Why Logistics Efficiency is Important to Manufacturers
Now more than ever, the opportunity for logistics efficiencies is present for retailers, in particular for those in e-commerce. With manufacturing steadily making its way back to North America, companies can apply a combination of technology and improved operation procedures to cut costs, improve delivery times to customers, and increase margins on overall profitability. (more…)
How to Avoid the Warehouse Bottleneck
When talking about production flow, "bottlenecking" refers to certain points where everything slows down compared to the activity that preceded it. A simple example would be a conveyor belt that delivers products down to where packers box and ship them. If the conveyor belt delivers more product than the packers can handle, the result is a bottleneck as everything slows down to match the speed of the packers. In terms of warehouse efficiency, bottlenecks are highly undesirable and impact productivity and morale. Causes of Bottlenecks A bottleneck happens whenever a given point on the chain can't handle the volume flowing...
The Effects that Rising Shipping Rates Will Have on e-Commerce in 2017
Every year sees rising shipping costs as a result of both inflation and the shipping carriers making changes to try and optimize their profitability. On the plus side, these rate increases will help the carriers continue to grow and improve service. On the down side, you will be paying more. What Are the Rate Increases for 2017? All of the major shipping carriers, FedEx, UPS, and USPS, will have shipping rate increases going in to 2017. Depending on the exact service and provider, the rate increase will vary but it is generally between a 3.9% (from USPS) and 5% increase...
How a Fulfillment Company Can Boost Online Auction Sales
Selling products online has become a business for many entrepreneurs. Popular auction sites such as eBay have made it possible for even the solo business person to possibly make a living through online sales. Once you take on that responsibility, however, you must be ready to fulfil customer demands—and that means order fulfillment services. For individuals or companies with just a few employees, fulfillment services for auction sales can be difficult. Even small businesses sometimes have a hard time managing inventory with demand and figuring out a system in which they can effectively store and deliver products to their customers...How to Improve Warehouse Productivity
Managing warehouse fulfillment requires handling labor, freight, and inventory; three pieces with numerous factors. Properly managing, storing, and shipping goods is important not just for organizational reasons, but for profiting purposes as well. Any method that can improve your warehouse's productivity or efficiency benefits the people that ship to you and those that you ship out to. Consider these methods when looking for ways to improve warehouse fulfillment productivity. (more…)
Same-Day and On-Time Delivery in e-Commerce Fulfillment
Same-day delivery is exactly what it sounds like: the ability to get a product to the customer within 24 hours of the order being placed. It's a growing form of e-commerce fulfillment that big players like Amazon have been investing in. What Do Customer Think About Same Day Product Delivery? Although all customer groups show a preference for same-day product delivery services, an overwhelming 64% of Millennials are more likely to take same-day options when available. This youth trend extends to families as well: 63% of families with children under the age of 18 lean sharply towards same-day delivery options....
Understanding the USPS Shipping Rate Increases for 2017
Back around the midpoint of October, the United States Postal Service (USPS) released its proposed postage rate increases for 2017, and a few days later the USPS also released its proposed shipping rate increases. Although these are proposals, it is prudent to assume that they will become finalized and plan accordingly unless further developments occur. These changes are expected to be put into action on or around January 22, 2017, following the end of the holiday shipping season. Obviously, how much any particular change will affect an e-commerce business will depend on the size and quantity of your average shipments....
Top 9 Reasons to Outsource Warehousing
Warehousing solutions are important for many e-commerce businesses. They are often the only practical way to store large volumes of products and keep them ready to be shipped out to customers. The problem is that warehouses can be big, expensive, and tricky to manage for small businesses. Outsourcing your warehousing needs to another firm is the best approach in these cases since doing so enables you to get numerous benefits while keeping downsides to a minimum. Benefits of Outsourcing Warehousing Free Up Your Resources Almost all businesses with a physical product have some need for storage space. Warehousing for these...
Why Small Retail Businesses Need Real Order Fulfillment
Small businesses are unique in that their needs, operations, and processes are different from those of larger companies. Often times, many small businesses are still in a phase where they only have a few employees, yet they are relatively successful at the products and services they are offering. But there comes a time when every small business needs to create the conditions that allow for growth. That means more business, more staff, and allowing more parties to help streamline or optimize your process. The need for small-business fulfillment services is one of the main areas in which this growth must...
Understanding the Importance of Climate Control in Warehousing
Climate control in warehouse storage is, at its essence, all about reducing unpredictability. A warehouse is a large, open environment filled with large shelves and racks with people and goods constantly moving in and out. This naturally results in areas where temperature fluctuations will occur, such as cool spots near loading bays or hot spots where shelves can obstruct air flow. Climate control in a warehouse helps prevent these environmental discrepancies and produce consistent, controlled conditions throughout all operations. (more…)
