Online fulfillment services are a new and exciting opportunity for entrepreneurs who are interested in starting internet-based eCommerce ventures. While there is no debate over the positive aspects of eCommerce with regards to not needing sales staff or physical spaces to display merchandise, the fulfillment portions of the equation have traditionally offered only the same methods of being achieved. Even though you have created a method of selling to the public without a physical space or staff, there still needs to be employees and warehouses that will pick those customer orders from inventory, pack them into boxes and arrange for the transport of the merchandise to the customer. Many eCommerce entrepreneurs are not comfortable with these aspects of the sales process, and are looking for a better solution.
The advent of online fulfillment services has eliminated the need for an eCommerce merchant to secure warehouse space and staff. This is accomplished through a transmission of the customer order on the website to a third party business who holds the inventory on-site for the merchant. The orders are packed and delivered to the customers through whatever method is arranged by the merchant, all in exchange for a modest fee per order. These services can many times save eCommerce merchants thousands of dollars every month due to the fact that they do not need to maintain employees directly, nor do they need to pay for full warehouse space themselves. Instead, they cooperatively utilize the third party employee base, and share warehouse space as is necessary. An eCommerce owner can literally pay for what they need, as opposed to speculating.
In addition to the obvious benefits of the fulfillment service, another benefit is proximity to the customers. Fulfillment services who operate multiple warehouses strategically positioned throughout the country have the ability to offer to their clients the ability to have each and every customer order be sourced from the warehouse closest to the customer. This allows for the transport charges and the shipping time to be reduced on every order placed.
Fulfillment services are a great option for eCommerce merchants using most shopping carts, as well as Kickstarter projects who are launching a product but lack the infrastructure to actually fulfill orders. Through utilization of a fulfillment service and online integration, you can be completely virtual as a business, and concentrate on the tasks of growing your business instead of the routine everyday tasks.