Category: East Coast Fulfillment Warehouse

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How Your e-Commerce Store Can Effectively Compete with Amazon

How Your e-Commerce Store Can Effectively Compete with Amazon

When it comes to e-Commerce and fulfillment warehouse operations, does it seem like all digital roads lead to Amazon? On its face, Amazon’s infrastructure can be intimidating, and few companies have the financial resources to afford losing money, as Amazon does with its free delivery.

This doesn’t mean your e-Commerce store has to raise the white flag. You might not be able to beat Amazon at its own game, but there’s still room for you to stake your place in the e-Commerce market.

Here are some expert tips for claiming your own share of the digital marketplace.

1. Find Your Sweet Spot

Amazon may try to be all things to all people, but that doesn’t mean they’re successful at all of them. Find the area where you’re better than they are and concentrate your efforts on dominating that segment.

2. Be Proactive with Shipping

If you offer free shipping or other perks simply as a response to Amazon and other companies, it comes off as an attempt to follow the crowd rather than truly satisfy customers. Find out what your target market expects from shipping and deliver an experience beyond that.

3. Offer a Subscription Service

Making a sale is just part of the job. Repeat customers are your bread and butter. Create a subscription service, whether it’s for recurring product shipments or an annual program like Amazon Prime. Subscription services keep your customers engaged and help to establish ongoing relationships.

4. Make Technology Your Friend

Convenience is the major benefit of online shopping. Consumers don’t have to leave their home (or even their pajamas) to purchase anything – from groceries to furniture. Make sure you’re taking advantage of the full power of technology to offer a level of convenience that keeps customers coming back time and time again.

5. Build Your Brand

Customers love Amazon for many reasons, but a personal connection is not one of them. Amazon’s brand may stand for features such as price, selection and shipping, but those qualities don’t resonate emotionally with consumers. Identify what makes your company unique and use it in all your marketing.

6. It’s All About Customer Service

Studies show that two-thirds of customers who leave a company do so because they don’t believe the company cares about them. Customer service is one area where Amazon’s size puts them at a disadvantage. Put yourself above them and the rest of your competition by proving superior customer service with a personal touch.

Medallion: Your Amazon Fulfillment Alternative That Gives You Back Control

If you are already selling on Amazon or are considering selling on Amazon, make sure to ask us how Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics can be your own personal “Amazon-Like Warehouse”.

We can ship your products to replenish Amazon stock levels and allow you to continue to sell on your own website. It is important to know that when you use Amazon as your fulfillment resource, Amazon does not share customer email addresses with you. The customers remain customers of Amazon. This action prevents you, and other small niche businesses, from getting repeat sales and from marketing to your own customers; impacting repeat business. This is particularly important for sellers of consumables who would love to establish a long and fruitful relationship with clients.

Having an account with Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics and Amazon can be a win/win proposition. Medallion’s warehouse storage fees are considerably less than those that Amazon will charge and you get access to your own customer information.

Growing your sales requires full concentration. Let our Los Angeles-based California fulfillment warehouse handle your order processing and shipping needs, including cross-docking, credit card processing and telephone customer support.

Contact Medallion to learn more about our fulfillment warehouse services and how they can be customized to fit your needs.

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Don’t Burn Up Profits Using Discounts & Specials

Don't Burn Money

Using discounts and specials to drive traffic to your site can be a double-edged sword. Used properly, such sales offers are a powerful tool for boosting conversions. Used haphazardly, however, they can eat-up profits and burn your brand. Effectively utilizing discounts and specials without damaging your brand takes a bit of finesse.

Step-1: Brand Strategy

Brand strategy is essential in choosing the best type of sales offer(s) for your biz. For brands boasting deep discounts and healthy margins, daily or weekly sales may be better for boosting sales. Higher-end brands with slimmer margins, however, do better with customer loyalty-type offers. (This prevents driving in non-loyal/price-driven shoppers.)

Step-2: Selecting a Discount-Type

Popular options include:

  • Percentage off.
    Most common with sub-$100 sales, these range from overall, small 5-20% discounts to larger 50%+ single-item liquidations.
  • Dollar value discounts.
    Most commonly used with sales over $100, pair these with a minimum purchase.
  • Free shipping with minimum purchase.
    Shipping is the #1 reason for cart abandonment!
  • Free gift.
    A great incentive – and a way to rid product that’s not moving.

Step-3: Determining Timing

  • Go weekly or monthly to drive sales and help meet revenue goals.
  • Use pre launch offers to drive traffic and boost interest in new items/businesses.
  • Take advantage of holidays and seasonal milestones to stretch revenue.

Step-4: Converting Missed Opportunities

Sales offers can also help you nab looky loos.

  • Abandoned cart emails bearing free shipping/discount offers are a powerful conversion tool.
  • Social, email, & newsletter subscriptions offers help you broaden your customer base.
  • “Like”, “follow”, “share” & other referral promos are a wonderful way to widen word-of-mouth.
  • First-time shopper offers are a great nudge.
  • Customer loyalty offers keep shoppers coming back for more.

Struggling to keep up with packaging and shipping needs after using discounts and specials? Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics can help. Contact us today.

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USPS Holiday Shipping Rate Increases

USPS has raised rates.

We have received notification from the United States Postal Service that shipping prices will temporarily increase on October 18, 2020 until December 27, 2020. These increases are being enacted due to the higher shipping traffic from the pandemic and the expected increase in holiday shipping volume. Read more information.

FEDEX and UPS Shipping Rates

UPS has also announced rate updates due to pandemic shipping volume and extra handling.

FedEx has certain surcharges already enacted but has not announced holiday rate increases at this time.

As we know more, we will communicate any updates to you in our newsletter.

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Today’s Networking – Our Tips on Moving Beyond the Digital Scene

Successful networking has always been the foundation of creating avenues to fulfill both personal and professional goals. While digital platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter make it easier to connect, forging a genuine relationship is still at the heart of building your network. This means making sure you add face-to-face networking opportunities to your schedule too.

So, do you have to be an extrovert or create a phony persona to make these connections? More importantly, once a relationship has been started, how do you nurture it to the fullest extent? Here are some of our favorite tips for effective networking in a digital world.

Good Networking Is a Win-Win Proposition

Networking is intended to open new doors to you, but look at it from the other person’s perspective. He or she is also pursuing potential opportunities. As legendary motivational speaker Zig Ziglar put it, you’ll get what you want once you help enough other people get what they want.

Psychologist Robert Cialdini wrote about the concept of reciprocity, which means people tend to give back to those who give to them. Even a simple gesture like buying someone a cup of coffee can inspire them to return the favor.

Share Your Network

As with many other concepts, networking is about quality, not quantity. According to evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar, 150 is the approximate ceiling of the number of meaningful relationships we can maintain at any given time.

Forming quality relationships is the key to maximizing your network. For example, you may not have a social media specialist in your network, but your connections have well-rounded networks of their own, so they can make referrals when needed.

Branch Out

Branding is no longer just for corporations. Creating and growing your personal brand makes you stand out by establishing your unique value and skills.

Multifaceted people are more compelling than one-dimensional individuals. The more you become involved in “extracurricular” activities such as blogging or running a side business, the more others will be drawn to you.

Meet Face-to-Face

As deeply entrenched as social media has become, it still can’t take the place of personal interaction. Make it a point to attend offline networking events that are focused on your interests in order to create local connections in addition to your online connections.

• While the events may occur in real time, online sites such as Meetup and Facebook Events are a great way to discover what’s going on in your area.

• Get the most out of your time by attending workshops, seminars and talks where you can learn something in addition to networking with others.

• Business cards may seem old-school, but they’re still a more personal and memorable way to exchange information when you do meet face-to-face.

Save Time and Money with Ecommerce Fulfillment Services

Do you have your hands full trying to network and also coordinate inventory levels, order processing and logistics? Contact Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics to learn how we can give you back more hours in your day so you’ll have time to make networking work for you.

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How to Take Product Photos for Your Store Like a Pro But on the Cheap

As online shopping continues to grow market share, the sense of touch has been removed from the buying process, making visual appeal more important than ever. According to ecommerce consultant BigCommerce, two-thirds of consumers rate image quality as “very important” when it comes to online purchases.

Before you rush out and hire a pricey photographer, check out these great tips for cost-effective and professional-looking DIY photos.

1. Technique Is More Important than Equipment

Don’t let anyone talk you into dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on a state-of-the-art camera. If you can afford it, then by all means, but modestly priced cameras and even smart phones are capable of producing high-quality photos. Decisions such as lighting, staging and processing play a more significant role.

2. Create Your “Studio”

• Set up a table as close to a window as possible without getting into the shadow cast by the windowsill.

• Use poster board or mats to create a generic white background, “sweeping” it from the horizontal tabletop to the vertical wall to provide a seamless look.

• You’ll need at least two lights. Clamp-style is preferable as they stay in place but can be easily moved around. Make sure to use identical light bulbs with a cooler shade.

3. Include Action Shots When Appropriate

In many cases the white background will be sufficient, but some products have more appeal when shown in use. For instance, a picture of a person wearing sunglasses can be more attractive to potential customers.

4. Don’t Stop at One

Take a number of pictures of your product from a variety of sides and angles. Multiple views are the best way to overcome the two-dimensional aspect of online images.

5. Keep It RAW

For best results you should shoot in RAW format, which captures all of the visual data and gives you greater latitude in editing. In addition, changes don’t affect the original file so you won’t have to worry about losing data.

6. Evaluate and Adjust

After every session, review your work with a critical eye to see what worked and what didn’t, and then apply your findings to future photo shoots.

Ecommerce Fulfillment Services for the Busy Entrepreneur

Are inventory, order processing and logistics taking valuable time away from the business of driving sales? Contact Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics to learn more about our comprehensive ecommerce fulfillment services.