Electronic commerce (e-commerce) has in the last couple of years, grown to become one of the leading sources of income in the world. In the United States and Canada alone, there are over 1.3 million e-commerce companies.
The e-commerce market size has grown so large that in 2022 alone, a whopping sum of $5.7 trillion was spent online by consumers globally.
The industry’s tremendous increase is in tandem with the yearnings of the target audience to have their products delivered on time.
Of course, the deliveries in this instance don’t necessarily have to be initiated by the merchant. There are many order fulfillment companies or logistic companies that handle them perfectly.
Worthy of mention is that the duties of these companies are to handle the inventory, the order processing, and the shipment of the products. You may need to check out how order fulfillment companies operate.
The delivery of the products helps the merchant or Dropshipper as the case might be to focus solely on the marketing of the products.
How Can You Identify the Best Order Fulfillment Services or Companies?
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Many logistics or order fulfillment companies would be willing to handle your orders. Nevertheless, you need to “run a background check” to identify the ones that can do the job better than the others would.
So, here are the factors to help you spot the best order fulfillment company:
1. Proximity
It is not under dispute that the location of an order fulfillment company determines the possibility of getting more patronage over others. Such is the case because the location has many roles to play in the entire last-mile delivery.
First, the proximity of the order fulfillment company’s shipment location to the seller/merchant makes it easier to send the products across to them for onward dispatch.
In the like manner, the proximity to the buyers through the strategic citing of the company’s offices makes it easier for the products to get to the buyers.
Second and most important, the proximity of the order fulfillment company also helps to reduce costs both on the part of the merchants/sellers and the buyers.
This is tenable because both parties wouldn’t have to pay higher fees to send the goods in bulk to the company and to take delivery of the same, respectively.
2. Service Quality
Most times, merchants that use order fulfillment companies are moved by the fantastic deals they offer, without paying enough attention to the companies credibility. This is why the quality of service offered by a courier servicing company should help you in arriving at an informed decision.
Related: How First World Countries Use Artificial Intelligence in E-Commerce
Worthy of mention is that service quality comes in different forms.
The first is that the company ought to have exceptional customer service that can cater to your inquiries.
More so, the company ought to have seamless credibility and acceptability by many people.
For instance, you can check social networks and any other media of communication to be sure of the opinion held by others regarding the company’s services. Unbiased product review sites in the United States can also be helpful.
3. Reviews and Testimonials
Despite the touting in some quarters about the verification of an order fulfillment company’s reputation using the word of mouth, it should be noted that the opinion of previous and returning users also matters.
Of course, many shoppers have been swayed to purchase a particular product because of the positive opinions of previous buyers. Likewise, shoppers may turn their backs on products that have more reviews that are negative.
This is where social commerce is playing an awesome role.
The same scenario plays out when you’re trying to spot the best courier service company near you.
The rule of thumb is to look around for the reviews and testimonials of people that have used them in the past.
Some of the places you can get the needed insights are in the “Review” section on the company’s social network channels. You can also check on popular review platforms to see if the company was listed there.
Coming across the reviews and testimonials of these order fulfillment companies is one side of the coin; making judicious use of them is another.
The general rule is that the higher the positive reviews, the higher the potentialities of the order fulfillment company’s efficiency.
Note that the negative reviews may not necessarily imply that the company isn’t up to its task. So, you may want to give the order fulfillment company a “benefit of the doubt” to see how things turn out.
4. Business References
“The sky is big enough” is a maxim that is common in electronic commerce (e-commerce) and even in conventional industries.
It means that hundreds of suppliers can thrive in the same industry. With that, you can spot a feasible order fulfillment company by requesting its portfolio, verifiable data, or business references of the customers or clients they have served.
You can also narrow the references down to your niche. That way, it would be easier to discover how the company has been able to treat your colleagues in the industry and see if you would love to have the same.
You may also want to take the notch higher by reaching out to previous clients to have an on-the-spot evaluation of their customer satisfaction with the services offered by the order fulfillment company.
5. Packaging
The best way to choose an order fulfillment company is to go for one that can package the products sent to it for dispatch to the customers in the safest way.
So, verify the processes involved, the packaging material used and the fees accruable to the same. The order fulfillment format is very important.
6. Pricing
We saved the best for the last. The rates charged by the company should also be factored in when deciding on the order fulfillment service to use.
Related: 4 Benefits of Outsourcing Delivery in E-Commerce Business
As a rule, the distance and the weight of the products determine the pricing. There may be room for price negotiations too!
Get Smart About Order Fulfillment
Marketing your products may be a whole lot of hassles, but it cannot be as tricky as fulfilling the orders. That is why you need to have sufficient information about the order fulfillment company you intend to use.
So, when you’re ready to start shipping your products via an order delivery firm, you can be confident that the above tips would help you select the company that would do a better job.
