How to outsource your e-commerce logistics?

E-commerce logistics presents many challenges: finding the time to do it, ensuring quality service and controlling costs. And poor logistics will leave a bitter taste in your customers’ mouths. So the question arises: should you outsource your e-commerce logistics?

In this article, we will present the advantages of outsourcing your e-commerce logistics and the steps to follow in order to do so in the best possible conditions.

What is e-commerce logistics?

Stock management, order preparation, parcel dispatch, after-sales service in the event of product returns… E-commerce logistics (from the English Fulfillment) encompasses many factors that retailers must take into account and master.

If your sales volume is not yet significant, managing your own logistics will certainly take time, but is by no means insurmountable. However, if your company is growing rapidly, it can quickly become overwhelmed. This can lead to a number of imponderables, such as longer delivery times and poor stock management, which will cause consumers to turn their backs on you.

Before you get to that point, a simple and effective way to put your management in order is to outsource your e-commerce logistics. You can save time, energy and money with very advantageous all-inclusive packages.

What are the advantages of outsourcing your e-commerce logistics?

As we have already mentioned, e-logistics involves many factors, such as stock replenishment, order preparation and dispatch, and renting a warehouse to store your products for sale. With the outsourcing of your e-commerce logistics, you leave this time-consuming management behind by delegating these tasks to an external company that makes it a point of honour to save you time and money.

With the help of software that reacts in real time, you can keep track of your turnover, receive alerts when your stocks are running low and, among other things, delegate customer returns to your external service provider. Ultimately, outsourcing your e-commerce logistics allows you to concentrate on the essential, your core business: selling.

Finding new growth levers, developing your offer, negotiating prices for new references, finding tomorrow’s trends… So many crucial points for a merchant like an e-merchant that you will be able to address more often by outsourcing your e-logistics.

When should you outsource your e-commerce logistics?

When you started your business, you could probably rely solely on yourself to manage everything in-house. Then your business grew, orders increased and managing the logistics became, admittedly, a real headache, consuming energy and time.

Before you get to that point and end up losing money on express negotiation of warehouse rental and delivery costs, for example, using a service provider is an excellent solution. Relying on the expertise of an external partner for your e-logistics usually leads to transforming your supply chain into a profitability model you probably didn’t realise you had.

How to outsource your e-commerce logistics easily?

With our Rakuten Fulfillment Network solution, outsourcing all or part of your e-logistics is made as easy as possible. Our service takes care of the storage, packaging, shipping and return of your goods, all at a fair and transparent price. No unpleasant surprises, no hidden costs, our pricing is based on the weight of the shipment and the desired storage volume in m3. With regard to the latter, our price list changes according to the desired storage time. This service is free if the storage time of your products for sale is less than 5 weeks.

Better still, to allow you to focus more on your core business, our service includes the handling of customer complaints. The reception of returns, the return of new references and, if necessary, the reimbursement of the consumer are now done entirely on our side.

How does it work?

Why choose Rakuten Fulfillment Network to outsource your e-commerce logistics?

Calling on a major e-commerce player like Rakuten to help you manage your e-logistics is :

• Save time. By delegating the management of your logistics, you can refocus on the essential: making your business flourish.
• Rely on e-commerce experts. With Rakuten Fulfillment Network, Rakuten is the first player in Europe to federate an international network of fulfillment experts whose know-how is recognised by their peers.
• Internationalise your business. Our turnkey model allows you to reach a much wider audience effortlessly, both nationally and internationally.
• Reduce the delivery time of your orders. With Rakuten, every order placed is processed immediately. Shipping is fast, delivery is express.
• Save on storage and shipping costs. Our price lists are clear and without unpleasant surprises. Our partners’ prices are also negotiated to reduce your costs as much as possible.
• Increase your stocks. Outsourcing your e-commerce logistics means delegating stock management to a third-party company and thus enabling you to increase the volume of your references very quickly.
• Boost your business volume. Following on from the previous point, increasing your stock will affect your volume of business over the months.
• Control your digital growth. Number of products, stocks, prices… In just a few clicks, make the necessary updates to increase your yield.
• Multiply your acquisition channels. Opting for the Rakuten Fulfillment Network means you can sell from your own merchant site, your shop created on Rakuten as well as on all other marketplaces that interest you.
• Rely on e-commerce experts. When you call on Rakuten to manage your e-commerce logistics, you are surrounded by dedicated experts, such as an account manager who will accompany you, advise you and help you at all times.