One of the basic tenets of warehouse performance indicators is that you can't improve what you can't measure. This is why it's important to use the best performance indicators when you measure warehouse efficiency and success. Without the right productivity metrics, you can waste time, money, and energy pursuing the wrong direction while more effective and efficient areas for improvement go unnoticed. Instead of trying to measure anything and everything, make use of the best practices for warehouse metrics to find the most optimal path to warehouse improvements. Important Warehouse Performance Indicators Carrying Cost of Inventory Every bit of inventory...How to Use Key Warehouse Performance Indicators for Improving Efficiency and Practices
One of the basic tenets of warehouse performance indicators is that you can't improve what you can't measure. This is why it's important to use the best performance indicators when you measure warehouse efficiency and success. Without the right productivity metrics, you can waste time, money, and energy pursuing the wrong direction while more effective and efficient areas for improvement go unnoticed. Instead of trying to measure anything and everything, make use of the best practices for warehouse metrics to find the most optimal path to warehouse improvements. Important Warehouse Performance Indicators Carrying Cost of Inventory Every bit of inventory...8 Signs You Should Invest in Order Fulfillment Services
If you’re just entering the e-commerce space, you should be excited. There are mountains of opportunity, but also tons of challenges as you try to carve your own space in a crowded market. If you’re already in that space and looking for a way to separate yourself from the pack, then maybe it’s time you consider outsourcing your order fulfillment services to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider. (more…)
Should You Use More Than One Fulfillment Center?
Whether you manage your fulfillment operations on your own or if you make use of a 3rd party fulfillment center, there will come a time when you will question whether setting up an additional center is a good idea. Making this sort of decision is not easy since getting additional fulfillment centers can start making more or less sense depending on numerous factors, market niches, or other forces. Take the following considerations into account when weighing the situation in order to get a better sense of the best direction to take. (more…)
Product Fulfillment Services for Toys and Games
Product fulfillment services overall is a difficult industry, but the toy and game industry is an especially tough market. Several factors are against its success; the most prominent of which being the declining world birth rate, and the shift from children playing with physical toys to now being in the digital space. Despite these challenges, the toy and game industry continues to grow and experts believe the industry will keep growing up until at least 2018. The key for toys and games fulfillment is an experienced logistics company who can manage the nuances of shipping to both B2B and B2C...
How to Find an Omnichannel Fulfillment Partner
"Omnichannel fulfillment" refers to any order fulfillment operations that service both business-to-business (B2B) and direct-to-consumer shipping (D2C). In today's rising e-commerce environment, omnichannel fulfillment is usually seen when a business is shipping products out to retail locations as well as to any customers who order online. Being able to manage omnichannel fulfillment successfully can be a great boon for your business, as it allows you to sell products through multiple streams of business and have better access to consumers. Omnichannel fulfillment does come with challenges, however, but these can be made easier by finding the correct fulfillment services partner to...
What Do the USPS Shipping Rate Changes Mean for E-Commerce?
About the 2016 Postal Rate Increase If you’re already in the e-commerce retail business, you have realized by now that there has been an increase in shipment costs. That’s because the USPS was given the go-ahead to alter its prices, which overwhelmingly meant increasing shipping rates across the board. For businesses just getting into shipping this year, this cost obviously hasn’t changed. But those who have been shipping packages for a while would have had to adjust to the 2016 postage rate increase. (more…)
How Do You Know the Best Time to Hire Order Fulfillment Services?
No two businesses are the same and, consequently, the best time to hire an order fulfillment company for your e-commerce fulfillment services is going to be different for each one. However, there are some common markers that come up whenever the ideal period for transition arrives. By keeping an eye on the state of your business, you can recognize the best time to hire a fulfillment company and subsequently keep all your operations running smoothly and effectively. (more…)
E-commerce Order Fulfillment in an Omni-Channel Environment
What is Omni-Channel Fulfillment? Omni-channel fulfillment is essentially when a company uses a single inventory source to fulfill orders through all channels. That includes e-commerce, wholesale, in-store, in-store pickup, and in-store delivery. The trend of omni-channel order fulfillment is based on having one system handle all logistics, which means all products can be selected simultaneously regardless of the channel. (more…)
Why Flexible Order Fulfillment Services Are Important for Any Business
The most anxious stage of the online shopping experience for a consumer probably comes after they order the product. Consumers know what they ordered, but aren’t always sure what will arrive in that package, or when that package will make its way to their doorstep. Flexible fulfillment services look to end that anxiety by being properly prepared in terms of inventory and logistics management. (more…)Why Accuracy in Product Fulfillment Services is Important
What is Accuracy in Product Fulfillment? When dealing with product fulfillment services, "accuracy" is a term with multiple meanings. Aside from the obvious—getting the correct order to the correct customer—accuracy also means being able to fulfill the order within the promised time frame and delivering the product in good condition. In short, accuracy is how well your product fulfillment service can uphold your business' most basic promise to the customer: that they will receive the item they ordered in the time frame that was promised and in proper condition. (more…)
