Guides & Articles on Order Fulfillment
Outsourcing
Tapping into outside expertise can cut costs and increase efficiency
By Tonya Vinas
Outsourcing allows small businesses to obtain services and expertise they could never develop in-house, focus on core competencies and, in many cases, cut costs and improve efficiency. To determine what to outsource, consider: What not to outsource. What actions does your company perform that add value for the customer and give you a competitive edge? These are activities to keep...
Drop Shipping
Let others do the heavy lifting while you market to customers
By Jackie Larson
Drop shipping is a way to send goods straight from your supplier to your customers online — without some of the risks normally associated with having a store. For example, with drop shipping you don't have to pay for goods until they are sold, thereby reducing a common financial risk for retailers. More than simply reducing risk, however, drop shipping can enhance exist...
Material Management
Using material management systems to stay on track with raw materials and parts for production
By Greg Brown
Patients at a hospital check in and check out. Factories pump 24/7, assembling cars, dish washers, electronics. Construction sites start up at the crack of dawn, and a floor is added by dark.What these bustling businesses have in common is a huge demand for material management systems and material management software. Someone is in charge of making the syringes, the car parts, the ...
Pick and Pack Services
A pick and pack service can ease your product fulfillment load
By Judy Artunian
Pick and pack services offer end-to-end product fulfillment - selecting items (from stock or a warehouse) for each order, packaging them and shipping them to customers. Pick and pack services are ideal for companies with packaging needs that vary from one order to the next. Companies often turn to an outside pick and pack service when their order volume grows to the point where emp...
Dedicated Logistics
Dedicated logistics provides focused business solutions
By Nikki Davis
Dedicated logistics companies help you optimize your business by reducing your freight costs, helping with vendor compliance and with distribution consultation. They can help you keep your transportation costs, your distribution and your claims under control.Dedicated logistics companies come in all shapes and sizes, and you will find a wide variety of dedicated shipping busin...
Contract Warehousing
Find contract warehousing solutions for any business
By Nikki Davis
Contract warehousing allows you, the owner, to absorb some of the cost risks involved with goods storage by committing to pay fees whether or not the space is utilized. You share the risks with the owner of the warehouse company, and in turn your costs will be less than public warehousing.Contract warehousing can give you many advantages including an increase in your supply-chain p...
Sweepstakes Fulfillment
Hire a sweepstakes fulfillment company to ensure your event's success
By Kim Finn
If you've decided you want your company to sponsor a sweepstakes contest as a marketing tool to promote your company, contract out the sweepstakes fulfillment to avoid an unnecessarily huge burden on your company. Essentially, you only need to come up with the idea, and a sweepstakes fulfillment company can take it from there.Contracting out your contest fulfillment takes the b...
Rebate Fulfillment
Find the rebate fulfillment solution to boost your business
By Kim Finn
Once you decide to offer a product rebate, you've got to work out the details for rebate fulfillment. Rebates provide a viable marketing solution for generating more interest in and sales for your product, so you want to accomplish it right the first time.You could attempt rebate fulfillment services in house with your existing employees, but you'd need software to get the ...
Coupon Bounceback Services
Find coupon bounceback services and solutions to improve your business
By Kim Finn
If you want to initiate a marketing tool that can help generate repeat business by your customers, consider using coupon bounceback services. Bounceback coupons allow you to employ a distribution period where customers come to your store (brick-and-mortar or online) to pick up the coupons for use during a later redemption period. Manufacturers, retailers and grocery companies offer...
Refrigerated Storage Services and Facilities
Selecting the right storage for frozen foods
By Trisha Schulz
Your most important asset is the product you sell, so protecting your goods from damage and keeping them fresh with refrigerated storage services is vital. It's big business: The frozen food and refrigerated products industry in the U.S. nets $230 billion yearly.Refrigerated storage units and warehouses are equipped with special technology to regulate temperature and may even b...
Logistics Organizations
Stay abreast of industry issues, news and trends by joining logistics organizations
By Tai G.
If you own a company in the logistics industry, you would do well to partner with logistics associations to strengthen your business expertise and credibility. Industry organizations bring together professionals with similar goals and challenges. Members of industry organizations come from across company divisions, but all share the same objective of expanding their knowledge. Beco...
Drop Shipping Basics
Consider drop shipping vendors to start or expand your business
By Shannon Tani
Many small business owners turn to drop shipping companies in order to help their business grow. Drop ship services allow business owners to sell products without the hassle of stocking and shipping the products.If this is something that you are considering for your business, knowing the drop shipping basics will help you to sort through the good and bad of the industry. It's i...
Making the Most of Drop Shipping
Consider making the most of drop shipping companies to succeed in business
By Shannon Tani
Drop shipping companies are an ideal solution for many small business owners. They conveniently drop ship products directly to your customers.Making the most of drop shipping is easy to do. You simply need to find the right drop shipping companies or company for you.Some of the advantages of using a drop shipper are:1. You can easily run your business from home. By using drop ship ...
Making the Most of Pick and Pack Services
Keep your pick and pack operations running smoothly
By Jennifer Ehlenfeldt
Making the most of pick & pack services is the easiest way to save your company money when it comes to fulfillment. Just hiring a pick and pack business isn't a guaranteed way to save your company money, so you'll need to do your research to make sure you're getting the most out of the services you’re using.Combining your order fulfillment with other aspects o...
Working With Pick and Pack Services
Stay informed when working with pick and ship companies
By Jennifer Ehlenfeldt
Whether you own an e-commerce company selling products on the Internet or you have a well-established catalog or other sales business, fulfilling orders is always a large part of your business. Working with pick and pack services can make fulfillment a lot less stressful and even less expensive. Companies that outsource their order processing to pick and pack services save on labor...
Training for Material Management
Options in training staff on materials management tools and processes
By J. Stoltzfus
If you are in charge of helping a group of management professionals handle complex in-house processes, taking a look at your existing material management setup might help. These days, companies in all kinds of industries are using advances materials management software tools to promote synergy between human initiative and technological power. To advance in this area of your busines...
Supplies for Material Management
Finding some software supplies for material management online
By J. Stoltzfus
Material management has come a long way from the days of simple human observation. The rise of technology has provided a lot of assistance with these tasks of quantification and complex decision-making. Specifically, there are a number of software tools that are extremely helpful for outfitting material management staff with the right supplies for success.To supply material managem...
Coupon Bounceback Services for Beginners
Learn how coupons bounceback to jump start your business
By Jason Wood
Coupons fulfillment has come a long way from the days where you'd clip a coupon in the paper. Now there are all sorts of coupons including free online printable grocery coupons, received in the mail or even given to you after you make a purchase. Enter the bounceback coupon. A bounce back coupon is a coupon that encourages the customer to come back to the store at a later date....
Drop Shipping Key Terms
Read these key terms for drop shipping and decide if it's right for your business
By J. Stoltzfus
Since a lot of business has migrated online, drop shipping has become a popular setup for retail. With drop shipping, a seller places orders from a manufacturer as they come in from customers, rather than stocking up initially. Though this seems like a good way for sellers to avoid the costs and liabilities of inventory, it is not without its hazards. Reading up on some key concept...
Pick and Pack Services Key Terms
Learn basic pick and pack terms for your logistics needs
By Jennifer Ehlenfeldt
Pick and pack services are an important part of fulfillment and logistics for many types of companies. From the small jewelry retailer to the national furniture company, pick and pack services are used to fulfill orders. Make sure you understand the basic pick and pack terms so you know your products are being delivered in a timely fashion....
Material Management Key Terms
Use material management key terms to give your business a professional edge
By Christine Pollock
The field of material management covers many facets including quality control, acquisition, monitoring standards and working with surplus materials. Understanding material management key terms helps the professional communicate about different parts of the job.Using material management key terms not only clarifies terms and conditions, but it also shows one's dedication to the ...
Coupon Bounceback Services Key Terms
Key terms for using coupon bounceback services for coupon campaigns
By J. Stoltzfus
When a business wants to optimize its marketing strategies with a coupon campaign, a coupon bounceback service can be the way to go. Coupon bounceback services help companies realize profit from coupon promotions. A "bounceback" coupon refers to something in a specific time period that a customer can redeem at a later date. Bounceback coupons are often used to track ...
Coupon Bounceback Services Pricing and Costs
Learn about the basic costs associated with coupon bounceback services
By Jason Wood
A bounceback coupon is a discount offered to a customer upon their return to the store. For instance, when a customer makes a purchase, a "bounceback coupon" is then given to them in the hopes of having them return to the store and spend more money. A bounce back coupon is a popular trade tool used by retailers, restaurateurs and other businesses that thrive on frequent c...
