Why does your business need eCommerce fulfillment?

What do these statistics tell you?

These suggest that you cannot make your customers happy without delivering their products properly. Therefore, e-commerce fulfillment is the most critical aspect of your business.

How many Facebook or Instagram ads you've run or how well optimized your product pages are with descriptions and images that can't make up for a negative delivery experience.

The package you send your customer is the first impression of your brand. Therefore, if your product completeness improves, your sales and marketing will be better.

To ensure top customer satisfaction and ensure your customers return to your store for repeat business, you need to optimize and optimize your fulfillment chain so that your online and offline business elements are in sync , to be able to offer the best you can sell.

Now that we understand why fulfillment is an integral part of your business. Let's move on to see what it is in more detail!

Define E-Commerce Fulfillment

E-commerce fulfillment refers to the part of your e-commerce business that involves the tasks after the order is received. These include picking, packing, shipping and delivering products to the customer's doorstep.

After your customer places an order on your website, there are several steps involved in processing it to prepare it for delivery.

These include functions such as storage, inventory management, order management, packaging, shipping, returns, post-order tracking, etc.

So, even before you understood the concept of fulfillment, it has always been an integral part of your e-commerce business, whether you deliver products from your home or office.

Now that you know what e-commerce fulfillment is and its role in e-commerce businesses, let's quickly jump into e-commerce fulfillment processes.

What's Included in E-Commerce Fulfillment Functions 

1. Storage Services 

The first and foremost function involved in e-commerce fulfillment is the storage or warehousing of your products. It consists of storing your products in an organized manner for better accessibility.

Storage gives you the opportunity to store your products in a single place without any confusion, so you can process them quickly and track your inventory in a much more convenient way.

2. Inventory management

The next critical aspect of order fulfillment is inventory management, where a record of all products is maintained so that you can always be aware of out-of-stock products and replenish stock accordingly.

Inventory management makes it easy for you to assess customer requirements and forecast ahead for your business. It also helps you stay much more organized and streamline your ordering and sourcing accordingly.

3. Order Management

Order management refers to the management of incoming orders received on your e-commerce website. With efficient order management, you can ensure that no order is lost and that all are properly processed before delivery.

Order management needs to be in full sync with your storage and inventory management system so that information is updated on all fronts and further processing steps can be taken almost immediately.

4. Receipt & Packaging of Orders

After receiving an order, the e-commerce fulfillment chain proceeds to pick and pack. The order is picked up from its designated location in the warehouse and then packed with the appropriate packaging material available for that particular product. The packaged product must be labeled to ensure a smooth shipping process.

The receipt and packaging must be done with absolute accuracy and precision so that the wrong order is not packed and delivered to the customer. Also, if packaged correctly, the order can leave a positive impression on the customer and hinder their chances of returning to your site for business.

5. Shipping & Logistics

The next and most critical part of the fulfillment process is the shipping and logistics of the orders. Once all the above procedures are completed, a delivery slip is received e.g

6. Returns Management

Lastly, eCommerce and fulfillment do not only include order delivery. It also accounts for return orders that might come your way if customers do not like the product they ordered. Effective reverse logistics and order management can help you improve your customer’s shopping experience.