Tag: Fulfillment Warehouse

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5 Tips on How to Handle the Inevitable Holiday Returns

How a Fulfillment Company Deals With Holiday Returns

Returns are a necessary cost of doing business, but the price gets even steeper during the post-holiday period. Streamline the process with these helpful tips from our fulfillment company team.

1. Use technology to automate the return process.

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) and other internal software systems can automate many steps that used to be done manually, such as manage authorizations, create shipping labels, and track returned items.

2. Refurbish and reuse returned products.

Sometimes a returned item is just in need of a little TLC. Some eCommerce companies employ technicians who can determine the product’s condition and make any necessary repairs. Once restored, the item can be returned to the original buyer or put back into inventory for resale.

3. Reduce, reuse, recycle.

If a returned product is beyond repair, don’t simply toss it away. Check to see if any usable parts may be reclaimed and partner with a recycling organization to ensure proper disposal of what’s left. This procedure goes a long way toward reducing your carbon footprint.

4. Gather data to improve forecasting, marketing, and inventory decisions.

If returns are considered “mistakes,” then they represent a learning opportunity. Do a deep dive into return trends, product quality issues, and other factors that can be used to reduce the number of future returns and optimize reverse logistics.

5. Make the return process user-friendly.

Do you consider returns to be a thorn in your company’s side? Change your perspective and look at the return process as another element in the sales funnel. A customer-focused return process strengthens your brand and makes a customer more likely to purchase from you in the future.

Partner with a Full-Service Fulfillment Company

Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics has extensive experience in customer service and all aspects of eCommerce business. Contact us to learn more.

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Google’s Going Local, Why Google Business Profiles Are More Important than Ever

Small business owner using Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics.

Have you noticed the change in Google.com results? Have you seen all the red icons in front of listings whenever you do a Google search that contains a city location in the query? Are you noticing that your website’s organic (unpaid placement) seems to be pushed down below a myriad of local results? Welcome to the new world of Google’s localized results!

With Google pushing location specific listings pulled from their Google Business Profile index, it’s getting harder for prospects to find your “real” website. Localization is the rage with search engines right now; even Bing has gotten into the act. It is now more important than ever to use your local business profile page as a doorway to bring visitors into your website. As Google is the big player in the world of search, we’ll focus on discussing Google Business Profile accounts in this article, but be aware that Bing has similar service.

If you have a business, you most likely already have a Google Business Profile even if you never created one. Google has planned ahead for you, and has created a profile page just for you, based on the information that it has found on the Web about your business. It’s your job to claim it, and then work the page over so it can be a selling and review tool to funnel customers and prospects to your “real” website.

How do you claim your listing?
First, visit this page: http://www.google.com/business/. On the right you will see a section for business owners. Your listing is free, but you will need to set up or tie an existing Google account login to your new Google Profile account. One word to the wise, if you are paying a third party to do set up for you, make sure that they tie the Google Profile account to you and not to themselves. You want to retain ownership of your Google Business Profile page as long as you have your business.

The sign up and set up interface is easy to use. You will enter in your physical address (no P.O. Boxes allowed), your phone number, email address, website URL, business description, and then select service or product categories. Don’t be afraid to choose custom categories that are short keywords of the services or products you provide. You can only set up a maximum of five categories.

Your Business Profile page is not complete until you enter details about your business such as: operating hours, types of payment accepted, photos, YouTube.com videos, and finally the important “additional details.” Take time to add “additional details” that make sense. We recommend using keyword phrases for these “additional details”. Keep in mind that what you enter here should be considered like a bulleted list, with a one to three word clarification in the second field to the right of the entered keyword. Focus on keywords that are indicative of what you sell and in a very short concise format.

Although you are done, your Business Profile page will not go live until Google has verified that you are really located at the address your have listed in your Google Profile account. Plan on two weeks for a postcard or plain envelop to come to you via regular mail at the listed location. This correspondence will contain a PIN. You must enter this PIN number in your Google Profile account for your page to be put in the indexing queue. It may then take another one to four weeks for your listing to actually become live. Unfortunately setting up and verifying a Google Business Profile page is not quick process but make sure to follow the instructions carefully. If someone has already claimed your physical location you may not be able to claim it as well. This is an important note to remember for office buildings and even businesses sharing physical spaces with the same street address.

How to maintain top position with your Google Business Profile?
As Google Profile pages are so important now in the organic results, how can you improve placement and then retain it once you win it. We recommend that you do monthly updates of your photos and videos on your Google Profile page. If you don’t have videos, now’s the time to start getting creative and make several short videos using your digital camera. Just load your video files to YouTube.com (tied to the same Google account that you used for your Google Profile page). Insert the YouTube.com link to the video into your Google Profile account in the video section. You can show up to five videos at a time. As for pictures we recommend sizing 20 or so into a square shape and then rotating ten different ones each month. Google seems to like and reward Profile pages with better placement that are actively managed on a regular basis.

Google also seems to reward Google Profile pages with better placement when the business offers coupons and has more review than their competitors. Not all markets seem to have a clear cut path to top placement, but we do know from information found online that in major markets reviews and coupons are just one of the keys for top placement of a Google Business Profile page. Your geographic proximity to the person who has searched is still the top determining factor in which businesses are shown and then coupons and reviews will additionally rank the returned business listings.

Where do the reviews come from that appear on my Google Business Profile page?
Google scans the Web and may pull reviews from all over and embeds them on your Google Profile page. But more often than not, it is real business users that leave reviews directly by visiting your Profile page if they are logged into their own Google account.

Unfortunately, you have no control of the reviews that appear on your Profile page. However, as the page’s owner, if a poor review is posted, you can respond to the review, but there is no “remove this review” button. You can however flag the review for Google as inappropriate, but Google may leave the review at their option.

Be careful if you are using a third party set up service that the creation of fictitious reviews is not part of your package. Your Profile page could be dropped from the index by a violation of Google’s terms of service.

In conclusion, with the advent of search engine localization, claiming your Google Business Profile page is a very important aspect of managing your online presence. With Google Profile pages being ranked higher than websites for search queries that contain a location, we recommend using this Google tool to your advantage to funnel clients and prospects to your website.

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Prepare Your Ecommerce Store for Growth in 2024 with These Winning Strategies

Business Growth Chart

The Ecommerce industry constantly evolves, and 2024 will be no exception. Are you ready to embrace the future? Let our fulfillment warehouse staff help you stay ahead of the competition by sharing the biggest trends that will be shaping Ecommerce over the next 12 months.

1. Leveraging social media as a selling platform

Instagram, Facebook and TikTok have all been powerful marketing and communication tools. Savvy Ecommerce retailers are taking it one step further by using them as sales channels that allow customers to complete purchases right in the app. If you’ve been lagging in building a strong social media presence, don’t wait any longer.

2. Offering same-day delivery

Same-day delivery is the new next-day delivery. Thanks to services such as DoorDash, Postmates and InstaCart, consumers have now become accustomed to receiving orders on demand. Streamline your logistics and do your research to make sure you partner with a trustworthy courier service.

3. Using artificial intelligence and machine learning to personalize the customer experience

Now that artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning are here, there are virtually no limits to how effectively you can tailor the online purchasing experience. Use this cutting-edge technology to customize everything from product recommendations and marketing campaigns to customer service and chatbots.

4. Optimizing voice-activated shopping

Alexa and Siri have gone from fun novelties to dependable “assistants.” Experts predict a sharp increase in voice-activated shopping during 2024. Here are some helpful tips to optimize this tool in your Ecommerce business:

  • Focus on natural and conversational voice patterns.
  • Incorporate long-tail keywords coinciding with voice-search queries.
  • Provide informative but concise answers.

Medallion: A Fulfillment Warehouse for the Present and Future

With decades of experience, Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics has the ability to successfully pivot with all of the industry changes and innovations. Contact us today to learn more.

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January is the Time for Business Assessment and Planning – What to Do

2024 Fulfillment Company Business Assessment

As the new year starts, this is an ideal time to focus on planning and assessment. What steps can you take to help your business grow in the coming year? From partnering with a fulfillment company to writing down goals, the following tips can help you evaluate and plan for a successful year.

Write Down Business Goals

What goals do you want to accomplish as a business owner? Are there any areas of weakness that could use some improvement this year? Write down the goals you have for your company over the next few months. Then, write down more goals for the next few months. Keep doing this 90-day goal setting method to keep you motivated throughout the year.

Create an Updated Budget

Business growth and financial changes can lead to the need for a fresh budget. Come up with a financial plan for the new year. Take several factors into consideration, such as your profit margin, overhead spending, and projected business growth. This helps you determine a smart budget to follow during the year.

Make Long-Term Plans

Think long-term for your business. What do you hope to achieve a year from now or 5 years from now? You can even look a decade into the future. Write down long-term plans for your company, along with steps you can take to start working toward these goals.

Partner with a Fulfillment Company

As a practical step, consider hiring a fulfillment partner. This allows you to have a dedicated company handle order processing, packing, and shipping. These services can ensure prompt shipping and delivery and save you money on warehousing costs.

If partnering with a fulfillment company is on your to-do list for 2024, contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics. Our fulfillment services can boost customer satisfaction, reduce costs, and ensure timely deliveries.

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Protect Your Supply Chain with a Focus on Cyber Security

Supply Chain Security Tactics for Fulfillment Company

Disruptions to the supply chain your company depends on can lead to costly problems for your business. Cyber security threats are among the biggest risks to the supply chain as more and more businesses and consumers use online services. From keeping your fulfillment warehouse up and running to protecting your supply chain, consider the following to enhance cyber security.

Cyber Security Education Is Key

Making sure every member of your IT team and other staff are aware of cyber security measures helps keep your supply chain data safe. This involves educating them on the potential risks to data security, such as malware, and ways to protect data. All members of your staff should collaborate in order to ensure that your supply chain has maximum protection from cyber security risks.

Encourage Shared Responsibility

Taking measures to boost cyber security protection for the supply chain should involve your supply chain partners and customers, along with your staff. Promote shared responsibility among these different parties to keep the supply chain safe. Otherwise, vulnerabilities could end up affecting the supply chain, putting data at risk. For example, ensure that staff, partners, and customers have secure ways to connect devices to your system.

Adopt Zero Trust Principles

These principles are an important part of finding weaknesses in the supply chain, such as devices used in the manufacturing industry or delivery services. Zero Trust means that cyber security isn’t taken for granted based on the location of physical devices or networks or based on who owns and operates them. This encourages businesses to take extra steps to protect the supply chain from potential cyber security threats.

If you’re searching for a fulfillment company and warehouse to help your business succeed, please contact Medallion Fulfillment and Logistics. We can help your company grow and thrive in the new year.