Five Essential Benefits of a 3PL Warehouse for Your Small Business

3PL - Third Party Logistics Diagram

When you’re trying to grow your small business, handling all of the tasks involved in your supply chain can be challenging and time-consuming. The use of third-party logistics (3PL), such as a fulfillment warehouse, can take these tasks off your hands, so you can focus on other aspects of your business. Using 3PL warehouse solutions offers the following benefits for small businesses.

Better Customer Satisfaction

Using a 3PL warehouse means your customers can receive their packages on time. This helps your business build a reputation for being reliable. Timely package shipping and deliveries result in customers who are more satisfied with your business.

Reduced Costs

A 3PL warehouse solution can help your small business save on operating costs and other expenses. Using this type of service means you won’t have to spend money on renting a warehouse, transporting goods, and handling other logistics tasks on your own.

Expanded Markets

Using a 3PL warehouse can make it easier and more cost-effective for your business to expand into new markets. You’ll have greater access to other markets, while saving money on the cost of managing inventory in these markets.

Increased Scalability

When you use 3PL solutions, you’ll have the adjust the use of supply chain resources based on how busy your business currently is. This scalability helps reduce waste when business is slow or quickly meet customer needs when business picks up.

Knowledge and Expertise

Relying on a 3PL warehouse to handle your fulfillment needs means you can depend on their expertise and guidance. They can help you expand into new markets, including overseas markets, while ensuring compliance with international regulations.

If you need a dependable fulfillment warehouse to help your business grow, please contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics to learn more about our services.

Back to the Basics: How to Start Your eCommerce Store in 2023

Fulfillment Warehouse Picking Packages

As more consumers turn to online shopping, having an eCommerce store can be a lucrative business. From selecting an eCommerce platform to choosing a fulfillment warehouse, there’s a lot to keep in mind when running an online store. The following tips can help you get your eCommerce store up and running smoothly.

Find the Right Platform

Third-party marketplaces and online store builders are the main kinds of online platforms to choose from. You’ll have greater customization abilities with an online store builder, while third-party marketplaces have limited customization. Choose a platform that provides the right amount of customization for your online store, as well as dependability.

Think About User Experience

Consumers often use more than one device to shop for products. Consider user experience on different types of devices, including laptops, tablets, and smartphones, when designing or setting up your website, mobile app, social media accounts, and other channels. For example, your website should be optimized for mobile devices, so consumers can easily read text and view images on smaller screens.

Make the Checkout Process Simple

When running an online store, beware of abandoned shopping carts. This happens when customers place items in their online cart, but never complete the purchase. Making the checkout process as fast and easy as possible for customers can help reduce the risk of having abandoned carts.

Fulfill Orders Efficiently

Getting orders fulfilled and shipped to customers on time is highly important for eCommerce success. Finding a fulfillment warehouse to partner with for this purpose is a smart way to make sure that your customers receive their orders promptly.

If your 2023 plans include starting an eCommerce store, please contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics. Our fulfillment warehouse can help ensure that your online store is able to quickly fulfill orders.

Five Important Trends to Embrace for 2023

Fulfilment Warehouse

Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said, “Change is the only constant in life.” Thousands of years later, his words still apply. So what changes are in store for eCommerce in 2023? Keep your finger on the pulse by adopting these trends identified by our fulfillment warehouse staff.

1. Sustainability becomes a greater factor in purchasing decisions.

As consumers become more aware of environmental concerns, a recent study shows that four out of five shoppers consider sustainability when choosing brands to support. Major player such as Amazon and Apple have made public commitments to become carbon-neutral by a specific deadline.

2. Voice assistants “handle” an increasing share of consumer purchasing.

As of 2022, more than one-third of consumers use Alexa, Siri and other voice assistants on a daily basis. Savvy eCommerce retailers are incorporating voice-enabled technology to make the shopping experience more intuitive and hands-free.

3. Direct-to-consumer grows in popularity.

The pandemic caused unprecedented changes in how companies do business. In one development, retailers discovered that direct-to-consumer (DTC) selling models are more efficient and profitable. DTC selling also allows for more interaction with consumers, which in turn builds loyalty.

4. TikTok continues to be a dominant force in social media.

Over the last few years, video hosting site TikTok has exploded in popularity, becoming the most downloaded app worldwide. eCommerce retailers are finding that TikTok is a great platform for advertising and brand content.

5. Online shopping goes live.

Think of it as a virtual Home Shopping Network. Many eCommerce retailers are holding live streaming events featuring their products. This strategy strengthens the connection with customers, letting them ask questions and make purchases in real time.

Grow Your eCommerce Business with Our Fulfillment Warehouse

Contact Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics to learn how our services give you more time to grow your sales.

Forbes Projects Top Impacts in eCommerce for 2023

Fulfillment Warehouse

Just as with brick-and-mortar stores, running a successful eCommerce storefront means staying ahead of the curve on customer behaviors and preferences. Team up with our fulfillment warehouse to incorporate these anticipated trends for 2023 in your business plan.

1. Customers will continue to seek a personalized experience.

With eCommerce taking place in a virtual marketplace, creating a personalized experience for your customers can be the edge that puts you above the competition. Possible applications include:

  • Offering customized deals
  • Sharing helpful information about recommended products or ones that have already been purchased.
  • Creating targeted video content

2. There will be a greater focus on sustainability.

Environmental awareness has become a fact of life. As a result, consumers seek sustainability in both products and packaging. Go one step further by ensuring that your website is designed to operate with maximum efficiency to reduce the drain on resources.

3. Chatbots are here to stay.

Customers have become more comfortable with the use of chatbots. This will only increase as chatbots become more sophisticated. In fact, chances are good that chatbots will become the accepted form of customer service, rather than the exception.

4. Data protection becomes an even higher priority.

In terms of gathering customer information, it’s a fine line between being helpful and being annoyingly intrusive. eCommerce operators are giving more thought to exactly what personal data they need to collect as well as what point they need to ask for it.

5. Mobile shopping remains the preferred method.

If your site is still not optimized for mobile use, what are you waiting for? Nearly 75 percent of eCommerce sales take place via smart phone or tablet.

Your #1 Choice for Fulfillment Warehouse Services

Let Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics be a partner in your. success. Contact us to learn more.

Our Predictions for eCommerce Businesses for 2023

Fulfillment Warehouse

What does our crystal ball reveal about the direction of eCommerce business in 2023? Our fulfillment warehouse staff shares predictions for what you are likely to see during the upcoming year.

1. Online shopping continues to grow.

Yes, eCommerce is here to stay. Projections call for an increase of 12.2 percent in global sales for 2023. More good news? Experts anticipate that 2021 sales will more than double by 2026. Higher levels of consumer comfort and trust appear to be driving this trend.

2. Mobile shopping is also on the rise.

Thanks to smart phones and tablets, technology is as close as your pocket or purse. Keeping pace with overall eCommerce sales, purchases via mobile devices are anticipated to more than double by 2026, when they would total nearly 44 percent of all online sales.

3. Young consumers lead the way.

Does your marketing plan appeal to younger generations? While shoppers of all ages increasingly use eCommerce, the growth is much greater for consumers aged 25-40. Surveys indicate that approximately 80 percent of this demographic does the majority of their shopping online.

4. Social media is more deeply integrated in eCommerce.

With the debut of Facebook’s Buy button and Instagram checkout, the social media sales funnel becomes more streamlined. TikTok is also jumping into the game, testing Shopping Ads for both video content and live streams.

5. Online stores turn to visual commerce.

The main drawback to eCommerce is its two-dimensional form. Visual commerce aims to neutralize that aspect through the use of more dynamic visuals, including consumer-generated media, interactive content and augmented reality.

Head Into the New Year with a New Fulfillment Warehouse

Make 2023 your strongest year ever with a fulfillment warehouse partner that can scale along with your growth. Contact Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics to learn more.