What is order fulfilment?

Order fulfilment refers to the steps a business takes to deliver orders to customers. The fulfilment process begins with receiving customer orders. Along the way, it can include sending order confirmation emails to customers, locating items in warehouses or fulfilment centres, managing the shipping process, providing tracking information about purchases, and more. Optimising your order fulfilment strategy plays a key role in increasing customer satisfaction, boosting customer retention, and driving revenue for your business.

What should you consider when optimising your order fulfilment strategy?

The fulfilment process is incredibly important to customers. When a delivery experience is negative, a customer's opinion of your online store can suffer. On the other hand, delivering in a timely and efficient manner helps build trust in your brand. Before implementing a fulfilment strategy, it is important to compare shipping costs across carriers to determine which options you should offer. In terms of inventory management, consider the amount of incoming stock you expect and the space required for storage. Depending on your business model and resources, you may choose to manage fulfilment in-house or outsource some or all of it to third-party fulfilment providers.