In Saint Lucia shopping online has become more popular than ever as more people browse the internet on tablets, smartphones and desktop devices with the hope of finding better deals and bargains.
Many of them are now discovering that they can do so a lot easier and more affordably, and with less hassle thanks to West Tech Shipping, a locally owned freight forwarding company that is set to become a major player in Saint Lucia’s shipping and freight forwarding market.
First established in January 2015, West Tech Shipping has two offices conveniently located in Castries and Rodney Bay, as well as an office in Florida. The company is owned and run by Rashid Jean-Baptiste. West Tech provides freight forwarding services from the USA to Saint Lucia. It coordinates shipping for consumers as well as businesses and does everything from finding the right combination of trains, planes and trucks for a speedy delivery from the U.S. to Saint Lucia, to pushing shipments through customs. They also deliver packages to customers at their doorstep or workplace in the north, from Castries to Gros Islet. West Tech Shipping also provides a package consolidation service whereby several smaller shipments are assembled and shipped together to avail of better freight rates and security of cargo.
They even offer assisted shopping services. If you don’t have a valid US credit card or you have trouble ordering online they can shop on your behalf. They are also able to purchase many hard to get products from various online and even physical stores in North America on behalf of customers, and arrange for the items to be shipped safely to Saint Lucia.
Perhaps the best part – at least for those continually connected to the internet and always on the go- is that West Tech, at its core, is an IT-focused company serving customers online and at physical locations, making access to their services easier and more convenient than ever. All transactions can be done via their website westtechshipping.com. You simply register and create a personal account. From there you can also track the status of your shipments and when they are scheduled to arrive in Saint Lucia.
The West Tech Shipping team are aware that they face stiff competition in the local market from other shipping and freight forwarding companies. But, as Rashid explains, the company is keenly focused on differentiating itself from the rest, not least by its pricing structure which is nothing short of revolutionary by local standards.
“There are lots of other players here in Saint Lucia who provide freight forwarding services but we want to differentiate ourselves and make sure we offer the lowest prices,” says Rashid. “At the same time we want to keep our rates simple because a lot of the other providers down here have very complicated rates depending on the weight etc. Our rates are simple. There are just four things you need to remember; 5, 10, 15, 20. EC$5 handling fee, EC$10 per pound, EC$15 if you want us to consolidate for you, e.g. if you shop from Forever 21, Victoria Secrets or wherever, we can consolidate everything into a single shipment and deliver it to your place of work in Castries or Gros Islet for $20. That’s all. Very simple. You don’t have to look up any rate chart or anything like that. For most people they’ll only be paying $5 and $10.”
To further accommodate its customers, West Tech Shipping tries to be flexible rather than sticking rigidly to the normal way of doing things.
“Another way we try to differentiate ourselves is that we have a lot more flexibility because we own the business end to end. We own the entire supply chain. Many people down here operate a franchise or they deal with another company in Florida but with us we have our own location. You can call our offices in the US by simply checking our website for the telephone number. The only thing we don’t own is the planes. So we have a certain amount of flexibility and there are certain things we could do for you because of that,” says Rashid
He added: “For example, a customer wanted us to consolidate their purchases but they didn’t want them all shipped at the same time. They wanted us to stock the packages at our warehouse so that they could direct us when each one could be shipped. We were happy to do that for them.
“Also we’re an IT company. We design and developed our website and even the backend to track customers’ packages etc. So on the fly, we could continue making changes to better serve you the customer, by providing that kind of support from both front and backend, using our IT capabilities. You can just visit our website and sign up there with your email and account number and log in at any time.
“Anytime we receive a package on a customer’s behalf, they’ll automatically receive an email and you could log in and get the details of the package, for example the vendor or place of purchase, the weight etc. When it ships you get an email and when it’s cleared at Customs and available for pickup you get another email. We don’t charge a subscription fee. Signing up is totally free. Also we have two locations: Castries and Rodney Bay. You can use whichever is more convenient for you. You can do your shopping and transactions from our offices or online.
Rashid mentions that, going forward, the company is looking to enhance its ability to analyze customers’ needs and respond quickly with differentiated and technologically advanced logistics solutions. In addition in the very near future it will be possible for customers to pay all their fees, shipping, duties, etc. online, thereby making it even more convenient and hassle-free.
“At West Tech we have a young, dynamic and experienced team that is a forward-looking team. Our goal is to be the number one freight forwarding company in Saint Lucia and the wider region, tailored to suit the individual needs of each and every one of our customers. We are also committed to offering world-class services at the most affordable rates, and value for money,” says Rashid.
