Breaking Down What a 3PL Does

chemicals distribution solution

For those businesses operating online stores and swimming in the waters of ecommerce, fulfilling customer orders is essential to your operation. While it might be easy to maintain with a single store and small customer base, as your company grows it is simply an impossibility. That’s where a 3PL logistics company can help. They are a partner to your business. You outsource all ecommerce logistics to them. This includes the following:

  • Inventory Management
  • Warehouse Management
  • Order Fulfillment
  • Order Returns

While third-party or 3PL logistics is a newer term, businesses have been outsourcing since the 1970s to improve efficiency. It is nothing new to outsource certain aspects of a business in order to be able to focus resources and personnel on other areas.

Most Important Services in a 3PL

  • Inventory Management
  • 2-Day Shipping
  • Inventory Distribution
  • Fulfillment
  • Returns
  • Order Customization
  • Data Analytics

Inventory Management

Managing inventory is more involved than just storing items. It is a pipeline between customers and the warehouse. It is important that real-time updates are available so customers know whether the item they want to order is in stock. OctoChem can provide 3PL warehouse services to manage your inventory and provide real-time stats on products at any time.

2-Day Shipping

Customers expect reasonable shipping rates and quick delivery. Gone are the days of 7-10 day shipping. With the rise of ecommerce businesses and free shipping, customers demand it with every click.

Inventory Distribution

Having fulfillment centers distributed throughout the customer base, cuts down on shipping time and order fulfillment. Having a network of fulfillment centers will help your ecommerce business to grow.

Order Fulfillment

Handling payment and order fulfillment is a huge headache taken from your plate. Letting a 3PL handle it, allows you to focus your resources elsewhere.

Returns

The same goes for returns. Ensuring the returned items to back into inventory and the inventory counts are updated is a big headache. Leave that to your 3PL.

Order Customization

This is something that can make your company memorable. Imagine what the customer will feel when they open your order. Will they remember the packaging? Or will they simply forget about who sent the item and only remember the product?

These are the ways a 3PL logistics company, like OctoChem, can help:

  • Custom Gift Notes
  • Packaging Customization
  • Custom Sender Labels

Data Analytics

Partnering with OctoChem provides businesses with third-party warehouse services and a top-rated logistics service provider. We can provide businesses with insightful data analytics. This offers information about how your business is operating and points to areas where improvements can be made.

If your business has been looking for third-party logistics companies, then look no further than OctoChem. Offering premier third-party logistics services, we help businesses succeed.