Fulfillment services offer you one of the best values for your ecommerce dollar, because they’ll save you money in the long run. By employing a third party fulfillment service company, you save money on hidden costs, unforeseen expenses, and a wide range of miscellaneous expenses that most ecommerce and home-based business owners never realize until it’s too late.
Listed below are some of the most common questions about fulfillment service companies, in no particular order of importance.
Will The Fulfillment Service Company Own Part of My Company?
No. The fulfillment service company is an independent subcontractor that performs only the services that you, the ecommerce or home-based business owner, contract it to provide.
For their part, the fulfillment service company remains an independent operation. In fact, most fulfillment service companies provide logistics management and order fulfillment to multiple ecommerce business at the same time, using state of the art logistics management techniques and technology.
Will The Fulfillment Service Company Advertise For Me?
Yes and no. Many fulfillment service companies provide mail order fulfillment, which allows its client businesses the ability to execute mail order campaigns. The fulfillment service company can print, provide postage, and see to the shipping of brochures, catalogues, and other informational materials, once they are provided by the client business.
What Does the Term “Front End” Refer To?
If you picture your online business as a storefront, the front end is the front of the building – your showroom, cash register, and promotional materials. This is the “side” of the business you present to customers, the public front that encourages them to purchase products from your business.
The “back end” is everything that would exist behind the counter in a brick-and-mortar, real world store. The back end includes the warehouse, loading dock, business offices, and storage areas. Third party fulfillment service companies essentially take over operations of your back end, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Should I Use A Fulfillment Service Company Close To My Home/Business?
You can, but it’s not necessary. Fulfillment service companies are located throughout the nation. Some may be located near your home or business space, and you may choose to deal with them for the convenience of having your inventory physically close at hand.
Yet given the ease of communication that modern online and cell phone technology provides, keeping your fulfillment service company close to you isn’t an absolute must.