Creating a seamless shopping experience is essential for running a successful e-commerce business. How your customers interact with your store, from browsing to order processing, has an impact on fulfillment. But the truth is that even the most successful businesses often run into issues when it pertains to order fulfillment.
If you run a company that sells a tangible product, continue reading.
Overflo is here to break down order fulfillment mishaps companies run into and how you can easily avoid them.
Inefficient Inventory Management
How you manage your inventory can make or break the flow of your supply chain, including order fulfillment. Inefficient inventory tracking and management can lead to a surfeit of issues, including shrinkage, overstock, and loss of profits. That is why you need to instill an inventory management system that tracks your products from production to warehousing to fulfillment.
Without this process, your company is bound to find itself experiencing inventory troubles.
Lack of Communication
Communication is key to running any aspect of a business successfully, and that doesn’t exclude fulfillment. As we previously stated, you need an inventory management system that tracks your products through the various steps of the supply chain. That is a form of communication, but let’s take it a step further. You need to speak directly to the customers and allow them to speak directly to you.
Whether it’s an easy-to-reach chat feature, email, or phone number, your customers need to know they can reach you. It’s also crucial that you notify customers if there is an issue fulfilling their order. Never be afraid to reach out – it’s your best way to combat a negative fulfillment experience.
Poor Reverse Logistics Management
Order fulfillment is the process of getting products from your warehouse to the customers. But when we dive deeper into that process, how exactly is your product arriving to the customer? Sometimes things break during transport or don’t live up to the customer’s expectations. That is where proper reverse logistics management is necessary.
You need to utilize a method and system that ensures every product return follows these steps.
- Assessed for damage
- Returned and entered into the inventory system (if applicable)
- Quickly process the customer’s refund
Efficiency is everything when you’re trying to avoid order fulfillment mishaps companies run into.
How to Avoid These Mistakes
Now that you are aware of the mistakes that can be made, you need to know how to implement their solutions. You shouldn’t have to go through trial and error to secure the best fulfillment process for your business; there are companies out there that can help you.
Those companies are called 3PLs, which stands for third-party logistics.
A third-party logistics company handles more than just the fulfillment of orders. They can warehouse your product, track inventory, and perform inbound, outbound, and reverse logistics. These companies can help you bypass the common mishaps you read about above by using their advanced systems and industry knowledge.
If you need a 3PL for business, check out Overflo!
Overflo is the 3PL for You!
Avoid fulfillment mishaps by choosing Overflo as your 3PL! We offer a variety of fulfillment services that will ensure you and your customers are always satisfied.
Contact us today for a free rate quote!