A fulfilment centre is a part of an ecommerce supply chain that handles the entire fulfilment process, from storing inventory to delivering orders to a customer’s doorstep. A3PL (Third-party logistics), like Eshopbox, uses a fulfilment centre to streamline order processing for ecommerce sellers to help them grow their brand and boost ecommerce sales.

What is the difference between an ecommerce warehouse and a fulfilment centre?

The terms ecommerce warehouse and fulfilment centre are often used interchangeably; however, there are some key differences between the two. An ecommerce warehouse is a storage space that simply keeps inventory. On the other hand, a fulfilment centre not only stores inventory but also processes orders. Thus, a fulfilment centre is more than a storage space.

A fulfilment centre’s staff picks, packs and ships orders. Moreover, in case of returns, the returned products go through a quality check and are returned or refurbished (if possible) and put back on the shelves to be resold.

What is the role of a fulfilment centre in ecommerce?

Fulfilment centres play a critical role in ecommerce as they are able to manage inventory more efficiently and process orders much faster. Let’s see the various benefits of using a fulfilment centre:

1. Speeds-up order fulfilment

The expertise of 3PLs like Eshopbox and technology such as conveyor belts and RFID tags enable fulfilment centres to ship orders at a lightning-fast speed. Unlike in-house fulfilment, a 3PL’s fulfilment centre can help you deliver orders faster and more accurately.

2. Saves time

Fulfilment centres handle the responsibility of shipping orders quickly and handling returns, taking the stress off of your shoulders and freeing up time to focus on core business operations.

3. Improves inventory management

Many 3PLs use a robust Inventory Management System (IMS), a combination of hardware and software technology that keeps track of inventory across the supply chain. For example, the IMS of Eshopbox provides sellers with a bird’s eye view of their inventory and prevents stockouts by giving inventory replenishment reminders.

4. Reduces operational costs

Maintaining inventory at multiple ecommerce warehouses to deliver orders faster can be expensive and cumbersome. You can reduce these overhead costs by using the established distribution network of 3PLs like Eshopbox.

How can fulfilment centres improve customer experience?

Customer Experience refers to the emotions and perceptions a customer goes through while interacting with a brand, such as browsing for products, receiving packages and more.

Shoppers consider online shopping to be an enjoyable experience and expect fulfilment to be along the same lines. Thus, customers wish to receive a personalised shopping experience and choose ecommerce brands that offer it over those that don’t. In such a scenario, Customer Experience (CX) becomes important for ecommerce sellers to stay competitive.

A fulfilment centre can help ecommerce brands improve CX by-

• Ensuring fast delivery

• Providing custom packaging

• Securing packaging to prevent in-transit damage

• Allowing customers to initiate returns easily

Eshopbox’s state-of-the-art fulfilment centres enable you to provide same-day and next-day delivery. You can create custom packaging guidelines to delight customers and create a memorable unboxing experience that helps you stand out.

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