Are you an entrepreneur who sells their product online? It was a smart business move if you do. One survey showed that 80% of all internet users have made a purchase online, with 50% of all users being repeat buyers. It is quite convenient to have the exact item you wanted delivered directly to your door. But who makes sure your purchase safely reached you?
Ecommerce order fulfillment is a branch of logistics management services. As anyone who has started a company knows, there are many moving parts behind the scenes. Making sure resources are quickly and efficiently sent and received are what logistics management services are all about. They are certainly a vital part of any business that relies on shipping.
A company can chose to have their own logistics department, or they may decide to use Third Party Logistics (3PL). This is as it sounds; an outside party provides the logistics management services required to keep the business running smoothly. It is a growing at a rate of about 12% to 15% annually. Many businesses like to be able to focus on what they do best, and to just hire an expert. In the realm of ecommerce fulfillment, fast and accurate service earns you repeat customers.
Logistics management involves more than shipping a package. Anyone can mail a parcel; handling large orders of supplies coming in to the business while tracking the product orders going out are the key to having a successful business. Customers do not like to get their package late. An office can not be successful if it has run out of the supplies necessary to make the product.
Any business is built firstly on having a good product or service. Good customer service follows closely behind. There are pitfalls in any business; logistics solutions may make things run more smoothly, especially for businesses that expect rapid growth. You never want to grow too large, too quickly. Because then you cannot take proper care of your customers, and as too many failed businesses know, once you lose a customer it is nearly impossible to win them back. Do not let your business fall into the same trap. Make sure your supply chain is strong before it grows weak.
