Our 2023 guide to eCommerce Fulfilment
Over the last number of years, it hasn’t gone unnoticed that eCommerce has become a thriving industry, offering convenience and endless possibilities for both entrepreneurs and customers.
Behind every successful online business or marketplace, there is a well-rehearsed and experienced eCommerce fulfilment partner. We’ve created an extensive guide that fully outlines what eCommerce is and how it works, however, in this blog article we touch on a few key points you need to know as an eCommerce business in today’s online landscape.
Explanation of eCommerce Fulfilment
To grasp the concept of eCommerce fulfilment, let’s start with the basics. eCommerce fulfilment refers to the process of receiving, processing, packing, and shipping orders placed on an online business. It involves managing inventory, coordinating with suppliers, picking and packing items, and ensuring timely delivery to customers’ doorsteps. Essentially, it is the backbone that keeps online businesses running smoothly and efficiently.
Benefits of Outsourcing eCommerce Fulfilment
1. Focus on Core Business Activities
By outsourcing your eCommerce fulfilment to a reliable third-party logistics (3PL) provider like Diamond Logistics, you can free up valuable time and resources. This allows you to focus on growing your business, developing marketing strategies, and enhancing your product offerings, rather than getting caught up in the intricacies of fulfilment operations.
2. Scalability and Flexibility
As your business expands, so does the volume of orders. A 3PL partner can handle the increased demand, ensuring seamless scalability and flexibility in your fulfilment process. They have the infrastructure, expertise, and resources to adapt to your changing needs, accommodating peak seasons and fluctuations in order volumes.
3. Cost Savings
Operating an in-house fulfilment centre involves significant upfront investments in warehouse space, equipment, technology, and personnel. Outsourcing to a 3PL eliminates these costs, as they already have the infrastructure and resources in place. This allows you to save money and allocate your budget to other critical aspects of your business.
How eCommerce Fulfilment Works
Understanding the inner workings of eCommerce fulfilment is vital for optimising your operations. Here we breakdown the steps involved in the process:
1. Receiving and Inventory Management
Upon receiving inventory from suppliers, it is carefully inspected, sorted, and stored in the fulfilment centre. Our advanced inventory management system, Despatchlab, tracks stock levels, ensuring accurate and up-to-date information.
2. Order Processing
When a customer places an order, our system, Despatchlab, receives the order details and initiates the fulfilment process. The entire process involves picking the items from the inventory, carefully packaging them, and preparing them for shipment.
3. Shipping and Delivery
The packaged orders are then handed over to shipping carriers for timely delivery. Diamond Logistics collaborates with reputable carriers and offers a multi-carrier solution, ensuring reliable and efficient shipping services.
Importance of a Fulfilment Partner
A Fulfilment Partner, like Diamond, can present your online business with a whole host of benefits, such as their expertise and efficiency, their adaptability to ebbs and lows in demand, their understanding of best practices within the industry, their focus on technological advancements and most importantly, the focus on enhancing the overall customer experience.
Testimonials
But don’t just take our word for it! Here are a few testimonials from our satisfied clients:
TAKK (Beauty Fulfilment client) –
“We love working with team very much. Bryn is our key contact person. He is always available for us and has a great energy. We trust Diamond Twickenham as a partner. Prit is also always a great support; we love working with him.”
Sky Wave Gin (Alcohol Fulfilment client) –
“We are thrilled to be working with a wonderful new fulfilment and logistics partner, who share our green aspirations too. We are always striving to do our bit for the planet and our children. Darcica is a finalist in no less than 3 categories of Cherwell Business Awards, and as a previous winner ourselves, we wish them all the best and look forwards to a bright, green future with them.”
Smarter Naturally (Health & Wellness Fulfilment client) –
“The service level that we have received from the local depot teams at Diamond Logistics has been outstanding. They have great communication and are very responsive and helpful when we engage with them, despite us being a small company which sometimes means we can be overlooked.”
eCommerce fulfilment is the backbone of any successful online business, ensuring smooth and efficient order processing, shipping, and delivery. As mentioned above, outsourcing to a reliable 3PL like Diamond Logistics offers numerous benefits. In our 2023 Guide to eCommerce Fulfilment, we unravel the complexities of eCommerce fulfilment, explore its benefits in further detail, and shed light on how it can transform your online business operations.
Are you ready to take the leap and revolutionise your eCommerce fulfilment processes? Diamond Logistics has vast knowledge and experience in delivering a variety of goods and consignments. If you want to learn more, simply call 0333 567 5888, email sales@diamondlogistics.co.uk or complete the contact form below.
