Why Your Business Needs Real-Time Inventory Management
[caption id="attachment_5995" align="alignleft" width="481"] iStock.com/gorodenkoff[/caption] What is real-time inventory management and why does it matter? Real-time inventory management is the process of keeping track of inventory sales and purchases as soon as they occur by using software that gives the entire company a picture of what's happening. It allows your organization to have the information it needs to react faster to specific needs in the supply chain. Real-time systems record every transaction immediately, to allow for greater accuracy than periodically updating the inventory at certain intervals. Here are the benefits of real-time inventory management and why you should implement it...
Hidden Costs of In-House Warehousing
[caption id="attachment_5990" align="alignleft" width="481"] iStock.com/Smederevac[/caption] There are many reasons why growing companies switch from managing their warehousing in-house to hiring a third-party fulfillment company. There are many hidden costs and challenges when you manage your fulfillment and warehousing in-house, especially if you are a startup company. Although using a fulfillment partner may seem more expensive up front, you will ultimately save more money in the long run as your business grows. Here are some of the hidden costs of in-house warehousing, so that you can weigh your options and save on costs with a fulfillment partner. (more…)
How to Improve Stock Control
[caption id="attachment_5985" align="alignleft" width="507"] iStock.com/gorodenkoff[/caption] Inventory management is one of the most important aspects of a successful business. Understanding the need for effective stock control is only part of the solution. You should also know how to implement it and make the most of it. There are various reliable strategies for improving inventory control, such as characterization, integrated mobile technology, warehouse management systems, and supplier relationship management. These strategies and more provide a foundation to improve your inventory management. If you're wondering how to improve stock control, here are some tips to consider. (more…)
How to Overcome These Common Challenges of Having Multiple Warehouses
[caption id="attachment_5975" align="alignleft" width="426"] iStock.com/petinovs[/caption] Adding extra warehouses to your business provides many benefits such as reducing shipping costs, increasing storage capacity, and having warehouses for specific purposes to simplify warehouse management. However, the more warehouses you have, the more challenges you may have to deal with. Here are some of the most common challenges with managing multiple warehouses and how you can manage multiple warehouses effectively to overcome these challenges. (more…)
How to Identify Slow Moving Inventory
[caption id="attachment_5967" align="alignleft" width="405"] iStock.com/Zephyr18[/caption] Slow-moving inventory is defined as stock that has had little customer demand over a certain period of time. But how do you identify slow-moving inventory? What qualifies as little customer demand? All of these questions are important to ask yourself when reviewing your inventory strategy. If your focus is on growing your business and staying ahead of your competitors, it’s important to dedicate time to improving your fast-moving inventory and managing the slow movers. Here’s why slow movers are a problem and how you can identify them to establish a strong growth strategy. (more…)
Tips on How to Plan Your Warehouse
[caption id="attachment_5951" align="alignleft" width="398"] iStock.com/dusanpetkovic[/caption] Today's business climate is competitive, which is why it is so important for business owners to make their warehouse planning and implementation as efficient as possible to drive growth and profits. This goes beyond research and development to include manufacturing, marketing, distribution, accounting, human resources, and warehouse or distribution management. The following warehouse planning tips can help you become more efficient, so that you can increase your success as your business grows. (more…)
In-House Fulfillment Mistakes: Why You Need a 3PL Partner
There are many factors to consider if you ship your own products in-house. As your business grows, you may consider hiring a third-party fulfillment company (3PL) to tackle the bigger aspects of your business. The way you manage your in-house fulfillment can have serious ramifications, good or bad. Even one weak area can directly affect your brand and your reputation with your customers. Here are some of the biggest fulfillment mistakes to avoid, and why a 3PL partner will benefit you. (more…)
Tips to Maintain a Successful 3PL Relationship
[caption id="attachment_5934" align="alignleft" width="434"] iStock.com/dusanpetkovic[/caption] Companies that choose to partner with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider need to maintain a positive and healthy relationship with them to ensure the overall success of the venture. Your 3PL relationship can benefit you in many ways, including streamlining your supply chain operations and helping you focus on other aspects of your business. So, to get the most out of your 3PL provider, here are some tips to maintain a successful partnership. (more…)
How Fulfillment Reports from a 3PL Provider Can Help Your Business
[caption id="attachment_5927" align="alignleft" width="434"] iStock.com/SeventyFour[/caption] Today’s business world is fast and furious, and running an e-commerce company requires you to stay on top of everything to continue generating revenue and growth. Even if you run a company that involves shipping and fulfillment for a brick-and-mortar store, you still need data to make the right decisions. If you run low on inventory or make preventable shipping mistakes, it could slow down your operations and lead to wasted time and money. To prevent this, you need accurate and real-time fulfillment reports. This information will help you forecast issues, prevent them from happening,...
How to Avoid Common Shipping Mistakes
[caption id="attachment_5918" align="alignleft" width="461"] iStock.com/cofotoisme[/caption] Running an e-commerce business can get expensive, especially if you manage your shipping poorly. It’s important to do your research to find out where you can reduce costs and spend your money in the most valuable places without needless mistakes. Shipping mistakes are one of the most common errors that can jeopardize businesses, but these mistakes can easily be avoided with the right preparation. Here are the most expensive shipping mistakes to avoid, and how you can prevent them from affecting your business. (more…)