Part of running a business is learning to delegate. Let's be honest: we can't do it all — even if we try. This is especially true of order fulfilment, one of the most challenging, time-consuming parts of ecommerce. Delegating tasks is crucial, freeing up your valuable time to focus on growing your retail business. Although trusting others with your "baby" can be difficult, and budget constraints may worry you, outsourcing fulfilment can help you expand your business and even save money in the long run.
Outsourcing Order Fulfilment
Outsourcing order fulfilment helps you:
- Focus on selling (and more)
- Lower shipping costs
- Increase shipping speeds
- Communicate accurate shipping information to customers
- Lower operating costs
- Extend your reach as a retailer
- Organise and streamline your back office
- Make customers happier
Third-Party Logistics Companies: Your Order Fulfilment Partners
Before diving into the benefits, it's crucial to understand how outsourcing fulfilment works. When you hand off fulfilment, you seek a third-party logistics company, or 3PL. These partners store your products in their warehouses and manage the picking, packing, and shipping processes.
A strong integration between warehouse software and your ecommerce store makes this possible, streamlining the fulfilment process and allowing you to track shipments. However, not all 3PLs are equal, so finding a fulfilment partner that meets your needs is key.
8 Benefits of Outsourcing Order Fulfilment
Outsourcing order fulfilment offers many advantages beyond merely offloading work. To run a successful business, you must meet customer needs and expectations, especially regarding fulfilment. Here's a breakdown of the eight significant benefits of outsourcing order fulfilment.
1. Focus on Selling (and More)
The primary benefit is the ability to refocus your time and energy on growing your business. As order volume increases, fulfilment becomes more demanding. Outsourcing lets you concentrate on design, marketing, and sales.
2. Lower Shipping Costs
Many avoid outsourcing due to perceived costs, but 3PLs can save money on shipping. By leveraging multiple warehouses and receiving bulk shipping discounts, you can reduce costs significantly.
3. Increase Shipping Speeds
Multiple warehouses across the country enable faster delivery. This is crucial, as 67% of US consumers expect delivery within two days.
4. Provide Accurate Shipping Information to Buyers
Outsourcing helps ensure consistency and transparency, boosting customer confidence and reducing order cancellations due to delivery uncertainty.
5. Reduce Operating Costs
Self-fulfilling comes with hidden costs. Outsourcing helps save on overhead and only charges for what you use, including picking, packing, and shipping, with potential for free storage periods.
6. Extend Your Reach
With a fulfilment partner, you can go national or global. Navigating shipping rates and regulations becomes manageable, unlocking new markets.
7. Organise and Streamline Your Back Office
3PLs often integrate seamlessly with your ecommerce store, improving visibility into inventory management, tracking, security, shipping, and payment processing.
8. More Happy Customers
Faster, cheaper shipping, accurate delivery information, global reach, and more time for marketing lead to happier customers, the ultimate goal of your business.
Moving Forward with Outsourcing Order Fulfilment
Handing off order fulfilment to an external partner can bring significant benefits. From a more organised back office to increased customer satisfaction, outsourcing can help you scale your ecommerce business effectively. If you decide to outsource to a 3PL, such as Blue30 Fulfilment, take your time to research and choose the best partner for your business needs.
Blue30 Fulfilment for you Order Fulfilment
Blue30 is a UK based Fulfilment services UK offering a number of services to ecommerce sellers and brands.
Check out the full list of our services provided here. You can also book in a free call to discuss your requirements and what we have to offer here. Alternatively get a free quote here.
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