Shipping can be a complex and costly part of e-commerce businesses. Not surprisingly, this is why shipping is often looked at when it comes time to find ways to improve savings and profitability. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce shipping costs that any e-commerce enterprise can take advantage of. Follow just some of these tips for reducing shipping costs, and you'll begin to enjoy a more efficient and profitable business. (more…)How to Reduce Shipping Costs for Improved e-Commerce Profits
Shipping can be a complex and costly part of e-commerce businesses. Not surprisingly, this is why shipping is often looked at when it comes time to find ways to improve savings and profitability. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce shipping costs that any e-commerce enterprise can take advantage of. Follow just some of these tips for reducing shipping costs, and you'll begin to enjoy a more efficient and profitable business. (more…)The Disadvantages of Public Warehousing
When looking for third-party warehousing solutions, your options will come in one of two types: contract or public warehousing. On the surface, the two can appear interchangeable and it can be hard to tell what public warehousing is when compared to contract options. Each is run by a third-party operation that offers storage space, better shipping rates, seasonable scalability, value added services, and so on. The main differences arise when looking at where each warehouse type places the most focus and how this shapes its relationship with clients. Public warehouses are ostensibly meant for short-term rentals even though they can...
11 Ways to Make Fulfillment Easier
You’re likely more than busy enough running your fulfillment company; after all, today’s fulfillment companies are large, multi-channel enterprises. It’s not just about taking orders and shipping them out; it’s also about delivering quality goods to loyal customers and, above all else, sustaining a high reputation. As such, it can be difficult to keep things running smoothly. However, there are ways to make operating a fulfillment business easier. Check them out: 1. Use Dynamic Pricing Dynamic pricing is when businesses base their prices on current demand, changing when necessary. Companies do this to help deplete excessive stock and remain competitive. If...
Multi-Location Order Fulfillment—Pros and Cons
What Is Multi-Location Fulfillment? Many e-commerce businesses look to order fulfillment as an area in which they can possibly excel over their competition. Having the ability to ship to a consumer faster and for cheaper rates makes a real difference in determining customer retention and loyalty. One option that becomes attractive to businesses as they grow is multi-location order fulfillment. What this involves is building additional distributions centers in closer proximity to the customer base so shipping becomes more efficient. Like any other business decision, there are advantages and disadvantages of multi-purpose order fulfillment centers. We discuss some of the...
How to Have a Safer Warehouse
Your warehouse is a key part of your business. It forms the heart of your distribution center as products flow in from suppliers and out to customers. Warehouses are highly busy environments filled with heavy equipment, large boxes, heights, and forklifts. With all of these factors at play, maintaining a safe workplace is essential. Fortunately there are a number of steps that can be taken to further improve warehouse safety. With these tips, you will be able to take pride in knowing that your warehousing solutions are able to provide a secure and safe work environment. 9 Key Guidelines To...
How Logistical Efficiency Supports Brand Marketing
Your shipping logistics processes intersect with many different elements of your business to the point where the efficiency and effectiveness of your logistics can have a very real and tangible impact on how well you market yourself. "Market" in this context, relates more to matters of public perception than direct advertising efforts—but those can be involved, too. Simply put, logistical efficiency is important for marketing because the enhancements that it brings will often directly or indirectly impact the consumer experience. Improving the former will naturally lead to gains in the latter, thus strengthening your brand. (more…)
What are the Benefits of Try Before You Buy Fulfillment?
As e-commerce sites continue to spur the online shopping trend, more and more consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable shopping without ever visiting a physical store. One of the remaining obstacles that has kept customers attached to brick-and-mortar locations is the fact they get to interact with a product before ever making a decision on whether to purchase. Although this is most common among fashion brands, many e-commerce retailers recognize this as a limitation. However, with the growth of try-before-you-buy online shopping, the opportunity to allow customers to interact with the product before purchase has finally become a reality. (more…)
What to Expect From Your Fulfillment Service Provider
What should you expect from your fulfillment service provider? The short answer is, it depends on what you are asking your fulfilment service provider to get done. Nowadays, fulfillment services are sophisticated enough to do much more than simply store, pick and pack products. But if that is all you require them to do—then your expectations should be quantified. However, if you are planning to use your fulfillment services as a trusted part of your operation, one that is essential to customer service and contributes to your bottom line—then you can and should expect a lot more. What Exactly Does...
How to Overcome Common Holiday Fulfillment Challenges
As anyone operating in the e-commerce business can tell you, holiday order fulfillment can be among the most stress-inducing times. You have strict deadlines, huge influxes of demand, and potentially inclement weather slowing travel on the road. And this is among the most important times for your business as order volume spikes dramatically—failing to meet delivery deadlines could lose recurring customers and revenue year after year. And this year, all these challenges are only being exacerbated by COVID-19 and supply chain interruptions. But the good news is that these peak season fulfillment challenges are predictable (COVID notwithstanding) and, therefore, can...
11 Common Mistakes Rookies Make with Direct Mail Marketing
Direct mail is a tough means of marketing to master, and many fulfillment companies have burned the midnight oil trying to get their direct mail copy, graphic content, and mail packaging structure right so they appeal to audiences. But more importantly, there are some mistakes to avoid, and doing so can save you time and money while making your business more successful. Below are six of the most common mistakes that you need to avoid in your direct mail marketing activities, especially if you’re a rookie to the field: (more…)
