If you want to score big with your customers, research catalog fulfillment centers and contract with the one that can deliver your product to your customers efficiently and correctly the first time. You have no business without your customers, so you must do what you can to keep them happy and make them want to shop with you again and again.

You may try fulfilling your own catalog orders when you first launch your company, but you can overwhelm yourself as your business grows and waste a lot of your own resources trying to fill orders. Catalog fulfillment companies specialize in fulfilling your orders so you can focus on marketing and improving your product. As you search for the catalog fulfillment solution that provides a good fit for your company's needs, consider the following:

1. Perform due diligence to determine what catalog fulfillment services you need and can afford.

2. Learn about all the costs associated with catalog fulfillment houses.

3. Ensure the catalog fulfillment house you decide on will support you if your product sales run in cycles or seasons, since seasonal products can result in empty warehouse shelves, which can translate into revenue losses for the warehouse if not planned for.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Work with a catalog fulfillment center that offers convenient pick, pack and ship services

Fulfillment houses will store your products in warehouses, maintain and control your inventories and ship your product to the customer, so their location and available services become significant factors in your search. Consider fulfillment centers that occupy numerous warehouses throughout the country or in the regions your customer base lives in.

I recommend: With their worldwide network of warehouses, consider using UPS for your catalog fulfillment solution if your company has national or global sales. If you don't care so much about the number of warehouses a fulfillment center maintains, consider BMS Direct which operates a warehouse centrally located to destination U.S. Postal Service postal facilities and provides services like shipping, mailing, inventory control and ensuring no duplication of customer mailing addresses.

Consider whether you need a catalog fulfillment company that takes all orders directly

Depending on the depth of service you need, you can find the order fulfillment solution right for your business. You may prefer to take your own orders and pass them on to the fulfillment center, but many companies can take that load off your back by handling either or both of your paper and online catalog sales.

I recommend: CrossCountry Fulfillment performs all traditional fulfillment services and can take and process orders from your online catalog, through a 1-800 number listed in your catalog or through your faxed or mailed catalog order form. You should also look at the order-taking ability and other customer service functions available at Innovative Fulfillment Solutions.

Feel confident about your catalog fulfillment solution and product sales through effective reporting

Fulfillment services can also involve reporting, tracking and/or analysis of product sales, shipping and customer satisfaction.

I recommend: Consider the full-service catalog fulfillment services of Progressive Distribution where, as part of their Customer Contact Center, you receive information on both order and non-order phone calls they take so you know what kinds of questions people are asking about your product. Also check out the up-to-the minute reporting you'll receive through Moulton Fulfillment Services.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  As you research each catalog fulfillment business, check out their reputation for on-time or Just-In-Time delivery. You'll lose customers and money if you can't deliver your product on time or when needed.