Your fulfillment process is the most important part of the customer experience, so you should invest in a fulfillment service to help streamline your operations.
With over 2.14 billion online shoppers worldwide, the eCommerce world continues to rise each year. Amidst this intense competition, your business must find ways to stand out online.
Shoppers value availability and fast delivery above all else. Fulfillment services help you save valuable money and time, all while providing your customers with a satisfactory shopping experience.
You must do your research when selecting an order fulfillment service to find the right fit for you and your unique company. Here are ten features to look for as you choose a fulfillment company for your eCommerce business.
- Fast Shipping Speeds
When evaluating fulfillment options, shipping speeds should sit near the top of your list of priorities. Amazon Prime’s two-day shipping speeds have become the norm, so your customers are expecting quicker deliveries than ever before.
To align with these evolving expectations, you should work with a fulfillment service that can keep up with the demand. Verify that your fulfillment company of choice has efficient and effective processes that enable them to get your products into your customers’ hands quickly. Failure to meet shipping expectations can leave shoppers dissatisfied and interfere with their coming back.
- Reasonable Costs
Saving money is one of the key reasons many businesses choose to outsource fulfillment. As you select the best service for your needs, pricing should matter.
A sensible fulfillment company will be upfront and transparent about its costs and refrain from hidden fees. In the long run, partnering with a fulfillment service should save you money on labor, packing supplies, overhead, shipping costs, and more.
If you’re feeling the colossal weight of shipping costs, it’s time to crunch the numbers to see how much you can save by letting someone else handle fulfillment.
- Excellent Customer Service
Shipping and order fulfillment can become quite complex because of the number of stages involved. The sheer amount of steps can leave substantial room for error. Packages might be delayed or sent to the wrong location, items might break in transit, or pricing inaccuracies might arise.
When these scenarios inevitably happen, you need to confirm that your chosen fulfillment company has excellent customer service. If you need to process returns, refunds, or mitigate other complaints, you need a reliable team you can call.
- Accessible Warehousing
It’s estimated that same-day order delivery will grow by $9.73 billion by 2024. With this in mind, the proximity of the fulfillment warehouse is something to consider. When choosing a fulfillment company, take note of where their warehouses are located. Proximity to the customers is key so products can reach their destination sooner.
- Scalability
A worthwhile fulfillment company will be able to help you grow your business in the long haul. When determining a fulfillment partner, consider their ability to scale up over the next few years. Surely you anticipate growth in your company, and an upstanding fulfillment company can help you meet those growth targets.
Scalability means that your fulfillment company will be able to support operations at their lowest volumes, highest volumes, and everything in between. It’s tough to predict when your business might gain traction, but with the expertise of a provider on your side, you’ll be ready when that happens.
- Optimal Order Fulfillment Software
Determining the best software for your fulfillment processes can be a struggle. As an eCommerce business owner, you already have enough tools, applications, and platforms to worry about through your day-to-day operations without implementing more software. For this reason, you should outsource fulfillment.
When you work with a fulfillment company, you can expect them to use order fulfillment software that aligns with your needs and goals as a company. They will be able to leverage this software to seamlessly integrate with any other platforms and apps you’re currently using.
- Transparency
Transparency is crucial for your business. A recent study found that almost 94% of all consumers are more likely to be loyal to a brand when it commits to full transparency. Your fulfillment company of choice plays a key role in achieving this. These companies give you full visibility into their fulfillment process, so you can trust them to be accountable.
- Branding, Personalization, and Packaging Options
There are thousands of eCommerce businesses out there, so how can you help your brand stand out? A fulfillment service can assist by providing branding and packaging options.
Sending your package in a generic brown box is boring and creates a disingenuous customer experience. On the other hand, an order fulfillment company that provides branding options can help you personalize your brand and impress your shoppers.
- Inventory Management and Control
Many fulfillment centers use warehouse inventory management systems to enhance the shipping and processing experience. You won’t have to worry about losing track of what you own because the fulfillment company will take care of it automatically. When you don’t spend hours logging numbers on spreadsheets, you will have more time to focus on other parts of your business.
- Returns Management
Many order fulfillment centers will offer return management services. Customers might dislike their order, products could arrive damaged, or someone might change their mind. In any case, a fair amount of orders will need to be shipped back to the warehouse. As you select a fulfillment company, opt for one that can handle returns efficiently.
Scale Your Business With MintFulfill
If you’re ready to take your company to new heights with a fulfillment service, MintFulfill is here for all of your shipping needs. Our system automatically fulfills orders so you can focus on scaling your business. You can choose a custom fulfillment plan that best fits your needs for as little as one dollar! We have various plans to cater to your unique needs.
We’re eager to become a vital part of your shipping team! Reach out today to get started.