Things to Consider (and not to consider) when Selecting a Fulfillment Company

Things to Consider (and not to consider) when Selecting a Fulfillment Company

It is absolutely necessary to choose a fulfillment company with a lot of experience and a good reputation. These people need to know the most effective methods for packing and shipping orders--and beyond. They are working for you and you need them to be at the top of their game. Here are a few important things to consider which fulfillment company is best for your needs:

Order fulfillment companies do not necessarily need to have direct experience with your specific product in order to work well for you. While you may have thought this essential, it isn’t necessarily at the top of the list of important characteristics.

First and most importantly, you want the fulfillment company you choose to be good at inventory management, packing, and shipping. Whether the item is clothing, makeup, sports equipment, or some type of technology doesn’t matter as much. As long as the company knows the packing process and has common knowledge of how to treat certain items, you are OK in that department.

The Most Important Consideration in Fulfillment Company

Here are a few essential questions to ask before making your decision: Can the fulfillment company meet your needs? Do they have the capacity, employees, and services you need? Obviously, you would ask this question for any outsourcing decision being made, so be sure to ask it with fulfillment services. If they cannot handle your company’s orders, cross them off the list.

A few other need-to-knows are: Are there rush situations? Can they handle last minute changes to orders from both the company’s end and the customer’s end? Is their expertise more in business-to-business orders are are they more comfortable with direct-to-consumer? Do they process returns, and if so, what is their return process like?

WHEN YOU ASK YOUR POTENTIAL FULFILLMENT COMPANY A FEW OF THESE QUESTIONS, YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET A GOOD FEEL FOR THEIR BUSINESS ATMOSPHERE. IF THEY SEEM ANXIOUS, SECRETIVE, OR HURRIED, YOU MAY WANT TO RECONSIDER. HOWEVER, IT THEY GENUINELY CARE ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS REPUTATION AND ARE EAGER TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY IN YOUR COMPANY, THEY MAY BE RIGHT FOR YOU. DON’T COMMIT TO ANY ONE FULFILLMENT COMPANY ON A WHIM--DO YOUR RESEARCH TO ENSURE THEY DO NOT ADD MORE STRESS TO YOUR DAILY LIFE.