You are not alone if you have difficulty keeping track of your inventory and order fulfillment. Growing pains are common among new manufacturers. However, this does not make them any easier to deal with. When faced with supply chain challenges, you have two options: continue to do your best to handle logistics internally, or outsource to a print on demand fulfillment provider. Moreover, if you are unsure which path to take, you can monitor your business for indicators to guide you to the best decision. Knowing when to transition from in-house to outsourced print on demand service provider is critical to the success of your business – but how do you know when it’s time?
6 SIGNS THAT YOU SHOULD SHIFT TO OUTSOURCED PRINT ON DEMAND FULFILLMENT
1. When you are running out of space.
Allow yourself a few minutes to go through your facility. If you keep your inventory on-site, take the time to walk down each aisle and look for signs of overcrowding. Outsourcing your inventory management will eliminate these overcrowding symptoms while also assisting in preventing damage to your goods. Professional print on demand providers has the space and resources to keep your inventory secure, safe, and organized.
2. Important orders are arriving late.
Consumers today are more than just impatient. They are demanding, and some of them are untrustworthy. It is simply not an option to fall behind schedule due to inventory shortages, production challenges, or delivery delays. If you are late on just one or two orders, your customer may consider taking their business elsewhere. Outsourcing can aid in the prevention of supply chain bottlenecks and delivery delays. The industry’s top print on demand providers can scale with your company and quickly add human resources to ensure that a large rush order ships quickly using a carrier that guarantees next-day arrival.
3. You have a low conversion rate.
With cart abandonment rates at 69.89%, you won’t be alone in your efforts to boost conversion rates. You’ve most likely reduced your prices, added free shipping options, and begun sending cart abandonment emails. Outsourcing print on demand fulfillment allows you to guarantee quick shipping times, which allows you to participate in fast shipping programs. Fast shipping programs boost conversion rates by providing customers with guaranteed fast shipping from a brand they know and trust. Outsourcing fulfillment ensures that your delivery rates are good enough to qualify for and remain in these programs.
4. Your operational costs are too high.
Because you’re running an eCommerce business to make money, you should always look for ways to cut costs. Your warehousing, staffing, shipping, and packaging costs rise in tandem with your marketplace, stock, and marketing fees. Outsourced fulfillment allows you to invest more money in free shipping, marketing, or your pocket. Print on demand fulfillment providers has the expertise and geographic locations to deliver your items as quickly and cheaply as possible, saving you money on direct shipping costs. You’ll also save money on warehousing space, personnel, and packaging materials.
5. When you want to expand.
If your online store is ready for growth, make sure your fulfillment processes. Managing multiple sales channels, increased order numbers, and increased marketing activities takes time; in-house fulfillment can divert your attention from these critical tasks, especially when you’re fulfilling more orders. Partnering with a print on demand fulfillment provider relieves you of the stress and time required for fulfillment, allowing you to devote more time to your business expansion plans. It also means you won’t have to worry about your technology, warehouse, or staff’s ability to manage a growing business – your print on demand fulfillment company will take care of that for you.
6. You’re losing out on inventory.
You are not alone if you are dealing with lost inventory. Almost every business has experienced inventory loss at some point. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), inventory shrinkage cost the retail industry $61.7 billion in 2019, increasing more than $10 billion from 2018. Employee theft, poor traceability, overstocking, manual tracking, and administrative errors are all factors that contribute to lost inventory. You can avoid these pitfalls by outsourcing your logistics to an industry expert. Print on demand providers is more likely to use automation, strict employee monitoring, product barcodes, and other measures to help reduce inventory loss.
DECISION HAS MADE – WHAT’S NEXT?
Once you’ve determined that your company is ready for outsourced fulfillment, you’ll need to partner with a reputable print on demand fulfillment provider. Outsourcing fulfillment can be a scary step, but it can be an exciting and profitable one when done correctly.
Do you feel overwhelmed? Reaching out to a proven leader in the logistics industry is the best way to reap the benefits of outsourcing. We invite you to visit us at Fulfillplex to learn why businesses all over San Francisco rely on us for warehousing and order fulfillment. As a top eCommerce fulfillment company, we are excited about the opportunity to assist your company in growing! Get a quote right now.