As your e-commerce business begins to expand, there comes a point when you realize that you can no longer manage e-commerce fulfilment in-house.
With all the options out there, finding the right fulfilment partner can be a daunting task. You need an e-commerce fulfilment partner that understands your business, falls within your budget and offers the best solution for all your operational needs.
And as we’ve always mentioned before - no matter how incredible your product or its marketing may be - if your logistics provider is not up to the mark, your business won’t be able to thrive.
Therefore, it is absolutely critical to make sure your e-commerce fulfilment service provider ticks all the right boxes and is as vested in your growth as you are.
If you’re a little unsure where to start your search from, here are a few key questions that’ll help you decide whether they’re ‘the one’ or not.
Question #1: What are their E-commerce Shipping Rates?
One of the main reasons why e-commerce services go for a third-party logistics provider is the potential of benefiting from cost-efficient shipping with feasible delivery options.
Cheaper and quicker deliveries are also a huge winning point for customers. A key factor to look at when choosing a fulfilment partner is how much they can help save costs for your business while maintaining its integrity.
Question #2: Do they Offer Everything You Need?
Now is not that time to compromise on any of your demands. Besides the essentials, prepare a wish list of everything you want your e-commerce fulfilment partner to offer.
Fulfilment centres offer services such as customer support, parcel shipping, returns and complaints, warehousing, worldwide shipping service, and on-site and digital security. A good order fulfilment centre can cater to returns and exchanges in a streamlined manner, offer 24/7 on-site security for your high-value products, and even fulfill international e-commerce orders.
*Pro tip: Don’t hesitate to ask as many questions as you can. Fulfilment services realize the significance of their role, so they should be prepared to answer any of your concerns. If they’re a good match, they’ll give you all the answers you’re looking for.
Question #3: Will they Help You Grow in the Long Run?
A successful relationship between your fulfilment partner and you is one that unlocks the path of growth for your business. During your meetings, bring up your future plans and ask them what their role can be in this. Will they be able to cater to the changing business needs when you expand?
A good e-commerce fulfilment partner will be able to give satisfactory answers and show that they will have a significant role in your long-term plans.
Heads Up: Black Friday is coming up! If you haven’t already prepped for it, here is an informative post that’ll help you get ready before the orders start pouring in.
Question #4: Can they Easily Integrate with Your E-commerce Store?
Ask about their e-commerce solution and store integrations, and how seamlessly these can integrate with your business. A good fulfilment company can offer real-time views of your inventory, low stock alerts, return updates and many more integrated e-commerce services.
P.S. Here’s a post that explains why IT integration has become all the rage in the fulfilment industry and how it helps businesses meet their goals.
Question #5: Are they Trustworthy?
Your business only succeeds if you’re able to get the products to your customers. This is exactly why you need a fulfilment centre that is reliable and fulfills the services it has promised.
Perhaps this is the most important question, but also one that is difficult to answer. Sometimes, it all comes down to trusting your gut. Think about your overall experience with them so far. Have they answered your questions transparently? Do they understand your company?
If they check all the important boxes and you feel confident about them, you can breathe a sigh of relief – you may have found the fulfilment partner meant for you!
At JRD Fulfilment, we provide tailored e-commerce fulfilment experiences that help you accelerate your growth and fulfill your purpose. With access to industry-leading technologies, we make sure your logistics experience is unlike any other - one that is enjoyable, efficient, and 100% reliable.