Categories for Proper Product Fulfillment

3 Cosmetics Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions

December 4, 2019  Published by

Nothing kills a customer experience like opening a new package to find a crushed eyeshadow or a lip gloss that has leaked all over the inside of its carton. Cosmetics require more thought when it comes to packaging and shipping than many other product types. Here are the Top 3 cosmetic supply chain challenges–and solutions for your brand to consider: 1. Temperature Control and Proper Storage The risk of spoilage is a huge cosmetic supply chain challenge. The solution is proper temperature and handling from manufacturing through fulfillment center to delivery. Cosmetics can easily melt or separate if they are kept... View Article

5 Packaging Tips for Influencer Gifting

October 16, 2019  Published by

Launching a new product, or just want to get an existing one the street cred it deserves? Influencer gifting is an effective way to get your products noticed. When gifting influencers, you’re essentially giving them a free product they can sample and, if all goes well, tell their followers about. And it works. In fact, consumers are more likely to make a purchase if they feel confident about an influencer’s recommendation, with about three-quarters of them trusting opinions they find on social media from friends, families and influencers. If you want to get the most bang for your buck for... View Article

The Benefits of Kitting Services for Ecommerce Businesses

October 2, 2019  Published by

If you outsource your distribution, warehousing or fulfillment services to a third-party logistics (3PL) company, chances are you are familiar with kitting services. Fulfillment Works, for example, provides an array of pick and pack and kitting services. Kitting services can effectively lower your shipping costs, speed up fulfillment and boost sales for your ecommerce business. What Exactly Is Kitting? In fulfillment, kitting is the bundling of individual items into ready-to-ship packages. Let’s say you’re an ecommerce merchant that specializes in men’s grooming products, and your best-seller is your beard wash. You’ve noticed, however, that customers who purchase the beard wash... View Article

Statistics that Show the Importance of Reverse Logistics

July 24, 2019  Published by

Reverse logistics management is an important factor for success in ecommerce – perhaps more than you may realize. To help paint a picture of all the different ways reverse logistics impacts businesses and their customers, we’ll take a look at some fascinating data points from around the web and examine their importance in developing broad logistics strategies. Stat: Ecommerce purchases are 3x more likely than retail purchases to be returned (USPS) Takeaway: It’s all too easy to let outbound logistics absorb all your focus, but remember: the more you ship, the more returns you’ll have to process (statistically speaking). Plus,... View Article

Continue Creating a Great Customer Experience, Even After Checkout

July 17, 2019  Published by

The experience that shoppers have with your ecommerce brand isn’t limited to interactions with your website. It continues offline through the product fulfillment process – including how an order is packaged, the condition of the items in an order, and efficiency of the returns process. While your direct control over shipping and handling is limited during the last mile, there are a few things you can do before packages leave your warehouse that will go a long way toward giving customers a delivery experience that makes a good impression. Right-Sizing In a Harris Poll survey (funded by packaging manufacturer, Sealed... View Article

Efficiency Essentials for Order Fulfillment

July 10, 2019  Published by

Continuous process improvement strategies can make or break businesses in the order fulfillment industry. But with day-to-day operations as complex as they are, it can be challenging to rethink processes in order to find and fix inefficiencies. If you find yourself struggling with improving your fulfillment capabilities, stop and look closely at these essential areas. Costs per order Group and measure your fulfillment expenses into categories of Freight Management Direct and indirect labor Facilities (including operating expenses like utilities and security) Shipping supplies By understanding the financial impact each area has, you’ll be better prepared for identifying where improvements will... View Article

How to Shop for Warehouse Facilities

July 3, 2019  Published by

Most folks think of warehouse buildings as big empty rooms for sale or lease. But if you’ve ever considered expanding your ecommerce business by opening or moving to a new distribution center, you know there’s a lot more to those “big empty rooms” than meets the eye. Before touring potential properties, identifying your space requirements in detail is crucial for finding facilities that meet your needs today, and in the future. When shopping for warehouses, keep the following ideas in mind to help you find facilities that will fit your space and functionality requirements. Cubic feet In product fulfillment and... View Article

Supply Chain Visibility – A Win-Win for Customers and E-Tailers

May 15, 2019  Published by

A good customer experience (CX) comes from consistently meeting shoppers’ expectations during ALL touchpoints with your ecommerce business. Things like the UX design of your website, the tone and content of social media posts & marketing emails, your returns policy, customer service interactions, and the unboxing experience are just a few examples of customer experience factors that e-tailers tend to prioritize. However, despite improved understanding and measurement of how supply chains impact customers, little progress has been made in recent years towards using this information to make CX better. In a joint study from logistics companies, Convey and eft, designed... View Article

USPS Rates for 2019 are now in Effect

January 23, 2019  Published by

Following in the footsteps of last year’s rate increases from UPS and FedEx, the USPS enacted several rate increases of its own on January 27 this year. To help you estimate the impact on your business, we’ve outlined some of the key changes below: Priority Mail Rates Across the board, Priority Mail services increased by an average of 5.9%. Other changes of note include the elimination of balloon pricing for parcels shipping to Zones 1-4, and an average 3.9% increase for Priority Mail Express rates. First Class Package Services For the first time, First Class Package service rates will now... View Article

A Recap of UPS Rate Changes for 2019

January 16, 2019  Published by

UPS announced changes to its rates for 2019 in December last year – giving customers a mere 3 weeks before they went into effect. With the holidays in full swing, the entire fulfillment industry was extremely busy at that time – so if you missed the announcement or didn’t have time to process the details, you’re not alone. To help get you up to speed, we’ve highlighted the some of the most important changes in the list below. For full details and pricing information, visit UPS to read the official announcement. The rates for UPS® Ground, UPS Air and International... View Article