APS Fulfillment, Inc. Comments on U.S. e-Retail Sales Surpassing $300 Billion for the 1st Time

Miami, Florida – March 4, 2015 /MarketersMedia/ — APS Fulfillment, Inc., one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is weighing in on reports that U.S. e-retail sales surpassed $300 billion for the first time ever in 2014 and what retailers need to do to keep pace with changing consumer demands.

The U.S. Department of Commerce announced recently that online sales in the U.S. were up 15.4% year-over-year at $304.91 billion; this marks the first time online spending has passed the $300 billion threshold since records began in 2004. The e-commerce growth trend accelerated at the end of the year as fourth-quarter activity hit $95.98 billion, accounting for more than 30% of total online expenditures in 2014. (Source: “Quarterly Retail E-Commerce Sales, 4th Quarter 2014,” United States Census Bureau website, February 17, 2015; http://www.census.gov/retail/mrts/www/data/pdf/ec_current.pdf.)

“While it is typical of trends to experience a burst, then slow when transitioning from emerging to maturing, this has not been the case with online e-commerce sales. Over the last five years, the minimum growth rate for online shopping has been 14.7%,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “Just 10 years ago, e-commerce sales were barely a blip on the retail landscape; today, they account for 7.7% of total retail sales and are fuelling a boom in warehousing and fulfillment as businesses try to keep pace with consumer demands.”

Aultman explains that when it comes to online sales, brands need to reorganize their warehousing and distribution. It’s no longer about having the time and space to do everything in-house; it’s about conveniently outsourcing fulfillment to help clients expand their global reach and enhance customer satisfaction.

To that end, brands need to take a proactive approach to their fulfillment and warehousing needs, according to Aultman. Located in South Florida, APS Fulfillment, Inc. is just minutes from Interstate 95; 20 minutes from the Port Everglades, and 20 minutes from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. APS Fulfillment, Inc. is also just 40 minutes from the Miami International Airport and Port of Miami; two of North America’s largest import/export hubs and a gateway to Europe, South America, and the Panama Canal.

“There’s more to fulfillment than just location. APS Fulfillment, Inc.’s state-of-the-art facilities use real-time shipping that receives orders as they’re placed; this prevents backlogs and late shipments,” Aultman concludes. “For brands that require a quick turnaround, APS Fulfillment, Inc. can have their products received, inventoried, and shipped in just two days.”

APS Fulfillment, Inc. is one of the United States’ leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, offering affordable and real-time fulfillment services to small, medium, and large companies. More information on APS Fulfillment, Inc. is available by visiting the firm’s web site at www.APSFulfillment.com or by calling 954-582-7450.