Guide to Order Fulfillment

When it comes to shipping and fulfillment solutions for small business, it is definitely NOT one size fits all. Key variables include the type, weight, size and destination of the items you ship, along with customer needs and expectations.

Don't take fulfillment lightly. It is often the final touch-point with your customer, and poorly packaged items, slow, botched or overly pricy shipping can be a real turnoff. Don't make a bad final impression and risk losing future sales to the same customer.

Outsourcing fulfillment can be a big time saver. Here's how it works:

1. Your products, labels, barcodes and other unique packaging are stored in the fulfillment company's facilities.
2. Then, when orders are placed — either through you and your Web site, or perhaps direct to the service — the fulfillment firm can pack and ship the items.
3. A fulfillment firm can also handle customer service and returns, if you wish.

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

Discover what to look for in a fulfillment service

Different businesses have vastly different fulfillment needs, and service choices also vary tremendously. Choose a service that handles volume similar to yours, has good support and is Web-savvy.

I recommend: Check this list of What to Look for in a Mailing or Fulfillment Service Company.

Find a fulfillment service to fit your precise criteria

The Mailing and Fulfillment Service Association, a professional organization for mailing and fulfillment companies, offers a search feature on its Web site that can help you locate a fulfillment house that's right for you.

I recommend: Select your criteria and search the online directory of fulfillment services.

Get help designing your own fulfillment documents

To handle fulfillment properly, you'll want to integrate it with email notices, invoicing and reports that keep you informed on what's happening.

I recommend: ShipWorks includes a number of royalty-free invoice, email, and report templates that you can customize to fit your specific needs. Editing templates is simple using the built in editor included with ShipWorks.

See what 'Brown' and its affiliates can offer

For many small businesses, fulfillment services available through UPS or its affiliates may be the smart and convenient choice – especially if you already use this carrier.

I recommend: Discover the full range of UPS fulfillment solutions.

Integrated fulfillment solutions for eBay sellers, Miva merchants and others

Specialized fulfillment solutions are available for eBay businesses and other Web merchants.

I recommend: ShipWorks, from Interapptive, provides eBay sellers and Miva Merchant users with a complete software solution for managing checkout and shipping. CoLinear Systems has integrated UPS OnLine Tools into its Response for Windows customer/order management software. Infotech Systems, Inc. developed Order Manager as a complete order fulfillment system. It provides complete order tracking from inception to completion. Stone Edge, Order Manager can help you create and manage a small-to-medium e-commerce business.

Fulfillment that's fast, easy and guaranteed

While there are hundreds of shipping and fulfillment services nationwide, these have offerings that set them apart.

I recommend: iFulfill warehouses, packages and ships your inventory and offers a full guarantee. InterShipper offers exceptionally fast Web-based service and can help reduce shopping cart abandonment rates. Turnaround prides itself on high-speed turnaround (hence the name).

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• Keep a close eye on costs. Using outside fulfillment adds an expense you may not have factored into your budget.
• But you should also consider the costs you are avoiding by using them, such as storage space, payroll and your own time.
• If you charge customers for shipping and handling, you may be able to recover all or a portion of it.
• Aim to break even on the shipping cost side. Some small companies try to make a profit on shipping, but risk alienating customers who are savvy about shipping costs.
• List shipping and handling costs separately from the cost of the goods, and calculate the charge by weight, not the cost of the merchandise. Both steps will garner greater appreciation from customers.

The official source of Order Fulfillment is the Fulfillment page at Business.com