Fulfillment centers make sure your packages are delivered to customers efficiently and accurately through their own warehousing and delivery operations.
Here’s a breakdown of the order fulfillment process:
1. You send your inventory to the fulfillment center.
2. They scan your inventory and store it in their warehouse facility.
3. Once a customer completes a purchase on your website, or partner website, the 3PL staff member picks the correct item from the inventory stockpile.
4. Next, they pack the item for shipping and prepare the shipping label.
5. Soon after, they ship the order and provide your customer with a tracking number.
6. If the product gets returned, they accept the item back into their warehouse.
7. Their customer support team responds to all customer inquiries.
Behind the scenes, order fulfillment centers also negotiate with shipping carriers and packaging vendors to score the best prices. Since they operate on a large scale, they’re able to lock into much lower rates than you ever could as an individual business.
The Benefits of Using an Order Fulfillment Center
By using Wolff/SMG Fulfillment USA you’ll enjoy these benefits:
1. Ease of outsourcing – Your business requires your full attention. By outsourcing to Wolff/SMG Fulfillment USA you can let us take care of the fulfillment as you focus on other pressing business matters, like growing your business!
2. Lower operational costs – Managing a fulfillment center is a complex operation. It comes with high operational costs, including rent, utilities, labor, training, supplies, software, employee benefits and more. If you opened your own warehouse, you’d have to pay for each of these expenses in full. In contrast, by using an established fulfillment solution, you’re only charged a small fraction of these costs.
3. Simplified shipping at scale – If you run a small e-commerce business, you can get away with stopping by the post office every couple of days to ship packages. However, once your business grows, this is no longer feasible. Your business needs fulfillment staff and infrastructure to manage shipments strategically. Wolff/SMG Fulfillment USA provides just that.
4. Cheaper shipping costs – Shipping carriers give lower rates to customers who ship in high volumes, like Wolff/SMG. Individual businesses ship much lower volumes than fulfillment centers, which combine multiple businesses shipping volumes into one. In other words, fulfillment centers enjoy economies of scale that enable them to negotiate outstanding rates with shipping carriers. By using Wolff/SMG Fulfillment USA, you can ship your products using these low rates.
5. Faster shipping times – Fulfillment centers have the space, software, and staff to get shipments out expediently. They also choose their location strategically for this purpose. In turn, we enable you to offer your customers fast, 2-day shipping.
6. Fewer mistakes – During the shipping process, mistakes happen. Sometimes a product gets shipped to the wrong person or the wrong item gets sent out. When you outsource to a Wolff/SMG, this doesn’t happen. Wolff/SMG uses advanced inventory tracking software to prevent mistakes from happening in the first place.
7. Advanced software solutions – Fulfillment centers can afford to invest in the latest logistics technology. This advanced web-based software tracks the precise location of your inventory as it travels throughout the fulfillment center and to your customer’s door. In turn, Wolff/SMG always knows exactly where each item is. Our web-based software integrates with your e-commerce platform, so you and your customers can track shipments.
8. Outstanding customer service – Fulfillment centers also provide customer service for brands. Many 3PLs have dedicated customer service teams that devote their entire attention to satisfying you, and thus your customers indirectly. By outsourcing this department to a fulfillment center, it can save your business a ton of time, money, and hassle.
9. Logistical expertise – Logistics is complex and challenging. It takes a lot of experience to ensure optimal order processing and inventory management. Wolff/SMG has the expertise to ensure your shipments are handled properly, even during peak shopping seasons.
With so many benefits, fulfillment centers are an incredible tool for any e-commerce business looking to sustain its success and provide its customers with a flawless shipping experience. And Wolff/SMG Fulfillment USA should be your choice.
