Outsourced e-Commerce fulfillment services are a smart choice for businesses with big goals, fluctuating sales, and not enough time or resources to handle things in-house. Working with a partner is a great way to free up your time while enlisting an expert who can help you optimize order fulfillment and overcome logistics challenges within your business.
So how do you know which partner is right for your needs? When searching for the right e-Commerce fulfillment partner, look into the following six tips that consider services, capabilities, and features.
1. The Provided Services
Choosing an e-Commerce fulfillment service partner that offers the services your business needs and will use is essential. While bells and whistles are nice, consider what services would make your business run smoother and increase your bottle line.
E-Commerce fulfillment services may be a consideration you want to review.
Fulfillment providers handle all aspects of your e-Commerce operation and deliver your products from your warehouse to your customers. Your e-fulfillment processes include:
- Getting products onto fulfillment center shelves
- Picking and packing orders
- Shipping out the products safely and timely
As you vet potential providers, ask how their process works and how their product fulfillment services help you.
2. Assess e-Commerce Fulfillment Service Costs
We understand that costs might make or break your final decision about who you work with. While the quality of service and value these partners bring to your business is crucial, you need to be able to afford the services you’re using.
Controlling costs is a big piece of this, so inquire with service providers on how they handle pricing. Some partners will hand a set fee per month, while others may increase pricing based on inventory, sales levels, and shipping costs. Either way, expect some initial up-front investments, and be sure to find a monthly cost that makes sense with your business numbers. And we recommend asking about your shipping options, too.
3. Where Are Their Fulfillment Centers Located?
As they say, location, location, location. When it comes to shipping and moving e-Commerce products, location has a significant impact on how quickly products move and accessibility to ports or other docks.
To get the job done quickly and efficiently, you’ll want to work with a 3PL partner that offers multiple warehousing locations so that shipping can be as fast as possible. E-Commerce transportation and fulfillment solutions that run efficiently positively impact the business and their customers – a win, win for you and your community.
At BR Williams, we can get the job done quickly and efficiently with our fulfillment centers and distribution warehouses in Alabama, including one facility just 10 minutes from the Port of Mobile that spans over 1.7 million square feet.
4. Look at their Reputation
What others say about a business can provide you with an accurate picture of what it’s like to work together. While services and costs matter, so should what other customers have to say about each company. Check out online reviews on Google and other platforms to see the average experience of working with the service provider.
Reputation should play a significant role in your final decision, and finding a business that supports your company’s goals and culture is key to a successful relationship.
5. Ask About their WMS
Be sure to ask about each partner’s warehouse management system (WMS) to understand how they can support your business better. Through implementing the proper warehouse management system, order management will become a strength and boost your customer service levels. In a globally connected marketplace, an optimized WMS enables businesses to focus on other areas of growth.
6. Review their Safety Standards
Conversations with your potential partners about safety standards are a must. It’s essential to understand how each business operates and, more importantly, how it impacts your business. BR Williams is an ISO-certified company with many accolades.
ISO Certification
BR Williams is ISO 9001:2015 Certified, meaning we passed a series of quality standards that outline the requirements for quality management systems. They were developed to promote worldwide standards for the management of quality.
Company Awards
Over the years, our dedicated team at BR Williams has worked hard to constantly improve our policies and procedures, holding them to the highest quality standards. Because of this, our company and employees have been awarded a number of recognitions over the years.
Start streamlining your e-Commerce business today
If you’re ready to find an e-Commerce fulfillment service partner who checks all of your boxes and keeps your overhead costs low, talk with the team at BR Williams for a free quote today! You can also explore more about our logistics services and reach out with any questions you may have.
