SEKO Logistics is launching a new Ecommerce business unit to handle international cross border shipping, global fulfilment, heavyweight last mile, returns and recommerce.
The specialist forwarder says the move reflects the rise of direct to consumer (DTC) brands selling through their own channels using platforms such as Shopify. SEKO has pre-built integrations to all major ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Magento, Commerce Cloud and Demandware, allowing faster and more frictionless implementation.
SEKO Ecommerce expects rapid growth by working with brands selling through multiple channels and marketplaces such as Alibaba, Amazon, eBay, Tmall and Walmart.
Now accounting for 40% of SEKO Logistics’ annual revenues, SEKO’s ecommerce operation has more than doubled in size in the last 12 months as online consumer purchases accelerated during the COVID lockdown.
The new business unit is led by senior vice president of SEKO Ecommerce, David Emerson (pictured). He joined SEKO in 2003 as a partner at SEKO UK and was previously vice president of sales-EMEA.
Chris Zheng has also been promoted to senior vice president – global cross border for SEKO Ecommerce. He was previously executive vice president at Air-City, acquired in 2019 and has been spearheading and growing SEKO’s cross border parcel solutions, including T86 parcel clearance and final mile into the US.
SEKO was one of the first entrants in the increasingly global ecommerce fulfillment market, and has been growing its international cross border parcel volumes rapidly since 2013 through organic growth and strategic acquisitions.
President and chief executive of SEKO Logistics, James Gagne, said: “The launch of SEKO Ecommerce advances our ability to embrace this demand by bringing all our ecommerce solutions together under one leadership team. SEKO was an early adopter of ecommerce in 2011, and this next evolution enables us to see the market through one lens, and to globalize what we offer. Ecommerce penetration has essentially accelerated five years overnight.”
SEKO Ecommerce will continue to primarily work with fashion, beauty, cosmetics, tech and lifestyle clients. It is also working with other aggregators and postal operators to better facilitate global international ecommerce parcel shipping. In the US, SEKO will also grow its offering for larger consumer purchases.