your goods. This is exactly what SEO does for your business – it attracts customers by enhancing your visibility in a vast sea of competition.

In this article, we ranked these ecommerce platforms according to their SEO-enhancing features: keyword support, traffic generation, and mobile responsiveness. Read on for more.

These rankings are specifically for SEO qualities. If you’re interested in the bigger picture, why not take a look at our piece on the best website builders for UK businesses?

Wix: Best overall ecommerce platform for SEO

For more detail on the costs of subscribing to Wix, take a look at our Wix pricing guide.

Squarespace: Best ecommerce platform for keyword support

Do you know which Squarespace plans have transaction fees attached to sales? Read our Squarespace pricing guide for all the details.

BigCommerce: Best ecommerce platform for advanced SEO management

*Prices are converted from USD to GBP according to conversion rates as per writing.

Shopify: Best ecommerce platform for SEO apps and plug-ins

Shopify has a lot of extra costs that aren’t always immediately obvious when you first hear about all its features. But don’t worry because we’ve set everything out clearly in our Shopify costs guide.

Square: Best ecommerce platform for affordability

How did we compare the best ecommerce platforms for SEO?

At Expert Market, we have an in-house team of expert researchers that do a deep-dive into the finer details of ecommerce platforms. We compare these platforms according to the following criteria:

• SEO Features: We explore all of the features provided, like keyword support, social media integration, and mobile responsiveness, which contribute to your Google ranking.
• Website Features: We look at which provider has the capabilities to make your online stores more functional and convenient for your clientele. We also analyse its marketing tools that can help you improve your online presence.
• Sales Features: Since you’re building an ecommerce website, we look at the features offered that can help boost your sales. We also compare their payment channels and whether these are convenient for you and your customers.
• Design Functionalities: Here, we match up the platforms to analyse the design tools they offer, from the themes to the customizable elements.
• Value for Money: We also explore every platform’s prices, plans, and included features to see if it’s a great bang for your buck.

With the continuous growth of ecommerce in the UK, it’s no wonder that the dropshipping model is following suit, with Avasam and Syncee topping our list of the best dropshipping suppliers. Dropshipping is an excellent way to gain revenue without shelling out money for inventory and shipping. And you can sell without worries with our aforementioned dropshipping top-notchers, as they verify every supplier on their roster. 

In this article, we’ll explore the best dropshipping suppliers we found during our research. Moreover, we’ll size them up according to the key factors to consider when choosing a dropshipping supplier: supplier reliability, product selection, and fulfilment and delivery process. Given that the majority of the control in a dropshipping model goes to the suppliers, these factors will help you stay on top of your business and inventory management. 

If you’re looking for an ecommerce platform to build your online store, we also have the answer for that: Shopify! It’s one of the best ecommerce platforms for dropshipping in our research because of its comprehensive apps and plug-ins to help you get started.

Avasam: best dropshipping supplier for inventory management

Syncee: best dropshipping supplier for product assortment

CJDropshipping: best free dropshipping supplier

SaleHoo: best dropshipping supplier for large businesses

Spocket: best dropshipping supplier for control over your brand

How did we compare the best dropshipping suppliers?

We at Expert Market explored top UK dropshipping suppliers and their roster of perks and features, comparing them according to the following:

• Reliability: Trust is crucial in business, so we investigated how these dropshipping platforms verify their suppliers to ensure the quality of their products. This also allows you to sell without any worries about getting scammed by an illegitimate or poor quality supplier.
• Product selection: In this category, we analysed the variety of products each supplier offers. This will help you understand how much variety you’ll have to choose from, how many products you can list, and which countries you can ship them from. 
• Fulfilment & delivery process: Since you have limited control over your shipping and inventory with dropshipping, it’s essential to look at how fast they ship products, how they process orders, and what features they employ to make dropshipping more convenient and efficient for you.
• Pricing: We analysed all the suppliers’ pricing plans and the included perks and features, to be able to recommend whether they offer great bang for your buck or not.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has stealthily snuck its way into our lives, recommending just the right mix of cat videos and kitchen DIY tips during lunch. But don’t think fleet management is outside its reach – AI has revolutionized that too!

With the help of AI, the global fleet management market is poised for exponential growth – from $25.5 billion in 2022 to a staggering $52.4 billion by 2027.

Big firms take it to the next level, betting on robo-taxis and robo-shuttles to revolutionize mobility and make urban public transportation more sustainable. Considering the traffic hell in cities like New York, we can’t blame them for setting their goals sci-fi high.

But going back to basics. What is AI doing now, and how exactly is it optimizing fleet management and GPS tracking systems as we know it today? Buckle up and get ready for a ride through the exciting world of AI and vehicle tracking!

What Does AI Do in Fleet Management?

AI analyzes large amounts of data – generated from telematics devices installed in vehicles – and makes accurate predictions based on that data. Telematics devices such as GPS trackers, dash cams, and sensors can provide a wealth of information on your vehicles’ status, including data on its movement, speed, location, fuel consumption, and more.

By analyzing this data, AI can identify patterns and trends that may be difficult or impossible to detect through manual analysis. For example, AI can use the data from your telematics devices to identify vehicle usage patterns and predict vehicle maintenance needs.

Moreover, as the Internet of Things (IoT) develops, AI is advancing beyond simple predictive capabilities. AI can now perform various tasks such as monitoring and automating your entire fleet’s vehicle maintenance schedule, coaching your drivers to develop better driving habits, and optimizing routes for maximum fleet productivity.

AI-powered fleet maintenance solutions can significantly benefit fleet managers by reducing time spent on manual tasks and paperwork. Modern fleet management software, like Verizon and Samsara, uses AI to automate fleet management tasks and help you optimize your fleet. If this sounds like something you need, check out our curated list of the best telematics companies in the US.

According to research, AI could contribute up to $15.7 trillion to the global economy by 2030. By investing in AI, you can gain a competitive edge over those who do not, as it allows for more efficient and effective fleet management.

How Can AI Optimize Fleet Management Processes?

Managing a fleet can be tricky, requiring managers to juggle multiple tasks and responsibilities simultaneously. Fortunately, with the advent of AI, fleet management has become much more efficient and streamlined.

Let’s take a look at the specific fleet management tasks that an AI-powered fleet management software solution can help you with. Expert tip: no need to worry about every little thing, one AI-powered solution can help you do all these!

Real-Time Analytics

Real-time analytics is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of your fleet. It involves collecting and analyzing real-time data such as your vehicles’ location, status, and movement.

Using telematics devices installed in your car, AI fleet management systems can monitor your vehicles in real-time and identify potential issues, improve fuel efficiency, and even detect vehicle misuse. Moreover, once it detects a problem, it can immediately send you alerts so you can take corrective actions ASAP. This helps reduce risky accidents, lower fuel costs, and ensure your fleet’s safety 24/7.

Join the ranks of AI-powered fleets! Get started by reading our research-backed guide to the best fleet management companies for US businesses.

Vehicle Maintenance

Instead of relying on scheduled maintenance or waiting for signs of breakdown to occur, AI algorithms can analyze vehicle use patterns and real-time data from sensors installed in vehicles. By doing so, identify small signs of wear and tear before they become bigger (and more expensive!) problems.

Using the data collected from your vehicle’s On-Board Diagnostics (OBDII), an AI-powered fleet management software can alert you of the smallest problems and immediately recommend specific actions you can take, such as replacing worn brake pads or changing engine oil, before they cause significant damage. This helps prevent breakdowns and reduces the risk of accidents on the road.

Moreover, AI can automate your whole fleet’s maintenance record-keeping and scheduling. With this automation in place, you can ensure that all your vehicles receive the TLC they need, precisely when they need it… without ever having to touch a piece of paperwork!

Route Planning

Planning routes for a fleet of vehicles can be daunting, especially when you’re managing a large fleet. You must consider many factors, including traffic patterns, weather conditions, and vehicle availability, to ensure your vehicles operate efficiently and on time. Sometimes, you even need to factor in your customers’ personal preferences, and carefully dispatch drivers they’re already familiar with. It truly is the ultimate test of your multitasking skills!

Luckily, AI is here to save the day. AI can help streamline route planning by analyzing real-time data from various sources, such as GPS trackers and weather and traffic alerts, to automatically optimize routes for maximum efficiency.

With AI, you can easily plan and adjust routes on the fly, with a fleet management system that takes real-time traffic data, road closures, and other unexpected events into account for you to find the best routes. This means fewer delays, happier customers, and increased profits. Win-win-win!

Driver Safety Management

Driver safety is a top priority for many fleet managers, but monitoring and improving driver behavior while staying on top of other fleet tasks can require a herculean effort. Thankfully, with AI-powered fleet management software, you can streamline driver safety management and ensure your drivers are always on their A-game.

AI-powered telematics devices, such as dash cams and speed sensors, can automatically record, detect, and alert you to unsafe driving behaviors such as speeding, harsh braking, and distracted driving. Furthermore, they can also send real-time in-vehicle audio prompts to your drivers to help them make safer driving decisions.

Moreover, AI doesn’t just identify problem areas; it also helps you provide targeted training and coaching to drivers. By analyzing data on driver behavior, AI can score each driver’s performance, identify key areas where individual drivers need to improve, and help you create personalized coaching plans to help your drivers upskill and develop safer driving habits.

Dash Cam Video Analysis

Dash cams can help you monitor driver behavior, protect your drivers against false incident claims, and ensure compliance with safety regulations. However, reviewing hours of dash cam footage can be a tedious and time-consuming task.

AI-powered dash cam software can help with this analysis by automatically flagging and categorizing footage relevant to unsafe driving behavior. This allows you to review your driver’s performance more easily, and gives you insight into the kind of training you need to provide.

Moreover, simplified footage review makes it easier to locate and share crucial clips with the police or your insurance provider in the event of an incident. This can expedite the claims process and improve accuracy when determining fault or liability.

What Is the Future of AI in Fleets?

As AI technology continues to evolve and become more sophisticated, we can expect to see even more exciting developments in the future. For example, AI could be used to improve vehicle-to-vehicle communication, allowing vehicles to coordinate with each other in real-time to avoid accidents and traffic congestion.

We’re also seeing advancements in autonomous vehicles in the works. Cruise control in some car models now allows drivers to set the distance they want to maintain with the vehicle in front of them. And soon, some predict adaptive cruise control will also be equipped with automatic braking systems.

While self-driving cars may seem like a revolutionary breakthrough in the world of transportation, they also bring with them a mix of awe and distress. On one hand, the idea of enabling your passengers to sit back and relax while a car takes them to their destination, without the need for human intervention from your team, is incredible. On the other, there’s the fear of software malfunctions, hacking, and loss of control over a vehicle. This can lead to irretrievable losses and a dark tinge on your business reputation. Yikes!

The NHTSA reveals that vehicles with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) were involved in 392 crashes between July 2021 to May 2022. Despite this, the technology for self-driving cars is rapidly advancing, and many investors are still betting on AI to transform the transportation industry.

In fact, if developed well, AI may have the potential to end car crashes. As with any new technology, there are bound to be bumps in the road, but hopefully, advanced AI technology will pave the way for safer, more connected roads for your employees and customers.

Next Steps

AI is rapidly transforming the fleet management industry, making it more efficient than ever before. AI’s ability to analyze vast amounts of information from telematics devices gives managers valuable insights to improve fleet efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize performance. From real-time analytics to driver safety management, AI is already transforming how fleets are managed today.

The best part? The more data AI takes in, the better it gets at making predictions. That means more accurate routes, better vehicle diagnosis, and hopefully, safer and more intuitive automated vehicles that require minimal driver and fleet management efforts.

Looking for an AI-powered solution to your fleet management woes? Find the right system provider for your business by filling in our free quote comparison tool. Simply tell us about your fleet, and we’ll connect you with the leading providers that best match your business’ needs. You’ll then hear directly from top suppliers in the US, who’ll provide accurate, obligation-free quotes for you to compare.

The best business office phone overall is the Cisco 7841. But we also like the premium Alcatel-Lucent 8068s BT, the affordable Grandstream GXP 1630, and more.

We’ve conducted extensive research into the market and found the 10 best office phones for businesses – including top picks for call centres, conference calls, home workers, small business owners, and more. We’ve also collected all the prices in one place, so you have better foresight of how to distribute your money as business expenses become tighter because of rising inflation.

While evaluating the best business office phone, it’s also important to consider what VoIP provider you’ll use.

Now, before diving into our top 10, let’s compare three key options:

1. Cisco IP 7841

Best Overall Office Phone

Key Features

2. Poly VVX 301/311

Best for Call Centers

Key Features

3. Cisco SPA514G

Best for Small Businesses

Key Features

4. Grandstream GXP1630

Best Value Office Phone

Key Features

5. Poly SoundStation IP 5000

Best for Conference Calls

Key Features (for a Conference Phone)

6. Samsung SMT-I3105

Best for Video Calls

Key Features

7. RCA Unison U1100

Best for Call Quality

Key Features

8. Avaya 9641GS

Best for Cubicle Workers

Key Features

9. Alcatel-Lucent 8078s BT

Best Premium Product

Key Features

10. Snom D785

Best for Home Office Use

Key Features

Next Steps

There we have it – we’ve shown you ten of the best names in the office phonebook. With this list of contacts, you should now have the information you need to start the search for your next office phone.

You’ll also want to find a phone system supplier that makes it easy for you to add phones quickly, and that won’t charge the earth for it.

Before we hang up on this article, let’s talk more about how we can help you. Our quote-finding tool is quick, easy, and totally free to use, and we’ve partnered with the most trustworthy phone system suppliers.

All you have to do is share some quick details about the unique needs of your business, and we’ll match your business with the phone supplier that best suits your requirements, and you’ll then receive bespoke, no-obligation quotes.

Who says the course of fleet management can’t run smoothly? Our latest investigation into fleet management reveals that Azuga is the best system for efficient routes, scoring an overall 4.5/5 in our in-depth research. 

Azuga’s intelligent route optimization features use machine learning to help you plan and optimize single or multiple routes across a fleet and find the quickest route available while avoiding traffic congestion and possibly dangerous areas. Azuga aims to help you keep your drivers safe, serve more customers, and maximize profits.

If you want to scale your business, you’ll need an efficient fleet management system that provides reliable tracking, powerful driver and vehicle management capabilities, and journey optimization features. In this review, we’ll investigate how well Azuga stacks up against other leading systems in these categories, its pros and cons, and its standout features.

For over 10 years, Expert Market has helped thousands of ambitious entrepreneurs find the best solutions for their businesses. Use our free quote comparison tool to get obligation-free quotes tailored to your business’ needs today!

Azuga’s Pros and Cons

How Much Does Azuga Cost?

Azuga’s Standout Features

Job Dispatching

Keep your operations streamlined and maximize your ROI with Azuga’s Dispatch software. With Azuga’s powerful vehicle tracking, you can assign jobs to specific people in your team, and arrange jobs by urgency or status, such as whether they are one-time, recurring, or multi-day tasks.

Once a job is complete, your employees can label it as such on their end and go on to their next job. They can also track their time, update their schedules, and input notes so you can view all the information you need in the app. 

Azuga’s dispatch software also allows you to assign technicians to customers they already know, helping you foster better client relationships. In case there is a client dispute, you can find all your client and job information in one place, allowing you to respond to issues immediately. 

Driver Rewards Program

Sometimes we focus so much on tech that we forget the prime, dare we say, driver of our business. With Azuga, you can boost your earnings and increase your driver’s motivation to perform better. 

Azuga fosters a safety culture among its drivers with its brilliant rewards program, tapping into the power of incentives to encourage safe and fuel-efficient driving behaviour. Azuga’s driver program leads to:

• Fewer accidents
• Safer roadways
• Increased productivity 
• Less operational expenses
• Improved driver morale
• Better driver-manager relations
• Higher driver retention rates

And, of course, the best part is the reward itself! Via Azuga’s Rewards program, you can send vouchers of customizable denominations to your drivers, straight to their email. Drivers with higher safety scores are eligible for gift cards for some of their favourite hangouts.

What Kind of Business Is Azuga Best For?

Azuga’s powerful routing provides you with the safest and quickest routes. We recommend Azuga for businesses that would benefit most from effective route optimization, such as delivery services as it helps businesses complete deliveries faster and more efficiently. 

Azuga is also great for growing businesses that want to maximize their profits and don’t have the time to waste manually planning their routes. Its auto-route optimization features mean less time spent driving and reduced fuel costs, along with improved customer experience and more sales. 

How Does Azuga Compare With Other Fleet Tracking Systems?

Azuga’s Vehicle Tracking Features

Azuga’s powerful tracking features earn it second place in our tracking category, along with Samsara, for a score of 4.9/5. Both offer a 30-second to one-minute refresh time, almost on par with our perfect scorer, Verizon, which has a standard 30-second refresh time.

Azuga is the only product that allows for complete customization, leaving fleet managers the option to have driver insight when and where they require it. Take geofencing, for example. With Azuga, you can have your geofencing set up on your account to either send you alert notifications or not on vehicle entry and exit. Plus, you have full control over geofence tracking hours based on your business needs.

Azuga is also one of the few systems that provide real-time weather updates via its live tracking map. Although, it’s not as thorough as Verizon’s weather layers, which exceeds normal expectations, allowing you to track the wind velocity, surface air pressure, and even tropical cyclone and hurricane track forecasts.

Azuga’s Ability to Reduce Fleet Costs

Speaking of customization, you also have full control over all stops when it comes to automatic route optimization, wherein Verizon and Samsara’s first and last stops are fixed. Once you’ve created a route with multiple stops, Azuga can automatically optimize it by reordering the stops to create the shortest or quickest route that includes all stops. 

Azuga’s state mileage reports rival even our top overall scorer Verizon, which only tracks your vehicle’s total distance travelled and doesn’t offer a state-by-state mileage breakdown. With Azuga, you can get information on miles driven by your vehicle within a state for a requested period. It provides details such as the state, country, and distance travelled within that state.

Azuga’s Vehicle Management Features

Azuga scores a perfect 5/5 in our vehicle management category, along with Samsara and Verizon. Azuga allows you to see which vehicles exceeded the speed limit, as specified in your alert settings, and get speed reports based on posted speed limits, with the option to see when and where drivers were speeding. However, when it comes to monitoring driver speeding habits, Verizon takes the lead as it generates comprehensive reports and allows users to replay the incidents.

To prevent car theft, all three systems allow you to schedule alerts should the vehicle be plugged in or unplugged. With Azuga, you can also set additional alerts for out-of-hours driving, unauthorized vehicle usage, and/or unknown drivers. 

Does Azuga Have Good Customer Reviews?

Positive client reviews are the hallmark of a trustworthy business. As such, it is helpful to see how Azuga has treated its customers and what they have to say about the company. We combed through the most trustworthy review sites, such as Capterra (4.1/5) and G2 (4.8/5), and found raving reviews about how Azuga helped businesses work efficiently with its powerful, real-time tracking capabilities.

When it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) features, we found Wix to be the best overall, with an overall score of 4.6/5 in our in-depth research of the top ecommerce platforms. With its convenient SEO tools that are readily available as you set up shop, generating traffic to your online store should become a walk in the park. 

For physical stores, you’d want them to be somewhere accessible, so easily accessible – it’s the same online! You want people to find you so they can buy your goods. This is exactly what SEO does for your business – it attracts customers by enhancing your visibility in a vast sea of competition.

In this article, we ranked these ecommerce platforms according to their SEO-enhancing features: keyword support, traffic generation, and mobile responsiveness. Read on for more.

The Best Ecommerce Platforms for SEO:

1. Wix
2. Squarespace
3. BigCommerce
4. Shopify
5. Square

Wix: Best Overall Ecommerce Platform for SEO

SEO is a complicated balance of content and technological expertise. It can be hard to get right, particularly as significant search engine updates take place several times a year.

To make the most profit possible from your online business, you may want to consider outsourcing to the professionals. We’ve put together a guide to the best SEO companies for small businesses to help you get there.

Squarespace: Best Ecommerce Platform for Keyword Support

BigCommerce: Best Ecommerce Platform for Advanced SEO Management

With BigCommerce costing a lot more than other brands, it’s really suited to larger businesses with more complex inventories.

However, we’ve done the research and found affordable SEO services which offer a budget-friendly way to boost web traffic.

Shopify: Best Ecommerce Platform for SEO Apps and Plug-ins

Square: Best Ecommerce Platform for Affordability

Curious about how much you’ll spend on a business website? We know figuring out web design costs can be harder than solving a maze wearing a blindfold. Check out our easy guide to website costs for some clarity.

How Did We Compare the Best Ecommerce Platforms for SEO?

At Expert Market, we have an in-house team of expert researchers that do a deep-dive into the finer details of ecommerce platforms. We compare these platforms according to the following criteria:

• SEO Features: We explore all of the features provided, like keyword support, social media integration, and mobile responsiveness, which contribute to your Google ranking. 
• Website Features: We look at which provider has the capabilities to make your online stores more functional and convenient for your clientele. We also analyze its marketing tools that can help you improve your online presence.
• Sales Features: Since you’re building an ecommerce website, we look at the features offered that can help boost your sales. We also compare their payment channels and whether these are convenient for you and your customers.
• Design Functionalities: Here, we match up the platforms to analyze the design tools they offer, from the themes to the customizable elements.
• Value for Money: We also explore every platform’s prices, plans, and included features to see if it’s a great bang for your buck.

We’d all love to be able to ship products directly to customers, but who has the space to store all that inventory? Luckily, dropshipping is a solution for any budding business looking to send its stock to customers, without having to worry about buying a surplus or paying for storage. Dropshipping can help those who are just finding their footing in the ecommerce world, as it’s a very low-stakes investment, both in regards to time and money.

It’s not a perfect solution – it has its drawbacks and negative press, and like any system, it can be abused to make a very small minority very rich. However, when played right, dropshipping can help small businesses find their footing or make supplemental income. 

For the sake of consistent examples, in this article we’ll be talking about selling and shipping toys – action figures, teddy bears, dolls, you name it – but it’ll work as a thorough guide no matter what products you have.

What is dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a method of sending and delivering products using a third-party supplier. Rather than receiving an order online and shipping the product yourself, with the dropshipping model, you’ll use a portion of the payment you received to buy the product from a supplier. Then this supplier will ship it directly to the customer.

Essentially, you’ll be removing yourself from the supply chain in order to both save on your own costs and expedite delivery to customers.

What is a dropshipping business?

When boiled down, dropshipping is a bit like running a standard business, except in reverse. Rather than ordering a load of products and then selling them to customers, dropshipping businesses instead sell products to customers, and then order them from a supplier to be sent directly to that customer’s address.

Dropshipping isn’t actually that different to how a normal business operates – it’s just that the order of events has shifted slightly. For example, picture a toy shop – Al’s Toy Barn – with shelves lined with action figures and dolls. To sell these items, Al’s Toy Barn would need to have bought them from a supplier.

Al’s Toy Barn would also have bought these items at a price considerably lower than its own selling price. For example, it would buy a batch of Transformers toys for $6 per unit, then sell them for $21 each. Dropshipping follows the same model of profit, ensuring that the selling business makes enough money to operate.

So if Al’s Toy Barn were to shift to an online model, and incorporate dropshipping, it would first list the Transformers on its site. Then, when an order was placed, it would contact the toy manufacturer and tell it to ship a unit directly to the customer’s address.

How does dropshipping work? The details from A-Z

What exactly happens when a dropshipping order is placed and fulfilled? Here’s the general series of events that will happen when a customer orders through a dropshipping system.

1. The customer browses your site and makes an order, making a payment to you, the business owner
2. This order is either sent to you, or sent to the dropshipping distributor through an automated system
3. If there is no automated system in place, you’ll have to send the order through to the relevant dropshipper, as well as the money needed to purchase the product from the supplier, leaving you with your final profit
4. Once paid for the product, your dropshipping distributor will pick and pack then ship the product to the customer
5. Due to the distributor’s experience in shipping products, the customer will likely receive their order faster than if you were to send it via traditional mail services

This is a fairly simple process, but it does come with its own pros and cons. Here are some noteworthy examples.

The pros of dropshipping

In 2022, the global dropshipping market was valued at a whopping $225.99 billion. And this model isn’t just for small businesses – even ecommerce giants, like eBay, use dropshipping. Recent numbers also show that 27% of online retailers now prefer dropshipping because of the whirlwind success that could be waiting at their doorstep, like this Queensland teen, who jumped on the dropshipping bandwagon and now earns millions.

Evidently, dropshipping is a very viable method for delivery. But what makes it so appealing for ecommerce businesses in particular?

Lack of inventory costs

Like any brick-and-mortar shop, Al’s Toy Barn would need to invest in real estate and infrastructure in order to operate, no matter how small a business it is. But a small business that operates online and uses dropshipping can forgo these costs, as it won’t need to pay for the storage, logging, and shelving of its products.

Wide product selection

Let’s say you’re selling toys the old-school way – on shelves in a shop – but you only have five shelves’ worth of room. That’s not a lot of space for your stock, so you’ll need to be discerning about what you fill your shelves with. With this in mind, you do your research and find the 15 best toys to sell. While these products may do very well, you’ll probably still be keenly aware of the additional sales you’d be making if only you had room to stock the top 25 best sellers.

Even ecommerce merchants that don’t use dropshipping will need to find somewhere to store their products, whether that’s their own home or a rental storage facility. Not only does this obviously take up space and cost money, but it also means that online sellers have to be as strict as brick-and-mortar shops about their stock.

With dropshipping you won’t need to worry about experiencing such rampant FOMO. In fact, you can list the top 100 best sellers on your website if you like – since the distributor is the one shelving the products, you don’t need to be too exclusive in terms of numbers.

Low initial investment

This refers to investment of both capital and time. Obviously most businesses start in the red, as it takes a decent investment to set up any business, with any profits over the first few months mostly being put toward filling that hole. However, if a business doesn’t have to front the cost of buying a load of inventory and paying for somewhere to store it, that frees up a load of cash and time that can be saved or used elsewhere.

And with the time you save not having to manage an entire inventory of products, you might even be able to maintain a full time job (depending on your dedication), meaning that you won’t need to worry too much about jumping into the unknown of a brand-new business without a safety net.

The cons of dropshipping

Dropshipping can be a great method of selling products online, but it’s not without its drawbacks. In fact, the entire industry has received its fair share of ire, especially from detractors who think that dropshippers are simply piling onto a get rich quick scheme. In that spirit, here are some of the less glamorous aspects of dropshipping.

Very thin margins

In a way, working as a dropshipper is like working as a middleman, and you’ll essentially be paid a finder’s fee for connecting the customer to the distributor. While Al’s Toy Barn is making a very nice profit margin on anything it sells, it’s somewhat entitled to this margin due to the overhead it pays in order to exist. Dropshippers, on the other hand, have very little overhead outside of running their website, so they have less of a “right” to collect such a margin.

The estimated discount a dropshipper will get from manufacturers is around 20%. So if they sell a product for $21, they’ll have to buy it from the distributor for $16, giving them $4 of profit. Based on the average cost of a low-tier ecommerce website builder plan, you’d need to make several sales just to break even, let alone make a substantial profit.

Lack of inventory control

This is one thing that could either never be a problem, or could escalate into a substantial issue within a week. Since dropshipping means you’re never in control of your own inventory, there’s a very possible chance that the distributor(s) you use could run out of a certain product. If this happens without you knowing, you might keep making sales on your website without being able to fulfil them.

This could lead to a complicated process of refunding, letting down your customers, and scrambling to unlist the product from your site, lest other potential customers fall victim to the same trap. If you were in control of your own inventory, you’d be able to hastily put up “out of stock” icons before anything went wrong, but with dropshipping, you’re at the mercy of your distributors.

Limited branding options

“Branding is everything” is a common sentiment in the business world, and for good reason. Some of the most powerful businesses in the world are only so successful due to their iconic and easily recognisable branding. However, when dropshipping, you won’t be able to control anything like the logos, colours, or fonts on your products or their packaging.

You can implement as much branding on your site as you want, but if your customers aren’t seeing your logo and colours on their final packaging and products, you’re not going to stick as strongly in their minds as you would otherwise – which might lead to a less enduring relationship between you and your customers.

How to start dropshipping in Australia

Let’s go over the exact process you’d need to follow to set up an ecommerce business that uses dropshipping.

1. Start your ecommerce business

We’re really starting from square one here! But you can’t sell products online if you don’t have a website or ecommerce platform. Simply setting up your website and making sure it’s equipped to sell your products is a critical step. Shopify is one of the best platforms for dropshipping, as it includes multiple features that allow users to take full advantage of its ecommerce angle. For more information on Shopify and the full breakdown of its costs, you can review our comprehensive Shopify pricing guide. 

But if you want to avoid Shopify’s transaction fees, give Wix a shot. It offers great value for money with its extensive website features that you can utilise to help your online store stand out from the competition. Of course, we also covered all of Wix’s costs and plans, so you don’t have to find them yourself!

2. Decide on individual products

Hopefully you’ll already have decided what general industry you’re selling in by this point, but no matter what field you’re looking at, you’ll have to do a generous amount of market research to know what is worth dropshipping.

The margins can be quite thin, so you’ll want to choose products that sell frequently in order to make enough to justify the whole venture. For example, toothbrushes, facemasks, and yoga mats all sell very well through dropshipping sites. If you’re particularly savvy, you can even track down unfilled niches within your industry, which can also help you build your brand.

And before we forget – make sure you check whether you have the legal green light to sell the products you choose. Before you can start dropshipping in Australia, it’s important to fully understand and adhere to Australian Consumer Law and the Corporations Act, especially if you’re operating a company. It’s also important to familiarise yourself with which products can be bought and imported to the Land Down Under, so you can steer clear of penalties and any headaches. 

3. Seek out a dropshipper and form a relationship

As simple as it sounds, a quick Google search or two will be able to link you up with a dropshipper who might want to partner with you. Once you’ve found a supplier and agreed to work together, you can even set up a system that automatically sends them the address and order info they need in order to fulfil the order. eBay and Amazon also have their own dropshipping schemes that can help bolster sales. 

You can also take a look at our guide to the best dropshipping suppliers in Australia to find one suited to you.

4. Start selling

This is where the fun begins! Once you’re all set up, you can officially go live and start filling out orders. Like all businesses, you’re likely not going to have a meteoric rise to nonstop profits, but since dropshipping is such a low-stakes investment, you won’t have to worry too much if it starts as more of a trickle than a boom.

However, if you are looking to increase your marketing reach, you could always invest in some digital marketing techniques to get yourself on peoples’ radars. This could mean signing up for some email marketing software to promote yourself to existing customers, or mastering SEO to make sure you show up at the top of important Google results pages.

Dropshipping vs ecommerce fulfilment – what’s the difference?

You may have read up to this point and realised that this process sounds a fair bit like ecommerce fulfilment, but it’s a bit different in a couple of ways.

For the unfamiliar, ecommerce fulfilment is a similar process, but the vendor owns all the stock in the warehouse. For example, if Al’s Toy Barn was an online-only vendor, but still owned all the stock that people would buy online, it might use ecommerce fulfilment to send its orders.

On a small scale (like running a business out of your garage), this might just mean storing, packaging, and sending all your products with your own two hands. However, if your business grows beyond the point of storing your products in your home, you may opt for an external facility.

Obviously not everyone can buy a warehouse on a whim, so businesses can rent out parts of storage facilities and pay for their products to be packaged and shipped directly from those locations. This is done using a 3PL (third-party logistics) provider, an outsourcing company that will manage supply chain logistics.

Both systems involve a third party managing and packaging the inventory you’re selling. But the main difference is that with dropshipping, you act as an intermediary, while with ecommerce fulfilment, you’re the sole owner of your inventory. Obviously, this ownership and convenience costs considerably more, so ecommerce fulfilment is recommended for businesses that are more established.

Ecommerce fulfilment definitely has its own perks and advantages. For example, if you have a high enough budget and don’t want to deal with the downfalls of dropshipping – like unstable inventory management or thin margins – it alleviates most of those problems. If you’re willing to pay more, it’s certainly worth checking out.

We probed for the ins and outs of BigCommerce and Shopify and found the latter to be the top choice with an overall 4.7/5 in our research. Equipped with superior sales and functionality features, it’s got everything you need to get your business up and running online, sans the extra work and hassle.

But that’s not to say that BigCommerce is without its perks, too. Hailed as the inventory hero in our research with an overall score of 4.4/5, it has the best inventory management system to help track your stocks accurately and avoid inventory mishaps. Plus, it has a wider selection of free themes for your online store than Shopify. 

We pit these two ecommerce platforms head-to-head to find out which one provides the best value according to their features and pricing. See the results below: 

As seen above, Shopify scores higher in our research with a 4.7/5, with BigCommerce following closely behind at 4.4/5. If transaction fees are a clincher for your business, then BigCommerce is more ideal as it does not charge transaction fees, whereas Shopify will charge up to 5% if you choose a third-party payment gateway. 

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Head-to-Head

Shopify lets you enjoy a wider range of website features than BigCommerce, allowing you to integrate up to 11 third-party marketing apps, like MailChimp, Klaviyo, and Emma. BigCommerce only allows you to integrate with up to five. 

Moreover, it’s much easier to build your online store with Shopify, which scores 3.5/5 in our ease of use analysis. Given that it’s a complete website builder, all you have to do is to choose a template and then drag and drop the design elements. BigCommerce, which scores 3.3/5 in the said category, has a more complicated interface with limited tooltips, and you can be easily overwhelmed if you’re new to the website-building process. So overall, Shopify is the better choice between the two. 

But then again, if you’re a new business owner who wants to waive as many fees as possible, we’d be hard-pressed not to recommend BigCommerce. With BigCommerce, you will not be charged any transaction fees, no matter which plan you choose. As for Shopify, you can only avoid transaction fees if you use Shopify Payments.

Shopify overview

BigCommerce overview

Best Value: Shopify

Shopify and BigCommerce may both score 3/5 for pricing in our research, but you get more value with Shopify. Aside from its lower monthly fees ($38 monthly compared with BigCommerce at $41 per month), Shopify continues to make its platform more accessible and affordable for new users. If you sign up for a free trial of its Starter plan, which typically costs $7 per month, you can get it for an even lower price of $1 for the first month! However, it’s worth noting that Shopify only lets you use the platform for three days, whereas BigCommerce has a longer trial period of 15 days. For the full breakdown of Shopify’s fees, you can check out our comprehensive pricing guide, which discusses all the costs and hidden fees for every plan.

Shopify pricing

Shopify offers five pricing packages: Starter ($7 per month), Basic ($38 per month), Shopify ($99 per month), Advanced ($389 per month), and Plus, a bespoke plan that is perfectly suited for businesses with a high volume of traffic (from $2,000 per month). 

These prices are based on a monthly basis of an annual plan. You can also opt for a monthly plan, but it’s worth noting that the costs may bump up by 50%, so you’ll end up paying more.

Shopify’s plans may have sizable price tags, but it offers a wealth of apps that allow you to build an online store that is tailored to the needs of you and your customers. This is why our team of independent researchers name Shopify as the best ecommerce platform.

BigCommerce pricing

Business owners who want to steer clear of transaction fees are in for a good deal with BigCommerce. Its prices are divided into four tiers: Standard ($39 per month); Plus ($106 per month); Pro ($400 per month); and Enterprise, a custom plan that allows you to unlock BigCommerce’s sales services to the fullest. Whichever package you choose, there are zero transaction fees, which is why it still packs a punch despite its higher monthly fees. 

These fees are based on the monthly fees with an annual plan. Like Shopify, you can also opt for monthly plans, but these are a pricier option. Another plus is that BigCommerce offers a 10% discount on its annual plans!

Shopify vs BigCommerce: Which Has the Best Free Plan?

Both Shopify and BigCommerce do not offer a free plan. However, you can have more time to grasp the platform and play around with BigCommerce’s features, as it has a lengthier 15-day free trial, a huge difference from Shopify’s three-day trial.

Best for Website Features: Shopify 

Both Shopify and BigCommerce offer a comprehensive ecommerce and website-building experience, but Shopify takes this one because it possesses better quality website features on its roster. For starters, Shopify has a diverse app store, home to its wealth of ecommerce and website-building tools to help you set up your online store in minutes. We’re also a fan of its seamless drag-and-drop design elements. While BigCommerce does offer scalable features, it has a complex interface and limited tooltips, which website rookies may find confusing. 

Best for Design Functionalities: BigCommerce

BigCommerce wins in this category because it opens up more avenues for customization. Its vast collection of 17 free themes earns it extra brownie points, as Shopify only offers 11 free themes. Free themes are a huge boost for new businesses, allowing them to save on costs when designing their online stores. Unlike Shopify, BigCommerce will not reformat your page if you switch templates – so you won’t have to start from scratch again! Although, it’s also worth mentioning that Shopify considers mobile responsiveness in its themes, so it’s much easier to build a mobile-compatible website with it.

Best for Sales Features: Shopify

This battle was a neck-and-neck battle, but our independent research still highlights Shopify as being the better choice. Shopify has broader, multi-channel integration, meaning you can set up shop on almost anything, including social media platforms. It also supports five payment options, including cryptocurrency and cash on delivery, whereas BigCommerce only supports three. However, BigCommerce does not charge transaction fees, unlike Shopify, which charges up to 2% if you don’t use Shopify Payments.

Best for Help & Support: BigCommerce

Shopify and BigCommerce again have a very slight score difference in this category, but we’ve got to hand it over to BigCommerce here. Both offer 24/7 phone and live chat support and secure sockets layer (SSL) certificates on all of their plans. However, BigCommerce stands out as it allows you to upgrade your SSL certification to include site seals and a warranty. BigCommerce has a Support Center too, which you can refer to for handy tips and guides. Still, we commend Shopify for its accommodating knowledge center and changelog, which gives you updates on software changes and provides helpful guides.

Best Customer Score: Shopify

Our independent research looks at both sides of the coin: our experience and that of our fellow users. We’re awarding Shopify the title in this category because our research shows that users enjoy its simplicity and seamless operations, which beginners and those with minimal tech expertise highly appreciate. On the other hand, BigCommerce’s intricate and confusing platform is what most users recount about their experience. As such, 19/25 of our research participants are likely to recommend Shopify, whereas only 14 would do so for BigCommerce. 

Alternatives to Shopify and BigCommerce

According to our research, Shopify is the best overall ecommerce platform (4.7/5), and BigCommerce (4.4/5) is the best platform for larger enterprises, but Wix, which scores an overall 4.6/5, breaks the distance between these two providers.

Like Shopify, Wix is another beginner-friendly platform that provides assistance and helpful advice as you build your store. It’s also worth mentioning that it gives you the utmost creative freedom in creating your store. Another plus is that it doesn’t charge transaction fees like BigCommerce.

Square Online (4.4/5) is also a viable option if you’re looking for an ecommerce platform with a cheaper price tag that offers satisfactory features. Unlike BigCommerce and Shopify, it has a free plan that will only charge you for processing fees and nothing else.

Looking for a powerful tracking solution to help you scale your business? Verizon Connect scores an impressive 4.7/5 in our research, making it the best overall fleet management software system for its fast updates, comprehensive alerts, and ability to improve fleet productivity and efficiency.

According to our research, tracking, reduced fleet costs, and vehicle management features are at the top of every fleet owner’s concern. This review will examine how well Verizon Connect performs in these areas, its pros and cons, pricing, and other noteworthy features.

Don’t have time to read the full article? In a nutshell, Verizon Connect has everything you need for efficient fleet management, but at a premium cost. If you’re still hesitant, use our free quote comparison tool to compare prices from the leading vehicle management systems today. 

For over ten years, Expert Market has been evaluating the best GPS tracking systems available on the market. Our meticulous, unbiased research has helped thousands of business professionals make smarter business decisions.

Verizon Connect’s pros and cons

✓ “Near” real-time vehicle tracking

Verizon Connect scores 5/5 in our tracking category with its 30-second data refresh that enables you to virtually co-pilot your whole fleet. Moreover, each ping from your GPS tracker includes detailed information on your vehicle diagnostic systems and any additional sensors connected to your tracking unit. This means you are immediately alerted when anything unusual occurs.

With live map integration and user-friendly dashboards, Verizon Connect links you to all your drivers on the road. You can also colour code your vehicles by job to easily track and monitor what your staff are doing in the field.

✓ Efficient fuel management

Amid hiking fuel prices, it’s natural to be worried. Verizon Connect helps you better administer fuel with cost-effective fuel management features. Get access to a fuel efficiency report, which will break down your fuel usage based on the vehicle year, fuel type, distance travelled, fuel cost per litre, estimate loss, idling duration, and harsh events. 

You can also request a lost fuel report, which breaks down your total fuel purchase, overfill incidents, and average unit cost. This can help you optimise your fuel use, allowing you to weather the energy crisis confidently.

✗ Limited help and support

We compared Verizon Connect with four other leading systems in Australia and found that Verizon Connect scores the lowest in our help and support category with an unremarkable 3.5/5. Verizon Connect doesn’t have a chatbot, which could be incredibly helpful in navigating its rather intricate website and answering FAQs. 

Need help after hours? You’re out of luck as you can only phone up Verizon Connect on weekdays from 8:30am to 5pm. However, Teletrac 360 delivers top-notch 24/7 support, taking the top spot in our help and support category with a 4.5/5.

On the bright side, Verizon offers email support and a comprehensive knowledge centre, which contains step-by-step instructions, videos, and other helpful resources you can use to troubleshoot common issues. 

✗ Premium pricing

With great features come great prices. Verizon Connect scores 2.9/5 in our pricing category, due to its three-year-long contract package and premium pricing. Furthermore, Verizon charges a staggering $100 for each upgrade, unit swap, additional unit, and/or replacement unit. Yikes!

In contrast, the top scorer in our pricing category, Inseego (4/5), offers more affordable packages and free installation services. If you’re looking for a fleet management solution that fits your budget, you can use our free quote comparison tool. It’s a quick and easy way to get accurate prices straight from leading vehicle tracker providers in Australia.

Verizon Connect is a bit hush-hush about their prices. However, a little birdie told us that with a little ‘pecking’ around, you could negotiate with Verizon’s sales representatives to get ‘flock-tastic’ deals that work for both parties.

How much does Verizon Connect cost?

Verizon Connect scores 2.9/5 in our pricing category for its premium package prices and three-year contracts. While Verizon isn’t the most forthcoming about pricing on its website, our researchers have found that Verizon’s monthly licence starts at $44 per vehicle, per month. 

With Verizon Connect’s comprehensive features and integrations, it is understandably more expensive than other GPS fleet tracking solutions. If you’re looking for a low-cost fleet management solution, you can check out our top scorer in this category, Inseego (4/5), which offers affordable pricing plans, free installation, and up to seven years of hardware warranty.

Below is a quick side-by-side comparison of Verizon Connect’s packages.

Verizon offers a standard 36-month contract, after which, the term will be reduced to one year. Alternatively, you may ask a Verizon representative to extend your subsequent term by two to three years, if you’re looking to strike a lower rate. 

If you’ve got 15 minutes to spare, Verizon offers a free demo of Verizon Connect for potential customers. If you like the look of it, Verizon’s trained engineers will pop around to your garage and install your new (Reveal) tracker for you. Furthermore, Verizon also offers a 14-day cooling-off period and a free trial. 

Want to get custom quotes directly from an Expert Market-approved vehicle tracking supplier? Use our free price comparison tool – let us know what you need, and we’ll match you with the best vehicle tracking suppliers that can fulfil the unique needs of your business. They’ll then be in touch with tailored, obligation-free quotes for you to compare.

Verizon Connect’s standout features

AI dashcam

According to research, one in three Australians have used footage from their dashcams as evidence to clear themselves of false accusations while driving. While most suppliers today offer dashcam add-ons, Verizon leads the pack with its powerful alerts and driving coaching abilities:

• Automatically categorise risky driving events, according to severity, for easy review 
• Set alerts for when a driver is following another vehicle too closely or falling asleep 
• Distracted driving alerts, which help reduce accidents
• Receive HD clips of risky driving events within minutes of the incident (clips are classified and tagged appropriately, enabling you to take action quickly)
• Get in-cab audio alerts, which work in areas without connectivity

Pro tip: Verizon offers bundle pricing for its AI dashcam and GPS tracker, so mention this to the sales rep.

What kind of business is Verizon Connect best for?

With an overall score of 4.7/5 in our in-depth research, Verizon Connect is the best overall software system for Australian businesses today. It scores 5/5 in tracking, driver management, and vehicle management and is loaded with integrations that will help your business scale without much heavy lifting on your end. 

Verizon Connect is also best for large fleets as it allows you to maximise productivity with intuitive automatic route optimisation and helps you stay on top of vehicle maintenance. Our research found it’s one of the best route planning software solutions for this year too.

How does Verizon Connect compare with other fleet management systems?

Verizon Connect’s vehicle tracking features

Verizon is the only system to score a perfect 5/5 in our tracking category, and frankly, no one else comes close. 

Teletrac comes second in tracking with a solid 4.9/5 with its real time data refresh that keeps you posted on everything that’s happening in your fleet as they happen. Unfortunately, it starts to fall behind when we start probing into its tracking and alerts features. While you can customise Teletrac’s alerts, it doesn’t compare to the depth of Verizon’s Insight Alerts system, which notifies you immediately when your vehicle does something unexpected. Out of the five leading suppliers we’ve analysed, Verizon Connect has the most comprehensive alerts, which include:

• Geofencing
• Harsh driving, idling, and speeding
• Ignition on, late start, and long stop
• Out of hours driving (useful for theft prevention)

Verizon Connect’s ability to reduce fleet costs

Once you’ve created a route with multiple stops, Verizon Connect’s intuitive routing abilities system can automatically optimise it by reordering the stops to create the shortest or quickest route possible. Unfortunately, it doesn’t offer the same capabilities as Inseego, which allows you to optimise routes based on your business configurations, such as available vehicles, driving hours, and distance while also noting your set restrictions and limitations.

However, Verizon Connect offers Map Layers, with set road closures according to Verizon’s map data from Verizon itself, or as road edits that someone from within your organisation has made. 

Verizon also offers fully customisable mileage reports that can be filtered by various options such as vehicle, driver, vehicle and driver, vehicle and state, and road type. However, it once again lags behind Inseego, which gives you the option to separate business and private trips, making deduction claims much easier come tax season.

Verizon Connect’s vehicle management features

When it comes to vehicle management, Verizon soars back to the top with a perfect score of 5/5 and is followed by Teletrac with a 4.1/5.

Teletrac simplifies record management as it allows you to customise reports so you only see the information you need. Meanwhile, Verizon tracks basically everything, and gives you access to its full service history logs. Plus, it also gives you the freedom to manually add, alter, or remove entries as you see fit. 

Both systems are also equipped with powerful alerts to remind you when a preventative maintenance service is near, but only Verizon alerts you when a vehicle has missed its schedule. Really helpful when you’re managing larger fleets!

Furthermore, Verizon is the only system that offers cargo and engine temperature sensors, which are crucial if you handle medicine or perishable goods. 

Verizon Connect is by far the most reviewed tracking system on our list, with 793 reviews at Capterra (3.2/5) and 923 reviews at G2 (3.9/5), where Verizon Connect wins #1 in route planning. Although Verizon does have a few integration hiccups along the way, Verizon’s representatives are responsive and are actively reaching out to address user concerns.

Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of accidents on the road and can be a serious danger to drivers, passengers, and other road users. In the US, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that distracted driving-related crashes take away nine lives daily.

There are three types of distracted driving: visual, manual, and cognitive. Visual distractions take your eyes off the road, manual distractions take your hands off the wheel, and cognitive distractions take your mind off of driving.

Moreover, common distractions, like eating and using mobile phones while driving, fall into the “triple threat” distraction category, meaning they are visual, manual, and cognitive distractions.

In this article, we’ll explore each type of distraction and provide tips on how to avoid them. Read on to learn how you can keep your fleet and business safe from the perils of distracted driving.

What Are the Three Main Categories of Distracted Driving?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), distracted driving comes in three different forms:

Visual distraction: when a driver takes their eyes off of the road.

Manual distraction: when a driver takes their hand/s off of the wheel.

Cognitive distraction (mental distraction): when a driver’s mind is not fully focused on driving.

1. Visual Driving Distraction

A visual driving distraction is any activity that takes a driver’s eyes off of the road. This can be anything from checking a text message, glancing at your GPS route, looking at your passengers, rubbernecking, checking out a flashy billboard, or simply admiring the sunset on the drive home.

Unfortunately, even a momentary glance away from the road can significantly increase the risk of an accident. Moreover, since there are no specific laws against visual driving distractions, they are much harder to catch and control.

The good news is that many driver dashcams can detect visual driving distractions. Via AI detection, driver dashcams can track when your drivers take their eyes off the road and flag their behavior. The best part? You have a video recording of the specific incident, so you have solid proof of the incident, which you can use to train and upskill your drivers.

Wait up! Before you install a tracking device in your vehicle, it’s important to inform your drivers in advance. To stay fully compliant with the rules of your state, our research on vehicle tracking laws can help.

2. Manual Driving Distraction

A manual driving distraction can be anything that requires a driver to take their hands off the wheel, such as snacking, fiddling with the stereo, using a mobile device, or grabbing something from the backseat.

Given the fast-paced nature of driving, even a split-second hand diversion can spell disaster, especially when traveling at high speeds or when there is heavy traffic.

Many states have implemented a hands-free law that prohibits the use of any electronic devices unless they are in hands-free mode. However, research suggests that hands-free devices are not that much safer since they still create mental distractions (which we’ll discuss next).

3. Cognitive Driving Distraction

Cognitive driving distractions happen when you’re not 100% mentally present on the road. It can take many forms, such as daydreaming, having a ‘eureka’ moment while listening to a podcast, and worrying about possibly having left the stove on.

The tricky thing about cognitive distractions is that they can be hard to detect and remedy. We’ve done our research and found that daydreaming is not illegal in any state in the US. Moreover, stress and fatigue can exacerbate cognitive distractions as these make it more difficult for drivers to focus on the road.

Out of the three types of distractions, cognitive distractions are the hardest to track as drivers hardly register that they’re mentally distracted until it’s too late. To minimize cognitive distractions, it’s important for drivers to be mindful and self-aware while driving. You can also encourage them to take regular breaks to stay alert while driving.

What is a Triple Threat?

A “triple threat” driving distraction is one that involves all three types of distractions – visual, manual, and cognitive. Examples of triple threat distractions include using a handheld device or eating while behind the wheel.

These types of distractions are especially hazardous because they pull the driver’s attention in multiple directions at once, making it difficult to react quickly to unexpected situations on the road. In fact, using a phone while driving – a common triple threat distraction – can be as profound as driving under the influence of alcohol.

How You Can Best Limit Distractions While Driving

Traffic accident fatalities caused by distracted driving have dramatically increased in recent years. In 2020 alone, 3,142 individuals lost their lives and 324,652 others were injured due to distracted driving in the US.

As a fleet manager, it is your responsibility to ensure the safety of your drivers and other road users by implementing policies and practices that minimize distractions while driving. Here are some practical ways to limit distracted driving:

• Implement a no-phone policy: Encourage your drivers to review their route before they start their trip, to turn off distracting notifications, and avoid checking messages when they are in motion.
• Monitor driving behavior using fleet tracking devices: You can install telematics devices, such as driver dash cams, to help you monitor distracted drivers as well as keep record of your driver’s eye movements. We’ve compiled a list of the best telematics companies.
• Provide training and education on the dangers of distracted driving, and the importance of staying focused and alert while driving.
• Encourage your drivers to take a break when they’re feeling fatigued.
• Prohibit eating, drinking, and smoking on the road.
• Boost driver morale by rewarding good behavior with incentives.
• Keep the use of hands-free devices to a minimum.
• Remind them to reduce the time spent adjusting the vehicle’s settings.
• Listen to your drivers’ needs and be open to feedback.

The Consequences of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving can have a significant financial impact on your business, with work injury costs at $1100 per worker. Furthermore, when drivers lose focus behind the wheel, it’s not just their safety that’s at stake. Fleet costs can take a hit, with reduced productivity, mounting medical expenses, and vehicle repair costs – which all stack up. Even when employees utilize hands-free devices, employers are still subject to   $25 million in liability for employee crashes.

Additionally, collisions may lead to higher insurance premiums, as well as potential reputational damages to your business. In 2019, the NHTSA estimated that distracted driving crashes cost the US economy  $340 billion.

Next Steps

Distracted driving can be classified into three types: visual, manual, and cognitive distractions. Visual distractions occur when drivers take their eyes off the road, for instance, when looking at their phones, GPS, or passengers. Manual distractions happen when drivers take their hands off the steering wheel, such as when they’re adjusting the radio, eating, or drinking. Cognitive distractions occur when the driver’s mind wanders, and they become less focused on driving, for example, when they’re daydreaming, worrying, or driving while fatigued.

It can be challenging to track distracted driving. Thankfully, we’ve found that the best fleet management software companies offer powerful driver management tools to help improve the safety and efficiency of your drivers and your fleet.

Want a quick and easy way to connect with top-rated fleet management companies that best match your business’ needs? Use our free quote comparison tool to receive tailored, obligation-free quotes from leading providers in the US. Don’t settle for anything less than the best – keep your drivers focused on the road and eliminate distractions with the right technology.

We’d all love to be able to ship products directly to customers, but who has the space to store all that inventory? Luckily, dropshipping is a solution for any budding business looking to send its stock to customers, without having to worry about buying a surplus or paying for storage. Dropshipping can help those who are just finding their footing in the ecommerce world, as it’s a very low-stakes investment, both in regards to time and money.

It’s not a perfect solution – it has its drawbacks and negative press, and like any system, it can be abused to make a very small minority very rich. However, when played right, dropshipping can help small businesses find their footing or make supplemental income.

For the sake of consistent examples, in this article we’ll be talking about selling and shipping toys – action figures, teddy bears, dolls, you name it – but it’ll work as a thorough guide no matter what products you have.

What is Dropshipping?

Dropshipping is a method of sending and delivering products using a third-party supplier. Rather than receiving an order online and shipping the product yourself, with the dropshipping model, you’ll use a portion of the payment you received to buy the product from a supplier. Then this supplier will ship it directly to the customer.

Essentially, you’ll be removing yourself from the supply chain in order to both save on your own costs and expedite delivery to customers. To do that, of course, communication with your suppliers is paramount and the best dropshipping suppliers out there are the ones that make it quick and simple.

What is a Dropshipping Business?

When boiled down, dropshipping is a bit like running a standard business, except in reverse. Rather than ordering a load of products and then selling them to customers, dropshipping businesses instead sell products to customers, and then order them from a supplier to be sent directly to that customer’s address.

Dropshipping isn’t actually that different to how a normal business operates – it’s just that the order of events has shifted slightly. For example, picture a toy shop – Al’s Toy Barn – with shelves lined with action figures and dolls. To sell these items, Al’s Toy Barn would need to have bought them from a supplier.

Al’s Toy Barn would also have bought these items at a price considerably lower than its own selling price. For example, it would buy a batch of Transformers toys for $5 per unit, then sell them for $20 each. Dropshipping follows the same model of profit, ensuring that the selling business makes enough money to operate.

So if Al’s Toy Barn were to shift to an online model, and incorporate dropshipping, it would first list the Transformers on its site. Then, when an order was placed, it would contact the toy manufacturer and tell it to ship a unit directly to the customer’s address.

How Does Dropshipping Work? The Details from A to Z

What exactly happens when a dropshipping order is placed and fulfilled? Here’s the general series of events that will happen when a customer orders through a dropshipping system.

1. The customer browses your site and makes an order, making a payment to you, the business owner
2. This order is either sent to you, or sent to the dropshipping distributor through an automated system
3. If there is no automated system in place, you’ll have to send the order through to the relevant dropshipper, as well as the money needed to purchase the product from the supplier, leaving you with your final profit
4. Once paid for the product, your dropshipping distributor will pick and pack then ship the product to the customer
5. Due to the distributor’s experience in shipping products, the customer will likely receive their order faster than if you were to send it via traditional mail services

This is a fairly simple process, but it does come with its own pros and cons. Here are some noteworthy examples.

The Pros of Dropshipping

In 2020, the global dropshipping market was valued for a whopping $149.4 billion. And this model isn’t just for small businesses – Amazon itself uses dropshipping to complete over a third of its sales. Recent numbers also show that 27% of online retailers now prefer dropshipping because of the whirlwind success waiting at their doorstep.

Evidently, dropshipping is a very viable method for delivery. But what makes it so appealing for ecommerce businesses in particular?

Lack of Inventory Costs

Like any brick-and-mortar shop, Al’s Toy Barn would need to invest in real estate and infrastructure in order to operate, no matter how small a business it is. But a small business that operates online and uses dropshipping can forgo these costs, as it won’t need to pay for the storage, logging, and shelving of its products.

Wide Product Selection

Let’s say you’re selling toys the old-school way – on shelves in a shop – but you only have five shelves’ worth of room. That’s not a lot of space for your stock, so you’ll need to be discerning about what you fill your shelves with. With this in mind, you do your research and find the 15 best toys to sell. While these products may do very well, you’ll probably still be keenly aware of the additional sales you’d be making if only you had room to stock the top 25 best sellers.

Even ecommerce merchants that don’t use dropshipping will need to find somewhere to store their products, whether that’s their own home or a rental storage facility. Not only does this obviously take up space and cost money, but it also means that online sellers have to be as strict as brick-and-mortar shops about their stock.

With dropshipping you won’t need to worry about experiencing such rampant FOMO. In fact, you can list the top 100 best sellers on your website if you like – since the distributor is the one shelving the products, you don’t need to be too exclusive in terms of numbers.

Low Initial Investment

This refers to investment of both capital and time. Obviously most businesses start in the red, as it takes a decent investment to set up any business, with any profits over the first few months mostly being put toward filling that hole. However, if a business doesn’t have to front the cost of buying a load of inventory and paying for somewhere to store it, that frees up a load of cash and time that can be saved or used elsewhere.

And with the time you save not having to manage an entire inventory of products, you might even be able to maintain a full time job (depending on your dedication), meaning that you won’t need to worry too much about jumping into the unknown of a brand-new business without a safety net.

The Cons of Dropshipping

Dropshipping can be a great method of selling products online, but it’s not without its drawbacks. In fact, the entire industry has received its fair share of ire, especially from detractors who think that dropshippers are simply piling onto a get rich quick scheme. In that spirit, here are some of the less glamorous aspects of dropshipping.

Very Thin Margins

In a way, working as a dropshipper is like working as a middleman, and you’ll essentially be paid a finder’s fee for connecting the customer to the distributor. While Al’s Toy Barn is making a very nice profit margin on anything it sells, it’s somewhat entitled to this margin due to the overhead it pays in order to exist. Dropshippers, on the other hand, have very little overhead outside of running their website, so they have less of a “right” to collect such a margin.

The estimated discount a dropshipper will get from manufacturers is around 20%. So if they sell a product for $20, they’ll have to buy it from the distributor for $16, giving them $4 of profit. Based on the average cost of a low-tier ecommerce website builder plan, you’d need to make several sales just to break even, let alone make a substantial profit.

Lack of Inventory Control

This is one thing that could either never be a problem, or could escalate into a substantial issue within a week. Since dropshipping means you’re never in control of your own inventory, there’s a very possible chance that the distributor(s) you use could run out of a certain product. If this happens without you knowing, you might keep making sales on your website without being able to fulfil them.

This could lead to a complicated process of refunding, letting down your customers, and scrambling to unlist the product from your site, lest other potential customers fall victim to the same trap. If you were in control of your own inventory, you’d be able to hastily put up “out of stock” icons before anything went wrong, but with dropshipping, you’re at the mercy of your distributors.

Limited Branding Options

“Branding is everything” is a common sentiment in the business world, and for good reason. Some of the most powerful businesses in the world are only so successful due to their iconic and easily recognizable branding. However, you won’t be able to control anything like the logos, colours, or fonts on your products or their packaging when dropshipping.

You can implement as much branding on your site as you want, but if your customers aren’t seeing your logo and colours on their final packaging and products, you’re not going to stick as strongly in their minds as you would otherwise – which might lead to a less enduring relationship between you and your customers.

How to Start Dropshipping in Canada

Let’s go over the exact process you’d need to follow to set up an ecommerce business that uses dropshipping.

1. Start Your Ecommerce Business

We’re really starting from square one here! But you can’t sell products online if you don’t have a website or ecommerce platform. Simply setting up your website and making sure it’s equipped to sell your products is a critical step. Shopify is one of the best platforms for dropshipping, as it includes multiple features that allow users to take full advantage of its ecommerce angle. For more information on Shopify and the full breakdown of its costs, you can review our comprehensive Shopify pricing guide. 

But if you want to avoid Shopify’s transaction fees, give Wix a shot. It offers great value for money with its extensive website features that you can utilize to help your online store stand out from the competition. Of course, we also covered all of Wix’s costs and plans in our Wix pricing guide, so you don’t have to find them yourself!

2. Decide on Individual Products

Hopefully you’ll already have decided what general industry you’re selling in by this point, but no matter what field you’re looking at, you’ll have to do a generous amount of market research to know what is worth dropshipping.

The margins can be quite thin, so you’ll want to choose products that sell frequently in order to make enough to justify the whole venture. For example, toothbrushes, facemasks, and yoga mats all sell very well through dropshipping sites. If you’re particularly savvy, you can even track down unfilled niches within your industry, which can also help you build your brand.

And before we forget – make sure to check whether you have the legal green light to sell any products you choose. Canada has strict guidelines on which products can be bought and imported, so familiarize yourself first to steer clear of penalties and any headaches. 

3. Seek Out a Dropshipper and Form a Relationship

As simple as it sounds, a quick Google search or two will be able to link you up with a dropshipper who might want to partner with you. Once you’ve found a supplier and agreed to work together, you can even set up a system that automatically sends them the address and order info they need in order to fulfil the order. eBay and Amazon also have their own dropshipping schemes that can help bolster sales. 

4. Start Selling

This is where the fun begins! Once you’re all set up, you can officially go live and start filling out orders. Like all businesses, you’re likely not going to have a meteoric rise to nonstop profits, but since dropshipping is such a low-stakes investment, you won’t have to worry too much if it starts as more of a trickle than a boom.

However, if you are looking to increase your marketing reach, you could always invest in some digital marketing techniques to get yourself on peoples’ radars. This could mean signing up for some email marketing software to promote yourself to existing customers, or mastering SEO to make sure you show up at the top of important Google results pages.

Dropshipping vs Ecommerce Fulfillment – What’s the Difference?

You may have read up to this point and realized that this process sounds a fair bit like ecommerce fulfilment, but it’s a bit different in a couple of ways.

For the unfamiliar, ecommerce fulfillment is a similar process, but the vendor owns all the stock in the warehouse. For example, if Al’s Toy Barn was an online-only vendor, but still owned all the stock that people would buy online, it might use ecommerce fulfillment to send its orders.

On a small scale (like running a business out of your garage), this might just mean storing, packaging, and sending all your products with your own two hands. However, if your business grows beyond the point of storing your products in your home, you may opt for an external facility.

Obviously not everyone can buy a warehouse on a whim, so businesses can rent out parts of storage facilities and pay for their products to be packaged and shipped directly from those locations. This is done using a 3PL (third-party logistics) provider, an outsourcing company that will manage supply chain logistics.

Both systems involve a third party managing and packaging the inventory you’re selling. But the main difference is that with dropshipping, you act as an intermediary, while with ecommerce fulfillment, you’re the sole owner of your inventory. Obviously, this ownership and convenience costs considerably more, so ecommerce fulfillment is recommended for businesses that are more established.

Ecommerce fulfillment definitely has its own perks and advantages. For example, if you have a high enough budget and don’t want to deal with the downfalls of dropshipping – like unstable inventory management or thin margins – it alleviates most of those problems. If you’re willing to pay more, it’s certainly worth checking out.

Tired of constantly paying exorbitant prices at the pump? With record-high gas prices – reaching above $6 in some places – cutting fuel costs is crucial.

Moreover, fuel isn’t just hurting your fleet’s bottom line; it’s hurting the world as well. In the US, the transportation industry contributes about 33% of all emissions, making it the largest domestic contributor to climate change.

While electric vehicles (EVs) can certainly help, it is still important for EV fleets to be conservative with their energy use so they can travel as far as possible on a full charge.

Don’t let fuel costs put a damper on your fleet management. Read on for our expert tips to maximize your miles and minimize your costs.

1. Consider Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

Switching to fuel-efficient vehicles, such as electric vehicles (EVs), can significantly reduce your fleet’s fuel costs. Despite the high upfront costs, EVs have lower maintenance costs and considerably reduce fuel expenses in the long run.

According to data, there was an overall 304% increase in Class 2 EV registrations from 2022 to 2023. As technology advances and prices become more accessible, EV adoption should continue to rise. By switching to EVs, you can reduce fuel expenses and emissions, contributing to a sustainable future.

However, if sustainability is your top concern, it is essential to conserve energy to extend the lifespan of your batteries. The tips below can also help boost your EVs’ performance and cut costs.

2. Optimize Routes

Optimizing routes is one of the most effective ways to save fuel. Planning routes that minimize the distance traveled can reduce fuel consumption, boost fleet productivity, and improve customer satisfaction.

You can manually optimize routes by using mapping tools and checking real-time traffic data. However, this gets more complicated as you handle larger fleets. Many GPS devices on the market are equipped with powerful route optimization features, making them excellent fuel saving devices. They can help you find the swiftest route to your destination, all while avoiding congestion and possibly hazardous work areas.

By using GPS trackers to optimize your routes, you can significantly improve your fuel economy, reduce emissions, and improve overall fleet performance.

Ready to put the brakes on fuel costs? Use our free quote comparison tool to find the right GPS tracking provider for your business. Let us know about your fleet, and we’ll connect you directly with the leading providers in the US.

3. Monitor Your Fuel

By keeping track of your fuel usage, you can pinpoint any inefficiencies and take proactive steps to address them. For instance, you can identify drivers that are using more fuel than necessary and provide targeted training to get them back on track. Sometimes, though, the culprit isn’t your driver but your vehicle. Clogged air filters, worn-out engines, or under-inflated tires can all lead to unnecessary fuel consumption.

While a hands-on approach is commendable, manual monitoring simply isn’t the most efficient way to track your fleet’s fuel usage. For this, we highly recommend using vehicle tracking devices that are equipped with powerful fuel monitoring capabilities.

4. Save With Every Swipe Using Fleet Fuel Cards

Fleet fuel cards are a convenient and cost-effective way to keep track of your fuel expenses, another great fuel saving device. One of the biggest advantages of using a fleet fuel card is that it allows you to negotiate discounts with fuel suppliers. This means you can get rebates and save on the cost of fuel every time you fill up. Moreover, you can set up limits to ensure your drivers don’t overspend.

Additionally, fleet fuel cards help with fuel monitoring as they offer detailed reporting and expense tracking, so you can see exactly where your fuel expenses are going and identify opportunities to reduce costs. If you’re looking to streamline your fuel purchases, check out our curated list of the best fuel card companies in the US.

Not a fan of research? Get accurate quotes and information direct from fuel card suppliers by using our free quote comparison tool – it takes less than a minute!

5. Implement a No Idling Policy

Every year, idling in the US takes a massive 6 billion gallon toll on fuel consumption. That’s a cost of over $20 billion, just for drivers idling! While educating drivers on the consequences of idling is essential, using monitoring devices to ensure they minimize idling is better.

Many fleet telematics systems are capable of tracking your driver’s idling data and even send you real-time alerts when they are doing so. You can then opt to provide additional training, implement penalties for excessive idling, or incentivize good driving practices through a linked driver management app.

By implementing a no-idling policy, you can cut fuel costs, minimize vehicle wear and tear, and avoid hefty idling penalties – we’re talking $100 to $300.

6. Preventative Maintenance

Regular maintenance helps you prolong the life of your vehicles, reduces the risk of expensive breakdowns, and helps you to save fuel. By strictly adhering to preventative maintenance practices, you could boost your fuel efficiency by a whopping 10%.

As a fleet manager, it is essential that you set a regular maintenance schedule for each vehicle in your fleet, including tune-ups, oil changes, and tire rotations. Moreover, you must keep detailed maintenance records for each vehicle, including what services were performed and when. This information can be used to ensure maintenance schedule compliance and help future technicians swiftly address your fleet issues.

Yes, we know this can mean a lot of paperwork! To streamline your preventative maintenance process, consider investing in a fleet management system that includes robust maintenance tracking and scheduling features. These tools can keep track of the maintenance records of your vehicles, remind you of upcoming services, and automate the scheduling process so you don’t get bogged down by paperwork.

7. Encourage Steady Driving

Here’s another way to save fuel: encourage your drivers to relax when driving. Aggressive driving – jackrabbit starts, hard braking, and speeding – can lower gas mileage by up to 40%. Furthermore, steady driving will not only save you money on gas, it’ll also ensure the ride for your drivers is smoother and safer.

Pro tip: Advise your drivers to use cruise control on the highway!

Cruise control is a helpful feature that allows your drivers to set and maintain a constant speed, reducing gas-wasting accelerations and decelerations. This boosts fuel efficiency, ensures steady driving, and eases driver fatigue on longer trips.

8. Install Devices With In-Vehicle Driver Feedback

According to research by the National Center for Sustainable Transportation (NCST), onboard feedback can positively influence driver behavior and enhance fuel efficiency by an average of 6.6%. The study also suggests that, when combined with other tactics, such as driver training or performance-based incentives, the effects of this feedback can increase.

Many leading tracking devices are equipped with in-vehicle audio alerts that are triggered when the device detects erratic driving behavior such as idling, speeding, and harsh braking. Some driver dash cams can even detect distracted driving and quickly alert you and your driver to ensure their focus is back on the road.

In-cab alerts help drivers become aware of their habits and make changes in real-time to improve fuel efficiency. By using telematics devices, you can effectively monitor and improve driver behavior, leading to improved driver safety and reduced fleet costs.

9. Advise Drivers To Switch Off the AC

Using the air conditioning (AC) system can make a vehicle use up to 20% more fuel as it adds extra load to the engine. When the AC is running, the engine has to work harder to power the compressor and cool the vehicle’s interior, which can consume more fuel.

However, this may not always be the best option. In hot weather conditions, rolling down the windows can increase wind resistance and drag, which reduces fuel economy. To keep your drivers cool and preserve fuel, remind your drivers of the goldilocks rule: aim for comfortable, not cool.

Remind your drivers to adjust their thermostat settings and turn off the AC when it’s not needed. By minimizing AC usage, the engine doesn’t have to work as hard, which can lead to improved fuel efficiency.

10. Proper Tire Inflation

Proper tire inflation can save you up to 11 cents per gallon on fuel and extend your tire’s average life by 4,700 miles. Meanwhile, under-inflated tires can reduce fuel efficiency by 0.2% for every 1 pound per square inch (PSI) drop.

Educating your drivers on the importance of tire pressure and how to properly check tire pressure levels can help. Additionally, you can invest in tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS), which alert you and/or your drivers when the tire pressure is low on one of your vehicles. Considering that TPMS can save a passenger vehicle an average of 27.89 gallons of fuel in the first eight years of use, this can certainly be a worthy investment.

Keeping tires at the right pressure will create a smoother ride, reduce fuel costs, and prevent wear and tear. Moreover, proper inflation leads to safer, longer-lasting tires.

11. Be Wary of Fuel-Saving Devices

You may find yourself tempted to just grab a nondescript fuel-saving device from an online retail store– magnets, engine ionizers, vaporizers. Most of these devices come with blurbs that sound like sci-fi skits, and many of these “fuel-saving devices” have bogus claims at steep prices. What’s worse is they are often untested and not approved by your vehicle’s manufacturer, and can even harm your vehicles.

We’re not closing the doors to fuel-saving devices, as we’re always open to innovation. However, based on our research, there’s no fuel-saving device (yet!) that is proven to effectively cut fuel costs and reduce emissions.

Instead, you may want to look into prepaid gas cards as a more realistic way of saving at the pump. You can use these to set spending limits and avoid the fee on using a PIN debit card at ARCO.

Next Steps

Maximizing fuel efficiency is a must for any fleet business looking to stay ahead in today’s competitive market. While it’s true that fuel costs are surging, there are many practical ways to maximize fuel efficiency, such as investing in fuel-efficient vehicles; strictly adhering to your preventative maintenance schedule; and leveraging telematics to help you optimize routes, monitor fuel consumption, and improve driver behavior. Conducting a fleet cost analysis can help reduce fuel consumption also.

Ready to join the ranks of fuel-efficient fleets? Use our free quote comparison tool to find the right fleet management system that best fits your business’ needs. Get accurate, obligation-free quotes directly from the top suppliers in the US.

Our research has found the best enterprise SEO firm is Go Fish Digital, specifically for the tourism and travel sector. Their experience in creating attention-grabbing shareable content is a recipe for success in boosting brand awareness.

As experts in digital marketing, we’re well-placed to evaluate the best enterprise SEO companies. We’ve scored a range of SEO agencies against capacity, industry expertise, the ability to grow your company, provide comprehensive service, and customer review scores.

Read on for the full set of results.

Check out each review of the winners below, and the list of runners-up at the end of each section.

Go Fish Digital: Best Enterprise SEO for Tourism and Travel

We’re excited by the creativity and diversity of the media campaigns in Go Fish Digital’s portfolio. Supported by a talented team of in-house PR specialists, SEO experts, content creators, and graphic designers, the firm has pulled off memorable and positive marketing efforts for its clients. Impressively, Go Fish Digital scores full marks in every category.

At the same time, we’re a little wary of the slant towards viral marketing campaigns, which Go Fish Digital emphasizes in its web portfolio. While the agency’s work gained valuable backlinks that signal brand authority to search engine bots, we’re not convinced that one-hit wonders are the best strategy for SEO overall. Instead, we advise companies to invest in long-term growth and steady web traffic. In other words, we’re not fans of chasing the “go viral” rainbow.

However, Go Fish Digital clearly has many strings to its bow, and delivers reliable ranking improvement for its clients. Since they can satisfy a tourism megalith like Marriott International, we’d recommend Go Fish Digital without hesitation.

Runners-up:

• Status Bureau (Vancouver, Edmonton, and Toronto)
• WebiMax (New Jersey and New York)
• Propellic (Austin)

Digital Authority Partners (DAP): Best Enterprise SEO for Healthcare

DAP scores 4.97/5 overall, meaning it meets all of the criteria for capacity, industry expertise, ability to grow your company, and providing a comprehensive service. The only area it lost points was the customer satisfaction score (the customer review ratings average), which comes to 4.9/5.

Over 10 content writers handle copywriting, which draws in search engine users looking for valuable information. That’s an advantage DAP has over OpenMoves, which won’t carry out content creation. Happy clients noted DAP’s strong project management skills and deep knowledge of SEO.

A strategy consulting director and DAP client of over six years said the agency was always easy to get in touch with – no matter the time or day. This shows commitment to client satisfaction, which means you won’t be left wondering about the progress of your marketing campaigns.

On the downside, Digital Authority Partners are on the pricier end of SEO providers. The cost estimates we’ve given are from DAP’s website and are a rough guide only. Occasionally clients felt the agency members spoke using too much technical jargon, making it difficult to communicate.

Runners-up:

• Cardinal (Georgia)
• Webserv (Los Angeles)
• LSEO (Pennsylvania)
• Ayokay (Indianapolis)

A route planner does more than get you from point A to B, and Verizon attests to that as the best overall route planning software according to our research. With its commendable route planning and comprehensive vehicle tracking offers, it not only optimises your routes, it also boosts your productivity and efficiency.

This article dives into five route planning software providers, looking at their route optimisation capabilities, pricing, and vehicle tracking features. We’ll also compare them to let you know which would work best for your business.

Keep reading to learn more about the top route planning software providers. If you want to find a provider quickly and securely, try our free quote comparison tool. All you need to do is tell us a few things about your fleet, and we’ll link you up with our trusted providers. They will be in touch with obligation-free quotes that are tailored to the needs of your business. 

Verizon: Best route planning software for large fleets

Netstar: Best route planning software for heavy vehicle fleets

Inseego: Best route planning software for improving driver safety

Onfleet: Best delivery route planning software

Routific: Best route planning software for local fleets

How did we compare the best route planning software?

Expert Market has an in-house team of skilled, unbiased researchers that analyse the top route planning software solutions according to these criteria:

• Route optimisation: Does it allow you to optimise multiple stops on your route? If so, can it do so automatically, and is it accurate? We also look to see if it can help you reduce your fleet costs and driving time.
• Driver scheduling/dispatching: This category looks at the provided channels you can use to communicate with your drivers conveniently. Can you edit jobs at the last minute, or assign a job when your drivers are already on the road?
• Vehicle management – This category checks the features that can help you monitor your vehicle’s conditions. Can it automatically detect faulty systems? If so, does it allow you to retain fleet maintenance records? Can you schedule maintenance checks?
• Price – One of the key factors we look at is its price and whether or not it’s reasonable for your fleet. Is it great value for money, considering its features? Does it offer a warranty or free installation?
• Tracking – Tracking your vehicles is crucial in determining if your drivers are performing well. Here, we check if the providers allow you to track your vehicles in real time. How fast does it refresh data? Does it factor in traffic and mileage data?
• Driver management – Monitoring your drivers and their behaviour is just as important. For example, does it report dangerous driving behaviour and incidents? Can you reach your driver for urgent concerns?
• Product features – Aside from these basic features, we also check other perks that a fleet management system offers. A mobile app? Satellite navigation integration? Temperature monitoring?
• Customer support – This ensures you have support whenever you encounter unwanted situations. Can you reach it during urgent situations? Is it available 24/7? 

As of 2024, statistics show that almost one-third of Canadians are employed by a remote-first company. These changes mean that the technology we use must keep up with the demands of a diverse workplace. One development is the shift to virtual phone numbers, assisted by VoIP and cloud-based telephone systems, which allow you to take calls from multiple devices and locations.

Based on our extensive research, we ranked the seven best virtual phone numbers based on three key decision factors: pricing, inbound and outbound communication features, and external connections and scalability.

We recommend you consider these criteria when searching for the right business phone system for your team, our research shows that 8×8, RingCentral and Ooma are the current frontrunners in the Canadian market.

Short on time? Use our free quote comparison tool to find tailored quotes from the best virtual business phone number providers, making it quick and easy to switch phone systems.

What is a Virtual Phone Number?

A virtual phone number, also known as a soft phone or virtual landline, is a number associated with an online account provided by a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) provider, rather than being tied to a specific physical location.

Traditional telephony systems typically use analog setups with desk phones, where numbers are linked to local exchanges and phone lines.

In contrast, you can get virtual business phone numbers from VoIP providers, which enable your business to make phone calls using any internet connection. With virtual business phone numbers, you can make and receive calls just like with regular telephone numbers, and callers won’t be able to distinguish any difference.

How Much Does a Virtual Phone Number Cost?

The cost of a virtual phone number typically ranges from about $20 per user, per month to $50+ per user, per month, depending on the price plan you choose, the number of lines and features you need, and whether you’re paying monthly or annually.

GoTo is the best value virtual phone number provider, with plans costing $35, $42, and $56 per user, per month, while making it easy for your business to add more systems as you grow. Meanwhile, 8×8 is the best overall virtual business phone number provider, but offers plans from $19 to $195 per user, per month.

What are the Benefits of Virtual Phone Numbers?

Switching to virtual phone numbers offers a variety of benefits for your business, including:

1. More flexibility: Virtual phone numbers allow your employees to make and receive business calls from anywhere, enabling greater mobility and flexibility in remote work scenarios. This is ideal for hybrid working models, or employees working from home.
2. Cost-effective: Using virtual phone numbers can significantly reduce phone-related expenses as they operate over the internet, removing the need for traditional phone lines and costly hardware.
3. Maintain a professional image: Virtual business phone numbers enable you to present a professional image to customers, as they appear no different from regular phone numbers, instilling confidence and trust in your brand.
4. Scalability: The best virtual phone services offer easy scalability for your business, meaning you can quickly add or remove phone lines as needed, accommodating changes in your workforce size or business expansion without the complexity of traditional phone systems.

How to Get a Virtual Phone Number

Getting a virtual phone number for your business is straightforward with the right Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) provider. When choosing a supplier, research the call quality, reliability, security, and features offered.

Ideal virtual phone number services enable you to:

• Effortlessly acquire new toll-free, or local numbers to suit your needs. International numbers can also be available.
• Quickly set up intelligent call routing to cell phones, landlines, call centers, or mailboxes as desired.
• Fully configure each number with customizable greetings, voicemail, call forwarding and more.
• Seamlessly receive and transfer calls between devices or locations to stay connected even when you’re on the move.
• Access useful call management features like logs, recording, video conferencing, and analytics reporting.
• Integrate your virtual numbers with existing CRM, help desk, marketing and other essential software.

Reputable services provide clear onboarding resources and dedicated account management support. Ensure you’re familiar with your any prospective provider’s subscription fees and contractual limitations before committing.

How to Switch Virtual Phone Number Providers

When your business outgrows its current phone service, you may want to consider switching providers. Ideally, you want to transfer your existing numbers to the new provider to maintain continuity for customers getting in touch. This process is called “porting” and might involve a small fee.

Reasons to switch providers include better reliability, improved customer support, more features, lower costs, or integration with new software tools. You should carefully assess if the benefits outweigh the effort of migrating and be on the lookout for providers who offer incentives to make switching more compelling.

The process of switching itself includes opening a new account, initiating the number porting, configuring your account settings/features, and finally, cancelling your old contract. You can expect minimal downtime, as long as the switch is properly coordinated. While switching is not overly complex, precise planning ensures you transfer all necessary numbers and configurations to the new system on the target date.

Top 7 Virtual Phone Number Providers

To find the seven best virtual business phone numbers, we tested eight different VoIP systems and handpicked the very best to include in this article. Check out our table below to see the shortlist…

1. 8×8: Best Overall Virtual Phone Number Provider

8×8 is the best virtual phone number in Canada, with an overall score of 4.7/5. From its first plan onwards, 8×8 provides unlimited domestic minutes, which gets upgraded to unlimited international calls to 14 countries on the X2 plan, which extends to 48 countries on the X4 plan.

8×8’s impressive call features include voicemail-to-text, a virtual receptionist, and localized toll-free numbers. The most noteworthy of which is its high-quality voice calling and analytics. Plus, many advanced features like power dialer and predictive dialing for an additional cost. Moreover, 8×8 ranked first in our customer support (5/5), security (5/5), and scalability (4.9/5) research categories.

During our testing, we spotted a 10-user limit on its cheapest (Express) plan, but this user limit quickly dissolves as you upgrade to the X2 plan, which enables an unlimited number of users. On the other hand, if you want to spend as little as you can while ensuring your growing team will be catered for, try GoTo Connect. GoTo allows unlimited users on its cheapest plan, which costs $35 to $56 per user, per month.

2. RingCentral: Best Virtual Phone Number for Small to Medium Businesses

RingCentral closely takes the second spot with top marks in external connections (4.3/5), customer support (5/5), and scalability (4.9/5) in our research. Hence, we recommend RingCentral as our top virtual phone number service for small to medium businesses in Canada. Not only is it reliable, but has a wide compatibility with software and flexible enough to adapt when your business starts to grow.

RingCentral offers unlimited domestic minutes and number porting across all plans. It also offers plenty of call features, including a virtual receptionist, customizable hold music, SMS, and a set caller ID. Best of all, RingCentral comes ready to integrate with up to 250 software platforms, such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Slack, and Hangouts Chat.

The drawback is, many outbound communication features, like auto dialer and custom call lists require RingCentral Engage, an add-on that comes at an additional cost. Apart from this, it has a user limit of 20 on its cheapest plan, unlike Ooma, which has no user limit on any of its plans. Luckily, RingCentral’s user limit gets taken down when you upgrade to its Standard plan.

3. Ooma: Best Virtual Phone Number Provider for Low-Cost 24/7 Support

Ooma is a virtual phone service that allows unlimited users and offers unlimited domestic minutes and number porting capability across all of its plans. If you opt for its pricier Enterprise plan, you’ll also get unlimited international minutes to US and Mexico. Ooma also offers a multitude of inbound communication features, including virtual receptionist, voicemail-to-text, and ring groups. Plus, it also allows number porting on every plan, so you don’t have to change numbers when you switch to Ooma.

What really makes Ooma stand out is its excellent customer service (4.5/5) at very affordable plans. For as low as $24.95 per user, per month, you’ll get 24/7 customer support, giving you fast, reliable assistance whenever you need it.

As we spotted during our testing, Ooma has a relative shortage of management and collaboration features. Unlike 8×8 and RingCentral, features like a call-flow designer, task management, and being able to create teams are unavailable on any of Ooma’s plans. Also, some advanced features, like video conferencing, team messaging, and call monitoring, are only available on its pricier Enterprise plan.

4. GoToConnect: Best Virtual Phone Number for Low-Cost Longevity

GoTo Connect is the virtual business phone number provider we recommend for low-price longevity. For one, it does have good value for money, scoring 4.3/5 in our pricing analysis. More importantly, of the providers that scored best for pricing, we found GoTo to be the most scalable (scoring 4.4/5 in this category in our research). This means GoTo is adaptable enough to partner with you if you’re just starting out, or you want to switch to a virtual phone number provider that can scale with you.

For only $31.20 per user per month, you’ll get unlimited users, unlimited domestic minutes, and number porting. What’s more noteworthy is, GoTo generously offers free international calling to more than 50 countries on its Standard and Premium plans (but not its cheapest Essentials plan). In addition to this, you’ll get a comprehensive list of inbound communication features, including a virtual receptionist, call queue, and ring groups. These call features, combined with high-security measures (scoring 4/5 in our security evaluation), give GoTo a good 4.4/5 scalability score.

If there’s one thing to watch out for, it’s the lack of external connections, seeing it earn a low 2.6/5 in integrability. That’s quite the opposite of RingCentral, which boasts up to 250 integrations. If you’re already using scores of different software, it’s more likely that RingCentral already has a built-in integration.

5. Dialpad: Best Virtual Phone Number Provider for Conversational AI

We rated Dialpad as the virtual phone number provider with the best conversational AI. Boasting a stellar list of inbound and outbound communication features across all plans, Dialpad scored 4.4/5 in features. Enjoy advanced features like customizable greetings, virtual receptionist, and voicemail-to-text from its lowest to highest pricing tiers. Most importantly, it has conversational AI enhanced by natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning features to help analyze your conversations. This means it can decipher your calls and provide tailored and actionable suggestions with Real Time Assist Cards to help you communicate with your team and clients more effectively.

Dialpad allows you to have unlimited users, and provides unlimited inbound and outbound domestic calls and number porting across all plans. Once you upgrade to its Pro plan, you’ll get localized, toll-free numbers in more than 50 countries.

However, we found that Dialpad falls short on external connections, earning a low integrability score of 2.4/5. Unlike 8×8’s ten live chat integrations, Dialpad only has Slack. Luckily, it has its own SMS/chat and team messaging, so you can still reach your team instantly.

6. Net2Phone Canada: Best Virtual Phone Number Provider for Low-Cost International Calling

Net2Phone is the best virtual business phone number brand to use for low-cost international calling. It’s the only virtual phone service that offers free international calling from Canada to more than 40 countries across all its plans. This enables you to freely speak and collaborate with your team across countries without being bounded by time and fees. On top of that, Net2Phone lets you set up virtual phone numbers in over 500 countries and 300 cities.

So if you plan to make waves in Europe, the Americas, or Asia, this virtual phone system will help you establish your presence without breaking the bank. This is why our researchers rated Net2Phone the best virtual phone system for low-cost international calling. So, if you want to operate your business globally without incurring too many fees, Net2Phone is an ideal VoIP for you.

Net2Phone also offers a bountiful set of inbound features, including customizable greetings and hold music, voicemail, and virtual receptionist. As for outbound communications, you’ll get a set caller ID, call and video conferencing, and SMS/chat across all plans.

During our product testing, we found that it’s missing a call flip, so you can’t switch from your deskphone to your cell phone while on a call. Also, voicemail-to-text is only available on its most expensive (Office Power) plan. Plus, it only has Slack for live messaging integrations, which is only available on its Office Power plan.

7. Google Voice: Best Virtual Phone Number Service for Security Features

While Google Voice only allows 10 users on its Starter plan, you can invite unlimited users when you upgrade to its Standard plan. Moreover, Google Voice offers unlimited domestic minutes, as well as free inbound and outbound minutes to the US. Google Voice also offers a decent amount of inbound communication features when you upgrade to its Standard plan, including virtual receptionist, spam prevention, and ring groups. Meanwhile, you can enjoy external video calls through Google Meet and create a custom call list with Google Contacts, both of which are a part of Google Workspace.

In our opinion, the reason users choose Google Voice is that it’s incredibly easy to use, especially for Google users. Likewise, Google Voice employs strong security features, including multi-factor authentication, password rules, and robust encryption. Rest assured, your information will be safe with multiple compliance certificates and garnering a perfect 5/5 in our security analysis.

During our extensive research, we also found that most of its software integrations are limited to Google apps, earning a low external connections score of 2.8/5. Because of its restricted integrability and lack of management and collaboration features, it scored a low 2.9/5 integrability score.

How Did We Compare the Best Virtual Phone Number Providers?

We rigorously tested eight of the best of the best virtual phone services in Canada then selected the best virtual phone number providers, investigating the key criteria that matter most to Canadian businesses:

• Price – the plan’s cost and value for your money
• Integrability – the software’s ability to integrate with other platforms
• Features – the tools that define inbound and outbound communications, conversations, management, and collaboration functionalities.
• Customer Support – the customer support channels available
• Customer Score – average consumer review scores across the most trusted review sites: G2, Capterra, Trustpilot, and TrustRadius
• Security – The security measures the vendor enforce to protect your data
• Scalability – an aggregated score that assesses a product’s ability to scale with business growth

After collecting scores from each of these key factors, we then calculate the final scores and rank them based on their overall performance.

Our extensive research into automated phone systems led us to conclude that RingCentral, GoToConnect, and 8×8 are the top three auto attendant phone systems, carrying the best value auto attendant features.

Most phone system providers offer this feature, with businesses relying on an automated attendant for its key functions: answering every call, delivering customised greetings, and routing calls to the right employee or team.

If you’re in the market for an automated phone system for small businesses, check for a provider that offers this feature – also known as a virtual receptionist – on an affordable plan that comes with a good range of other inbound communication features. However, you must also consider other key factors, including outbound communication features, integrability, scalability, and customer support.

We’ve been writing phone system reviews for over a decade, so read on and let us equip you with everything you need to know about the eight best automated phone systems.

1. RingCentral: best automated phone system for customer service teams

2. GoTo Connect: best value for money automated phone system

3. 8×8

Best Overall

4. DialPad: best automated phone system for conversational AI

5. Vonage: best automated phone system for small businesses

6. bOnline: best automated phone system for desk phone compatibility

7. Nuacom: best automated phone system for customer satisfaction

How Did We Compare the Best Auto Attendant Phone Systems?

Our research team conducts a comprehensive research, comparing the top eleven business providers based on different categories. These are: pricing, features, external connections, scalability, security, customer reviews and customer support.

• Pricing – we compare the rates based on the features, add-ons, tools, and services included per plan.

• Features – we take into consideration all of the  inbound and outbound communication features, management and collaboration features, the basic functionalities, as well as the plans these features are available on.

• External connections – we find out what platforms each system comes ready to integrate with. We also confirm if their software can be accessed via a mobile app, whether it can integrate with existing desk phones, or if the vendor provides their own brand of phone.

• Scalability – we analyse the product’s ability to scale through the presence of management and collaboration features, the overall capability of those features, and the security and software integration features.

• Security – we find out what security options are available and how they manage their privacy policy.

• Customer reviews – we gather customer feedback as well as an overall average of customer ratings across business review sites, such as Capterra, G2, TrustPilot, and TrustRadius.

• Customer support – we determine if they provide users with all of the necessary customer support channels and if they can be reached 24/7.

Whether you’re already considering a Squarespace site for your ecommerce business, or you’ve just started browsing for a website builder – price is a make-or-break factor in your decision. If you decide to build your website with Squarespace, its pricing could cost you anything between $16 per month and $49 per month. While it’s one of the best website builders out there, taking the top spot in our research, you may wonder what exactly you get for your money.

Lucky for you, we’re all about deep research and first-hand experience. We decided to build our own website with Squarespace, and we asked regular users to give us their feedback. We then compiled our research on everything from features and user-friendliness to sales features and support. In terms of value for money, Squarespace scored very highly in our testing process, and this helped put Squarespace on par with one of its biggest competitors, Wix, in our ranked list of best website builders.

Read on for the full breakdown of our research and user testing.

Squarespace Pricing Plans: Each Plan Explained

If you want to enter the ecommerce game, a natural concern would be how much a website would cost you. For that reason, we went ahead and created this breakdown of the Squarespace pricing plans so you can easily decide whether any of them work for you or not. You’ll find the hard cost numbers in the table below – and if you want to know more about what these numbers will get you, just read ahead.

Overall, Squarespace offers plenty of features for business owners who really want to take care of their processes end-to-end in a full sweep. It combines great website design with solid marketing tools and multichannel integration. No wonder it’s one of the top scorers in our research into the best ecommerce platforms for small businesses.

Squarespace Personal – $16 per month or $23 per month

Best for Blogs

Squarespace Personal is, as the name suggests, very much tailored to personal websites. The platform’s cheapest tier offers a somewhat limited range of services when compared to the others, but if your goal is to showcase your work and publicize your contacts, it does the job.

Like all Squarespace’s pricing plans, this one comes with unlimited bandwidth, SEO features, mobile optimisation, a free custom domain (for the first year) and an array of gorgeous templates to choose from. Overall, blogs, portfolios, showreels, and all sorts of personal projects fit this pricing tier like a glove.

But beware: Squarespace Personal does not support online selling – nor does it allow you to accept any payments at all. So it’s definitely not the option if you plan on setting up an online store.

With that and the price tag in mind, we don’t think Squarespace’s Personal plan cuts it. Small projects will benefit from cheaper options, like Weebly (whose basic plan, Connect, starts at $6 per month in a yearly contract) and GoDaddy (whose cheapest plan costs $9.99 per month in the first year, and $11.99 afterwards).

Or you can start a website for free with Jimdo. There are limitations on its free plan, though. check out our Jimdo review to find out more.

Squarespace Business – $23 per month or $33 per month

Best for Small Businesses

Squarespace’s second tier provides great value for money and the best of both worlds in the sense that, even without shelling out for a full-on ecommerce plan, you get many of the perks that would come with one.

Save 10% with our code: “EM10”

Along with all the features of the Personal plan, Squarespace’s Business plan also includes a free Gmail and Google Workspace account (for the first year), complete customization with CSS and JavaScript (in English: you can add elements to make your website look super slick), and ecommerce integration. Plus, it works alongside various payment platforms: Amazon, Apple Pay, PayPal, Square, and Stripe. If reading that makes you hear those cha-chings already, you can go ahead and fetch this plan on Squarespace‘s website.

However, depending on the size of your business, you should watch out for a very important detail: this plan comes with a 3% transaction fee on every online sale you make. If your sales are or will be occasional, that won’t pose a problem, but if you deal (or plan on dealing) with a high volume of sales, this isn’t the option for you. Instead, one of Squarespace’s Commerce tiers will suit you better.

Squarespace Basic Commerce – $27 per month or $36 per month

Best for Online Stores

Big league time. Moving into the platform’s ecommerce arena, Squarespace Basic Commerce is geared towards online sales, and includes many features that should suit most businesses out there.

Save 10% with our code: “EM10”

For starters, Squarespace Basic Commerce does away with the transaction fee. Besides the ecommerce integration included in the Business plan, the Basic Commerce packs a punch when it comes to making your website look primed for sales. It allows your customers to create their own accounts, and to check out while still on your domain. They also get to see stock availability, other customers’ reviews, and related products.

On that note, on this plan, Squarespace gives you several tools through which you can monitor your best-selling items and sales trends, and bulk-manage inventory. You also get to check your visit-to-sale conversion rate and, through an in-built Facebook link, you’re able to sell your products directly on Instagram as well.

Considering the amount of features on this tier, it’s excellent for existing businesses that are keen on making the jump into online sales, or new businesses that have been based in the digital realm from the get-go. If your business ticks any of those boxes, just head to Squarespace and get started.

Squarespace Basic Commerce misses a few of the tools in the platform’s full arsenal – such as the ability to sell subscriptions – but these features are designed for more established online merchants anyway (we’ll get to them in a second, when we analyse Squarespace’s Advanced Commerce plan). If you’re just entering this arena, however, Basic Commerce should be your weapon of choice.

Squarespace Advanced Commerce – $49 per month or $65 per month

Best for Established Online Stores

This one does what it says on the tin, really: Squarespace Advanced Commerce is the platform’s top tier, and comes with all the perks mentioned so far, plus some extras to really make your business zing.

Save 10% with our code: “EM10”

Among the specialized tools at your disposal, this plan allows you to sell subscriptions, set up email reminders for customers who left your website without purchasing, and automate discount offers at checkout.

For all its features, Squarespace Advanced Commerce is very much aimed at businesses that already have an online presence and are looking to expand. Considering the cost, however, if you’re starting out in digital sales, you’re better off with the lower-priced tiers.

On the other hand, Squarespace Advanced Commerce is a more basic plan when compared with Shopify Advanced ($399/month). In our Shopify review we explain why it’s a better option than Squarespace for ambitious sellers looking to manage a complex inventory set-up.

Does Squarespace Have a Free Plan?

Speaking of bank-breaking, let’s tackle one hard money-related truth straight on: Squarespace doesn’t have a free plan, so you will need to shell out to get your hands on it. That said, you can trial any of its plans for free for 14 days. After that time expires, you can even request a one-time seven-day extension if you contact Squarespace’s customer service team.

The trial is a good opportunity for you to try the plan that looks like the best fit for your business, and then grow or scale down accordingly when it comes to actually buying. Because of this, and the fact that it allows you to sample most of Squarespace’s features without having to commit, we recommend doing a trial.

Squarespace Fees and Costs: Billing Cycles, Ongoing Costs, and Hidden Fees

Squarespace is pretty clear about what it charges, so for the most part, you’re not in for any surprises. You can choose between paying monthly or yearly, and the discounts if you choose the latter are quite substantial, as costs get hefty on a month-to-month basis. Your subscription will renew automatically.

You should, however, watch out for the fees charged by the payment platform you choose to integrate, whether that’s Amazon, Apple Pay, PayPal, Square, or Stripe. Squarespace nabs 3% of your sale on its Business plan, but otherwise, it either doesn’t allow for payments (as on the Personal plan) or doesn’t charge a transaction fee (as on the Commerce plans).

However, in any plan in which ecommerce integration is possible, the payment platform you use will take a bite – usually a percentage of the sale, plus a fixed fee. It varies from platform to platform – hence us not going into further detail here – but in any case, it’s worth checking out your payment platform’s fees so you don’t buy a specific Squarespace plan (especially the Commerce ones) thinking absolutely no fees are due.

Squarespace Scheduling Pricing: Is It Worth It?

Squarespace Scheduling, called Acuity, is an extra service provided by the platform. It’s tailor-made for businesses that work with appointments. Clinical consultations, space rental, classes of any kind – it doesn’t matter: if a date and time needs to be booked, Squarespace Scheduling does the trick.

The thing to pay attention to is that this handy tool doesn’t come within Squarespace’s main pricing plans, so you would have to shell out a bit more to get it. Like those plans, however, you do get a discount (albeit not as big) if you bite the bullet and go with a yearly plan.

With Scheduling, you can choose between three tiers: Emerging, Growing and Powerhouse.

Emerging is perfect for small, personal businesses that don’t have various calendars or several team members inputting data. It allows calendar syncing with selected email providers, has ecommerce integration, and automates email reminders. It costs $14 month-to-month.

Growing is geared towards businesses with more employees and locations. You can create and sync six calendars, handle bundled and recurring bookings, and send reminders via SMS as well as email. This one comes at $23 month-to-month.

Finally, Powerhouse ups the ante when it comes to sheer volume of calendars: you can create a maximum of 36 (and sync them)! Plus, you have more room to personalize the scheduler with custom CSS. For this, you would pay $45 month-to-month.

As far as value for money goes, Growing is the best plan. You get access to almost all of the tool’s features for about half the price of the costliest version. Powerhouse only makes sense if your business is a multi-location megachain, with all your locations taking appointments – in which case, congratulations!

Squarespace vs the Competition: Which Stands Out?

If you want to build a simple yet functional website without the need for it to look fresh off the runway, there are better options than Squarespace considering the investment involved. Its lowest price tag of $16 per month puts it at a disadvantage against cheaper competitors like Weebly or GoDaddy, which allow you to become a website owner without spending as much.

However, when ecommerce integration is thrown into the mix, Squarespace’s pricing really shines. It occupies a solid middle ground, which means it’s all out to satisfy most business-owners without costing a fortune – the 4.2/5 score it received on value for money from our customer surveys sums it up nicely. It’s on a par with Wix’s pricing, when billed annually, as both web builders start from $16 per month.

If you’re wondering if it’s good value for money, we’d say that if you’re looking to achieve an enviably sleek, yet fully functional website for your online store at a decent price — Squarespace may be your best fit. Squarespace Business is especially good value for only $20.70 per month with our 10% code: EM10. For this reasonable price, you can maintain a professional online presence for your business.

Its pricing range of $23 to $49 offers a plethora of features that are aimed primarily at online growth. Because of this, and Squarespace’s limited stock monitoring functions, large online retailers will be better served by the highest pricing tiers of platforms such as BigCommerce or Shopify, as they’re designed for large retailers. Of course, with a more complex system comes Shopify’s costs, which are steeper. However, if you don’t have such advanced needs, our research confirms that Squarespace is one of the best platforms for small businesses on the market.