Best West Direct: Tips for selecting the right fulfillment company for you

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Monday, October 1, 2012

Tips for selecting the right fulfillment company for you


Tips for selecting the right fulfillment company for you

                                   
It can be a daunting task to select the right fulfillmentcompany for your ecommerce business needs. As a business owner, you understand that no two ecommerce businesses are alike--that’s why they get started in the first place...they are unique! So when the time comes to outsource to a fulfillment company, you need to make sure they understand the diverse needs of your customers. To receive a little insight and a few tips on making this process easier, read on.

Things to know about your fulfillment company

                                   
When your business gets to a certain size, the process of getting products to consumers becomes too large a task to focus on. That’s when fulfillment companies come in handy. However, when you choose this company, you need to feel good about placing your products and customers’ satisfactions in the hands of another business.                                                     

First, consider the location of the warehouse. This will affect shipping costs, inventorying, and communication between you and your fulfillment company. Of course, they don’t need to be located next door to your home, but make sure that they are within a reasonable distance of your company’s home and customer base.

Next, consider the size of the fulfillment company and their warehouse. Know the capacity, know how much space you need, and know the growth you anticipate over the coming months and years. Don’t fire a fulfillment company that operates out of a backyard shed--they need to have the capabilities to handle your products with ease. Check on the storage fees of fulfillment company warehouse and do some price comparisons.

Understand that fulfillment companies are not perfect. They do have a staff of trained employees who are specialized in their services, but still, mistakes will be made. Occasionally customers will receive an order at a later date, or perhaps the wrong product. It happens. But it shouldn't happen often. Check around and read some reviews on the potential fulfillment company that will be serving you. You need to make sure the company is willing to correct their mistakes, process returns, deal with customer complaints, and maintain your reputation.

You simply cannot afford to let your company fail due to the inability to manage shipping and processing needs. You also cannot afford to have a poor fulfillment company deal with these problems. Make sure you go with what feels like and do plenty of research before making a final decision.
Fulfillment Companies can save you money

Ever wonder how other ecommerce retailers are growing their business so quickly or increasing their profit margins so significantly? They probably have diverse ways of managing their funds, different approaches to dealing with employees and customers, broad studies and data on the statistics of their company. Another form of outsourcing they probably use is that of fulfillment companies. These companies can cut big costs for those whose ecommerce businesses are growing rapidly. Here’s how:

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