5 elements to consider when outsourcing your order packing to a 3PL Fulfilment centre

1. The advantages of outsourcing your order packing

Outsourcing your order packing to a third party fulfilment centre is a great way to save time and money. A 3PL can be more efficient than your in-house team, allowing you to focus on other aspects of growing your business. You will also benefit from improved accuracy, allowing you to provide customers with an even better customer experience.

2. The disadvantages of packing orders from home

The disadvantages of packing orders from home include:

Time - You're not building your brand, so you have to make time for it. Whether you are a full-time employee or have another job and need to fit order packing in around other responsibilities, this can be difficult. And if you do manage to get it all done (and then some), there's no guarantee that your customers will appreciate the added effort.
Space - Your living space may not allow you sufficient room to pack orders while also keeping stock and equipment safely stored out of harms way. If that's the case, renting a storage unit is an option—and one that costs money!
Cost - Staffing costs are high when it comes to outsourcing 3PL services because they require proper insurance coverage as well as adequate health and safety measures taken throughout the workplace environment. On top of these expenses are others like tax liabilities plus any tools required for quality control purposes such as barcode scanners or metal detectors which may be required depending on what type products being handled at any given time."

3. Making the right choice of a 3PL order fulfilment centre

Once you have a good idea of the size of your business and its needs, it’s time to make the right choice. You need to find a 3PL fulfilment centre that is suitable for your business.

The first consideration is how much storage capacity you will need. Some fulfilment centres are large enough to provide vast warehousing, so they can store all of your products in one place and then pack them when they receive an order from any customer. Others may choose to spread your items around the country or even across the globe depending on your requirements.

Consider other services you may need such as using branded packaging, gift wrapping, sales reports, personalised letters, able to handle big increases in demand such as a product launch. Make a list of all the aspects important to you brand over the course of a week or two and then compare that with the 3PL's offering.

4. How to choose a 3PL e-commerce fulfilment centre

Once you've determined the type of fulfilment centre that's right for your business, the next step is to choose a 3PL fulfilment centre.

There are many things to consider when choosing a 3PL fulfilment centre but there's one thing that should stand out: their reputation and experience in your industry.

A good way to determine their reputation is by asking around or checking reviews online. You can also find out how long they've been in business and see if they're accredited by any recognised bodies such as UKWA or the RHA. To really get an idea about what it would be like working with them, talk to existing customers (if possible) or look at testimonials on their website or other online platforms like LinkedIn where people share their experiences with businesses. You could also ask for a site visit of their warehouse to see how it really works.

5. How to ensure a 3PL provider understands and embraces your brand

Choose a 3PL provider that is the right fit for your brand.
Make sure they are the right size, have the right values and expertise.
Choose a 3PL that understands your brand and has a good understanding of it.
Don't go with a one size fits all e-commerce 3PL unless your items are commodity items with limited branding
What are their objectives and goals for the future? If they aren't aligned with your brand then your growth and scale could be limited before long.

You can benefit by outsourcing your order packing to a 3PL e-Commerce Fulfilment centre that has the skills, resources and experience to do the job right.

If you want your order packing to go smoothly, outsourcing it to a 3PL Fulfilment centre with the skills, resources and experience can benefit you.

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Are you looking for a UK based 3PL to partner with your store? Here at Rapid Pack we offer all of our clients 60 days free storage on signup. We also include the first pick within the shipping price! Wherever you're shipping to we have great and affordable courier partners to choose from too!

So if you're looking to grow your online store in 2024 and need a hand picking, packing and shipping your orders then consider choosing Rapid Pack Fulfilment ... get your free quote > HERE< Just tell us about your business. It only takes a few minutes.

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