A fulfillment center is often referred to as a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. Some people think a fulfillment center and warehouse serve the same purpose, which is not the case. Fulfillment centers have bigger functions than warehouses. The main role of a fulfillment center is to process customer orders efficiently and at a competitive price.
In line with the boom of e-commerce in the country, Indonesia’s e-fulfillment industry is burgeoning. In ecommerce, fulfillment makes all the difference. Customers stick around when deliveries are quicker, and 50% of them don’t return if the delivery experience is lousy. What to look for when you are choosing the right fulfillment as your storage and delivery partner?
1. Shipping Speeds
Modern consumers are expecting faster shipping speeds than ever before. So, how can you as online business owners align with these expectations? Of course, by working with an order fulfillment company who can deliver on them. If you don’t, you could lose out on revenue from the a majority of consumers who say they’ve abandoned an online purchase because of slow delivery times. Top fulfillment companies should have efficient and effective fulfillment processes that enable them to get your products to your customers quickly.
2. Location of Fulfillment Warehouses
So it’s clear that customers expect fast shipping speeds and, naturally, an important component of this process is the proximity of the fulfillment warehouse to them. It makes a lot of sense—the closer the order fulfillment center is to the end customer, the shorter the distance your products have to travel to get there, which means shorter shipping timelines, and lower shipping costs. So, when choosing a fulfillment company, it’s necessary that you know where their fulfillment warehouses are located. For example, a fulfillment company with just a few fulfillment warehouses most likely won’t be able to deliver at the speed your customers are expecting, so working with them could hurt your user experience.
3. Features of Order Fulfillment Software
Different fulfillment companies use different order fulfillment software/app with various features and capabilities. As an online business owner, you’ve got a lot going on. You’re already using various digital tools, applications, and platforms throughout your day-to-day operations—so the last thing you’d want to do is implement yet another software/app that’s slow, disorganized, and nearly impossible to figure out. For this reason, it’s important to not only do your research on the fulfillment company you’re thinking about working with, but also the order fulfillment software/app they’re using. It’s important choose a fulfillment partner who leverages a software/app with features that can align with the platforms and business apps you’re already using.
4. Packaging Options
You also want to choose a fulfillment center with a wide variety of packaging options depending upon the product you are shipping. Not all boxes are created equal, so you want to be sure you have your pick of packaging. Having options for the right type of packaging will also reduce damage to products. In addition to packaging, sometimes it’s what’s on the inside that counts! So, you want to be sure you have your pick of insulation materials too, whether that’s styrofoam peanuts, corrugated paper, foam rolls, shredded paper, bubble wrap, or air pillows.
5. Returns Management
Returns management, also known as reverse logistics, is the process of overseeing products that are returned to a seller. You don’t want a fulfillment center to be hands-off once they’ve shipped the product; after all, statistics have shown that about 30% of all products ordered online are returned. Some returns are uncontrollable (a customer simply didn’t like the product), however a reputable fulfillment company will work with you on returns management to mitigate controllable returns – those that could potentially be reduced or eliminated through better forward logistics. These include checking for things like improper product descriptions, poor packaging resulting in damage, slow delivery times, and general mismanagement, to name a few.
Looking for a capable and reliable fullfilment center?
Thinking about partnering up with an e-commerce/ fulfilment enabler? Look nowhere else, because 8Commerce is the perfect partner for your business. In addition to well-built storage warehouse, we offer updated technology and other excellence that supports your business.
At 8Commerce, we are fully equipped to process greater volumes while maximizing uptime and productivity. Our fulfillment center facilities optimized to handle high-density storage, high speed order picking and ensure a more dynamic or efficient flow. Our facilities utilize technologically advanced solutions to automate and increase capacity while remain cost-effective. Whether it is automating the labeling process or the loading process, we continue to adapat to changing consumer demands.
In addition, with teams consisting of professionals in the logistics and warehousing field, we’re committed to providing the best, trustworthy services that will help you scale-up your online business even more and ensure your customer satisfaction. Need more details about 8Commerce? Connect with our team here.