In 2012, Express Trailers established ShipLowCost, fuelled by the rise in popularity of online shopping and the increasing need for a reliable and cost-efficient delivery service of items, no matter their size or weight.

“A convenient, reliable and straightforward service is all that online shoppers expect from their provider but often, the size and weight of certain items remained a hurdle,” Etienne Attard, CEO of Express Trailers, which operates ShipLowCost.com, said.

“We understand the frustration when after finding the perfect piece of furniture, a fitness machine, an accessory for one’s favourite hobby, people can lead themselves to believe that the sheer dimensions of their items or remote location could make it impossible to have them shipped to their doorstep,” he added.

This was the same predicament faced recently by Mark, a carpenter who just decided to take his passion to the next level by setting up his own small business.

He immediately embarked on a quest to procure the state-of-the-art woodworking machine he always wanted to buy. His excitement, however, soon turned to frustration when he realised that this machine was not only heavy but also extraordinarily large to ship, seemingly rendering it off-limits for delivery to Malta from Germany through conventional channels.

A friend of his then recommended he tried ShipLowCost, an online shopping platform provided by Express Trailers that empowers consumers to order and receive even the bulkiest of items right at their doorstep.

Mark’s story, in fact, is one that resonates with countless online shoppers who have encountered the limitations of traditional shipping methods.

“I visited the site, and the service description promised a hassle-free delivery of items of all sizes which made me hope. Not only did I find a user-friendly interface, but it also allowed me to input the dimensions and weight of the woodworking machine and within moments, the platform generated a quote for shipping. The process was seamless,” Mark said.

He knew his friend used ShipLowCost frequently and he had had nothing to complain about. So, he took a leap of faith and confirmed his order with the last click of a button.

“I must admit that the fact that ShipLowCost is a service operated by Express Trailers, whom I’ve always known to be a very reliable transport company, encouraged me to trust the service more,” he said.

Attard said that Mark’s story is a very familiar one.

“We hear of many similar stories from customers who are willing to buy online and who feel hindered by the disadvantages of Malta being an island,” he said.

“Conscious of this, Express Trailers established ShipLowCost purposely to address these limitations faced by online shoppers. With ShipLowCost, we apply our experience and our know-how in transport and logistics to offer a service based on convenience, reliability and peace of mind,” Attard added.

Mark recalls the day his wood-working machine arrived at his garage in Żurrieq.

“Not only was the box handled with care, but it was also tracked meticulously throughout its journey from Germany. Once it reached Malta, I received an e-mail notifying me of its arrival and we organised a delivery day. The people from Express Trailers came along to ensure that the delivery process was as smooth as it was efficient.”

Besides Germany, Ship Low Cost is operated from other depots across Europe such as the UK, Sicily, Italy, France, Austria, Spain and the Netherlands. Online shoppers can choose to have their ordered item sent directly to Express Trailers’ closest depot and from there, the item is loaded and shipped to Malta.

“And because we believe that people who want to grow their business beyond Malta should not be limited only to the local market, we also made sure to enable Ship Low Cost in such a way that people can use the platform to export their products to their overseas clients, not only in Europe but anywhere in the world,” Attard said.

“Ship Low Cost’s innovative approach to servicing online shoppers has shattered the barrier imposed by size and weight, enabling customers to embrace the vast array of possibilities offered by e-commerce.”