Introduction
You’re probably thinking, “What does a fulfilment partner have to do with my e-commerce business?” The answer is a lot. An e-commerce fulfilment partner can help your business grow and reach more customers if you find the right one. But finding the right partner can be tricky – there are literally hundreds of options out there. So how do you know which one is going to be best for your business? Here are seven questions to ask yourself before making a decision:
1. What services do they offer?
The main services you need to consider are:
- Packing and labelling
- Fulfilment (where they store your products and ship them)
- Marketing assistance
- Customer service, including returns and refunds
Find out what the costs of each service are, as well as how much time it takes to set up each service. If they offer services that you don’t need, ask yourself whether they can do something else instead (for example, packing and labelling will be cheaper than fulfilment if all you need is a courier). If they offer services that you do need but aren’t included in the price of their basic package, ask how much those extra services cost.
2. What are they charging you?
Once you’ve calculated the cost of your fulfilment service, you need to make sure that it’s not just the cost of shipping. Shipping is only one part of the fulfilment equation. Here are some other things to consider:
- Packaging: When shipping a product, there will be packaging costs as well as shipping costs associated with getting your goods from point A to point B. Make sure these are included in your calculations so that when it comes time for payment, nobody has any nasty surprises!
- Returns: With e-commerce returns becoming more common than ever before (particularly because customers can easily compare prices online), returns can negatively impact a business’s bottom line if they’re not planned for in advance or accounted for during negotiations with a fulfilment company.
3. How fast can they ship out your products?
One of the most important aspects to look at when choosing an e-commerce fulfilment partner is how fast they can ship out your products. This includes both the time it takes to get the product ready for shipment, as well as how long it takes for them to deliver the product from their facility to the customer.
4. How many warehouses do they have?
You should also consider whether you want to use one warehouse or multiple warehouses. If you have a small business and just sell a few items, then it might be best to use one primary warehouse in order to reduce costs. However, if your business is large enough or if it’s selling many different types of products that need to be stored in different places (e.g., clothing and electronics), using multiple warehouses could be beneficial.
The next thing that you need to think about is how much storage space will fit your product range. You want to make sure that there is enough room for all of the products that are being sold on your site so they don’t become damaged during transit or while waiting in storage before being shipped out again later on down the line.
5. What kind of case studies and testimonials do they have?
Finally, look for case studies that are from reputable sources. If a company doesn’t have any case studies of their own, it should be able to provide case studies from customers who are similar to you. These can be great examples of how the fulfilment partner works with your industry and what you can expect as a customer.
6. What is their process for shipping your products?
It’s important to find a fulfilment partner with a process for shipping your products. When selecting a fulfilment partner, you should look for one that can ship your products quickly and efficiently. You should also be able to get the right kind of service from them. For example, the company you choose should be able to ship goods out globally (or at least internationally). They should also be able to deliver products directly from different warehouses so that customers receive their orders as soon as possible.
7. What kind of customer service do they have for consumers?
No matter how good the customer service is, if it’s not available in a convenient way for you, then it doesn’t really matter. Customers want to be able to talk to someone about their concerns or questions, and they want that service to be available all day and night. They also need information about products that they can use as an excuse for returning or cancelling their order. Finally, they should be able to get their money back if something goes wrong with the order.
Takeaway
A good relationship with your e-commerce fulfilment partner goes a long way. They should be able to help you grow your business, handle any problems that arise, and provide you with a competitive price. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that you find someone who fits into your team and has the skills needed to help you succeed in this industry.
Conclusion
Choosing a fulfilment partner is no easy task. If you keep these seven tips in mind, you should be well on your way to finding the right one for your business.
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