Is 3PL fulfilment right for you?
Fulfilment solutions are a designed service that can be produced on a larger scale, yet with (on average) fewer input costs, economies of scale can then be achieved. They store items from hundreds of retailers under one roof, and develop processes to pick, pack and dispatch them all as accurately and efficiently as possible.
This means there are a couple of scenarios in which you won’t be able to outsource your order fulfilment:
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You stock large, heavy & irregular shaped items
Most fulfilment centres use standard packaging and shipping services, hence restrict the format of products they work with.
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You want custom packaging
If you’re looking for bespoke packaging options such as christmas wrapped with a ribbon, fulfilment centres are unlikely to help you until you’re consistently taking hundreds of orders a month. Only then will you achieve economies of scale.
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You stock one-off or clearance items
If you sell one off art items or vintage guitars, for example, you probably only stock one of each item. Retailing this way will be cheaper and easier if you ship direct to customers,