Is an eCommerce fulfillment provider important for your eCommerce business?

Posted by West FBA on March 15th, 2021

 What is eCommerce fulfillment?

E-Commerce fulfillment is the part of your eCommerce operation that delivers your products to customers. Your e-fulfillment processes include several things. Getting products into eCommerce fulfillment center shelves is eCommerce fulfillment. Picking and packing orders is order fulfillment. Shipping times and methods are part of your third-party logistics operations.

Are you selling on Amazon and thinking about whether or not you should have some of your products fulfilled by them? Maybe you're trying to look for a completely different eCommerce fulfillment company to store and deliver your products. Either way, it makes sense to understand the differences between that and dropshipping.

Some eCommerce fulfillment companies offer more than others, but the general idea is that you don't have to store an item at all, you don't have to ship it out to the customer and the order and return processing is all done without you having to think about it at all.

Order fulfillment at its core can technically be done out of your own garage, basement or warehouse. It's when you outsource your order fulfillment when it becomes much closer to that of dropshipping.

How do fulfillment centers operate?

Ecommerce businesses can outsource their order fulfillment to fulfillment centers who will assume the responsibility of shipping customer orders.  Inventory is delivered to the fulfillment center where it is strategically stored in preparation for fulfilling customer’s online orders. Once an online customer makes a purchase on your ecommerce store, the eCommerce fulfillment center will receive a pick sheet prompting the warehouse staff to pick, pack, label and ship the order.  Fulfillment centers negotiate rates for pickup and delivery with shipping carriers.

What are the benefits of an eCommerce fulfillment provider?

• Extend Your Reach

• Improve your customer service & returns

• Get better technology & inventory management

• Not required to manage warehouse staff

• Only pay for what you use

• Lower your operating costs

• Get faster delivery

• Save on shipping

• More time to grow your business and focus on other aspects of your business

Some advantages of outsourcing your eCommerce fulfillment include

• Flexible shelf space that can scale up quickly as you grow.

• Your orders will be picked and packed by trained professionals who specialize in order fulfillment.

• Your resources are freed up to pursue business development.

• You aren’t stuck with a lease for expensive space you might not need.

• You can choose a centrally-located fulfillment warehouse that’s able to ship orders to your customers more quickly.

To address a growing expectation for fast shipping, eCommerce fulfillment services providers are seeing sellers introduce new shipping options into their eCommerce checkout process, including more air and priority options, which tend to be offered at a flat shipping rate.

Some of the best eCommerce fulfillment services in the world, feel free to give one of them a call to see what else they can offer you. Fulfillment involves more than picking and packing orders. The best eCommerce fulfillment providers will help your online retail business run seamlessly. 

Hopefully, you’ve found the perfect eCommerce fulfillment partner for your needs.