Technology has allowed for dramatic improvements in e-commerce business and enhancements to supply chains and logistics have improved delivery performance for the big-box retailers like Walmart and Amazon. This has caused customers to begin wanting—and in some cases, expecting—a larger number of services when they engage in e-commerce. Meeting these expectations and desires is an excellent way to improve the e-commerce shipping experience, but understanding what to do and how can be tricky. This guide will break down some of the more common expectations among the modern customer, and then offer some e-commerce shipping best practices to help you develop...How to Improve the e-Commerce Customer’s Shipping Experience
Technology has allowed for dramatic improvements in e-commerce business and enhancements to supply chains and logistics have improved delivery performance for the big-box retailers like Walmart and Amazon. This has caused customers to begin wanting—and in some cases, expecting—a larger number of services when they engage in e-commerce. Meeting these expectations and desires is an excellent way to improve the e-commerce shipping experience, but understanding what to do and how can be tricky. This guide will break down some of the more common expectations among the modern customer, and then offer some e-commerce shipping best practices to help you develop...Drawbacks of Cross Docking
To understand the disadvantages of cross docking, it is important to firstly understand the purpose of the procedure. Cross docking takes products directly from a supplier or manufacturing plant to a customer or retail chain with little to no handling or storage time. Cross docking involves receiving products through an inbound dock, sorting and screening their end destinations, and then moving the products across the dock to the outbound transportation dock in a distribution terminal. Although cross docking saves warehouse real estate, reduces labor costs, and gets products to the customers faster, there are several disadvantages that wise retailers should...
How to Know if Your e-Commerce Order Fulfillment Is Failing
Do you suspect your e-commerce order fulfillment process of failing? Check for these four telltale signs— if you’ve observed more than one of them, it may be time to switch providers. 4 Signs Your e-Commerce Order Fulfillment Is Failing (more…)
How to Find a Fulfillment Provider via Request for Proposal (RFP)
When creating an order fulfillment RFP, or Request for Proposal, there are several key points of information you need to include. A third-party logistics (3PL) RFP can help you narrow down the best order fulfillment partner so that your warehouse management needs can be met. Sending an RFP is one of the best ways to find out what each company offers, what their corporate culture is like, and whether they can manage your fulfillment solutions. It also helps you clearly communicate between your company and potential partners so you can make the best and most-informed decisions. (more…)
10 Key Inventory Metrics for Small Businesses
Products come in and out, but you should be in control of that cycle at all times. And if you run a small business or fulfillment company, you have to; your success depends on it. If you’ve never given much thought to inventory metrics, here are 10 factors to take note of: (more…)How to Choose a Warehouse Management System?
Incorporating an efficient warehouse management system is an essential part of any company’s operations. Successfully managing packages at every point of the journey takes a cohesive system that involves many parts. But before any kind of warehouse management system can be implemented, a company must be aware of its needs. There is no blanket system that can fit all businesses. Each company has its own challenges and opportunities, and an effective management system will identify both. Choosing the right system is important, and there are ways to ensure you decide on a system that will enhance your business operations. (more…)
Understanding the Challenges of Order Fulfillment
The order fulfillment process has always presented challenges for small businesses. But with the current demands of today’s consumers, combined with the necessity for even small businesses to think globally, it’s now more challenging than ever to build an efficient and effective fulfillment system. However, if you can wrap your mind around these challenges and operate in a manner that allows for transparency, communication at each step of the process, and a high degree of automation, then the challenges of customer demands and a global mindset actually become strengths. (more…)
How to Improve the Order Fulfillment Process
It seems straightforward enough: Process and deliver an order to your customers on time and with no damage to the product. Unfortunately, order fulfillment is not that simple. Getting a product from point A to point B involves many stages, at many levels. It also involves groups of people who need to coordinate amongst each other if there’s any hope of having that package arrive on time, in one piece, with the proper documentation. The good news is there are ways to better manage this process. The key is to have a system in place that accounts for every step...
How to Determine the Right Warehousing Facility
In product fulfillment, your warehousing facilities can be as valuable to your success as the products themselves. However, the warehouse itself is no longer enough to use your facilities effectively. Here are the other factors you need to consider to determine which warehousing facilities and features will best suit your business. Rentals When researching warehousing and storage, keep in mind that the facility you use likely won’t be yours, but rather another business outsourcing it to you. (more…)
The Advantages of Choosing the Right Warehouse Management System
A warehouse management system (WMS) is, at its core, a tool of optimization, automation, and integration. Although, historically, WMS have been the domain of large and complex distribution networks, this is rapidly changing. Nowadays it is easy for small and medium-sized businesses to harness the advantages of warehouse management systems to better compete in the highly competitive e-commerce marketplace. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to choosing a warehouse management system since every business will have different needs based on products, computer systems, and so on. Regardless of the type of WMS you use, however, the advantages it can bring will...
