The Amware Fulfillment & Logistics Blog

The accompanying pick to light video shows just how the technology works to increase productivity and order accuracy in a fulfillment warehouse. Productivity can improve up to 40% as associates working in a contained area simply scan an order into the system and then move to specific bin locations that are identified by a flashing light and the specific number of items to pick.

Your eCommerce customers may not have the intended experience without a custom packaging fulfillment solution. To drive repeat business in online retail, it helps to have a bit of a “wow factor” during the customer unboxing experience. To ensure a maximum wow factor, all elements of the buying experience must be executed well and on time: online ordering, warehouse fulfillment, delivery, and unboxing.

Pick and pack services are at the core of the eCommerce order fulfillment process. Breaking down the service: a warehouse associate ‘picks’ an order out of inventory and then brings it to a station where the order is ‘packed’ and a shipping label is affixed. Sounds simple, right? But the pick and pack process can run the gamut from totally manual to fully automated.

The demands of online shoppers continue to accelerate. In addition to fast, free shipping, they now want an easy and efficient eCommerce returns process. In fact, 95% of online buyers say that how well a brand handles returns influences their decision to buy again.

The 24-hour automated fulfillment center arose out of necessity to satisfy consumer appetites for fast delivery via standard shipping. For years, 3–4 days was an acceptable delivery time. That has shrunk to 2 days. Today, some customers even expect next-day – and in some cases same-day – delivery service.

Industry buzzwords come and go, but one phrase that has stuck – and is pushing shippers to rethink their fulfillment strategies – is “omnichannel.” And while the term may have made Gartner’s list of overused marketing words as far back as 2014, omnichannel is holding its own in a world where customers expect to have a seamless experience across all sales channels through omnichannel fulfillment services.

Cosmetics is big business. Globally, people will spend $12.8 billion in 2022 to look and smell good. Many of those sales are online. That requires a fulfillment operation that can keep up with increasing volumes, but also handle some of the unique storage and shipping requirements of beauty products. Here’s what to look for when shopping for cosmetic fulfillment services.

Omnichannel and eCommerce retailers must focus on eCommerce return solutions given the high percent of online purchases that are returned. Once upon a time, fulfillment centers would let returned items pile up in some unused corner of the warehouse until busy associates found time to process them. But the sheer volume of returns during the current eCommerce boom now makes them impossible to ignore.

Online shoppers want eCommerce order tracking capabilities that track purchases from the moment they click the buy button until the goods arrive at their front door. If the items they buy aren’t in hand, shoppers want to know their location and how long they will take to arrive. As a result, virtually all retailers that sell online must now provide reliable shipment tracking to enhance the customer experience.

If you think one fulfillment 3PL is as good as the next, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise when your fulfillment services provider fails you.

Not all order fulfillment partners have the same capabilities or operate according to industry best practices. It can take months or more to extricate your business from an unfulfilling fulfillment relationship, so make sure you pick the best 3PL for the job upfront. Look for the