eCommerce Tips
Fulfillment is a key component of any eCommerce business, and with eCommerce popularity booming during the pandemic, many entrepreneurs have had to learn eCommerce order fulfillment on the fly. Understanding and addressing common pitfalls in this process can make a significant difference in your business’s efficiency and customer satisfaction. Here are four common mistakes in manual fulfillment and how to fix them.
Lack of Standardization
Gone are the days of improvising in a home-office-turned-fulfillment-center, shipping your first few orders on a whim. Customers expect a consistently good experience, which means learning from mistakes and delivering quality — on time.
To achieve this, start by documenting your process, noting what works and what doesn’t. Improvement begins with standardization and understanding how things are done. Regularly take time to review and refine your process, looking out for unnecessary efforts that can be eliminated.
Physical Strain of eCommerce Order Fulfillment
Running a business takes a physical and emotional toll. From late nights answering customer emails to early morning deliveries, entrepreneurs face numerous physical demands. It’s crucial to identify steps in your process that cause strain or excess movement.
Consider: Do you pick things up and put them down more than necessary? Are you making too many trips back and forth? By organizing your workstation intentionally, you can minimize movement and conserve energy.
For inventory, if you often unpack and repack items, leave them in their original boxes with clear descriptions until they’re ready to ship. And remember: lift with your legs, not your back. Keep weights close to your body, with legs slightly apart and core engaged, to avoid injuries.
Waste of Time and Materials
Building a successful business takes time, but if moving inventory repeatedly is consuming too much of it, rethink your storage strategy. Plan ahead for shipments by visualizing your workspace needs and identifying the best storage spots for incoming goods. This foresight allows you to store items out of the way until needed.
Beyond time, consider material waste. Do you often use too much paper, tape, or filler? Are your boxes shipping mostly air and packing peanuts? Evaluate your packing process and materials. If your customer doesn’t see value in certain steps or materials, consider minimizing or eliminating them. The best rule for saving time and materials during fulfillment is to use less.
Trying to Do It All
We understand — your business is your passion, but it takes a village to raise one. If eCommerce order fulfillment (or any other aspect of your business) is overwhelming and distracting you from your bigger goals, it might be time to seek help.
Look for opportunities to automate, outsource, or get extra hands to assist you. Services like HiveHub can provide trained operations professionals to handle some or all of your operational steps. This support allows you to focus on scaling your business, such as product development, marketing, or customer engagement.
Saving time on fulfillment can enable you to concentrate on other crucial aspects of your business growth.
We’d love to hear from you! Share your tips and tricks for improving your fulfillment process or brainstorm new strategies with us. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or email us at contact@hivehub.com. Let’s work together to streamline your eCommerce operations!
