Order Fulfillment: How to set it up + Manage Online Orders
E-commerce retailers need robust order fulfillment strategies in order to retain customers and build a good reputation for them and their online brand. Square brand is one of the powerful solutions companies are turning to so that they can accept credit cards easily and affordably. Indeed, the Square brand has achieved remarkable success in e-commerce, and in this article we will talk about how to set up a fulfillment system on your Square Online site
Top ecommerce sites require powerful fulfillment solutions
Retail fulfillment for ecommerce is very important, because it is in fact one of the most important components of the e-commerce supply chain, which entails building a good online brand reputation.
Simplified fulfillment strategy helps increase order accuracy and reduces the likelihood of buyers dropping out of their shopping cart—building customer loyalty toward your brand.
In fact, businesses have a few different fulfillment options for fulfilling customers’ shipping orders, and they are:
- Self-fulfilling orders in-house.
- Managing a warehouse
- Partnering with a third-party logistics (3PL) company.
What is Square?
Before we start talking about order fulfillment, we will first need to get to know Square, which is one of the powerful fulfillment solutions that supports companies working in e-commerce by providing them with a set of business management tools.
In addition to making it easier for stores to obtain credit cards, it is an electronic platform that makes it easier for retailers to set up an online store,
Along with a number of other useful services, such as processing payments and providing individuals with innovative delivery solutions.you can try our Delivery Management Software To access these services
Square order fulfillment
There are a number of fulfillment options Square offers you, and here are the top 4 types of square order fulfillment:
1. Delivery orders
The first type is Delivery orders, and Square has helped make it easier to fulfill orders locally, by allowing your customers to have their order delivered from their nearest physical location.
2. Pickup orders
The second type is Pickup orders. Customers who buy items online through your online store can pick it up themselves from their nearest retail location, with an automated text message sent to them when their order is ready.
3. Curbside orders
The third type, which some customers prefer, is the Curbside Pickup, in which orders are delivered to customers manually by parking their cars in designated areas, providing greater safety for customers.
4. Shipping orders
Our fourth and final type is shipping orders, where Square facilitates the process of shipping items to customers in a simple number of steps.
It integrates with all possible fulfillment solutions so that the process goes as easily and as efficiently as possible.
When shipping to nationwide customers, you have 2 options
E-commerce companies offer two key options for shipping to nationwide customers:
1. In-house fulfillment
It includes fulfilling orders yourself, and the in-house fulfillment process often takes somewhat longer,
Because that process involves managing inventory, shipping orders, as well as picking and packing.
Also in this type of shipping there are many other hidden costs, such as the costs of packaging materials suppliers, the costs of shipping insurance,
And the opportunity costs of spending too much time on the logistics, which makes In-house fulfillment an ineffective model.
2. 3PL (third-party logistics) fulfillment
It is the second best option compared to the first option, as 3PL (third-party logistics) fulfillment can help you provide an efficient and robust fulfillment center network, along with providing advanced technology.
This new technology will help you in automating the implementation process and thus speeding it up, and 3PL (third-party logistics) will save you a lot of time and effort to invest in growing your business.
3PL fulfillment allows your store to grow faster
3PL’s fulfillment technology is very useful for commercial companies, as it helps in automating most of the processes,
Thus, reducing potential human errors, in addition to saving the time and effort that you will spend in completing and following up on logistics services.
3PL provides you with the ability to focus on promoting your online store, by delegating the execution of orders to experts and specialists,
Below are a number of benefits that syncing your store with 3PL’s fulfillment solution can provide you:
1. Automated order processing
3PL execution technology can help automate some order management processes, providing you with the possibility of automated order processing.
2. Optimized storage
3PL will provide you with the right space for your inventory, they are experts in warehousing and order fulfillment,
And they handle a number of other aspects of order fulfillment, which will bring you maximum efficiency in order fulfillment in the fastest time.
3. Distributed inventory
3PL will also help you divide inventory across multiple fulfillment centers thus reducing shipping costs as well as delivery times for customers.
Choosing your order fulfillment partner
After we talked about order fulfillment and the importance of choosing an order fulfillment partner, you should consider a number of things before choosing your order fulfillment partner, as:
1. Define your budget
Fulfillment costs vary based on the 3PL you partner with and their pricing model, so before partnering with one of them check their rates and your budget.
2. Review the locations of the partner’s distribution centers
When choosing an order fulfillment partner or working with 3PL check that they have several well-located distribution centers so you can split your inventory across more than one location.
This will save you the possibility of having your inventory available in many shipping destinations, thus significantly reducing shipping costs.
3. Check out the available packaging options
A number of 3PLs give dealers the option of using standard packaging or custom brand packaging.
They also have partnerships with individuals who offer innovative packaging solutions that you can take advantage of if you like and use custom packaging.
4. Check the availability of customer support
Customer support helps provide peace of mind for you and your customers as well, so check with your partner about the customer service they provide and how they can provide a complete view of the implementation process.
