Category: Fulfillment Companies

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Can and Should Your Store Move to Free Shipping? What to Consider

Free Shipping Infographic

To offer free shipping or not to offer free shipping. That may not have been a concern in Shakespeare’s time, but today it’s an issue that all eCommerce companies have to consider. Our fulfillment company experts share some tips for making it work for your business.

1. Not everything has to ship for free.

Some products are just too heavy or too bulky to make free shipping a reasonable perk, and consumers understand this. Do a careful evaluation of your product lines and determine if any of them fall under this category.

2. Protect your margins.

How do you make money? Do you sell primarily high-ticket items, or do you earn on low-margin items with a high volume of repeat customers? The answer to this question will help guide you.

3. Leverage free shipping to boost customer loyalty.

Here are some successful methods that companies have used to link free shipping to other programs:

  • Provide free shipping on subscriptions, where products auto-ship at regular intervals.
  • Create a program that rewards loyal customers with free shipping. You could also take a page from Amazon and charge a nominal fee for a customer membership.
  • Offering free shipping on returns can tip the scales for shoppers who are buying items such as clothing and footwear.

4. Conduct testing.

Nothing has to be set in stone. Review your average orders and shipping costs, then check out what your competition is doing. Choose free shipping options that make the most sense for you and test them out to see which one(s) generate the best response.

A Fulfillment Company That Makes Shipping a Breeze

Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics has favorable relationships with UPS, FedEx and most common carriers. Contact us to learn how our full selection of services can be a valuable solution for your eCommerce company.

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The Future of eCommerce Fulfillment

eCommerce Fulfillment Company with Employee holding a Tablet.

Online retail has been on the rise over the past few years. Initially fueled by the pandemic, eCommerce has continued to grow as more consumers shift to shopping online. Partnering with a fulfillment warehouse and taking other steps can help businesses enjoy a thriving future in eCommerce.

Quick Delivery

Consumers expect to have their orders fulfilled, shipped, and delivered quickly. With major online retailers offering same-day or next-day shipping, it’s important for smaller retailers to be able to offer these options if possible. Being able to get customers’ goods to them in a short timeframe involves having a way to efficiently fulfill orders and ship merchandise. This can be difficult for smaller online retailers to handle all on their own, but solutions are available.

3PL Solutions

Relying on another company to fulfill orders and handle packing and shipping can help ensure prompt delivery. Online retailers should explore third-party logistics (3PL) solutions. These solutions allow retailers to shift order fulfillment, picking, packing, and shipping to a company that specializes in these logistics. Doing this helps free up time for online retailers to focus on other aspects of their business, such as marketing. Depending on 3PL solutions also helps lower the risk of having consumers experience delays in getting their merchandise.

Larger Warehouse Space

With more consumers shopping online, eCommerce businesses need to have the space available to stock merchandise. This helps ensure that products are readily available for customers to purchase. Fulfillment warehouses can provide online retailers with plenty of space for storing merchandise. This partnership allows eCommerce businesses to keep products available and ready to ship as quickly as possible.

If you’re looking for a reliable fulfillment warehouse to help your business meet its goals, contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics.

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Steps to Choosing The Right Fulfillment Partner for Your Business

An Image of a Path to Success and Failure.

In both your personal and professional life, choosing the right partner is a serious decision with far-reaching effects. When you’re ready to pick a fulfillment company, follow these steps to make an informed choice.

1. Does the company meet your needs?

Most fulfillment companies, anxious to secure your business, will assure you that they can meet your needs, even without knowing what they are. Don’t take their word for it. Do some due diligence and ask questions that reveal the company’s capabilities and limitations:

  • Can they provide support across all your sales channels?
  • Is the company active within your industry?
  • Do they make use of the latest high-tech tools, or are they lagging behind the times?

2. Can the company scale along with you?

It’s inconvenient and disruptive (not in a good way!) when you have to find a new fulfillment service because your business has outgrown the capabilities of the current one. Look for a fulfillment partner that can scale with you over the long term, as well as during seasonal fluctuations.

3. Does the company offer a full range of shipping solutions?

Shipping can make or break an eCommerce company. Consumers have become accustomed to timely and cost-effective delivery. If you can’t provide it, they’ll turn to your competition.

4. What is the fulfillment company’s professional reputation?

It can be tempting to partner with a new and inexperienced fulfillment service that will eagerly promise you the moon. Don’t risk your own business by being a learning experience for another company. When a company has extensive experience and quality references, you can trust them to follow through on their commitments.

Your Top Choice for a Fulfillment Company

At Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics, your success is our success. Contact us today for more information.

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Trends Continuing to Shape eCommerce in 2023

Graphs and Electronics on a Table Depicting eCommerce and Warehousing Trends

Online merchants are exploring or implementing ways to improve customer experiences and ensure safety for online payments. Whether online store owners handle everything themselves or use a fulfillment company, it’s important to be aware of these trends. The following are some of the top trends in eCommerce this year.

Fraud Detection

Many online store owners are looking into new tools that help with fraud detection. This helps lower the risk of phishing attacks and other kinds of fraud. Some store owners are planning on using better fraud analytics, while others are focusing on improving automated detection accuracy and improving the process of chargeback disputes.

Chatbots and Other Digital Tools

Online merchants are turning to chatbots to help improve customer experience, since these bots are able to reply to questions or concerns quickly. Online store owners are also making use of connected devices that offer touchless transactions and a more streamline experience on multiple channels.

New Payment Methods

An increasing number of online store owners are offering other payment methods, such as digital wallets. Other payment methods that online merchants are adding include buy now pay later (BNPL) and localized digital payment methods, such as account-to-account transactions. Offering additional payment methods helps improve the customer experience.

Machine Learning and AI

Some online merchants are using machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) to handle certain applications, such as authorizing payments and improving fraud management.

Fulfillment Companies

As eCommerce increases, more online merchants are using fulfillment companies to process and fulfill orders, ship merchandise to customers, and handle other tasks. This helps online store owners ensure efficiency and customer satisfaction.

If you’re looking for the right fulfillment company to help your online store thrive, contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics. We offer order processing, internet store fulfillment, 3PL services, and much more.

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How a Trusted Fulfillment Partner Can Positively Impact a Customers Experience

Ecommerce Business Owner and Fulfillment Warehouse Provider Shaking Hands.

Did you know that 90 percent of online shoppers are less likely to purchase from a retailer after a disappointing experience? That’s one of the findings from a survey conducted by Körber, a major provider of supply chain software and automation solutions.

Here are some consumer concerns revealed in Körber’s survey and how partnering with a fulfillment warehouse can help you exceed customer expectations.

1. Price is the most important factor in shipping.

Spiraling inflation and lingering effects from pandemic shutdowns continue to drive the cost of living higher. Customers don’t want the price of goods compounded by high shipping costs. A fulfillment service allows you to enjoy the benefits of preferred shipping rates that are generally not available to independent retailers.

2. What’s outside is just as important as what’s inside.

Survey participants indicated that they form an opinion of an eCommerce retailer before a shipped product is even opened. The size and shape of a container, use of sustainable materials, and overall appearance of the package all factor into their evaluation. It’s also important to note that many respondents believe that the seller, not the shipper, is responsible for poor packaging.

A fulfillment warehouse employs experienced personnel who are able to select the appropriate containers and packing materials for all shipments, regardless of size and shape. They can also assist with design and creation of custom packaging.

3. Customers value returns options.

Nearly 90 percent of survey respondents said that returns options affect their choice of retailer. Processing returns can be a hassle, but a quality fulfillment service will efficiently handle them for you, regardless of the reason.

Partner with Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics for Superior Service

Don’t take on customer concerns by yourself. Contact us to learn more about why you should partner with our fulfillment warehouse.