How To Improve Your Ecommerce Order Fulfillment Process
The process of fulfilling orders for your eCommerce will determine the performance of a web-based store. Delivery speed is one of the main requirements of your customers, according to research that shows that a majority of people will search for another store if delivery of an order is delayed.
If you’re unaware that slow delivery is the main reason, shoppers abandon shopping carts.
To keep ahead of your competition, You must work hard to make your orders available as quickly as possible. You’re fortunate to have come to this article. We will discuss tips to enhance your process for fulfilling orders to ensure improved customer service and operational efficiency.
What are the factors that make an order fulfillment process that is successful?
Before we consider ways to improve the process of fulfilling orders, it is vital to identify what is required for an order fulfillment process to be successful. In general, here are the essential steps to follow in a successful strategy for fulfilling orders:
- The customer placed an order
- The company processes the order through its back-office system and informs the client that the order has been processed
- Make a fulfillment request to the warehouse.
- The order is then picked up and then packed.
- The order is dispatched, and a shipping notification is sent to the buyer
- The order is delivered to the address that the customer chooses at the time
Clients will receive the product promptly and ideally in good condition if your business can accomplish this. Understand more about how your company can achieve this.
Find the cycle time for fulfillment of your order.
Understanding the fulfillment cycle for your orders is crucial when trying to improve your fulfillment. This makes you determine how efficient your current process for completing orders is and the areas you can enhance.
As previously stated, customers prefer a company with speedy order fulfillment instead of one that slowly completes orders.
A fulfillment cycle that lasts days or even weeks (which is not unusual in the world of e-commerce) can result in low customer satisfaction levels and a drop in the success of your online company.
Here’s how to understand your order fulfillment process:
- Expected cycle time for orders — This is the time to fulfill orders you provide your customers and is the foundation of understanding the order fulfillment process.
- Actual time to fulfill orders -(-)What is the most common time for a client to receive their item after placing an order on your site? Make sure to process your orders as quickly as you can.
- Cycle of supply chain time how many hours does it take to complete order when you place an order for raw materials?
Knowing your order fulfillment cycle time can help you identify gaps in the fulfillment process and make necessary adjustments.
Check your item's details.
In the case of e-commerce, consumers need as much information about the product they are purchasing as possible. Make sure you have all the product details, including images and inventory.
In contrast to brick-and-mortar-based business models, your customers have to be confident in the seller before buying through your online store. A thorough product description will give customers the confidence to purchase from your store.
Furthermore, you should ensure that the information about inventory on your website for e-commerce is accurate. What you display on your website must be in stock. So, you don’t notify customers (days later) that their order is on backorder, which is a fast way to let them down.
Integrate seamlessly
If you buy your products from multiple distributors or store your products in warehouses, you need unimpeded integration between your vendors. In this case, using an ordering management system (OMS) can come in handy to ensure smooth communication between your business and your suppliers.
Classify your inventory
Another excellent way to improve the efficiency of your fulfillment of orders from e-commerce is to organize your inventory. One method of managing your warehouse is categorizing your list according to demand. This will benefit your company because of the following:
- It ensures that there is adequate stock for products that move quickly and constantly.
- Faster tracking of the slow-moving and fast-moving inventory within your warehouse
In the end, this can significantly decrease the time it takes to process orders improving your process for fulfilling orders
Automate the fulfillment of your orders
The importance of automation in logistics and shipping can’t be overemphasized. Although automation may sound daunting to new people, it is crucial to ensure that orders are fulfilled in a timely process.
Automating your order process does not mean that robots will manage your warehouse. Not at all. It’s about removing time-consuming, repetitive, manual tasks prone to human error.
Manually entering data into every system can reduce efficiency and result in poor-quality work.
This is particularly the case when you receive orders through various channels. By using a regular automated fulfillment process, the fulfillment of these orders is simple.
Automated ordering helps you to generate orders, select the most suitable packaging and prepare invoices. Choose the excellent courier service and follow up with customers for better customer service and more repeat business.
Automating your order fulfillment process can not only cut down on human errors. It can also lower operating costs.
Enable visibility from end-to-end
Managing orders (OMS) improves communication throughout your supply chain. It can also enhance visibility across all of your suppliers.
End-to-end visibility is when both you and your suppliers will view information regarding items ordered, order processing status, and inventory levels in real time. This allows you to determine what items are in your inventory, the quantity, and where they are located.
Customers will also be expert to watch the available inventory and quantity, and quality and even track their orders. This will increase transparency and help them buy from your site.
Choose the correct shipper.
All the back-end functions mentioned above will ensure that everything runs smoothly in your business. Let’s now examine the biggest stumbling obstacle to eCommerce — shipping.
Amazon offers “spoiled” customers by providing two-day, one-day, or even same-day delivery. Even if your company cannot provide these speeds of delivery for your clients, it is essential to select a reliable and reliable shipper.
The delivery timings are one of the most important elements that determine a customer’s final decision when it comes to online orders. Choose an online shipping company that can provide two-day delivery if you can. One of the most crucial things to do is ensure that the shipper you select offers real-time and accurate tracking.
Don't overlook reverse logistics.
For some companies that sell on e-commerce, the only important thing is getting products to their customers. Although this can be a best way to go, you must consider the reverse of the procedure: the item returned to the customer is returned to you.
Yes, the returned product is an element of your order fulfillment process.
There is no way to avoid refunds. But, the process/methid will be less stressful when you prepare for it right from the beginning.
Ensuring that items returned are returned to your inventory as soon as possible can benefit you in two ways. Firstly it lets customers return damaged goods to you with ease.
It also reduces issues within your fulfillment chain as you don’t have to over-order inventory or cancel orders thinking there’s no product in a list.
Connect with your customer
The last thing to mention is that you must communicate with your customers throughout your process. This doesn’t mean just notifying your customer that their order was accepted. It’s more about on-demand, current, and real-time updates on the status of the order, such as the date that the order was received, is in processing, shipped, and the time when the product is delivered.
The main thing to do is ensure that your customers know what’s happening with their orders. You can also provide a transparent process to fulfill orders for the greater satisfaction of your customers.