If you are in the e-commerce sector, you won’t need to be reminded that order fulfilment is everything and some! From the moment the customer clicks on ‘buy now’, the clock is ticking and you need global coverage, which is a logistics nightmare. Today’s consumer accepts nothing less than express delivery; some might say the shopper is spoiled and they might be right; online shopping is the ultimate in terms of convenience and same day delivery is a service you need to offer, at least for those who live in your country. Logistics is manageable when you only have a few orders a day, but what does the high-volume e-store do with a couple of hundred buys per day? You need to place your trust in reputed names like RakutenSL.com.
Third Party Logistics
Morphing alongside the fast-growing e-commerce sector is the 3PL provider, an organisation with the resources to ensure fast and professional order fulfilment; take online selling storage fulfilment in Thailand as an example – simply send your products and packaging to their warehouse and forward orders and they handle the picking, packing and delivery. What could be easier?
Package Tracking
What to do when a customer calls or emails, asking about their package? The fulfillment service company has GPS tracking on all your consignments, which you can link to your e-store. The customer doesn’t need to contact you, they simply paste in their package code into the search window and they will know exactly where the package is currently at. This really boosts your customer service and also frees up your HR resources to focus on other things.
Global Network
The 3PL company is part of a global logistics network using air, sea, road and rail to fulfil your orders in a timely manner. Every shopping cart business is only as good as their delivery system and when you get busy, your 3PL partner has you covered. Whether Liberia, Singapore or Thailand, wherever your customer resides, they can expect rapid delivery, thanks to the global logistics network. Click to find out how to be customer centric.
Total Flexibility
When you hook up with an established 3PL provider, they are very flexible with their services; you might, for example, wish to deal with the first few orders and have the 3PL people kick in at a certain point. Seasonal surges can cause logistical nightmares, but not when you use a leading 3PL company, as they handle high and low volume business; what’s more, you don’t have to enter into a lengthy contract, the service can be turned on or off with a single call and you only pay for the services you use. The provider has 24/7 phone operators who are ready to help you with anything and using such a service gives you the edge over your rivals, who won’t be able to match you in terms of fast delivery.
Forward your Orders
That’s all you have to do to ensure that your order fulfilment is handled by professionals, which means you, the business owner, can focus on improving the platform and sourcing new products to add to your virtual shelves. The smart e-commerce entrepreneur doesn’t even see the product, the 3PL partner handles everything; picking, packing and delivery, leaving you free to focus on other things. You can instruct the manufacturer to send the goods to the 3PL warehouse, which saves you having to do it, while your packaging needs to be topped up from time to time, depending on how busy you are.
If you would like to join forces with a local 3PL company, start with a Google search and don’t forget to read the online reviews from the many happy e-store owners that use the service. Check out their warehouse and you’ll understand how they can process orders at such a high volume, with a digital tracking system that your customers can use for free!
E-commerce is very big in Thailand, as many entrepreneurs choose Southeast Asia to base their business and if you are thinking of relocating to the Land of Smiles, they have some of the best 3PL providers in Bangkok.
The 3PL industry is growing exponentially as the whole world goes digital and with the right 3PL company in your team, the only way is up!
Image Credits: Mediamodifier
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