You’ve got a hot new product. You’ve sought the advice of your manufacturer, you’ve chosen the suitable materials, determined the best price, and launched your brand into the marketplace. You did it! You’re a small business owner with a successful launch on your hands, and this is where fulfillment comes into play.

Choosing a fulfillment service is one of the most important decisions you’ll make along the way to making your small business a success. It doesn’t matter if you are creating a single product and selling it online or producing multiple varieties of an item for an e-commerce site; choosing the right fulfillment company is critical to having a smooth-running business operation.

So when it’s time to grow your business by adding in order fulfillment services, how do you know which company is best for the job? What questions should you ask?

Here are 11 things to consider when selecting an order fulfillment company to handle your ecommerce orders:

Do they have experience?

The first thing to look for when choosing a fulfillment center is how long the company has been around. While there’s nothing wrong with working with a new company, there are advantages to working with an established company – an experienced company will most likely understand all of the ins and outs of working with your industry.

Can they perform?

When looking for a fulfillment service, it’s easy to be swayed by the promises of slick marketing and fancy promotional videos. While these things are essential in demonstrating a company’s professionalism, they don’t tell you how they perform. Running a successful business is all about taking calculated risks – so how do we ensure that our bets pay off? That’s where ahrefs comes in.

When looking for a fulfillment partner such as ThriveScreenPrinting, it’s crucial to vet them thoroughly.

Do they have a reputation?

Trust in your fulfillment company is primarily based on their reputation and what others have to say. Most importantly, you need a fulfillment company that you trust with your brand’s name and reputation. You may be working with a fulfillment company for years, and it’s important to know that they will do everything they can to protect your brand and ensure your reputation stays protected.

Is this company able to fulfill my orders quickly?

It’s not easy to find fulfillment companies that can fulfill a large number of orders. You need to make sure that they have the infrastructure and capacity to fulfill your orders when required. The problem with most fulfillment companies is that they will accept your orders, but they don’t have the ability or resources to take care of them when it comes to fulfilling them.

Most companies can fulfill 5,000 orders within a month. For example, if you are selling 100,000 screen printing products per month but are using a fulfillment company that can only do 5,000 orders a month, what happens when you need to fulfill the other 95,000 items?

If they cannot keep up with your orders during busy seasons and don’t have enough workforce to handle the hectic workload, things will fall behind, and customers will start complaining.

What types of analytics does the company offer?

Every business has individualized needs when it comes to analytics, so it is essential to ask your fulfillment company how they measure success. Are the metrics based on sales performance, inventory management, or client satisfaction?

You will want to know data on your products and sales performance; however, the key to analyzing any given company’s success is to find an organization that provides these metrics and provides data on your competitors. This will allow you to see where you fit in the market and better optimize your inventory and product mix as we advance.

How easy is it to integrate into my site?

To start with, you’ll want to look into the various features and functions of the automated fulfillment company. For example, you’ll want to know whether the company works with an API (Application Program Interface). This will help you to integrate your website more seamlessly with their system. In addition to this, you’ll want to find out how easy it is to use the company’s software. Some companies make their software extremely difficult to learn and use, while others are pretty intuitive. If you don’t like learning new software, then you’ll want to look for a company that has software that is easy to understand

What type of customer service does the company offer?

It goes without saying that if you have a problem with your order, you want it resolved quickly and effectively. This can’t be accomplished without customer support. Any good fulfillment company will be willing to answer your questions day or night. They should also discuss your concerns and issues in-depth over the phone or email; response times should be pretty fast.

Do you know the costs of using a fulfillment company?

When you’re looking to outsource your fulfillment services, price is a significant factor. After all, no one wants to pay more than they need to. But pricing can be a tricky thing to navigate because there’s typically a lot of fine print. It’s essential to look at the entire price and not just the base cost. That means considering additional fees and hidden costs, which may add up to more than you bargained for in the long run.

Can I speak with people who have used this service before?

The need to make an informed decision is critical in today’s world. As you look for a company to help you with your fulfillment, make sure you speak with people who have used a service similar to yours. While it might seem obvious, it never hurts to verify this information. You can also search forums dedicated to online sellers, or you can try visiting the fulfillment company’s website.

What’s the location of the fulfillment company?

When choosing a fulfillment company, companies should know that, on average, 95% of products ordered will have to travel more than 200 miles to reach their final destination. Product shipment speed is directly influenced by distance from the warehouse location to the consumer.

To calculate shipment speed to your customer, the first step is to know your fulfillment company’s warehouse locations. Start by taking inventory of all warehouses and verify that they are located in areas where your target customers are located.

For example, let’s say you are a Seattle-based business selling high-end rain boots to London customers. Nearly 100% of customers will have to travel more than 2,500 miles (4,000km) for each delivery, and if there are any delays at ports, they may never receive their goods at all. Even if your fulfillment company can ship items overnight, the delivery time will still be significantly slower than getting products locally.

Complete fulfillment options

If you are looking to cut costs and streamline your service delivery process, would it not be beneficial to consider a fulfillment service provider? It helps if you consider scalability, experience, modern technology, and other considerations when choosing a fulfillment partner. When scaling up your online business, you can be sure that a reputable logistics company will be there to support you every step of the way. They can ensure that your goods are delivered in the best manner possible so that you can concentrate on managing your online store.