When it comes to growing your business, choosing to outsource your fulfilment can prove incredibly advantageous. Here are a number of advantages that can be achieved through outsourcing fulfilment.
Fulfilment providers can offer intelligent software solutions
One of the best, most convenient features that often comes with outsource fulfilment services is their unique software programmes. The software systems used by fulfilment services include a number of intelligent features that help to manage many facets of your business. The systems are usually incredibly adaptable, and some can integrate into the ordering systems of their clients, meaning ease of use and fewer mistakes for your business when it comes to fulfilment. Such specialised software can also give live updates and information about tracking to customers, providing an expert level of service when it comes to fulfilment. You may also find that some fulfilment service providers can host business sites themselves.
Fulfilment warehouses are built for purpose
When you have a small business, particularly if it’s a new start-up, it can be incredibly costly and ineffective to rent or own appropriate warehousing facilities. Fortunately, by outsourcing fulfilment, you do not have to be concerned with this, because a fulfilment service provider will take care of this for you. Often fulfilment services have large warehouses located at different areas across the country, ensuring your products are safely stored in areas that are convenient to reach your customers. As these warehouses can stock your products at different locations, this can also speed up dispatch and deliveries to various customers across the country.
You can save money on shipping costs
Fulfilment service providers, as a result of frequently shipping large quantities of items, usually benefit from discounted shipping rates. In some cases, fulfilment service providers can save upwards of 25% on their shipping costs, compared to typical delivery prices. With such competitive prices, it can be possible to discuss and agree on a flat-rate for shipping, determined by service and weight, rather than by destination, service and weight. With easily-estimated expenditure in this area, you can then make reasonable budgeting plans for your business.
You can save even more money on shipping materials
Just like the savings that fulfilment service providers benefit from in regards to shipping, providers also cut down their shipping material costs considerably by ordering in large quantities. The savings in this aspect can reach up to 50%, meaning that using a fulfilment service provider can significantly cut costs in this area for your business. The cost for fulfilment service providers is often so favourable that many do not include the price of packaging in their service offering. In many cases ‘free packaging’ is offered, with some exceptions where products exceed certain standard packaging sizes.
Outsourcing fulfilment gives you time to grow your business
Most importantly, outsourcing your fulfilment can offer the massive advantage of freeing up your time. By entrusting some of your business logistics to a specialised provider, you can use the time saved to then work on growing your company and customer-base.
Outsourcing your fulfilment saves you time, money and hassle, allowing you to focus on making your business as successful as possible.
