Nearly all of the e-commerce businesses in the Philippines started with self-fulfilling orders. It’s fun – you’re giving a personalized approach to give your customers the best experience. However, you will reach a point where you need to outsource a fulfillment partner, as the process is draining your business time and resources.
But, when exactly do you need to look for a third-party fulfillment provider? How can you tell that it is the perfect time to shift from self-fulfillment to outsourced fulfillment?
We heard those questions several times before. It’s time to answer that once and for all. In this page, we’re going to look at 5 important indicators that it’s time for your business to use a fulfillment center.
But, why do you need to take order fulfillment seriously?
For any retail business, receiving orders is an achievement, but isn’t worth a celebration. The only time to celebrate is when you successfully fulfilled your orders on time. You’re asking why? It’s because your fulfillment service directly affects the success of your business.
Receiving orders, choosing and packing items, and sending them to consumers are all part of order fulfillment. You need perfect all these steps to satisfy your customer and make them want to come back for more.
A 2018 study of Convey revealed that 98.1% of consumers agreed that delivery experience affects brand loyalty. Furthermore, 83.5% will not transact with the shop again after just one negative experience.
Interesting separate research in 2021 found that 65% of consumers are willing to pay extra to receive their product fast.
These numbers say a lot about the importance of fast and reliable fulfillment services. It is a tedious and time-consuming process, so if it starts to overwhelm you, you need to consider finding a fulfillment partner.
A fulfillment partner is a third-party firm that handles your order fulfillment on your behalf. They warehouse your items, select and pack orders as they come in, and send them straight to your consumers. By outsourcing fulfillment process to a reputable third-party source, you can save time and resources.
5 Signs that You Need to Outsource a Fulfillment Provider
Here are five important signs that indicate you need a fulfillment partner for your e-commerce business:
1. You have an increasing number of orders
So, your target market is now noticing your e-commerce business and you are experiencing a surge of orders? That’s great! You must be thrilled to see so many orders coming in. But you’ve now the responsibility to make your customer happy with their purchase.
If you can’t keep up with your orders. Then it’s probably the best time to outsource your order fulfillment. Typically, fulfillment providers are comprised of a team with individual tasks. They can handle every process at ease, regardless of hundreds of orders.
2. You are running out of space
If you’re products are starting to invade your personal space, then it’s a clear sign to rely on a fulfillment provider. These companies typically offer a warehouse with reliable facilities. They have specific storage solutions that can handle even the most delicate products that you have.
If you’re starting to lose the distinction between your personal space and your business space, it can create a feeling of clutter and chaos. This will affect not only your business but also your personal life.
3. You’re struggling with your inventory
Managing your inventory isn’t easy. We get it. But it’s a critical aspect in all retail businesses. So you cannot avoid this step no matter how you wanted to. You need to make sure that you have accurate and updated data to avoid any hassle and loss of opportunity.
If you’re struggling to keep track of your inventory levels or experiencing shortages, a fulfillment partner can help. They make sure that they have enough stocks every time to fulfill all orders.
4. You’re now receiving a lot of complaints
Do you know what’s worse than a bad product? A bad product that arrives late or broken. If you are running an e-commerce business, the last thing you want to do is to disappoint your shoppers. That’s a surefire way to lose their trust.
You need to act fast before it’s too late. Hire fulfillment experts to make sure that your orders arrive fast and in perfect condition.
5. You’re expanding your business
At this point, you probably have built a good reputation with your customers. Congrats on growing your online store, but you need to protect this reputation for continual business success.
When you expand your business, expect a sudden surge of orders. This then brings us to Sign #1. Outsource a fulfillment partner to do the work for you. You’ll save time and resources this way. You can also have more focus on making sure your expansion goes successfully.
The Fulfillment Partner You can trust
Partnering with a fulfillment provider can bring significant advantages for any e-commerce business looking to streamline its operations and grow efficiently. However, not all fulfillment centers are equal. You need an order fulfillment partner that you can trust.
Be Global E-commerce Corporation is the most reliable order fulfillment provider in the Philippines. You can leave us the heavy fulfillment work for you so you can have more time in growing your business.