We’ve come a long way, from selling goods off mimeographed copies pinned to a grocery store bulletin board.
For a while, it was newspaper ads, then the online version. Now? We don’t just sell online. If you want to be successful, order fulfillment is all about maximizing the multiple channels available to you.
When you want to see big sales, less isn’t always more (really, is it ever?). Increase your e-commerce sales with a fulfillment warehouse. Make it your business to learn this business, starting right here.
Bricks and Mortar Are Out of Order
The description of a “real” store you can walk into and touch and feel and buy, “bricks and mortar,” is becoming as dusty as it sounds.
You already know that e-commerce is the way to go, but don’t get stuck with the idea of just one site.
Single, or “Omni,” channel (channel = the site or destination that you select to sell your goods) is not going to cut it in today’s world.
A paper published by Cleveland State University summed this up: “Managers are adopting multichannel distribution strategies that may span multiple facilities.”
Stay with us and we’ll show you how selling on multiple channels is one of the best ways to increase your e-commerce sales.
Let’s Hit the Order Fulfillment Books!
Multichannel order fulfillment has become such a profitable way to sell online that students in business and marketing programs across the country are learning it in school.
We’ll enroll you in our own little program right now. Some benefits of selling this way include:
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More satisfied customers
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Reduced need for markdowns
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Lower (or zero!) fulfillment costs
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Higher capacity during peak demand
Why not put what we just saved you on that cap and gown you’ll never wear again back into your business?
Rely on Research
Great news (finally!). So much of what goes into increasing e-commerce sales has to do with knowing your audience:
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What do they want?
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When do they want it?
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How long do they wait before they Have To Have It?
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How much do they buy?
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What will they be willing to spend?
No doubt, you’ve already asked a lot of these questions, which is great.
But that great news we just mentioned is that expert marketplace valet companies have the answers.
They study this stuff. They consume it. They swap it out for oatmeal and devour it for breakfast.
This is an even bigger bonus if you rushed your product to market and didn’t stop to do much analysis. (It’s OK. We see it all the time.)
It means you don’t have to go backward and get all of those details because you can stick with what you do best – producing your product or performing your service – and let the experts take care of the rest.
How Much Is Too Much?
Is there such a thing?
At first, it may seem like the possibilities are as endless as the internet itself, when imagining what the internet can do for your sales and order fulfillment.
But, like everything else, multichannel fulfillment has been – and is currently being – studied and analysis gives some insight into how to conquer this fruitful way of selling.
When you work with a dedicated, verified marketplace valet (a company that guides you through every step to help you spread your products or services across internet platforms), you’ll have assistance choosing the right channels for you.
Think about your TV and, cringe, your television bill. Aren’t you paying for tons of channels you never watch?
That’s unacceptable in today’s online selling world. With the right marketing company, you’ll pay for the right channels only.
One Size for All, Big and Small!
Sometimes it can feel like all the “cool” marketing stuff available to online sellers is only for the big guys. The massive retailers who fling product far and wide with hoards of workers.
No matter if your company is a company of one (you!), a few, or many, order fulfillment assistance “fits” your needs.
In fact, good order fulfillment companies recognize that it’s not really one size fits all and that everyone needs a little help.
So when you do your research, look for things such as warehouse storage tiers. A company dedicated to helping you maximize your e-commerce sales will have options, such as varied size locations (differing prices for small, medium, and large).
Don’t Change That Channel
Actually, one of the benefits of multichannel order fulfillment is that you get to change the channel, a lot!
So much so, that it can kind of get confusing. Research by Brigham Young University teaches students about channels such as:
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Intermediaries
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Supply chains
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Channel partners
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Wholesalers
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Brokers
This is all great, but when you’re selling online, try to implement all of that and you’ll quickly get overwhelmed.
One of the biggest benefits of the multichannel approach is that yes, it’s multi, but it’s multi-concentrated (did you just faint? we almost did):
You list, sell, and fulfill orders worldwide, faster and more efficiently, across multiple platforms, without the “multiple” effort.
In these cases, the platforms include major marketplaces, but without the major effort:
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Amazon
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eBay
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Walmart (and Jet)
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Sears
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Wish
Plus the overseas/foreign equivalents of these online outposts.
If you consider each one of these sites a channel, you’d never want to remove any one of them from your lineup package!
And the great news is, you don’t have to. You pick and click.
Read Between the Lines
Even though we’re pretty rock-solid sure that multichannel order fulfillment is going to be the way to sell stuff online for a long time, we encourage you to read, read, read.
There is lots of free information available for just-starting-out sellers, such as this list of e-commerce tips from the University of Missouri to marketing blogs that will dive deep into the pretty nitty gritty of positioning your business.
Order Up!
It’s OK to feel overwhelmed.
But keep in mind that every day your goods aren’t available in the right channels, someone else’s product (or service) is purchased.
So let’s get the conversation started. If you’re ready for a free consultation on how multichannel order fulfillment could work for your business, let us know.
But before you click, share your experiences here. Have you found success going multiculti?
Are there channels you find work best and those you avoid? What type of products do you sell and where do they fly off the virtual shelves?
We’d love to hear about it and we know our readers do too. Post your sales success stories and lessons learned right here.
This channel’s for you!