The Crucial Factors You Should Consider when Selecting a Fulfilment Partner
A good starting point once you have decided to work with a fulfilment partner is to determine how much of a service they can give you. Ecommerce fulfilment services are now a lot more common as more businesses delve into online selling, and these services have proven their merit time and again for fulfilling customer orders – picking and packing them from the warehouse, shipping them, and making sure they arrive at their final destination on time and in good condition. But if you require an e-commerce fulfilment partner, the sheer volume of firms offering this service can end up confusing you more as to which one you should choose. If you want to make certain of your decision regarding your e-commerce fulfilment partner, here are the crucial factors you should consider.
- Integration with your store
Along with finding out how promptly and efficiently they can fulfil your orders as they come in, you have to figure out how properly they can integrate with your store. You want full confidence that they can integrate as seamlessly as possible with your business, so ask them about the software they use, particularly for inventory tracking. There is nothing more frustrating than having difficulty communicating with your fulfilment provider or finding out that you don’t have the proper visibility. Your partner should provide you with real-time tracking of stocks and inventory, and they should also give you much-needed insight into your products (especially those that sell well), your returns, and alerts on which stocks are running low.
If you sell your wares across different platforms and channels – be it Amazon, eBay, your site, and more – then you need to work with a fulfilment firm that has a good record of EDI management and compliance, too.
- A special range of services
The fulfilment partner you choose, such as contract packing and fulfilment firms like https://cannonpacking.co.uk/fulfilment/, should not only give you the proper tools and technology – they should also ensure that their services fit your needs. That said, find out if they can offer you a range of services besides the basic or fundamental service. This would often include services such as customer support, the handling of complaints and returns, and digital and on-site security.
When it comes to customer support, is it easy for you to get in touch with them when there is an issue? Will they assign a designated contact person who can be there to serve as an essential part of your team at all times? In terms of complaints and returns, can they offer a quick and convenient return and exchange process for your customers, and how will they make sure of this?
Digital and on-site security are also important considerations, particularly if you have high value products. How can they ensure proper security for your products, not just on-site but also digitally?
Along with all this, you may have to think about their services in regards to delivering globally. If you have a worldwide customer base, does your fulfilment partner have the network and expertise to fulfil your e-commerce and fulfilment goals across different countries?
Finding the right fulfilment partner involves doing your homework and figuring out what works best for your requirements – but once you find the proper one, you can undoubtedly go far.
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