More and more e-commerce stores are springing up daily, such is the demand for quality services. Order fulfillment is an integral part of every business looking to satisfy every one of their customers. While the prospect of meeting the needs of these customers might seem unattainable, it’s worth the trial.
Order fulfillment refers to the processes involved in receiving, processing, and delivering goods to customers. Usually, a third party company, order fulfillment firms, take it upon themselves to ensure that sellers get their products across to customers. This article looks at some of the personnel involved in successful order fulfillment;
Goods Receiving Unit
As a seller who desires to deliver an order to a client, you are required to send the products to the order fulfillment company. Most order fulfillment companies take it upon themselves to check the state of the order before receiving such orders. Also, they require you to count the items inside the package to ensure the right amount is received.
When the adequate inspection has been carried out on the goods, bar codes are attached to the package. The bar codes help in tracking the whereabouts of the package during the processing stages. Some companies also carry out kitting during the receiving process.
Inventory storage Unit
As a business owner, you should be familiar with this term as it’s often used within the business parlance. Proper inventory storage plays a vital role in any order fulfillment operation, and it is usually given optimal attention. Ideal inventory storage allows for faster and more productive order processing. Items are inspected, sorted, and placed on shelves where they can be quickly accessed.
Order processing Unit
This is probably the most important term used in the order fulfillment industry. As soon as a customer places an order for an item online, the owner of the business receives such order. The business owner immediately looks for a way to transmit the goods to the order fulfillment company. The items are collected and sorted by the order processing company and stored on shelves.
Packaging Unit
The packaging unit receives the items and inspects them for damages before going ahead to seal it. This unit takes its time to determine the most suitable material for packaging the order, and a couple of factors are considered. Factors considered include; Distance package will travel through, Fragility level of the item, Possibility of slips. When all of these factors have been put into consideration, the item is sealed for onward processing.
Shipping unit
This particular unit is responsible for delivering goods to the customer. The shipping unit determines the weight of the package to know the most suitable method for moving it. Shipping is often complicated by the number of carriers the container has to pass through.
Final Thought
As a regular buyer on e-commerce stores in China, you probably do not know the units that ensure that your order gets to you. This article sheds light on each of the units as well as their roles in order fulfillment for goods bought in China.
