When it comes to choosing the right fulfillment partner for your business, you need to make sure that you choose one that has your business interests as theirs. It is a company that intends to put your needs at the forefront of all of its operations – like one world direct.
Choosing the right partner comes with the benefits of being able to scale, lowering operational costs, and ultimately brand growth. All things that make a big impact on how the future of your company will look.
Your needs
You need to make sure you have outlined everything you need and what you wish to deliver to your own customers. This should be the deciding factor in the conversations you have with any potential fulfillment company.
You are looking for a company that theoretically and practically understands your needs. This means not only do they talk the talk, but they have hands-on experience of a similar, if not the same, type of company.
Scaling
On the path to growth comes scaling, and you should make sure that you ask what the scalability of the product is? Are they flexible on how and what you order and when? Can they give you more when you need it?
And more importantly, is it cost-effective scaling that will benefit your business in the long run?
Look for a fulfillment partner that will not only have the space for you to grow but who actively can support that scaling and growth.
Services
While you might currently offer a single option when it comes to shipping, and a single size of the product, as you grow, you will likely need to increase the volume. Avoid being overcharged for small shipments by working with a company that has a range of shipping options and a clear pricing structure.
Make sure that your fulfillment company has a range of solutions but some already established relationships with the right players in the shipping game.
Reputation
Your reputation can be tarnished when you choose the wrong fulfillment company. The service you customers should expect should be high quality, swift, and for all of their goods to be in perfect order when it arrives.
Request client references and testimonials from companies they have worked with.
Make sure that you put in the legwork and don’t just look for positive reviews – look for the negative ones. Is there a theme with the negative ones? Is there something that your potential fulfillment company just seems to miss?
Read, absorb and discuss it with the company in question.
Shipping is a vital part of your business, and it can be made or broken in some cases. When you choose the wrong shipping options, the customer is receiving the goods that suffer.
And, they won’t hesitate to find another company to purchase from while leaving your company a bad review. Even if the product itself was great – shipping makes a difference: How International Shipping Plays a Key Role for Businesses of All Sizes – Entrepreneur Resources.
