E-commerce is the fastest-growing retail industry in history, with global sales continuing to surpass previous records every year. E-commerce fulfillment has played a major role in this growth. The adoption of the latest innovations and outsourcing technologies has enabled e-commerce to change how consumers shop and how businesses conduct operations. Companies like Amazon, Alibaba Group Holding, Flipkart Group, eBay, Rakuten, and Walmart, consistently rank among the top 10 most valuable brands in the world because they’ve changed how people buy things online.
But as e-retailers grow bigger, the competition continues to grow across the board — for shoppers as well as for sellers on platforms like Amazon or Shopify Plus. Brands must manage their inventory more efficiently than ever before if they want to get a competitive edge over other market players.
With so many products being sold online, it’s a must for e-commerce brands to make sure their operations are streamlined and efficient when it comes to fulfilling orders. Here are four ways e-commerce fulfillment helps brands:
Scalability
You don’t have to be a renowned and big e-commerce brand to benefit from the scalability of fulfillment centers. Any size business can reap the benefits of having their items picked and packed in bulk, which translates into increased growth.
It’s no hidden fact that a majority of consumers can be cautious about shopping online as they don’t want to wait for an item to ship or worry about whether it will be delivered on time. With online retailers offering free shipping and returns as standard, these concerns are gradually decreasing. But if your customers still worry about receiving their goods in a timely manner, you may consider looking for e-commerce fulfillment services that take care of the end-to-end delivery and other crucial aspects.
Reduced Costs
One of the biggest benefits of e-commerce fulfillment services is reduced costs in each of the following areas:
- Warehousing, inventory, and labor – With fulfillment centers, it becomes easier for you to get products to your customers faster than if they had to be shipped from traditional or obsolete delivery methods. In addition, by storing warehoused inventory in a dedicated space instead of individual stores or distribution centers, you also save on renting space for each location.
- Shipping and delivery costs – Having products manufactured closer to where they’re eventually sold reduces shipping costs significantly. Savings come from shorter distances between production facilities and distribution points (which translates into lower fuel usage) as well as more efficient routes that avoid tolls and other fees related to traveling long distances.
Increase in ROI
If you are an e-commerce business owner, then the top thing on your priority list would be to increase your ROI. The best way to do this is by hiring e-commerce fulfillment services.
These services directly help you to increase sales. These services take the burden off your shoulders by handling aspects like customer interactions and queries related to the shipping and delivery of products. This allows you to focus on the most important aspects of your business – how to make the best product and how to best serve the customers. This will also allow you to focus on other important aspects of running your business, such as marketing or product development, without worrying about customer service issues related to the shipping and delivery of products as well.
When it comes to managing logistics and warehouse operations, hiring staff becomes a costly affair. However, e-commerce fulfillment services help online sellers manage their order cycles more efficiently while reducing the costs related to manpower.
Thus, these benefits ultimately translate into improved customer experience, better brand loyalty, and higher customer retention rates.
Increased Visibility
One of the most promising benefits of using an e-commerce fulfillment service is increased visibility for your brand. As the growing number of consumers are turning to digital platforms for shopping, it’s crucial that businesses maintain a strong online presence.
E-commerce fulfillment services provide a platform through which you can build trust with potential customers by sharing information about your company, products, or services. This includes information such as:
- Product details (including product descriptions)
- Social media content (including videos and testimonials)
- Marketing materials (such as flyers or email campaigns)
Summing Up
We have seen the benefits of using e-commerce fulfillment for businesses of any scale. The most important thing to keep in mind is that it’s not just about the convenience of shipping your products but also about building a better brand experience for your customers and making it easier for them to shop with you. As more and more brands start using third-party fulfillment services, it is likely that their demand will increase rapidly in the coming years.
Whether you’re looking to expand globally or improve customer satisfaction rates with faster shipping options, e-commerce fulfillment services are the way forward. So don’t hesitate any longer and take advantage of e-commerce fulfillment services today.