Category

Shipping & Fulfillment

Our shipping and fulfillment coverage reflects the expectations of many consumers for free and fast delivery. We address topics that help ecommerce merchants meet those goals, including analyses of carriers, free shipping strategies, fulfillment efficiencies (including the use of third-party fulfillment companies), returns and refunds, multichannel integration, drop shipping issues, and much more.

Shipping & Fulfillment
7 Ways to Make Free Shipping Profitable

November 8, 2017 • Manish Chowdhary

Over 2 million Google searches each month in the United States include the phrase “free shipping.” Most online merchants have at least considered offering it. It’s a tough decision because ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
When to Use USPS for Ecommerce Shipping

October 4, 2017 • Armando Roggio

The United States Postal Service is a popular shipping solution for American ecommerce businesses. It stacks up well against other carriers in several situations. The USPS may be particularly effective when ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
The Unforeseen Impact of Drop-shipping Fees

August 9, 2017 • Jeremy Hanks

An efficient drop-shipping program requires a seamless integration between a retailer and its drop-ship suppliers. Inventory levels, prices, fulfillment details, and order and payment info are types of data that should ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Better Order Fulfillment Starts with Receiving Department

June 6, 2017 • Stephen Bulger

Online shoppers expect to receive their orders quickly, with little-to-no added cost. There are many ways for ecommerce merchants to decrease fulfillment and delivery times. One area of the supply chain that ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Ship-from-store Fulfillment a Must for Brick-and-click Retailers

June 5, 2017 • Armando Roggio

Implementing a ship-from-store fulfillment program may help mid-market multichannel retailers better serve customers and earn more profit. This year, about one of every three brick-and-click, omnichannel retailers will have adopted a ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Does Ecommerce Need a Cooperative Shipping Revolution?

May 18, 2017 • Armando Roggio

If small and mid-sized online retailers cooperated, they may be able to develop a fast and reliable shipping network competitive with what Amazon, Walmart, and other industry-leading merchants can offer. Online ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
For Retailers, ‘Less-limited Aisle’ beats ‘Endless Aisle’

May 9, 2017 • Jeremy Hanks

The concept of “endless aisle” has been discussed in ecommerce for years. Many online merchants have watched Amazon’s rise to market domination and believe their own path to success lies ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
ShipStation CEO on ‘Fast and Free’ Shipping Demands

April 26, 2017 • Armando Roggio

The process of creating satisfied customers starts with providing a level of service that’s greater than their expectations. For ecommerce, shipping is customer satisfaction’s frontline, and online sellers should aim to ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
7 Elements of a Return Policy That Sells

April 25, 2017 • Pamela Hazelton

Merchants give so much thought into making the sale that they tend to forget some of the post-sale components that savvy shoppers look for first. One of these is the returns policy ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Navigating Drop Shipping and Sales Taxes

April 14, 2017 • Jeremy Hanks

I’ve written a lot about the fact that drop shipping isn’t just another distribution method. It’s a new way of doing business that has unique operational and logistical challenges. The ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
5 Shipping Tips for Ecommerce Beginners

March 20, 2017 • Armando Roggio

Master shipping and you’ll just about master ecommerce. For new online retailers selling tangible products, the act of managing shipping — both in terms of actually packing orders and in ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
3 Benefits of Third-party Fulfillment Services

March 10, 2017 • Armando Roggio

Third-party order fulfillment services can warehouse products, pick and pack items as orders come in, and ship a merchant’s products to the customer on that merchant’s behalf. While all of ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
6 Expensive Ecommerce Shipping Mistakes

January 9, 2017 • Armando Roggio

Ecommerce shipping mistakes like choosing the wrong service level, using too much packaging, or even not researching what it will cost to ship a given product can cost online retailers ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
3 Shipping Policies That Anger Customers

December 23, 2016 • Pamela Hazelton

Shipping costs are a primary reason for cart abandonment. But cost is not the only shipping issue that can harm your business. What happens after a customer makes a purchase is ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
UPS SurePost, FedEx SmartPost: Slow, but Less Expensive

November 27, 2016 • Armando Roggio

Managing free or low-cost shipping can be one of the most confusing and difficult problems online retailers — particularly small ones — face, as customers want a superb and a ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
5 Holiday Shipping Tips for Online Retailers

November 20, 2016 • Armando Roggio

When the holiday season peaks, some small and mid-sized ecommerce businesses often struggle to meet customer demand and customer expectations. While there are many factors that contribute to just how you ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
For Holiday Ecommerce Fulfillment, Success Starts in August

August 9, 2016 • Armando Roggio

To be successful during the short, high pressure Christmas shopping season this year, ecommerce retailers should plan now to make certain they have the products shoppers want and that they ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Reducing ‘Waste’ in Ecommerce Fulfillment

January 6, 2016 • Michael Manzione

One of the best ways to improve profitability in your warehouse is to reduce or eliminate waste. I addressed this in my last article, “Streamline Ecommerce Fulfillment with 5S Methodology,”
Shipping & Fulfillment
Streamline Ecommerce Fulfillment with 5S Methodology

November 30, 2015 • Michael Manzione

Whether your order volume is 10 orders a day or 10,000 and whether you’re shipping orders from a garage, small warehouse, or a large automated facility, you can benefit from learning and ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Fulfillment: How to Speed up the Picking Process

October 27, 2015 • Michael Manzione

In “Holiday Checklist for Ecommerce Operations,” my article last month, I shared steps to assist in your preparation for the upcoming seasonal rush. In this article, I’ll offer tips to your warehouse team, to ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Published Shipping Policies Can Protect Merchants

October 15, 2015 • Elizabeth Lewis

As we head into the holiday season, shipping of products goes into high gear. Ecommerce merchants must make sure that they have updated their shipping policies prior to Black Friday ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
The (Many) Benefits of Offering Free Shipping

October 1, 2015 • Armando Roggio

Free shipping is a competitive necessity for some online retailers. While there are certainly costs associated with free shipping, there are also some reasons to feel good about offering it. When ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Holiday Checklist for Ecommerce Operations

October 1, 2015 • Michael Manzione

We’re fast approaching the time of year that typically accounts for more than 20 percent of annual retail sales. It usually defines whether a company is profitable or not. Communication, organization,
Shipping & Fulfillment
USPS Regional Rate Shipping Saves Money

September 30, 2015 • Armando Roggio

The United States Postal Service’s Priority Mail Regional Rate shipping can save ecommerce businesses money and deliver orders somewhat more quickly than similar services. First introduced in 2011, USPS Priority ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Adjusting to third-party fulfillment

September 25, 2015 • Kenny Kane

My last two posts — “My search for a third party fulfillment company” and “Life after in-house fulfillment” — have addressed Stupid Cancer’s massive change from in-house to third-party fulfillment. While ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Will Robots Take Over Ecommerce Warehouses?

September 10, 2015 • Marcia Kaplan

Robots have always played a prominent role in movies, television, and children’s toys. They are now navigating a new arena — warehouses — and changing the way businesses handle their ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
8 Obstacles to Drone Delivery, for Ecommerce

September 4, 2015 • Gagan Mehra

The military has used drones for years, for a variety of missions. Now ecommerce retailers are evaluating their use. Consumer research firm eDigitalResearch conducted a survey that found that 33 percent ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
What’s the True Cost of Inventory?

August 31, 2015 • Michael Manzione

Inventory is often the largest asset of ecommerce merchants. Inventory defines merchants’ businesses and their position in the marketplace. It defines customers’ expectations of the business. For most ecommerce merchants, the ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Life after in-house fulfillment

August 18, 2015 • Kenny Kane

In “My search for a third-party fulfillment company,” I wrote that location, automation, and accommodation were key factors in making my final decision. Once we had penned an agreement that satisfied ...
Shipping & Fulfillment
Drop Shipping: Be Cautious of Automation

August 18, 2015 • Jeremy Hanks

The primary benefit of drop shipping for retailers is the ability to access merchandise without incurring physical inventory carrying costs. It also enables suppliers to open new channels or penetrate existing ...

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