Getting eCommerce fulfillment right the first time is very important in today’s competitive environment. As consumers increase their online shopping, their expectations for order fulfillment have also risen – consumers want their orders when they want it for the least cost and where they want it. Since consumers are demanding instant gratification of their orders, it is critical that fulfillment processes are top-notch. Your fulfillment strategy plays a major role in the customer experience so don’t overlook it. Instead, see it as a competitive advantage.
The Impact of eCommerce in Fulfillment Centers
ECommerce fulfillment refers to the comprehensive process of receiving, processing, packing, shipping, and handling returns for online orders. It encompasses every step from the moment a customer places an order to the delivery of the product at their doorstep. As consumer demand for fast and cost-effective delivery grows, eCommerce fulfillment has become a critical aspect of maintaining customer satisfaction and loyalty.
Key components of eCommerce fulfillment include:
- Inventory Management: Ensuring the right products are available and stored efficiently to meet demand.
- Order Picking and Packing: Picking the correct items from storage and preparing them for shipment.
- Shipping: Delivering orders accurately and on time.
- Returns Processing: Handling product returns seamlessly to maintain customer trust.
Effective eCommerce fulfillment integrates automation, optimized workflows, and advanced slotting strategies to streamline operations, reduce costs, and enhance the customer experience.
Best Practices for eCommerce Order Fulfillment
In the competitive world of eCommerce, achieving efficient fulfillment operations is critical to meeting customer demands and staying ahead of competitors. Warehouses must balance the need for speed, accuracy, and cost-effectiveness while managing diverse SKUs and fluctuating order volumes. To succeed, companies need to implement strategic solutions that optimize storage, streamline picking processes, and enhance overall productivity. Here we have outlined the best practices to optimize eCommerce order fulfillment.
- High-density pick modules need to be used to speed picking operations. These are multi-level; a combination of mezzanines, conveyors, carton flow racks, pallet racks, static racks and other equipment that delivers goods to pickers at each level. By stacking the racks, pickers can take less time to pick orders from the rack of SKUs that are close by and easy to reach.
- Carton Flow systems, like UNEX SpanTrack, can be replenished from the back of the shelving while picking goes on at the front, speeding operations. Pickers can pick from open boxes or individual items on shelves.
- You must be able to receive, fulfill, ship, and return equally well in and across each of your facilities, from warehouses to retail centers, seamlessly
- And transparently, to ensure operational accuracy and follow-through.
- Integrate supply chain systems to balance workloads, minimize fluctuations for your facilities, equipment, and staff, and accommodate seasonality.
- The competition for good workers is stiff so you will need to come up with some creative ways to find the right staff. This can include recruiting from schools, hiring veterans and retirees, and paying better wages than the competition.
- Boost worker productivity by eliminating operational inefficiencies, including wasted time, travel and effort. Giving workers easy, ergonomic access to inventory, along with visual item confirmation, helps them pick orders quickly and correctly. High-density storage solutions like UNEX SpeedCell can consolidate storage capacity dramatically increasing ergonomic pick facings, resulting in greater SKU density for less travel and search for your order pickers.
UNEX Products for Efficient eCommerce Fulfillment
UNEX offers tailored solutions to tackle the specific challenges of eCommerce fulfillment, focusing on improving efficiency, maximizing space, and meeting high customer expectations for speed and accuracy.
SpanTrack Lane is a dynamic carton flow solution that ensures inventory is replenished from the back while pickers access SKUs from the front. This setup supports uninterrupted picking operations, reduces travel time for workers, and enhances throughput. Ideal for high-velocity SKUs, SpanTrack Lane integrates easily into existing pallet racks, optimizing space and improving picking speed.
SpanTrack Wheel Bed provides maximum flexibility by accommodating SKUs of varying sizes and weights in the same rack system. The universal wheel design ensures smooth product flow, making it perfect for eCommerce operations with diverse inventory needs. This solution helps pickers locate and retrieve items faster, increasing accuracy and productivity in high-demand environments.
SpeedCell compresses storage into compact, organized columns that dramatically increase pick faces and SKU density. This system reduces travel and search time for pickers, making it an excellent choice for eCommerce facilities handling a wide variety of SKUs. The ergonomic design minimizes worker strain and boosts productivity, ensuring orders are fulfilled quickly and efficiently.
Boost Your eCommerce Fullfillment Strategy with UNEX
Every second you can shave off picking operations, every square foot of space you can optimize, and every time you can increase accuracy rate translates into significant improvements in order fulfillment metrics and customer satisfaction.
UNEX offers innovative solutions that provide the tools necessary to transform eCommerce fulfillment into a competitive advantage. Contact us today to address your space, speed, and accuracy challenges in today's face-paced market.