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When talking about the tools of the trade everyone in the industry knows some software or systems that they could not live without. There are two business practices that you should focus on, Management and Marketing. These practices need to be revamped and updated regularly. Here are some tips that you can implement to make sure those practices listed above will help you grow your company or save you money.

Management Tools

Management is the foundation that makes your company successful, this is the structure that will make sure your business stays afloat. With good management, you will make sure that you will be profitable and have leaders that will usher you to succeed. Here are some tips that you can use to make sure your management can be the best it can be.

Communication

Communication is the starting point of every project. It is essential for your company to stay connected and updated, think about all of the projects that are occurring at the same time, but no one was communicating what they are doing. The bigger the team the harder this gets some applications that I have had success using is Slack and Asana.

Slack is an instant messaging application that can be used to make sure everyone in your company is staying on the same page. This program has a great user interface that makes it easy for you and your coworkers to communicate. The other one that I have mentioned is Asana.

Asana is an application is used to organize tasks and make sure that your deadlines are met. This is a great application that management can use to make sure that others stay on a schedule and have a quantified list of tasks that reminds them what they need to do in a specified timeline.

Marketing Tools

Though whenever times are time marketing expense is the first to go, marketing is one of the most important aspects of a company. If you think about it logically, you can have the best product or service in the market, but if the people don’t know about you then it doesn’t matter. Marketing is what informs your customers that you actually exist and when done correctly will drive customers to your company and will generate revenue. Here is a specific example that can help generate some traffic.

 Email Marketing

• Though everyone always says that email marketing is dead, based on 2018 data it is far from it. Email marketing is still ranked the most effective marketing channel. This means that this form of marketing beat out SEO and Social Media marketing. I believe that this is because email is still used more than any other platform and it is easier to target your audience directly. It is stated in 2017 that more than 85 percent of adults on the internet use email, this beats out search engines and social media. So when creating an email marketing campaign here are some things that you should consider.

• Manners
  It is crucial to remember that you are a guest in their inbox and manners are what can make the difference from them reading your email rather than them instantly deleting it. It is easier to create a campaign if you put yourself in the shoes of the people you are targeting.

• Great Content

When looking to create an email campaign you want to make sure you make an impression. The best way to do this is to have a great call to action and make sure that your information is relevant.  Also when planning this campaign make sure that you have created follow-up emails that you can send out at least once a week to make sure your customers are reminded of your services.

Now that you have gotten some tips and tools, implementation is the hardest part. All of these things will help your bottom line.  Make sure you use some of these tips and implement them to make sure those practices listed above will help you grow your company or save you money.

Is it time that you move out of your house and choosing a fulfillment center? When choosing a fulfillment center there should be many things that come to mind, like where are the bulk of my orders coming from and how much is the transportation costs, what is the accuracy rate of this company? Another thing that is crucial to look at is the square footage of their location, can they handle your order, and do they have the history to do it effectively and efficiently. Here is more insight that could be helpful when you are choosing a fulfillment location

Location

Location is crucial because, in the long run, this will save you money and maybe even get your product to the customer faster. Choosing a company that has multiple locations in optimal parts of the United States is important, Complemar has locations that are strategically placed across the United States to make sure that your packages get to where they need to go in the shortest amount of time possible. A centralized location can be helpful because studies say that if a customer waits more than 7 days for a package they expect the shipping to be free.

Cost

 This is something that you need to look at with your product in mind because your retail costs need to offset the cost of the fulfillment, shipping, and manufacturing. So keeping this in mind you need to make sure that you are not moving to fast, it is sometimes smart to slow down and keep doing things on your own until you are at a volume where it is physically impossible to keep up with the demand of your product. If you do eventually need a fulfillment center, don’t be scared to ask about what rates they charge for, receiving, warehousing, pick and packing, and shipping. These are all costs that are going to be different per company, so shopping around is a good option, but beware that some companies seem too good to be true. You may need to pay more so your service is better or that you will have a better product manager that is very responsive.

Growing to the point of needing a fulfillment service is extremely exciting, but make sure you take all the necessary steps to ensure that you are going to sign with the right company that wants to see you succeed. Make sure they have a proven track record and during the meeting make sure you ask all the necessary questions so you are surprised later by fees that you may have not known about.

With the start of the new year, some trends have been surfacing. Most of it has to do with the COVID-19 virus and how the people are currently coping with this global pandemic. The effects of this are very prevalent and in the course of the last few months, the retail landscape has completely changed. We want you to be ready for some of the effects it might have on your business, so here are some trends that you may want to keep an eye on in the coming months.

Buying Habits

With the pandemic, the shift from brick and mortar to online shopping is a drastic change that has many companies rushing to keep up with the demand that is now occurring. Most people are now looking online first and not going to their local stores to see some of the odds and ends that they need. This has forced the eCommerce sector to go into overdrive to keep up with the global demand. This is a good and a bad thing. It is a good thing because if you have a reliable system in place it is easy to deal with a new influx of new users, but it is also driving entrepreneurs and large companies into the landscape. The competition is steadily growing as many people see this as a big opportunity to make some quick cash. The solution to this is to make sure customer retention and happiness are at an all-time high. Making sure your customer is happy should be your number one priority as the marketplace is being flooded by big corporations and hopeful business owners.

Social Media

Social media has been around for multiple years and it may not seem like the most optimal thing if you are an eCommerce company, but with younger generations getting into owning businesses it is the time to stop the inevitable and join! It’s quick, fun, and most importantly free! By doing this future customers can get an inside look at your company and see some of the fantastic things that you do to make sure you are pleasing the customer at every turn.

Mobile Optimization

Your website is the face of your business, with almost every customer doing some research before reaching out it is important to make sure that your website is accessible from any device, you never know when your next client will be looking into expanding their business and if they find your website clunky and unusable from their phone they are just going to go to the next site.

eCommerce is a booming industry that is growing at an incredible rate. With the pandemic occurring worldwide wide those numbers are only going to be increasing drastically, this is the perfect opportunity for you to expand your business and make sure you have the size and capacity to deal with the demand. We hope that some of these tips are helpful to you and will make sure you are ready to take on 2021 in stride!

In 1999, E-commerce sales accounted for only 1% of the total retail sales in the US. In 2017 it was more than 9% (a 3,000 percent increase). Over the last four years, the sales increased by 13 – 16%, which outpaced traditional retail sales, which are generally between 1% & 5%.   The industry has estimated that e-commerce sales will reach 17.5% of retail sales by 2021 for the entire world.

 So E-Commerce is on the upswing.  How has this affected transportation and logistics in the Fulfillment industry?

• Many 3PL’s have adopted “Just-In-Time” Inventory Principles. Keeping the right amount of stock in the correct warehouse that is close to the destination.

• Vendors will get fined if they cannot deliver in their promised window.

• Carriers must deliver with faster turnaround times, even though they still have to deal with traffic, congestion, and weather.

• Drivers and truckers are in high demand, with low availability. Outsourcing has helped to grow the delivery channels. For example, one company XPO has gone from grossing $175 million to the largest logistics provider in NA with revenue over 15 Billion

• New Regional Hubs are emerging near airports, train depots, and interstates, to accommodate the higher demand.

• New types of services have emerged, such as White Glove service for furniture and large items. The supplier will offer extra service add-ons such as Installation or Assembly.

• The Majority of customers surveyed feel that delivery speed is the most crucial factor in choosing a product.

It can be hard to keep up with the constant changes in the Fulfillment Industry. The most important things to remember are:

• Customer Loyalty – make sure you provide continuous improvement and invest in the equipment and technology as needed. This will ensure that your customers continue to use your services and recommend you to other companies.

• Positive Customer Experience – meeting your SLA’s and quick response to customer communication will help to ensure your customers will stay happy.

• Aligning Warehouse Space with Needs - Don’t overcommit to warehouse space. It will end up costing you your profit margins. Make do with less, and keep turning inventory rather than storing lots of pallets that don’t move.

• Price Yourself Right - Know what your overhead and labor costs are, and make sure you are covering your expenses and charging your customers accordingly.

Follow these simple guidelines to help your company to stay on the right side of E-Commerce Growth.

Think of packaging that is synonymous with its brand. Perhaps Nike’s Swoosh or Tiffany & Co.’s little blue box and white ribbon come to mind. In the cosmetics and beauty industry, where competition is cutthroat, great packaging is critical. Packaging in the beauty industry must be eye-catching and attractive, as well as able to tempt the consumer over the hundreds of other available options.

UPS will be increasing its rates for a large portion of its shipping services, with some of them taking effect on December 24, 2017. The company said the rate increases are necessary to meet the demand of their customer base and the growth of ecommerce shipping. By raising their rates right around the holidays, they will be able to take advantage of the holiday returns rush.