In the ecommerce business, there are several things that can dictate your success or failure. Of course, marketing your products is among those things that will determine if you make profits off sales or ponder shutting your online store and tagging yourself an absolute failure. But that isn’t all.
Another important factor that is key to the smooth running of your business, including your customers’ happiness, is where you store your products. If you have decided to warehouse your product, you must go for a warehouse that adds ease and pumps money into your business and not the other way round.
Below I have highlighted a few criteria to consider when choosing a warehouse. But, before we delve into that, what are e-commerce warehouses?
What are e-commerce warehouses?
Ecommerce warehouses are spaces designed to cater to an ecommerce business’s storage needs. To operate optimally, ecommerce merchants must store their products in a good ecommerce warehouse. But, what defines a good ecommerce warehouse? How do you select a dedicated ecommerce warehouse that boasts easy access to your customers and provides faster and affordable shipping?
Here are four things to consider when shopping for the ideal warehouse for your Fulfillment europe.
1. Size and storage needs
Some ecommerce merchants choose warehouses based on the size of their pocket, ignoring other important factors. At the same time, others choose based on the proximity to their target customers alone.
One important factor to consider when choosing the ideal warehouse for your fulfilment is its size and storage needs. What do you sell? Are they food items? Hazardous materials? Or items that require optimum care and storage?
Ensure that the warehouse you choose suits the products you are selling or intend to sell. For instance, if you sell fragile items like ceramic plates, you wouldn’t want to store your products in a warehouse that cannot cater to such items. Doing so will result in damages, which will ultimately result in loads of customer complaints.
2. Closeness to your customer
Before choosing a warehouse for your fulfillment, you need to consider its size and storage needs. Aside from that, you also need to consider its closeness to your customers. For instance, if your customer lives in Seattle, Washington, it is important you get a warehouse from a 3pl Seattle company. Doing so will reduce the shipping fee and even allow you the option of offering your customers free shipping in some cases.
If you go against this rule of thumb and consider a warehouse far away from your potential customers or target customers, you will have to charge more to cover shipping costs, resulting in a loss of sales.
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3. Handling equipment and staging facilities
Other important criteria you should consider when choosing a warehouse for your products are the equipment and facilities. Ask yourself, does the warehouse boast of adequate handling equipment and staging facilities? If they do, you are good to go. However, if they don’t, you should consider an alternative.
Also, it is best you find out if the facility comes with internal or external docks for loading and unloading products from the warehouse onto the vans and vice versa. Furthermore, you also need to consider the space of the warehouse. Does it fit your storage needs? Or is it too small?
4. Availability of skilled staff
Before choosing a warehouse, it is important that you do some digging into their available workforce. How many workers do they have? Two? Five? A dozen? Do they have the skills to cater to your products? Or are they simply menial workers who don’t know how to stock shelves, receive shipments, or take inventory? Remember, these are the people who’ll be in charge of your products. Thus, you want to ensure that they know how to do their jobs.
Conclusion
Since your warehouse is a key element in your supply chain, it is crucial you take your time before selecting one. Do the necessary research. Ask yourself questions. Don’t be in haste to select a warehouse based on “what you heard”. Ensure you figure out if it is ideal for your business, as your profit depends on it.