Before you can launch your Shopify store, you must consider how to handle fulfillment. If you spend too much time and money packing and shipping orders yourself, you’ll get stuck in a time-consuming and costly cycle. To streamline your e-commerce business, consider third-party logistics (3PL) solutions.
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Shopify Warehouses: Impact on Your Shop
Fulfillment can make or break your e-commerce business. After spending many hours building your Shopify website, developing marketing campaigns, and ordering custom packaging, orders will start to come in. Once they do, you then have to fulfill these orders quickly and accurately. If you don’t, customers will find what they need elsewhere.
When it comes to Shopify fulfillment, there is a lot to keep in mind: inventory storage and management, picking and packing, shipping, and more. If you handle fulfillment yourself, you must figure out how much the necessary software, packaging, shipping, and other logistics will cost. If not handled efficiently, logistics operations can slow down growth and cut into your profit margins.
Shopify Warehouses: Options to Consider
A Shopify store owner typically has three different fulfillment options.
In-House Fulfillment
If your business has access to a warehouse and sufficient staff, it is possible to fulfill orders in-house. This will also allow you to control every step of your fulfillment process. This option may be ideal if you are only selling locally and/or have a considerable volume of in-store pickups. As your brand grows, however, in-house fulfillment may become too time-consuming and costly. At this point, you may need to switch to outsourcing fulfillment.
Dropshipping
This is the most hands-off option for order fulfillment because your business no longer manages supply chain logistics directly. Instead, these responsibilities are passed along to the product manufacturer.
The risks involved with dropshipping include longer transit time and reduced quality control. Because the customer is the first to see the final product, dropshipping can pose considerable risks to your brand.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
Third-party logistics options save time and money while allowing your business to maintain control over your supply chain. Offering multiple fulfillment centers, including international locations, 3PLs utilize specialized technology that automates and streamlines the fulfillment process. Data and analytics help business owners make better decisions across the supply chain.
A 3PL fulfillment center is designed to be as efficient and effective as possible, making the best use of available space, technology, and labor.
Shopify Warehouses: Benefits With a 3PL
From warehousing to shipping, a 3PL partner can save you time and money while having a meaningful impact on your Shopify fulfillment process.
Warehouse Management
Warehouse management not only requires a significant amount of time, but it also represents a large financial investment. That effort and money could be better spent on your core business if you partner with a 3PL provider.
Daily 3PL’s warehousing and storage services give e-commerce businesses the convenience of secure storage as well as comprehensive inventory management. Advanced data tracking helps business owners know when products arrived at the warehouse, how many products there are on hand, and how long they have been on the shelf.
The main benefits of using Daily 3PL’s warehouse and storage services include:
- Better Organization: Better organization reduces delivery time, prevents losses, and improves accuracy.
- Faster Shipping: Warehouse storage locations strategically located throughout the country allow you to reach your customers more quickly and cost-effectively.
- Saved Time: With a fulfillment partner to manage the logistics of order shipment, you have more time to focus on expanding your business.
When you work with an experienced 3PL provider to help manage warehousing tasks for your Shopify business, you don’t have to worry about storing inventory, hiring and managing staff, and investing in the right technology and equipment.
Inventory Management
Inventory management and tracking are crucial aspects of e-commerce fulfillment. Depending on your unique needs, Daily 3PL uses a variety of inventory management methods to ensure that products are in stock and efficiently organized for fast shipment.
- Pen & Paper: Some small businesses use standard pen-and-paper methods—like manual card filing systems—for tracking inventory.
- Excel Spreadsheets: With basic Excel spreadsheets, e-commerce businesses can track low-volume product movement and inventory levels.
- Mobile Apps: Specialized iOS and Android mobile apps offer a user-friendly way for small businesses to track small order quantities.
- Inventory Tracking Software: For larger-scale e-commerce businesses, inventory tracking software offers one of the most efficient and effective ways to maintain inventory records. These systems allow warehouse personnel to use barcodes and scanners to track products entering and leaving the facility. With accurate numbers, the software speeds up order fulfillment and restocking.
- Third-Party Logistics: Companies like Daily 3PL provide e-commerce order fulfillment services from end to end. This helps reduce stress while allowing you to keep track of your inventory and focus on your core business.
Shopify Warehouses: Fulfillment From Daily 3PL
Given all the benefits of working with a 3PL provider, Shopify businesses stand to gain much from outsourcing their logistics needs. When you work with Daily 3PL, you can benefit from our full suite of services for Shopify fulfillment, which include:
- Picking and packing
- Warehousing and storage
- Inventory management and tracking
- Data and analytics
- Kitting and packaging
- Shipping
Contact us to learn how we can help you streamline your logistics operations.