What Does a Reliable 3PL Look Like?
A reliable, trustworthy, and high-quality 3PL, or third-party logistics provider, is an expert in getting the correct products to your customers safely and on time.
5 signs it’s time to outsource to an experienced 3PL provider:
- Preparing and filling orders is starting to impact the running of your business
- Your inventory is out of control and has become too much to handle
- Returns are vast and shipped orders are wrong time and time again
- Your warehouse team is not up to speed and lacks expertise
- Budgets are tight and you are missing out on freight discounts that only a 3PL can offer
Enhance supply chain performance
You might sell a terrific product. Maybe you do a great job of marketing it. However, if your third-party logistics operations don’t run smoothly, your eCommerce business will not thrive. Fulfillment is one of the most critical components of any online retail business. You must provide quick turnaround and fast delivery that eCommerce customers not only expect but demand. Otherwise, you’ll lose sales. As your eCommerce business matures, at some point, you’ll begin running out of space in-house and will have no choice but to turn to a trusted 3PL provider to help outsource your fulfillment. A reliable 3PL will help take a load off your plate. Landing more sales means more inventory management, more boxes, getting them out the door and onto trucks at the right time, and hoping that everything inside was correct and arrived undamaged. At the same time, you’re also managing marketing, updating your website, and growing your team. Working with a reliable and trusted 3PL can simplify your operational responsibility and enhance your supply chain performance.
Fast and smooth shipping
The number of small businesses and retail companies is constantly growing. To no surprise, the number of customer demands grows even faster. Today, customers define what good service is, and most good customer reviews include fast and smooth shipping experiences at the top of their list when making purchases. Here is where experienced 3PL’s come into play.
- Supply chain management
- Reduce costs, save time
- Visibility and reporting
- Flexibility
3PL specialties
As an eCommerce business owner, your specialty probably doesn’t lie within logistics. It’s your job to get products in front of target customers, refine products, and deliver positive experiences that convince people to become repeat customers. Getting inventory to a customer is a key piece of the puzzle, but it doesn’t always fall into an eCommerce site owner’s wheelhouse. The good news: shipment and fulfillment optimization are standard 3PL specialties.
Final thoughts
Brands need 3PL services when they can no longer handle storing, preparing, and delivering orders on their own. If you’re finding that your business has grown to the point that you no longer have the bandwidth to handle fulfillment, it may be time to hire a 3PL. Because the process is simple and seamless with a 3PL, customers never think twice about the handoff between received orders and fulfillment. That leaves eCommerce companies the capacity to do what they do best: manufacture and sell products.
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