APS Fulfillment, Inc. (www.APSFulfillment.com), one of the nation’s leading cost-effective fulfillment and integrated direct mail marketing companies, is releasing its comments on a recent study showing retailers were more to blame than carriers for widespread delays to Christmas deliveries. APS Fulfillment, Inc. is also announcing a real-time shipping solution for retails to ensure their orders get filled and delivered when promised.
Widespread delays to Christmas deliveries made headlines over the holiday season, with shipping companies taking on much of the blame. But that blame may be mislaid: according to a recent report, it is estimated that retailers were responsible for 56% of the delays. Most of the shortcomings have been attributed to internal processing errors or a failure to upgrade shipping. (Source: “Are Carriers Being Unfairly Blamed for Holidays Shipping Delays?” Kurt Salmon web site, January 13, 2014; www.kurtsalmon.com/CA/about-news-item/Are-Carriers-Being-Unfairly-Blamed-for-Holidays-Shipping-Delays-?id=422&language=en-us#.UtVUkfRDvpw.)
“Granted, at 44%, carriers deserve to take responsibility for a large portion of the blame for late shipments. However, they were not the main reason why many packages missed their promised delivery dates,” says Charles Aultman, president of APS Fulfillment, Inc. “As this study shows, a number of brands, in an attempt to capitalize on the holiday rush, didn’t have the proper internal systems in place to keep up with demand.”
A brand’s reputation hinges on following through on what it promises; that means customers receive what they order and get it when promised. To exceed customer expectations, Aultman explains, businesses need to use a fulfillment company that is not just conveniently connected to all major transportation hubs, but also has the most advanced internal systems in place.
“Thanks to the Internet, customers can connect with a business whenever they want, and brands need to make sure they can keep up,” he observes. “That doesn’t just mean during the busy November and December period, it means all year long. And as the study has proven, many retailers and fulfillment services companies do not have the proper internal warehousing infrastructure in place.”
While competitive pricing is important, most shoppers do not think lower prices are the main motivating factor for shopping online. According to recent studies, warehousing systems are considered to be the most important when it comes to driving long-term customer loyalty. (Source: “Retailers win with best warehouse network, not lowest prices,” Simon-Kucher & Partners web site, October 1, 2013; http://www.simon-kucher.com/sites/default/files/press_release_retailers_win_with_best_warehouse_network_not_lowest_prices_simon-kucher_october_1_2013.pdf.)
“To be more competitive, brands need to find ways to streamline and speed up order fulfillment. One such way is APS Fulfillment’s real-time shipping solutions, which can connect to a retailer’s online shopping cart and receive orders as they occur, as opposed to being batched. This means APS Fulfillment receives the order the second it’s been placed, so the order gets shipped to eagerly waiting customers with more than enough time to be delivered when promised,” Aultman concludes. “As a result, businesses never have to deal with the anger, frustration, and disappointment many felt this past holiday season when their packages didn’t arrive on time.”
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. Its state-of-the-art technology provides turnkey solutions for high-volume perfect-match mailings, personalized direct mail, snap-pak mailers, postcards, and triple-tabbed booklets. 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.
