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How To Find The Right 3PLs For Your Online Store
As your online store grows, so too does the list of things you have to think about to ensure everything remains running smoothly. When it comes to managing logistics, it can become increasingly complex the more success your business sees, and that’s why we recommend partnering with third parties who specialise in exactly what you need.
Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) can help you manage all things logistics so that you can focus on doing what you do best – running your business. But not all 3PLs are created equal, and choosing correctly can be the difference between you getting your orders out on time to your customers or being up to your neck in missed orders, delayed shipments and even worse – unhappy customers.
This is our complete guide to choosing the right 3PLs for your online store and all the factors you have to consider as you do so.
First Up Though, What Are 3PLs?
3PLs, or third-party logistics providers, are companies that deal with warehousing, transportation and fulfilment of orders for your online store. They’re an outsourced logistics provider that you can utilise to take the stress out of managing and sending off orders, so that you can focus on running your business rather than handling order admin.
Typically, they handle things like inventory storage, transportation, order fulfilment, and inventory management, and they can be a huge factor in making your online business run more smoothly.
What Are The Benefits Of Partnering With A 3PL?
The benefits of working with 3PLs might seem like a no-brainer, but if you need any more convincing, working with 3PLs can save you money, increase efficiency, keep your customers happy and allow you to scale your business quickly as it grows.
You end up saving money in the long run as you don’t need to pay additional staff for picking and packing orders or renting a large warehouse space. 3PLs handle all of that for you.
What Are The Best 3PLs For Small Businesses?
When it comes to the best 3PLs for your business, it really does depend on a multitude of different factors. No two businesses are exactly the same, and therefore, no two 3PLs are going to work in the same way for your brand.
A common misconception is that 3PLs are only suitable for big businesses. However, they can also really help small online brands save time and allow them to focus on scaling and growing their business. While we can’t definitively say which 3PL provider is going to be best for you, we can guide you to make the right choice for your business.
What Do I Need To Consider When Choosing 3PLs?
When it comes to choosing 3PLs, there are a few different factors you’ll really want to keep top of mind to ensure you’re forming a partnership that is going to benefit your business the most.
Before diving in and partnering with a 3PL provider, you want to consider the following factors:
What Are Your Goals?
Before deciding which 3PL provider to choose, it’s important to know your goals and your business needs prior to making a commitment. The size of the warehouse you need, the type of products you sell, and your plans to scale in the future are crucial elements to be aware of.
There’s no point partnering with a 3PL provider that only offers a tiny amount of storage space and has no plans of scaling up if you’re planning on growing your business and will eventually need something larger.
What’s Your Order Volume Like?
This is another critical factor you need to keep in mind. The number of orders you expect to handle directly impacts who you should partner with. If you’re expecting a big boom or you have fluctuations in order volume, you want to work with a team that is able to handle large volumes of orders without making any sacrifices on overall quality.
If you’re particularly busy during the festive season or you’re anticipating quick growth, it’s important to partner with 3PL providers that can handle high volumes and have processes in place to ensure smooth sailing.
Where Will Your Orders Be Sent?
Whether you’re looking to send your goods locally, nationally, or internationally, it will also have a big impact on who you end up partnering with. You may want to choose a 3PL provider that has a warehouse closely located to your customer base to make sure orders are delivered quickly.
Or if you’re planning on offering international shipping, ensure you work with 3PLs that know how to handle all the bits and pieces that go along with shipping goods internationally to make for a smooth send-off and your customers getting their goods on time.
What Are You Selling?
Different kinds of goods have different requirements when it comes to storage, handling and shipping. If you’re shipping food or drinks, you’ll need somewhere that has refrigeration services. Or, if you’re shipping particularly large or fragile items, you might want to partner with someone who has experience packing and shipping similar products.
What Do Your Customers Expect?
This is arguably one of the most important considerations you’ll want to keep in mind, as keeping your customers happy is probably one of your top priorities. Customers these days expect quick turnarounds and their products to get to them quickly, so it might be beneficial to partner with a company that has a track record of speedy shipping.
You want to look at their shipping times, delivery times and the ease of returns when you’re looking for 3PLs that are going to ensure the best customer experience.
Make Finding The Best 3PLs Easy
Finding the best 3PLs for your online store (big or small) can feel like a never-ending battle, but as a digital marketing agency that has experience working with small to medium-sized businesses, we can help guide you in the right direction.
If you’re not sure which 3PL provider is going to work best for you, or you’re looking for advice when it comes to scaling your online business, contact us today to find out how our expert team can help you make the hard decisions.