eCommerce is one of the fastest-growing markets in the world. More and more purchases are made online than in brick-and-mortar stores. Fulfilling the orders is one of the most important parts of the eCommerce supply chain, but most vendors outsource this responsibility to a third-party service. What can an eCommerce company do to ensure its needs are met by third-party logistics services? Here are five rules to follow to help you out.
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Third-Party Logistics Services Should Be Seamless
Consumers expect speedy delivery and will not accept delays or lost orders. It only takes one bad experience to lose a customer for good in the highly competitive arena of eCommerce. You need seamless integration between your online store, warehouse management service, and delivery partners to ensure consumer needs are met. SCHC is a 3PL in Texas that consistently provides warehousing, inventory management, and repackaging services for eCommerce businesses to make sure their customers get the products and delivery service they expect.
Use The Right eCommerce Platform To Power Your Business
An eCommerce business needs to keep its customers happy in order to keep them. A third-party logistics company needs to fulfill orders and monitor inventory levels accurately to satisfy the demands of an eCommerce business. The platform you use to sell products and fulfill orders will have a huge impact on the success of your sales and your 3PL’s ability to consistently service your customers.
3PL Services Need Close Ties With Delivery Partners
From a consumer’s perspective, your delivery partners are the most important part of your supply chain. Their performance will reflect on your business. Being able to track deliveries is a crucial consumer expectation and is also useful for an eCommerce business. The delivery partners your 3PL service uses must be reliable, and your third-party logistics company needs to have close ties with them to ensure a consistent service.
Order And Inventory Visibility Are Key Components
When you are running an eCommerce business you need to be able to monitor your inventory levels, not just what you have warehoused but also what you have coming in and what is out for delivery. Your 3PL service should use a Warehouse Management System (WMS) that can provide real-time data on where products and shipments are. Inventory management is crucial for reducing overheads and providing consumers with consistent access to products.
3PLs Must Treat Your Customers As Their Own
When an eCommerce business hands over the responsibility for fulfilling an order to a third-party logistics service it is also handing over its brand and how its products are presented to the consumer. A 3PL needs to treat the eCommerce customers as if they were their own, providing a high level of customer service. Whichever 3PL you consider using, do some research and make sure their clients are satisfied with their service.
Follow these five rules and your eCommerce site should be a success. Third-party logistics can offer any eCommerce business a lot of value and convenience, but the wrong one can cost you customers. Do some research and make sure you choose the right 3PL for your business.