Building a resilient distribution framework can be challenging and costly. Through partnering with logistics providers that provide a unified platform for accessing in-country fulfillment services, your brand can safely store and distribute stock to your customers.
A unified platform uses a hub-and-spoke logistics system to manage and link an entire supply chain. Businesses are able to handle inventory and shipping methods through a centralized network, which provides them with the resources necessary to develop in a commercially viable way.
Ingenious Integrations
An experienced logistics provider has the ability to harness APIs, create custom integrations and combine multiple platforms into one system, across strategic global locations with multiple fulfilment centres.
All moving parts are neatly brought together through integrations with e-commerce marketplaces, ERP platforms, accounting software, 3PLs, and last-mile distribution partners.
From Supplier to Customer
Connecting your vendor supply chain to your logistics platform creates the opportunity to speed up order processing and link demand to manufacturing flows.
Access to a unified platform with the capability to manage distributed inventories allows e-commerce businesses to offer their customers a first-class in-country service. Modern technologies can streamline operations, while automated tracking notifications that are generated, sent and recorded will ensure a customer can follow their order's journey from purchase to door.
Responsive
Having a digital platform allows you to quickly respond to changes in demand, last minute requests as well as attend to customers more effectively. This applies not only to Business to Consumer (B2C) shipments, but to Business to Business (B2B) flows as well.
Logistics partners that have a presence close to supplier and manufacturing locations, such as China, can manage and integrate these flows to support an agile upstream supply chain that responds quickly to changes in demand.
In many cases, it is possible to consolidate transportation between vendors with the savings ultimately being passed on to the consumer. A global logistics provider will be able to easily streamline your supply chain.
Offering full visibility and control to action orders when they enter the system is a must. A fully-transparent system allows users to see important information such as receipt data, new orders, inventory information, distribution and processing. This visibility ensures increased transparency between all stakeholders in a supply chain.
By partnering with global platforms offering state-of-the-art services and warehousing available in countries across the world, e-tailers are able to flexibly place their goods closer to their customers. Doing so, allows them to deal with last-minute requests, offer same-day shipping, and access sustainable shipping solutions.
Seasonal variations in e-commerce put pressure on inventory management. A system that notifies you when to restock at various locations will always ensure your customers' needs are met.
Customer service levels and your financials are directly impacted by accuracy levels. Responsive systems enable you to control your inventory.
Whether it is re-packaging, bundling or going plastic-free, it is important to determine your product needs and communicate this with your logistics provider. Packaging can be simply functional to ensure your goods reach the customer in one piece, or it can be branded with your logo and colours and even environmentally-conscious.
Refurbishment, repacking, labelling, serial number scanning, batch tracking, adding inserts (such as flyers), relabelling and kitting (combining items to create a new item) are all part of a modern logistics provider’s services.
