Fulfillment within marketing refers to the ability of a company to meet the needs and wants of its target consumers. Simply stated it's the preparation and delivery of online orders. This process allows a company to satisfy customer needs and wants by providing products or services in a timely and efficient manner. A company that excels in fulfillment is able to create value for its customers and achieve a competitive advantage over competitors in the marketplace.
Many large companies have the capabilities to do their own fulfillment. However, smaller companies tend to outsource their fulfillment to specialized companies. Fulfillment companies have infrastructure and systems in place to store products, assemble products, pack orders, label orders, ship the product, and provide tracking information. An added plus of fulfillment centers is that they complete/scale all of these tasks and more in a timely manner. These companies also have the necessary staff to handle customer service inquiries related to fulfillment.
When looking into choosing a fulfillment partner, it's important to look into a company that is reputable and has a good track record. The last thing you, as a company, would want is for your customers not to receive their items on time or at all. Also, you'll want to find a company that offers a good price point and meets your budgeted needs.
If you decide to outsource your fulfillment process to another company remember to do some research on the options available. If, however, you choose to fulfill orders within your company it's crucial that you fulfill orders in a timely and scalable manner. Therefore but systems in place to make these two objectives achievable.
What are the benefits of fulfillment services?
Benefits of fulfillment services include improved customer service, cost savings, increased efficiency and scalability.
How does fulfillment work?
Fulfillment typically involves a third-party provider that receives orders from customers, stores inventory in their warehouse, packages the product according to customer specifications and ships it out using the most efficient delivery method.
Fun Fact:
According to a study conducted by FulfillmentCompanies.net, "94% of consumers are more likely to shop with retailers that offer same-day or faster delivery." (FulfillmentCompanies.net, 2020)