From Checkout to Doorstep: Building Sustainable, Scalable Shipping Systems with Imtiaz Kermali

What You’ll Learn from This Blog:

1. Why logistics is a strategic growth tool, not just a backend task, and how to design it to scale with your brand.
2. How smart packaging and automation can cut shipping costs by up to 18% while improving sustainability.
3. Practical ways to simplify cross-border fulfillment and retail compliance, even as a small or growing brand.

Introduction:

In a recent The Product & Packaging Powerhouse podcast, host Megan Young Gamble sat down with logistics guru Imtiaz Kermali, VP of Sales and Marketing at eShipper. The conversation offered powerful insights into the evolving world of ecommerce shipping, from cross-border fulfillment to packaging optimization and automation.

For product-based businesses looking to scale, this episode was more than a discussion, it was a roadmap for building smarter, more resilient logistics systems.

Here are five essential takeaways every founder, operator, or logistics lead should know.

1. Logistics Is a Growth Strategy, Not a Back-End Tasy

One of the most critical messages from Imtiaz was simple but overlooked: logistics should not be an afterthought. Many startups build a product, focus on marketing, and only begin thinking about fulfillment once sales begin. But by then, key infrastructure decisions, carrier selection, warehouse locations, SKU handling may already limit scalability. If you’re building an ecommerce brand, start by asking: “What customer experience do I want to deliver?” Then work backward to design a shipping strategy that supports it. Strategic logistics partnerships like eShipper can help create scalable, tech-driven systems that free you to focus on product development and brand-building.

2. The Cost of Missing Retail Compliance Is Real

Retail expansion comes with opportunity, and risk. Imitaz shared a striking example of a brand fined $17,000 for delivering just 17 minutes late to a major retailer. That’s how tight retail logistics timelines are. For growing brands exploring B2B fulfillment or retail partnerships, compliance is non-negotiable. It’s not just about on-time delivery; it’s about having retail-approved carriers, EDI compliance, and shelf-ready labeling. eShipper’s platform helps businesses prevent chargebacks, manage appointment-based deliveries, and stay aligned with the expectations of major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Costco. If you’re scaling into retail, investing in retail logistics readiness can mean the difference between expansion and expensive setbacks.

3. Smart Packaging Drives Profitability and Sustainability

Shipping costs aren’t just about weight, they’re about dimensions. Oversized boxes result in wasted space, higher shipping fees, and unnecessary environmental impact. eShipper’s proprietary 4D boxing algorithm helps solve this. It uses SKU-level data and automation to recommend the most space-efficient packaging based on order combinations. This technology reduces dimensional weight, protects fragile items, and lowers the number of delivery trucks required, leading to more sustainable logistics operations. Imtiaz noted that one client cut their average shipping cost by 18% just by using smarter packaging strategies. For startups, using technology to lower shipping costs can unlock new margin opportunities without sacrificing experience.

4. Cross-Border Doesn’t Have to Be Complex

Global expansion is often seen as something only large businesses can handle. But that’s changing. With the right partners, even small brands can build viable cross-border shipping strategies between Canada, the US, Mexico, and beyond. eShipper simplifies this through its vast carrier network, automation rules, and airline partnerships like Air Canada’s zone-skipping model, offering 2-3 day delivery at ground rates. The platform is designed to act like an Expedia for shipping, letting brands compare couriers and services in real-time across borders. If you’re navigating how to create a shipping strategy for ecommerce brands across geographies, scalable logistics platforms like eShipper can help manage customs, duties, and delivery speeds without friction.

5.  Sustainability Is Operational, Not Just a Marketing Claim

Sustainability in logistics isn’t limited to biodegradable mailers or carbon offsets, it’s also about operational efficiency. Imtiaz emphasized that “real sustainability starts with eliminating waste at the operational level.” eShipper offers carbon-neutral shipping solutions through simple toggles in their system. Brands can track sustainability metrics and communicate them in human terms like “30 cars off the road” or “equivalent to 1,800 trees planted” to build customer trust and avoid greenwashing. With more Gen Z and millennial consumers prioritizing environmental responsibility, embedding sustainability into your logistics, from packaging to carbon offsetting, is no longer optional. It’s a growth advantage.

Conclusion

From ecommerce fulfillment for startups to optimizing retail logistics and automating shipping rules for fast-moving SKUs, the Product & Packaging Powerhouse episode with Imtiaz Kermali was packed with actionable insights. For brands navigating today’s complex supply chain landscape, platforms like eShipper offer more than just shipping solutions, they offer strategic leverage.

Whether you’re building a Canada-to-US cross-border strategy or reducing dimensional weight through 4D boxing, the message is clear: logistics is not a back-office function, it’s core to brand success. 

For brands ready to scale with smarter, more sustainable systems, now is the time to rethink what logistics can do.

Interested in learning more about eShipper or incorporating smarter logistics into your business? Check out the full episode here and consider booking a demo to see how innovation in shipping can give your brand a competitive edge. Be sure to mention you were referred by Megan and as a bonus, you can earn $25* just for trying eShipper (on a minimum spend of $300). Try eShipper today!

---