Google Cloud Platform Case Studies AfterShip: Leveraging Google Cloud for E-commerce Parcel Tracking Growth

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	AfterShip: Leveraging Google Cloud for E-commerce Parcel Tracking Growth Google Cloud Platform

AfterShip: Leveraging Google Cloud for E-commerce Parcel Tracking Growth

Google Cloud Platform

Technology Category	Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud
Applicable Industries	Cement E-Commerce
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases	Construction Management Infrastructure Inspection
Services	Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
Challenge	AfterShip, a Hong Kong-based company providing e-commerce shipment, label and rate calculation, and self-service return services to 300,000 merchants worldwide, was facing a significant challenge. The company was experiencing rapid growth, tracking about 30 million packages per month and doubling its revenue, package transaction numbers, and team size every year for the past three years. However, it was struggling to maintain this growth trajectory while automating key infrastructure processes, implementing a continuous deployment model, and controlling costs. The company was also keen on maintaining a global presence and high-quality service. AfterShip had initially delivered its applications and services from an incumbent public cloud service, but it was not meeting their needs for scalability and cost-effectiveness. Read More
About Customer	AfterShip is a technology company founded in 2011, headquartered in Hong Kong, with a 40-person team spread across China and India. The company provides e-commerce shipment, label and rate calculation, and self-service return services to 300,000 merchants worldwide. It tracks about 30 million packages per month and has expanded its services to include label and rate calculation and self-service return. The company has been experiencing rapid growth, with its revenue, package transaction numbers, and team size doubling every year for the past three years. Key customers of AfterShip include Wish, Etsy, and Groupon. Nearly half of AfterShip’s customers are based in the United States, about one third in Europe, and the remainder are located in Asia. Read More
Solution	AfterShip decided to migrate to Google Cloud to address its challenges. Google Cloud's network of global data centers with deep connectivity allowed AfterShip to place its infrastructure close to its customers, enabling it to maintain a global presence and high-quality service. The ability to horizontally scale its global database using tools such as Google Cloud Spanner eliminated any limits to its geographic expansion. The managed services provided through Google Cloud allowed AfterShip to focus on building better features for online merchants. AfterShip moved its websites into Google Cloud infrastructure in three data centers around the world. The company used Google Kubernetes Engine and Google Cloud Spanner, and Google BigQuery to store and analyze transaction information. This migration was completed with the help of Google and AfterShip's skilled team members. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud

Applicable Industries

Cement

E-Commerce

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Construction Management

Infrastructure Inspection

Services

Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services

Challenge

AfterShip, a Hong Kong-based company providing e-commerce shipment, label and rate calculation, and self-service return services to 300,000 merchants worldwide, was facing a significant challenge. The company was experiencing rapid growth, tracking about 30 million packages per month and doubling its revenue, package transaction numbers, and team size every year for the past three years. However, it was struggling to maintain this growth trajectory while automating key infrastructure processes, implementing a continuous deployment model, and controlling costs. The company was also keen on maintaining a global presence and high-quality service. AfterShip had initially delivered its applications and services from an incumbent public cloud service, but it was not meeting their needs for scalability and cost-effectiveness.

About Customer

AfterShip is a technology company founded in 2011, headquartered in Hong Kong, with a 40-person team spread across China and India. The company provides e-commerce shipment, label and rate calculation, and self-service return services to 300,000 merchants worldwide. It tracks about 30 million packages per month and has expanded its services to include label and rate calculation and self-service return. The company has been experiencing rapid growth, with its revenue, package transaction numbers, and team size doubling every year for the past three years. Key customers of AfterShip include Wish, Etsy, and Groupon. Nearly half of AfterShip’s customers are based in the United States, about one third in Europe, and the remainder are located in Asia.

Solution

AfterShip decided to migrate to Google Cloud to address its challenges. Google Cloud's network of global data centers with deep connectivity allowed AfterShip to place its infrastructure close to its customers, enabling it to maintain a global presence and high-quality service. The ability to horizontally scale its global database using tools such as Google Cloud Spanner eliminated any limits to its geographic expansion. The managed services provided through Google Cloud allowed AfterShip to focus on building better features for online merchants. AfterShip moved its websites into Google Cloud infrastructure in three data centers around the world. The company used Google Kubernetes Engine and Google Cloud Spanner, and Google BigQuery to store and analyze transaction information. This migration was completed with the help of Google and AfterShip's skilled team members.

Impact #1	The migration to Google Cloud has brought significant operational benefits to AfterShip. With deployment times falling from up to one hour in its previous cloud environment to about two minutes in Google Cloud, AfterShip has been able to adopt a continuous deployment model. This has improved its service levels, allowing the company to fix any issues quickly and iterate faster to create new features in response to customer requests or changes in the market. This has enabled AfterShip to continue to lead its competitors. The reliability provided by Google Cloud has also enabled AfterShip to meet the stringent service level requirements of large digital marketplaces in the United States, Asia, and elsewhere.

Impact #1

The migration to Google Cloud has brought significant operational benefits to AfterShip. With deployment times falling from up to one hour in its previous cloud environment to about two minutes in Google Cloud, AfterShip has been able to adopt a continuous deployment model. This has improved its service levels, allowing the company to fix any issues quickly and iterate faster to create new features in response to customer requests or changes in the market. This has enabled AfterShip to continue to lead its competitors. The reliability provided by Google Cloud has also enabled AfterShip to meet the stringent service level requirements of large digital marketplaces in the United States, Asia, and elsewhere.

Benefit #1	Reduced deployment times from hours to minutes
Benefit #2	Gained ability to expand into new geographic markets quickly and cost-effectively
Benefit #3	Forecast lowering infrastructure costs by 30%

Benefit #1

Reduced deployment times from hours to minutes

Benefit #2

Gained ability to expand into new geographic markets quickly and cost-effectively

Benefit #3

Forecast lowering infrastructure costs by 30%

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Overview

AfterShip: Leveraging Google Cloud for E-commerce Parcel Tracking Growth

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit