What is the role played by a 3PL service provider?

Have you ever wondered about the role played by the 3PL service provider? A 3PL provider can fulfill various responsibilities on behalf of industrial or commercial consumers, from warehousing, supply chain management, logistics operation to transportation. A 3PL provider is an organization that offers several services to its customers like storage, fulfillment services, distribution, and transport. Often, customers or eCommerce retailers can outsource such operations to e-commerce fulfillment services. These service providers are a necessary part of a business's supply chain management. The range of services provided by a 3PL logistics provider has to be explained in the form of agreements, service level agreements, or contracts after proper documentation. These important documents will include detailed information related to the duration, scope, and cost of services offered by the 3PL provider.

What are the services offered by a 3pl logistics company?

The logistics services are of different types, so numerous 3PL businesses operate in distinct parts of supply chains. Generally, most of these logistics services can be categorized as follows:

• Procurement of goods: Receiving and placing goods from suppliers to meet the supply chain's requirements.
• Fulfillment of orders: These centers have to accept orders from clients or customers while picking, arranging, and packing the goods that must be sent out and completed on time.
• Storage: These centers offer temporary and secured storage services for goods within similar locations and warehouses.
• Transportation: These service providers have to arrange for processes like transportation, consolidation, management, and deconsolidation of goods. 

Besides, third party logistics providers can offer supplementary assistance related to IT systems integration, data exchange, inventory management, reverse logistics, reporting, and similar offerings. A fulfillment center can manage inventories while identifying stock levels in shortages and increasing orders with manufacturers and suppliers. You can contact a fulfillment service provider to learn about multi-channel fulfillment and related operations.

Three factors to look for in a fulfillment center

Managing a local business catering to a limited geographic region is not a very challenging job. However, businesses that need to grow, and in modern times, most businesses look at the global marketplace as their target market; things are pretty different. Marketing and getting people to buy products from your online store is one thing but delivering the product physically to the end customer is a different ball game. You need third-party logistic providers to help you handle your supply chain, including ecommerce fulfillment services india.

What factors to consider when choosing a fulfillment center?

1.      Cost-effective services

Most reputed fulfillment centers offer their clients access to several value-added services, of which many are free. For example, they ensure following international standards of quality control and state-of-the-art facilities. Some services are charged too, but credible centers should offer cost-effective solutions, considering business volume and consistency. Also, there is never the need to hire specialized human resources to manage your logistics requirements, helping save resources that can be diverted to meet other business needs.

2.      Tracking and monitoring in real-time

One of the primary advantages of a third-party logistics provider is that it keeps you updated in real-time about the movement of your goods – the inventory entering and exiting a warehouse in india to being delivered at the customer’s doors. It gives you a bird’s eye view of the ground realities and a   microscopic view for analysis.

3.      Prompt service and error resolution

One factor to keep in mind when picking a fulfillment center is its promptness and agility in customer servicing. It is a priority to verify that the center has a sound customer service team that offers fast and concise communication to help you establish your business as one of reputation. Not just that, one of the key aspects of the 3pl fulfillment companies should be the focus on fast and easy handling of errors, be it warehousing or shipping or any other services.

What do statistics say about fulfillment companies?

As an online merchant, it is natural to ask yourself, ‘Do I need fulfillment companies?’ Why is the e-commerce world going ga-ga over this vertical? What has statistics to say about the need to appoint the best fulfillment companies in New York?

What does market research say about fulfillment companies?

• E-commerce fulfillment is the most important task for e-commerce businesses.
• A good percentage of shoppers do not proceed ahead with an order because the delivery time showing on the site is more than a week.
• About 73.6% of shoppers feel that timely deliveries are an essential aspect of their shopping experience.
  
  

Typically the above data means that it does not matter if your business has an impressive product line. If your product delivers or order fulfillment is pathetic, then customers online will take no time to abandon your brand for a fast competitor with order deliveries. You can be active on social media, and your digital marketer may be doing an exceedingly remarkable job in spreading awareness about your brand and products; if fulfillments are not up to the mark, the e-business has no chance.

The crux of the matter

You need to choose the best fulfillment companies in New York to fulfill your orders. While you have the choice to go on your own, this option could entail huge costs. Fulfillment includes a gamut of services, including warehousing, inventory management, shipping, and logistics. Managing all this on their own can be a big challenge and mean a drain of financial resources. Instead, consider working with par excellence fulfillment service providers like the shopify Fulfillment Network.

Choosing professionals to fulfill orders means the process gets simplified for your business. These fulfillment centers are most strategically located – they are very close to the customer. Therefore, they can offer prompt and quick fulfillment services to the end customer.

What are the functions performed by fulfillment centers in Los Angeles?

The main purpose of fulfillment centers is to deliver time online orders to consumers. Generally, a fulfillment center is a location via which a 3PL or third-party logistics can fulfill customer orders on behalf of eCommerce retailers. Besides, the major role of a fulfillment center is to receive online orders from customers and promptly deliver goods to their doorstep while relieving online retailers from challenging management tasks. Fulfillment centers in Los Angeles store inventory in an organized way to fulfil or prepare customer orders. Once a customer purchases an order on an eCommerce platform, these centers pick inventories and pack boxes while labelling the shipment.

Why are commerce fulfillment services necessary?

 

Additionally, fulfilment centers can take care of both B2C and B2B orders. Business-to-business fulfillment centers work by sending a huge volume of products to a retailer. On the contrary, the business-to-consumer fulfillment centers aim to ship products directly to a consumer's doorstep. Once a seller has outsourced its e-commerce fulfillment services, the third-party logistics can complete the fulfillment process on behalf of the store owner. This can include tasks like management of inventories to the negotiation of rates directly with a shipping carrier. Online retailers can outsource their tasks of order fulfillment to a 3PL to ease out the process of inventory management, enhance consumer services while saving a lot of time for the seller. As a result, online retailers or sellers can focus on important and strategic tasks. Unlike conventional warehouses criticized for their inactivity, fulfillment centers in Los Angeles engage in constant activity, movement, and enhance operations. A 3PL provider plays a major role in receiving inventories while generating pickup lists and picking or dispatching products. Besides, these providers offer necessary services related to assembling items, branding, and labelling shipments. A fulfillment center is responsible for shipping orders and managing returns.

What is the role of a fulfillment center in the India?

The fulfillment centers can help businesses in several ways. They can take care of all functions from picking, packing, storing products, and dispatching them as per online orders. More importantly, they can handle all kinds of product returns. Thus, you can now outsource your fulfillment tasks to a top fulfillment centers in India while focusing on other important tasks. A fulfillment center is a colossal building that looks like a warehouse and is responsible for storing products of an online retailer.

Once the retailer has received an order from a consumer, the staff working within the fulfillment center come together and prepare the products for shipping- here; the products are picked and packed. A courier will be required to accept the order from a specific fulfillment center and send it to the consumer.

 

How do fulfillment warehouses services in work?

 

Fulfillment centers work by employing staff who's specialized in specific domains. For example, these centers receive goods from the supplier directly in bulk quantities. Next, the team will be required to organize where and how goods are stored while packing, picking orders, and receiving them. 

 

The packed orders will be despatched to couriers, and the returned items will be received. Meanwhile, the exchanges or refunds will be organized.

 

What is the cost of fulfillment centers?

 

The pricing models of different fulfillment centers can differ from each other. Generally, the price of accessing the services of order fulfillment centers in India can vary on several factors. These can include the quantity of stock you're willing to store, the weight and size of products, the number of orders you've received, and the complexity of orders when it comes to pack or pick, and the type of shipping services you prefer. The fulfillment centers help you to manage inventory from a single platform. You can monitor your order's status in real-time. 

A fulfillment center in the USA performs what role

Fulfillment centers allow eCommerce retailers to outsource their shipping and warehousing functions. This allows online businesses to save unnecessary physical space required to store products, which can help merchants who aren't capable of managing inventories directly. Sellers can send merchandise directly to fulfillment centers, while the outsourced provider can transfer it to the consumers on behalf. Inventory management is an operational issue for numerous online stores; however, it is essential to offering the best consumer experience.

Fulfillment centers can ease out the inventory management process while allowing store owners to focus on important operations of their business. Online stores can collaborate with a fulfillment center or outsource their operations to fulfillment centers. However, before outsourcing their services to fulfillment centers, the online retailers have to review and receive items before shipping them to a warehouse or a fulfillment center after purchasing them from the manufacturer. A fulfillment center can allow you to expand your business down the line with more ease and fewer resources.

For example, when you are launching a new product line shortly, the fulfillment processes won't require much attention. Besides, the fulfillment services can enhance the return and shipping process. Since numerous carriers can successfully negotiate with a shipper who can handle a large volume of goods and parcels, so in comparison to an individual store, fulfillment centers can acquire a better rate. You can learn more about their services by reaching out to a fulfillment center in the US. Lower costs for fixed shipping can encourage merchants to offer free shipping services to their customers. Most of the fulfillment warehouse services in Los Angeles can help industries like retails and fashion attract higher returns. To curb out this issue, outsourcing fulfillment can improve the return processes. You can choose a fulfillment service for online stores. 

US-based e-commerce fulfillment network XPDEL launches India operations

India's e-commerce sector is expected to reach $111.40 billion by 2025 from $46.20 billion in 2020, signifying an annualised growth of 19.24%

XPDEL, a fast-growing US based eCommerce Fulfillment center network, announced its entry into the Indian markets. XPDEL plans to start with three markets--Delhi NCR, Mumbai, and Bengaluru--wherein it will offer a wide range of technology enabled solutions for India’s rapidly expanding e-commerce market. Subsequently, it plans to expand its footprint to 20 markets by the end of 2023 to provide nationwide coverage. As part of its global expansion, the company aims to launch in Europe and Canada by 2022.

“We are thrilled to bring the global operations best practices and most advanced technology for eCommerce to India. This is close to my heart as it brings me back to my roots. The XPDEL launch in India will bring growth solutions for small and mid-sized retailers and new age e-commerce companies,” Manish Kapoor, Founder and Global CEO of XPDEL. “We are solving their inventory, order fulfillment and logistics needs by providing a complete solution from order through delivery, with live tracking and visibility resulting in exceptional customer experience.”

India’s e-commerce sector is expected to reach $111.40 billion by 2025 from $46.20 billion in 2020, signifying an annualised growth of 19.24 per cent. Grocery is expected to be one of the key pillars of growth and it is predicted to reach $18.2 billion in 2024 from $1.9 billion in 2019, expanding at a CAGR of 57 per cent. With its aggressive growth plans, robust technological architecture and focus on accurate and speedy deliveries, XPDEL will play a critical role in supporting this spurt in growth for e-commerce business in the country.

“The Indian e-commerce industry offers promising opportunities and we are addressing the key challenges related to logistics and inventory. Our first customers are from the automotive and personal care verticals who have taken the lead against competition by partnering with XPDEL,” said Ashish Chadha, co-founder and CEO, XPDEL-APAC. “We will also be contributing significantly in employment generation by creating thousands of job opportunities. Furthermore, we plan to grow responsibly, as 50 per cent of our nationwide fleet would consist of electric vehicles and our operations will be backed by sustainable, world-class technologies.”

XPDEL said e-commerce giants are rapidly replacing retail and small businesses. On the other hand, XPDEL’s core purpose is to help small and medium businesses succeed with e-commerce. XPDEL enables businesses to sell through retail and multiple marketplaces by providing multi-channel fulfillment and logistics services.

For Original Post Visit: https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/us-based-e-commerce-fulfillment-network-xpdel-launches-india-operations-121111801032_1.html

US logistics firm XPDEL to invest about Rs 370 crore in India; to start with three markets

The company plans to start with Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru and expand to 20 markets in India over the next two years.

US-based e-commerce fulfillment center network XPDEL on November 18 launched its operations in India, and has plans to invest approximately $50 million (Rs 370 crore) over the next five years in supply chain logistics and technology with its partners.

The company plans to start its business with three markets - Delhi NCR, Mumbai and Bengaluru - wherein it will offer a range of technology-enabled solutions for the country’s expanding e-commerce market.

“We plan to deploy approximately $50 million over the next five years in network for supply chain logistics and technology with partners. Subsquently, we plan to expand our footprint to 20 markets by end of 2023 to provide nationwide coverage. As part of our global expansion, the company aims to launch in Europe and Canada by 2022,” Manish Kapoor, founder and global CEO of XPDEL, told Moneycontrol.

“We have already built and tested solutions in the US. India is the fastest growing e-commerce segments, we are looking at the end-to-end supply chain. Other players thinking of last-mile delivery and other pieces of it. Our mission is to help the small and medium businesses to succeed,” he said.

XPDEL is currently piloting in three markets – Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru. “We are looking at nano fulfillment centres, which will be closest to the customers’ neighbourhood for quick delivery. But the products are coming from somewhere into these nanos. Those are bigger facilities which we call micros. We have a number of partners lined up for real estate as well as buildings where we can go and operate,” said Kapoor.

India’s eCommerce sector is expected to reach $ 111.40 billion by 2025 from $ 46.20 billion in 2020, signifying an annualized growth of 19.24%. Grocery is expected to be one of the key pillars of growth and it is predicted to reach $18.2 billion in 2024 from $1.9 billion in 2019, expanding at a CAGR of 57%. With its aggressive growth plans and technological architecture and focus on accurate and speedy deliveries, XPDEL claims it will play a critical role in supporting this spurt in growth for eCommerce business in the country.

By the end of next year, the company is targeting at least 20 markets in tier 1 and tier 2 cities, with Assam being the next market, Kapoor added.

“We will be setting up 20 micro fulfilment centres in two years, which will have a footprint in the range of 10,000-75,000 square feet and we are exploring a model for setting nano-fulfilment centres which will have an area of 2,000-5,000 square feet,''  said Ashish Chadha, co-founder and CEO, XPDEL-APAC.

“The Indian eCommerce industry offers promising opportunity and we are addressing the key challenges related to logistics and inventory.  Our first customers are from the automotive and personal care verticals who have taken the lead against competition by partnering with XPDEL. We will also be contributing significantly in employment generation by creating thousands of job opportunities,” said Chadha.

The company is building on XPDEL’s success in the US "that is engineered with customer density analytics, network design, efficient operations, optimized logistics and advanced technology," said Jon Johnson, Vice President, Strategic Initiatives.

For Original Post Visit: https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/real-estate/us-logistics-firm-xpdel-to-invest-about-rs-370-crore-in-india-to-start-with-three-markets-7737251.html

Check out these attributes of a fulfillment center

 A fulfillment center has a significant role to play in the success of your e-commerce store. Making the right choice is imperative for your business's bottom line. These are the top factors to consider when selecting a fulfillment centers in New York:

1. Location 

You need to ensure that the center is located close to your customer base. Why? Because invariably customers today expect fast deliveries! The closer the fulfillment center is to the customer, the faster it will be able to service their order. It also means lower shipping costs, making a difference to your operation costs. 

2. Speed

Delivery speed is one of the key features that customers look forward to when ordering online. Your brand cannot afford to go slow. Choosing the right partner can help fulfill orders fast. Your delivery speeds not only determine sales and revenues one time; it affects your repeat business prospects. Hence, it is important to review the delivery speeds of the fulfillment center before getting them on board. 

3. Returns

Returns are of two types – uncontrollable, for example, where a customer does not like a product, and controllable, where the delivery delay could be a reason for return. Since about 30% of orders online are returned, it is essential to find a partner for warehousing and fulfillment  USA that will work hand-in-hand with your business to mitigate controllable returns.

4. Costs

Hiring the right fulfillment center should help you save money. If not, you are doing business with the wrong partner. Costs that get saved in the long run are – overhead costs, labor costs, cost of packing supplies, and more. Even if the upfront costs are high, ensure that your partner offers you attractive deals so that you can make some savings in the long run.

Conclusion

Having a great product or an enviable marketing strategy is not enough. To achieve business goals, you need the best partner for warehousing and fulfillment in the USA.

What is the role played by fulfillment companies?

Although the terms fulfillment centers and warehouse are used interchangeably, they have distinct connotations. These buildings are large and are meant to hold inventories and stocks for businesses that sell goods. However, the services offered by them are quite different. When we refer to a warehouse, we're usually talking about a company responsible for storing bulk quantities of products for prolonged periods. A warehouse is a spacious center and industrial space meant to house inventories in bulk quantities.

A fulfillment center is a physical space through which a 3PL or third-party logistics provider ensures eCommerce retailers fulfill all customer orders. A fulfillment center in California works by promptly taking online orders from consumers while relieving eCommerce retailers of challenging yet crucial processes. Fulfillment center operates to ensure customers can receive orders at their doorstep. A 3PL fulfillment warehouse in the USA works to store eCommerce retailers' inventory to fulfill customer orders strategically.

After a consumer places an order on an eCommerce platform, inventories are picked and packed into boxes. Next, they are labeled for transfer and shipment purposes. Fulfillment centers can optimize both business-to-consumer and business-to-business orders. In the context of business-to-business orders, a large volume of products is sent to a retailer, whereas, in the case of business-to-consumer orders, the goods are shipped to an individual's doorstep. The fulfillment warehouse service in Dallas has the edge over the inactive or static warehouses. These fulfillment warehouses can be discerned due to continuous movement and complex functions. Besides, the services offered by these centers are as follows:

• receiving inventories
• creating pick lists and picking up products
• assembling and kitting items
• labeling shipments
• packing boxes and packages
• shipping orders
• management of returns

Whether you're a small-sized or large-sized online seller, you can eliminate packing and storing tasks by reaching out to a fulfillment center. 

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