In some industries, being “just-in-time” is not competitive enough.

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Apparel and fashion brands operate in one of the most competitive and fast-paced industries, and they need the logistical and operational know-how to keep up. This is why the women’s boutique 12th Tribe partnered with Mothership to meet quick turnaround times and bring frequent product launches to the market.

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12th Tribe is a premier women's clothing and accessory brand celebrated for its stylish, versatile and affordable fashion. Founded by Demi Marchese in 2015, 12th Tribe aims to create a chic, sexy and comfortable lifestyle for women without breaking the bank. The brand’s mission is to dress women for their favorite memories, offering fully fitted outfits from everyday wear to memorable events, concerts and travel. Notable celebrity fans of the brand include Paris Hilton, Anya Taylor-Joy, Halsey, Peyton List and Alex Hall.

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Like many online retailers in the U.S., 12th Tribe relied on the U.S. Postal Service for much of its shipping, thanks to the presumed reliability and competitive prices. However, 12th Tribe soon found that USPS could not keep pace with the brand’s growing success. This is why 12th Tribe stopped using USPS for its larger shipments and got ahead with Mothership.

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A more modern and scalable shipping service than the USPS

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The U.S. Postal Service reaches every address nationwide, making it an easy choice for online retailers and other businesses. According to 2024 industry research, the most recent year for which data is available, the USPS is the top shipping provider in the country, carrying 31% of overall parcel volume. Yet, despite its immense scale and reach, the USPS does not offer same-day shipping.

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A lack of same-day shipping can be a deal-breaker in today’s economy.

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Consumers, driven by the convenience of online shopping and the desire to have the latest trends from social media, now demand faster shipping than ever before. Worse still, USPS was not always reliable, according to 12th Tribe, noting that its merchandise would sometimes go missing in transit.

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“We eliminated product loss in transit with Mothership,” a 12th Tribe company representative said. “The same-day delivery also made it easy for our team to hit tight deadlines for new product releases and get our styles from our warehouse to customers faster.”

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Mothership is one of the most reliable shipping providers in the U.S. The company uses the latest technology, including in-app telematics and advanced artificial intelligence, to track shipments and conditions in real-time, minimize handling and reduce damage risks during transport, and find more efficient routes to eliminate unnecessary terminal stops. As a result, Mothership has 10 times fewer damage and loss claims compared to leading less-than-truckload and freight carriers.

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And because Mothership is not a carrier or digital freight broker, it can scale alongside the fastest-growing businesses, helping future-proof supply chains and company operations.

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A cheaper alternative to USPS’ next-day shipping

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The U.S. Postal Service offers only next-day or two-day shipping as its guaranteed shipping option, and it charges a hefty premium. The starting cost for Priority Mail Express starts at more than $27 for commercial shippers who prepay online with Click-N-Ship and can cost more than $31 at a post office, but many businesses have to pay considerably more.

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12th Tribe used USPS for larger deliveries but had to look for alternatives because of the high prices and unreliability. The women’s apparel brand paid USPS as much as $400 per shipment and did not always guarantee a next-day delivery.

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“We use Mothership same-day delivery for our urgent shipments and whenever we need to ship more than 30 boxes. Each shipment is 50% less expensive than USPS,” a 12th Tribe company representative explained. “Same-day delivery helps us meet our website launch dates in a timely manner.”

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Mothership makes timely shipments, boasting a high 97% on-time pick-up and delivery rate throughout the U.S. It offers hotshot deliveries for shippers who need to accommodate unexpected orders without disrupting their current routes and direct injections from a warehouse or manufacturing center to a distribution hub or retail location for a store restock.

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Mothership’s shipping rates start at only $45 per shipment, and its freight delivery reaches 85% of the U.S. population the same day, including the greater Los Angeles area, the Inland Empire, San Diego and its suburbs, and the San Francisco Bay Area in California; the Chicago and Detroit metropolitan areas; the Dallas metroplex and greater Houston in Texas; New York City and southern New Jersey; the Philadelphia area and southeastern Pennsylvania; the Baltimore and Washington, D.C. region; greater Atlanta in the South; and Miami and South Florida.