|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Evaluating Vendors of Ecommerce Fulfillment Services
Once your website has secured an order, you have to fulfill it. While the fulfillment of digital goods is usually handled online, the delivery of physical goods is handled in a "brick-and-mortar" world.
When choosing a fulfillment company ( http://www.4th-media.net/order_fulfillment/decision_making.php ) for your ecommerce operation, you need to evaluate both fulfillment services and ecommerce services for order processing.
Evaluating Fulfillment Services
Fulfillment services includes receiving, inventorying, warehousing, delivery, record-keeping and customer inquiries. You have options to outsource part of or all of fulfillment services to a third party.
Receiving - This is the process that fulfillment vendors acquire goods from suppliers and the accuracy of services starts at the receiving.
Inventorying - The skills of inventory management directly impact the quality and cost of fulfillment. If inventory is out of stock, you may lose customers. If inventory level is too high, it may increase the cost of inventory.
Warehousing - Physical goods are stored in a warehouse and valuable items are usually stored in secure storage. While fulfillment companies have their warehouses and distribution centers, small businesses can store goods in their garages or basements.
Shipping - For order fulfillment, goods are delivered to customers in various shipping methods - ground, overnight, etc. at fulfillment centers. Customers specify shipping methods when they place their orders and the fulfillment companies may adjust the shipping methods of the delivery.
Return and Order Inquiry - Customer Service Reps at fulfillment companies can handle return and refund for their clients. Most ecommerce sites allow customers to view their orders and status of fulfillment online.
Record Keeping and Reporting - The ability to track all information pertinent to the order fulfillment (from inventory items, customers, orders to shipping) will help businesses to gain insights into the behaviors of their customers. Fulfillment companies and large organizations usually install inventory and fulfillment management software to automate the processes. Small business owners can find shareware for less than $100.
Evaluating Ecommerce Services
E-commerce fulfillment vendors are usually fulfillment vendors that provide ecommerce services related to fulfillment.
Online Catalog - Ecommerce fulfillment vendors can either develop online storefront ( http://www.4th-media.net/online_storefront/ ) for you or integrate your online storefront into their backend fulfillment system.
Online Payment Processing - Online storefronts from ecommerce fulfillment providers should have the ability to process payments online in credit card, electronic check, and purchase order. Using a fulfillment company, you can accept credit card online without a online merchant account.
Copyright @2005, Bruce Zhang
Bruce Zhang had worked a few years in distribution and fulfillment industry. He contributes to Order Fulfillment ( http://www.4th-media.net/order_fulfillment/ ) section of an ecommerce website ( http://www.4th-media.net/ ).
FOXBusiness - 5 hours ago
Ajit Sivadasan, VP Global eCommerce, Lenovo - "Nortel's web.alive technology could help provide a potential next step in improving the online shopping ...
Lenovo Using Nortel's Web.alive for E-Commerce Virtual Worlds News
Nortel's 3D Virtual World Technology Powers New Lenovo Shopping Lounge TMCnet
Nortel uses Unreal Engine and Lands Lenovo as a customer of web.alive TMC Net
FOXBusiness - TMCnetall 35 news articles
MSNBC - Jan 7, 2009
SAN MATEO, CA - The online retail sector in general continued to give mixed signals, showing both strengths and weaknesses, over the holiday retail shopping ...
Auctionbytes
Auctionbytes - 12 hours ago
Barney stated, "Infopia is well positioned to deliver robust eCommerce solutions to growing retailers. I'm excited about the upcoming strategies and ...
Infopia announce ecommerce summit and new CEO TameBay
Infopia Names Barney President, CEO techrockies.com
all 3 news articles
Meadow Free Press, ID - 9 hours ago
Tracking a business’s cycle is easy. All the business owner needs to understand is a few basics, and track how they interact, and how that interaction ...
PWO, France - 19 hours ago
Harnessing ecommerce often means harnessing search engine algorithms to increase organic search engine results – through this channel and through paid ...
New Company Aims to "Recession-Proof" Small Business PR.com (press release)
all 2 news articles
ECommerce-Guide, United States - Jan 7, 2009
The best news is that you can still spend most of your time in the studio recording or blogging to your fans, as digital goods e-commerce systems tend to ...
Washington Post, United States - Jan 6, 2009
BabyCenter, the social net and eCommerce site run by Johnson & Johnson, has closed up its online store to focus strictly on its media side. ...
J and J's BabyCenter to shutter online store Crain's New York Business
J&J closes up shop at BabyCenter.com SmartBrief
all 12 news articles
Accounting Software 411 (press release), CA - Jan 7, 2009
CFO's utilizing SAP, are frequently looking to outsource the B2B (business to business) eCommerce website according to Sam Bayer, Founder and CEO of ...
MSNBC - Jan 6, 2009
"Solutions like Manhattan's DOM are the future for cross-channel order management, especially given the certified integration with a leading eCommerce ...
SYS-CON Media, NJ - 12 hours ago
The centerpiece of this strategy, a state-of-the-art eCommerce store, was unveiled in late 2008 and features a shopping experience that brings together the ...
PARLOT.COM: Turnkey Money Making websites PayPal is secure in its domination over the electronic payment... Read More E-commerce is gaining pace! Research firm eMarketer predicts that 2003... Read More Nowadays, shopping online is a very common thing. Making your... Read More The principle of "permanent establishment" is very important for avoidance... Read More What does 'the can' mean? Well, its literal meaning relates... Read More Did you know that over 90% of all online orders... Read More Far too many people get ripped off when setting up... Read More Let me share with you a secret that most marketing... Read More Usable Shopping Carts Increase SalesE-commerce has been around since 1993... Read More You're excited. You have a great idea for a profitable... Read More Anyone with an online business, whether for auctions, services, or... Read More Choosing an online shopping cart is a big decision. Unlike... Read More BENEFITS OF A DATABASEBy maintaining your list as a database,... Read More Over the past several years, the Internet has emerged as... Read More Your site visitors make all the choices when it comes... Read More Some people do not understand the Internet idea of online... Read More A beginner's guide to setting up a successful online store... Read More What a loaded question! Let's narrow that down a bit... Read More I had a rude awakening recently. I checked the days... Read More My Business is Afraid of the InternetBill Gates, CEO of... Read More The development and expansion of the Internet has made business... Read More Summer must be when many work at home Mom start... Read More The 21st century has introduced the world to a new... Read More The virtual corporation is the emerging organisational form, which best... Read More If you're a writer, researcher, subject matter expert, enthusiastic hobbyist,... Read More
Google to Compete with PayPal?
How To Sell Your Products Online?
Using Credit Cards Securely Online
Electronic Commerce Tax Jurisdiction and Principles of Permanent Establishment
Tell Them Whats in The Can!
Ecommerce - Boost Your Business ROI
Dont Get Ripped Off Getting A Merchant Account
Leading eCommerce Consultant Admits You Should Only Listen to One Real Expert! (And its not him!)
Shopping Cart Usability
Getting Started: Creating a Business Plan
How To Accept Credit Cards Online
Choosing an Ecommerce Shopping Cart
Database: The Secret of Success
Alternative E-Commerce Solutions
Tell Site Visitors What To Do
10 Second Internet Person, sound familiar?
A Beginners Guide To Setting Up A Successful Online Store
What Does It Take to Make Money Online?
The Clickbank Crash of 2003: Lessons Learned
Is Your Business Afraid of the Internet?
Starting An E-Commerce Business
Dont give up on your business!
E-Currency Exchange: The First Bonanza of the 21st Century?
The Rise of Multinational Virtual Corporations
Why This Is The Perfect Time To Start Charging For Website Subscriptions
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting When your eCommerce business grows to the point where you... Read More There are two major ways to accept credit cards on... Read More All of the long, grueling nights and an unknown number... Read More While getting less public handwringing than during holiday season, the... Read More A common frustration among merchants who sell online via a... Read More Being able to accept credit cards and other online payments... Read More E-commerce is gaining pace! Research firm eMarketer predicts that 2003... Read More E-gold is a digital currency, used extensively on the Internet... Read More When considering opening an online merchant account to accept credit... Read More Businesses, which are still sitting on sidelines and not doing... Read More Did you know that one of the best ways to... Read More The birth of the Internet and the mass availability of... Read More Back in 1998 (through 2000 or so), I worked for... Read More You're excited. You have a great idea for a profitable... Read More The Lowdown on EcommerceEcommerce is truly the most confusing aspect... Read More Nowadays, shopping online is a very common thing. Making your... Read More Are you a website owner or a web designer/developer? If... Read More BENEFITS OF A DATABASEBy maintaining your list as a database,... Read More In the last column we discussed the process of credit... Read More Our website, Best Of The Home, has been listed in... Read More When most people think of a retirement gift, they think... Read More --Online Commerce--E-Commerce website is all about selling products and services... Read More Business-to-business service providers have a wide range of tactics they... Read More The Internet may not be useful for all businesses, nor... Read More So you want to start a business? Good for you.... Read More
Choosing on Order Fulfillment Service
Accept Credit Cards Online Without a Merchant Account
eCommerce Software Solutions
The Five Most Commonly Encountered, Off-putting E-commerce Errors
Shopping Cart Abandonment ? Discover 5 Things you can do to Lower Cart Abandonment
Accepting Credit Card Payments Online
How To Sell Your Products Online?
E-Gold
Credit Card Processing - 7 Things You Need to Know Before Opening an Online Merchant Account
Six Components Of A Good E-Commerce Site
Accepting Credit Cards For Your Online Business
E-commerce: Is It Right for You?
Online Credit Card Processing - How to Accept Credit Cards - Ecommerce 101
Getting Started: Creating a Business Plan
The Lowdown On ECommerce: Making All The Pieces Fit Together
Using Credit Cards Securely Online
Choosing the Right Online Shopping Cart
Database: The Secret of Success
Online Payments Make It Easy For Your Customers To Buy
Why Our Site Was Removed From The ODP
Retirement Signature Frames ? The Perfect Retirement Gift!
Is It Easy to Build An E-commerce Web Site?
Online Lead Generation: Can it Work for My Business?
Electronic Commerce and WTO
How to Start a Business on the Internet
E-commerce |