Ecommerce has become very popular today, thanks to constantly evolving technology and people’s growing desire to shop online. This has made it easy to start a small business that sells products through a dedicated website or ecommerce websites.
If you plan to start an ecommerce business or have one already, then you should consider ecommerce fulfillment services offered by professional 3PL companies. Let us explain more about these fulfillment services.
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What Are Ecommerce Fulfillment Services?
Ecommerce fulfillment services refer to services outsourced to third-party logistics companies known as 3PL companies. The services involve the receiving, sorting and grading, packaging or repackaging, order processing, and shipping of ecommerce goods. Although a business can carry out these operations in-house, a 3PL company offers very many benefits.
You can choose the ecommerce fulfillment services that work for your startup based on the types of goods you sell and how you want them handled. Since you are new to these services, it is smart you understand what they entail.
Common Types of Ecommerce Fulfillment Services
· Receiving, sorting, and inventory management – This is one of the common ecommerce fulfillment services offered by 3PLs. They ensure all goods meet the receiving standards. The goods are then sorted according to your requirements and recorded in the inventory.
· Packaging and labeling – Although this is not as common, a 3PL can also package for you. Next, they can label, grade, and even brand. If you need any of these services, ask your ecommerce fulfillment services provider, and they will guide you.
· Order processing – This is a popular service provided by most 3PL companies. They can use their platform, your platform, or other ecommerce platforms to ensure that customer orders are processed and paid.
· Shipping and return management – Additionally, they make certain that orders are shipped promptly. They also handle returns, just in case there is a need.
Other Specialized Ecommerce Fulfillment Services
Your business can also enjoy other specialized ecommerce fulfillment services, such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) preparations, multichannel fulfillment, crowdfunding campaign fulfillment, and subscription box fulfillment, among others.
Most specialized services are offered by reputable 3PL partners like Packageman that have the right resources and experience. You should know what you want before choosing a 3PL partner.
Benefits of Ecommerce Fulfillment Services
Ecommerce fulfillment services are quite beneficial to a startup. First, you don’t need to use initial capital to set up fulfillment operations, such as a warehouse, equipment, and employees. Therefore, this option saves on costs and time so that you can focus on production and marketing.
Many startups and even well-established ecommerce businesses prefer to work with 3PL partners so that all the ecommerce fulfillment services are handled professionally. This makes the customers happy at all times and allows the business to grow fast.
A startup can explore other selling platforms because 3PL companies offer multichannel fulfillment, which will increase sales and profits. Therefore, this is ultimately what you need.
Final Thoughts
If you are looking for an opportunity to grow your ecommerce operation fast, consider working with 3PL partners. You can see they offer essential ecommerce fulfillment services so that you don’t have to worry about them. This increases your chances of competing with large businesses and growing very quickly.