Over the last few years, driven by the rise of technology, the ability to shop anywhere at any time has led to rapid growth in online shopping. As e-commerce becomes more popular and order fulfilment systems become more efficient, customer expectations around speed and cost of shipping are constantly shifting. As consumers when we decide what we want, we want it now! And the reality is that if customers can’t get the shipping speed and price they want from you, they will look elsewhere. Without the proper order fulfilment processes in place, e-commerce businesses will struggle to meet customers’ expectations – and making customers wait is costly.
So, what is e-commerce integration?
An integrated e-commerce order fulfilment process will quickly and easily automate the inventory management and order fulfilment process, from warehouse stock control to customers making an order online and delivery of their goods. This means that as soon as an order is placed online, fulfilment staff can quickly be alerted to pick, pack, and ship the items to the customer. Whether you run your online store on Shopify, like almost 20,000 other NZ businesses, or another platform, such as WooCommerce or Magento, as your business grows, e-commerce integration from a third party logistics, or 3PL, company will offer you a number of benefits. Here are our top 5 benefits of an integrated e-commerce order fulfilment process:No manual order processing
It used to be perfectly adequate to use a written ledger and a pencil to track warehouse inventories. It also used to be just fine to spend way too much time picking and packing orders manually. Then again, it used to be completely normal to write letters, rather than emails. If you want to compete with e-commerce’s movers and shakers, you need a better way to get things done. A fully automated process, using e-commerce integration, leaves you free to worry about strategic tasks and business growth, rather than inventory management and order processing. 
Order volume changes handled easily
It can be challenging to keep up with changes in demand. As more orders are placed, more stock is required and more people are required to ship them out. E-commerce integration allows you to easily manage and control your stock, meet customers delivery expectations and ultimately grow your business.
No order processing errors
Every mis-pack or mis-shipment is money out of your pocket in the short term and possible damage to your company’s reputation in the longer term. Integrating your order fulfilment process with your online store minimises the possibility of fulfilment errors.
No large upfront investment or outdated technology
For most e-commerce businesses investment in technology for inventory management and order processing is unrealistic. And even if this was possible, the technology is constantly improving and any investment will be quickly outdated. Without modern, connected technologies, your business will struggle to keep up with consumer demand, and will not have access to data that drives decisions around everything from inventory management to cart abandonment. Partnering with a 3PL company with a fully integrated e-commerce fulfilment system means you can stay one step ahead of your competitors, without the risk of investment in expensive technology.
Allows your business to grow seamlessly
As your business continues to grow, it is essential you stay on top of your inventory levels. Automating your inventory management allows your stock levels to meet this growth seamlessly.
Get full visibility over your order status and inventory with Stocka
Our state-of-the-art warehouse management software integrates with over 30 of the world’s leading e-commerce & inventory management systems.
Want to learn how to optimise your day-to-day processes with one-click integration?
Check our E-commerce Integration service or fill out the form below to book a 15 minute 3PL chat.
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