Even in the age of e-commerce, almost all businesses will need storage and warehousing solutions. Your office and transactions may be digital, but a physical product still needs somewhere to rest before a customer places an order. Having said that, choosing the wrong product storage option can end up making your business harder to carry out and less efficient. APS Fulfillment, Inc. is a leader in e-commerce and warehouse fulfillment services in Florida and know what factors can make a prospective warehouse solution sink-or-swim. Here are three important considerations to make when looking at your product storage and warehousing candidates.
They Offer What You Need
While an obvious point, it’s one that’s easy to overlook if you aim for whatever storage service is the closest. It is important to examine what storage needs your products have and find a warehousing solution that matches them. For instance, if your goods need to be kept cold, then a warehouse with refrigerated storage spaces makes the most sense. You also need to keep in mind just how much space you need. The company may try to rent you a warehouse, but if you’re a small business, that’s more likely than not going to result in a lot of unused space. A key part of warehouse fulfillment is tailoring the space to the customer. The ideal company would rent you a portion of the warehouse, enabling you to benefit from both lower rates and the quality storage space.
Proximity
It is easy to think that when you’re shipping goods across the country, state, or province that the actual location of the warehouse isn’t as important. However, this is not necessarily true. Remember that any shipping costs will either be paid by you or passed on to the customer. In both instances, it’s in your interest to find product storage and warehousing solutions in an easily reachable location like near a highway or in a city core. Also keep proximity to your supplier in mind, since products have to be shipped into the warehouse as well as out of it.
Disaster Safety
Fire can come unexpectedly and ruin huge amounts of product. It’s integral that you look into a prospect’s safety procedures before committing to a warehousing solution. Examine how they practice fire-safe inventory storage; for instance, inventory on pallets should never be left fully shrink-wrapped and items like carpets and rugs need to be stored away from ignition sources. Make sure the location has a sprinkler system and that it is maintained regularly; contrary to popular belief, only sprinklers in the vicinity of a fire will trigger as opposed to the entire building.
APS Fulfillment, Inc. is a specialist in direct mail marketing and warehouse fulfillment. Based in Florida, we have stored, sorted, and delivered products of all shapes and sizes for all kinds of companies. Keep these tips in mind and you’ll find the perfect product storage and warehousing solution in no time.
For more information on APS Fulfillment, Inc.’s direct mail marketing and warehouse fulfillment services, contact us today.
