The logistics end of ecommerce comes with all kinds of troubles. Besides managing your products, orders, inventory and packaging, logistics is one headache you wouldn’t mind getting rid of. But without logistics the wheels of ecommerce come to a screeching halt.
So instead of dreading this part of online retail it’s better to understand how it works. There’s a lot you can do to improve your shipping and fulfilment processes. A little bit of creative thinking and inspiring thoughts are all you need to push through. Here are couple of expert opinions on how you can improve your ecommerce shipping and fulfilment mechanisms.
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Maintain a regular routine
With practice comes perfection. It is only after you’ve gone through the motions again and again will you figure out what’s going wrong and where.
Head of ecommerce at AVH Diamonds, Ofir Amsalem says, “Being on top of your fulfillment process means constantly reducing costs and clearing your time. Setting up a daily routine will help the process flow and make it much easier to spot bottlenecks and cut costs.”
Like we’ve discussed, shipping and order fulfilment are part and parcel of online retail. So ignoring them won’t help your business grow and achieve new heights.
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Ask your supplier questions
The best way to know how to do things is by talking to experts. Understand the fulfilment process by talking to your suppliers says John Lawson, the CEO of 3rd Power Outlet and ColderICE Media.
He says, “Go and meet your fulfillment suppliers. They’re great resources. You will be amazed at what they can do and tell you about the process of fulfillment that can save you time, money and effort. Get to know these people because they’ll make your life so much easier.”
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Keep an eye out for good carriers
Keep checking out logistics companies till you find the one that fits your requirements right. Not only should their services be cheap they also be reliable and flexible. Sometimes you may need the services of more than one logistics company. In that case you’ll behappy you tried out many. Have a look at our top suggestions.
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Get creative with your storage
There are a variety of storage options available to online sellers. Other than renting an actual storage room you can work with the empty space in your garage or may be your friend’s. How about an empty room at your house? The space requirements will depend on the kind of products you sell. Being investive can help you reduce costs and eliminate expenses.
“As we were growing, we purchased an old furniture truck with over 1 million kilometres on the clock which could hold a whole unloaded shipping container. This saved us a ton of money, then when we finished with it, we sold it for the same price we paid for it. Just make sure whatever you use is waterproof!” claims the author of Million dollar eBay Business From Home author Neil Waterhouse.
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Leave the tensions to the professionals
If you don’t want to coordinate the activities of different shipping companies you could just opt for fulfilment services from online marketplaces. Etailers Flipkart, Amazon and Snapdeal all extend fulfilment services to their sellers. This is the best option to avoid SLA breaches and maintain customer trust.
You could also try the drop shipping option, where you don’t even have to worry as much about inventory. Here the initial investments are small and inventory management is not your problem. However, it is advisable for you to check out the drawbacks of this fulfilment alternative before applying for it.
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Don’t forget the simple things
There are simple little things that must never be missed to ensure shipping and fulfilment success. All packages must be packed and sealed securely. Customers must be informed about the dispatch of their packages and when they can be expected. If you have to deal with orders from multiple marketplaces you can avail of multi-channel inventory management software. The Bowntape inventory management software helps online sellers efficiently manage their inventory and even pack and ship their orders in a very limited time frame.
So, even though fulfilment and shipping have their pain points, there are ways to overcome them. For more ecommerce tips and tricks reach out to us at Browntape. We are India’s leading e-commerce solutions experts, and we are always happy to help!
