Table of Contents
E-commerce fulfilment is one of the significant parts of e-commerce businesses that involve the operations for receiving the order. The entire e-commerce fulfilment process starts with picking, packing, shipping, and delivering a product to the end consumer. Once the customer places an order on the website of sellers, several steps go into the process for preparing the delivery. The operations in e-commerce fulfilment include storing, order management, inventory management, packing, returns, shipping, post-order tracking, etc. Some sellers like to manage order fulfilment through an in-house method while others use e-commerce fulfilment services to get products delivered on time. Everything is done with the help of a fulfilment service providing company on behalf of sellers so sellers can save time and satisfy customers.
Importance of using e-commerce fulfilment services in India
In today’s business world, consumers demand expedited delivery service options, and customers want products to be delivered safely. As a result, the need for quick and on-time delivery services is increasing. To provide quality customer service and quick services to customers e-commerce fulfilment service providers play a crucial role. E-commerce fulfilment organisations help businesses to deliver the product on time and satisfy needs and demands.
The right order fulfilment services might be helpful for sellers in taking the competitive edge and here is how-
- E-commerce fulfilment service providers help in storing the product for the businesses and also enable sellers to track the inventory.
- They further help label and pack the orders when they are received.
- They enable senders to manage the relationship with consumers.
- They send the shipment quickly and provide the tracking information.
- They offer multiple options to deliver products and services
- Also, these services are cost-effective.
- Reliable and effective fulfilment services may help sellers to build trust with buyers and keep customers happy.
Top companies that provide e-commerce fulfilment services in India
- Shiprocket
Shiprocket is considered the top e-commerce fulfilment service provider company. Shiprocket is a Delhi-based 3PL (third party logistics) organisation who have 45 fulfilment centres across the major cities in India. The list of locations includes Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Hyderabad, Gujarat etc. Shiprocket also has tech-enabled fulfilment centres which enabled the firm to offer 99.99% quick order processing and operational accuracy. By taking the services from Shiprocket sellers can deliver orders in more than 24,000 pin codes in India with 25 plus courier partners.
- Fulfilment by Amazon
Amazon is an American multinational e-commerce organisation who have its fulfilment services known as FBA. Sellers who are members of Amazon Prime get access to the free next-day or same-day delivery service helps them satisfy consumers and increase the chances of getting more orders. Amazon also allows its members to store products in the FBA centre and for that, they charge a fee whenever the order is received the Amazon fulfilment team pack and deliver the product.
- Flipkart
Flipkart is an Indian e-commerce organisation established in the year 2017. Flipkart is considered the third largest E-commerce fulfilment service provider. It promises consumers smooth and efficient fulfilment services and the majority of the sellers believe that Flipkart provides seamless order processing, high-quality packaging, time-quality cheques, and faster delivery at lower shipping rates.
- Delhivery
Delhivery is a prominent player in the Indian e-commerce fulfilment industry. Headquartered in Gurgaon, it has a wide network of fulfilment centres and delivery hubs across India. They offer end-to-end logistics solutions, including warehousing, order processing, and last-mile delivery. Delhivery’s advanced technology and data-driven approach help businesses optimize their supply chain operations and enhance customer satisfaction. With a strong presence in various cities and a range of logistics services, Delhivery is a preferred choice for e-commerce businesses looking for reliable fulfilment services in India.
Types of e-commerce fulfilment services
- In-house order fulfilment
In the in-house order fulfilment model, organisations use their employees and workers to manage the fulfilment process. Employees are responsible for following and handling the steps of fulfilment process including shipping and storing and also the return of the product. This type of service is ideal for established businesses that want to have end-to-end control over the entire operations.
- Dropshipping
Dropshipping is the type of e-commerce fulfilment service in which the manufacturer and wholesaler send the product directly to the consumers. Instead of storing and producing the inventory, the store forwards all the orders to the distributor and manufacturers who drop shift the product directly to the consumer. This kind of fulfilment method is helpful for e-commerce stores to establish themselves and avoid upfront costs. However, dropshipping methods can reduce the merchant’s control over customer services and shipping and can increase delivery time.
- 3PL fulfilment or third-party logistics
3PL fulfilment is considered a third-party fulfilment service that includes outsourcing the fulfilment operations to the third party that provides sellers with access to the inventory management system, warehouses, return management, and shipping. Shiprocket is one of the best examples of a 3PL fulfilment service provider as they connect sellers with multiple delivery partners who help them in managing orders, packaging, shipments, and returning products.
Process of e-commerce fulfilment
Stage 1- Order receiving
The first stage of e-commerce fulfilment is ordered receiving which refers to storing and accepting incoming inventory and the fulfilment centre. Pallets that contain the product of the seller delivered to the fulfilment centres and then enter the store can placed on shelves.
Stage 2- Inventory management
Inventory management is another stage of e-commerce fulfilment. It includes keeping systematic records of all the individual sellers’ products so that the seller can be up to date with products that are out of stock so sellers can add more products on time.
Stages 3- Order fulfilment
Fulfilment service providers fulfil the orders whenever the order is received. This may include activities like packing and shipping the orders to the end customers.
Stage 4- Return
The fulfilment service also includes management of the return parcels. A fulfilment service provider help sellers return the product and refund the amount to the end customers quickly
Final thoughts
E-commerce fulfilment services play an important role in e-commerce and through the fulfilment services businesses may improve the customer experience and they will able to deliver the product quickly. The information provided might be helpful for the sellers to understand what fulfilment services are and the companies who are providing fulfilment services in India.
Charul is a content marketing professional and seasoned content writer who loves writing on various topics with 3 years of experience. At Tata nexarc, it has been 2 years since she is helping business to understand jargon better and deeper to make strategical decisions. While not writing, she loves listing pop music.
