It’s crucial and even easy for warehouses to treat workers well

(This is a guest post from our friends at Red Stag Fulfillment, an eCommerce fulfillment service provider with warehouses across the United States.)

Since the end of June, warehouse managers and fulfillment company leaders have walked around looking much paler than usual, and it’s not just because we’re spending more hours than ever getting your eCommerce purchases to you on time.

On June 30, Last Week Tonight took a shot across the bow at warehouses, specifically the working conditions in eCommerce fulfillment centers. While they targeted the industry giant, it’s our business model too. The horrid working conditions that they described do exist, but they’re not the norm from our experience.

Since no one wants to be lumped in with a bad business, especially when things just aren’t true or standard practices, we wanted to take a moment and correct the record a little. Last Week Tonight didn’t get Red Stag Fulfilment right, and the show probably didn’t get your warehouse right either. 

Some of our competitors are amazing too, so we expect the show shortchanged them as well. If you permit us, we want to talk about how fulfillment companies (especially us eCommerce brands) like to treat our staff, and why this is important to keep thinking about now. And, since we’re fair, we’ll even mention why John Oliver focusing on the industry can be a wonderful thing for many warehouse workers in the U.S.

What is a Cloud ERP System?

(This post was originally published on April 20, 2016. It has been updated for accuracy and completeness).

A growing retail business often needs to upgrade their technology to keep up with operations. One of the bigger technology investments you’ll make is in an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This technology often becomes the lifeline of your business. It’s where you handle your financials, order processing, product information, reporting, and more. It’s been a technology that retailers and wholesalers have turned to for many years to manage all different aspects of their business.

Just like other technology systems, ERPs are also making the move to cloud services allowing them to be more affordable and flexible. This article will define what an ERP is, the benefits of cloud-based ERP systems, and list out today’s top ERP systems. We hope this helps you decide whether you’re ready for an ERP and how to evaluate the best one for your business.

Why Your eCommerce Delivery Strategy Is More Important than Ever

(This post was originally published on July 6, 2017. We’ve updated it for accuracy and completeness.)

Can your customers rely on your shipping policies? How often do you miss a date or ship the wrong item?

A negative shipping experience can have an irreparable impact on your relationship with customers. 84% of consumers say that they won’t return to a brand after just one poor delivery experience.

All it takes is one mistakes to erode your brand image and customer loyalty. These mistakes add up and affect your bottom line too.

If there’s one business area to focus on next, consider making it your eCommerce delivery strategy. Statistics show that a good shipping experience is more important than ever for customer retention.

Does Your 3PL Provider Have Technology Needed to Grow & Keep Business Running?

(This is a guest post from our friends at ReTrans Freight, provider of integrated transportation technology solutions, focused on simplifying LTL B2B/B2C online commerce.)

When evaluating 3PL providers and logistics companies, technology should arguably be one of the primary attributes to be considered. What sort of tools are available to clients and do these come at an additional cost? How secure is the environment within which your data will be housed? Now that we are deep into the internet age, it’s imperative that merchants question the ways in which their logistics partners automate, integrate and innovate. After all, freight costs are one of the largest line-item expenditures a company manages so it behooves shippers to ensure that their getting their money’s worth.

Using Online Order Fulfillment to Increase Sales

Online shoppers continue to push retailers to meet delivery expectations when it comes to shipping costs (free) and convenience. This is a tall order for many merchants. However, those who meet customer expectations are winning more sales. Among a competitive landscape, retailers are realizing more than ever that their fulfillment processes can be a competitive advantage.

If you haven’t put serious thought into your fulfillment processes yet, now is the time to do so! You could be losing sales because you’re not offering what customers are looking for. Read this article to understand what today’s online shoppers are looking for and how you can improve to meet their needs.