Purchasing resources for Catalog Fulfillment Services

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.

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.

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.

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.

• 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.