The e-commerce world is booming and will only continue to grow in the years to come. If you are thinking about stepping into the current age of shopping as a business owner, there are a few things you will need to know. Having the answer to “what is e-commerce order fulfillment” is a piece of knowledge that will set you up for major success.
Understanding the ins and outs of this business takes time. That is why we here at Overflo want to share our forty-plus years worth of knowledge.
If you want to know what e-commerce order fulfillment is, the following is for you!
E-commerce Fulfillment Overview
E-commerce fulfillment is the process that ensures a customer receives their online order. It is a part of the supply chain. E-commerce fulfillment involves inventory management, order processing, picking and packing products, and transportation of the order.
Without the process of e-commerce fulfillment, there would be no e-commerce.
What is Receiving and Storing Inventory
Receiving and storing inventory is the act of accepting inventory orders from suppliers. Once accepted, the items then need sorting. Sorting items into inventory involves more than just placing items on shelves. To properly sort inventory, it must be logged into an inventory management system and then placed where it belongs in the warehouse.
What are Picking and Packing
The act of picking and packing happens once a company receives an order request. On the order slip, they will find all the items a customer has bought that need to be shipped to them. Picking is when a warehouse employee searches the warehouse and gathers the items a customer has ordered. Packing happens after picking; the picked items then get placed into their proper packaging for shipment.
How Online Orders are Shipped
And finally, the e-commerce orders are shipped. Online orders are shipped like many other products and goods. It can be done through USPS or private shipping companies such as UPS and FedEx.
Those shipping companies then use several modes of transport to distribute and deliver the orders. Trucks, rail, ocean freight, and air are the four modes of transport. Which one that is used depends on a couple of different factors.
Ocean freight is for large overseas orders. That is especially true if the order qualifies as heavy cargo. Heavier cargo is not suited for planes, and the only other method of transport is through sea shipping. Ocean freight typically takes twenty-four to forty-five days.
More common modes of transport, such as truck and rail, are typically used for domestic orders. Rail distribution is often used concurrently with trucks. A truck will transport a shipment once it arrives at the rail depot.
Air can be used for domestic and international shipments and is the fastest mode of transportation.
Overflo Does It All!
Managing inventory, order processing, picking and packing, and shipment can be a lot to handle for the average business owner. If you want streamlined E-commerce fulfillment, choose Overflo!
We are a third-party logistics and warehousing company that services The Mid-Atlantic Area. Over our decades of business, we have worked with top Fortune 500 companies to local small business owners.
We are here to assist companies with all of their e-commerce fulfillment needs. To receive a free rate quote, contact us today!