🎶 On the 1st day of Logistics Brandfox gave to you 🎶 Insights that boost your knowledge and keep you at the forefront of the logistics field! Check out Brandfox's 12 Days of Logistics to enhance your understanding and expertise in the logistics industry.
At Brandfox we strive to make fulfillment humanized. We believe that genuine partnerships and success flourish when we cultivate trusting and dependable relationships.
By prioritizing open collaboration and respect, we create an environment where all parties feel respected. We foster a sense of community and shared purpose, which is essential to long-term success and innovation.
In the world of logistics, two crucial tasks keep the wheels of warehouses turning smoothly: picking and packing.
Picking is the process of choosing and preparing items for shipment or storage.
Packing is the process of choosing the correct packaging, securing the items for shipment, labeling the package, and organizing the shipment for transportation.
Picking and packing ensure that the right products make it to the costumer in a safe and timely manner. Errors in picking and packing can greatly diminish accuracy and speed of order fulfillment.
1️⃣ In-House Fulfillment:
You handle everything yourself—managing inventory, packing orders, and shipping. This is great for startups or small businesses but can become overwhelming as you grow.
2️⃣ Outsourced Fulfillment:
A logistics partner manages storage, packing, and shipping. This is ideal for growing businesses wanting to focus on scaling while experts handle the fulfillment process.
3️⃣ Dropshipping:
Suppliers handle product storage and ship items directly to customers. This is a low-risk model since you don’t need to hold inventory, but control over quality and speed may vary.
4️⃣ Hybrid Fulfillment:
A mix of two or more methods, like using a 3PL for bulk orders and handling special orders in-house. This is perfect for businesses needing flexibility to meet unique demands.
Managing logistics is a complex challenge, and we are thankful that our partners place their trust in us to handle their products and businesses with care. Here's what sets us apart:
💻 Integrations: We seamlessly integrate with a wide variety of softwares to create an enhanced user experience.
⏰ Reliability: You can count on us to ensure smooth, timely, and accurate deliveries
📈 Scalability: We grow with you so that you never have to stop scaling.
🌎 Strategic Locations: With binodal operations, our warehouses are strategically located for efficient and cost-effective shipping.
🤝 Partnership Mentality: We believe in building long-term and successful partnerships. We treat your business and your product with the care they deserve.
Evaluating logistics performance is a crucial strategy for companies aiming to boost their competitive edge and achieve greater success. While there are countless metrics to help reach these goals, here are six that we believe stand out:
⏱️ On-Time Delivery: Measures how many packages arrive within the desired ship window, which can directly impact customer satisfaction.
💰 Cost Per Shipment: Calculates the total cost associated with each shipment, enabling cost analysis and optimization.
🎯 Order Accuracy: Tracks how many orders were shipped without errors. This can help to prevent returns and ease customer frustration.
🔁 Returns Rate: Monitors the number of returns and the reasons why items are being returned. This can be used to help minimize the need for reverse logistics in the future.
⏳ Average Order Fulfillment Time: Measures the time it takes to fulfill an order beginning at the time the order is placed. Knowing this rate can help to assess operational efficiency.
📦 Inventory Turnover Rate: Shows how quickly inventory is sold and restocked. A high turnover rate can influence storage and holding expenses, and determine how often stock needs to be replenished.
As your company grows, you may decide that it's time to get some help with fulfillment. Here are some key reasons why partnering with a 3PL can help your growing business:
🧠 Access to Expertise: Partnering with a 3PL allows you to leverage their knowledge and experience in the fulfillment industry. You can also utilize their technology and integrations that the 3PL has worked to fine tune.
📦 Inventory Management: Inventory can be complex and create a huge headache if managed improperly. 3PLs have experience with storage, replenishment, and stock management to ensure your inventory is in capable hands.
🚫 Risk Mitigation: 3PLs can handle challenges like shipment delays, regulatory compliance, and customs clearance, reducing risks for businesses.
🤸🏻 Flexibility: 3PLs can scale quickly to deal with seasonal demand fluctuations, product launches, or business growth without businesses having to add new infrastructure.
💸 Savings: 3PLs reduce transportation, storage, and labor expenses because their main focus is around-the-clock fulfillment. Not to mention, 3PLs already have established relationships with carriers, enabling fast and cost-effective shipping.
👨🏻💼 More Time For Core Competencies: By outsourcing logistics, businesses have more time to focus on different aspects of the business. You can spend more time in product development or sales versus worrying about fulfillment and operations.
🎖️ Specialized Services: 3PLs often offer unique services tailored to what each business needs. For example, they may offer kitting, subscription boxes, or temperature-controlled shipping.
3PLs have numerous functions that allow businesses to streamline logistics, cut down on costs, and focus on other areas of their business. Here are 9 key functions a 3PL normally offers (in no particular order):
1️⃣ Transportation - Managing inbound and outbound freight with optimized routes and carrier selection.
2️⃣ Warehousing - Providing storage space for inventory.
3️⃣ Inventory Management - Tracking, managing, and organizing inventory levels.
4️⃣ Order Fulfillment - Picking, packing, and shipping orders accurately and efficiently.
5️⃣ Freight Forwarding - Managing international shipping, customs, and requirements for successful shipping.
6️⃣ Reverse Logistics - Handling product returns and exchanges, from inspection to adjusting inventory.
7️⃣ Technology Integrations - Using software solutions to promote connectivity between eCommerce platforms, WMS, and ERP tools.
8️⃣ Data Analytics - Review historical and real-time data to make educated decisions that enhance operations.
9️⃣ Kitting and Assembly - Bundling or assembling products into sets, kits, or subscription boxes.
Returns are inevitable in the world of logistics. Discover effective ways to lower return rates, streamline the return process for everyone involved, and ensure customers remain happy.
🛍️ Clear customer facing returns process: Create a return policy that is easy to understand and discourages impulse returns.
⚙️ Standardized internal returns process: Improve efficiency with clear, uniform procedures when handling a return.
👀 High quality visuals: Use high-resolution and 360 degree photos or videos to show the products so that customers know exactly what they are purchasing.
👍🏼 Enhanced product quality control: Ensure that all products are in prime condition and defect-free before shipping them out.
🖥️ Optimized inventory management: When inventory is managed correctly, you can ensure that the right amount of the correct product is being shipped to the customer.
📦 Custom packaging solutions: Using protective packaging that fits each unique item prevents damage in transit and lowers the amount of
📊 Data driven return analysis: Analyze return data to pinpoint common issues and provide insights to minimize returns in the future.
💻 Implement advanced technology solutions: Using technology like a WMS can help manage, organize, and streamline the returns process.
📒 Improve product descriptions: Provide accurate, detailed, and clear product descriptions to set customer expectations of the product.
💬 Provide exceptional customer service: Consistent and proactive communication can significantly reduce the likelihood of returns. Once a return is initiated, effective communication can reassure customers and encourage them to keep shopping with the business.
As we wrap up our series, we turned to 12 Brandfox team members to share what makes working in logistics truly special for them. Discover what they love about the world of logistics!
⚙️ Purity, Product Manager: "I love the challenge of optimizing processes to make operations more efficient."
📊 Alison, Data Analyst: "I love working in logistics because every day brings new opportunities to think outside the box."
🗣️ Nick, Director of Client Experience: "I love working in logistics because we help make peoples business dreams a reality."
📱 Emily, Lifecycle Marketing: "I love meeting new people and helping to build partnerships with not only our clients but solutions providers also."
📦 Delbert, Wholesale Lead: "I love working in logistics because there is never a boring moment."
📬 Jerry, Outbound Lead: "I love that I get to solve problems and find solutions every day."
🚛 Aaron, Operations Coordinator: "I love that there is a new challenge every day. No two days are the same when I show up to work."
💰 Matt, Demand Generation: "I love working in logistics because the fast-paced environment keeps me on my toes every day."
🤝 Harry, Client Success Manager: "Knowing the joy of receiving a gift or package from a loved one. Being part of that joy is why I love working in logistics."
💵 Arlene, Staff Accountant: "I love working in logistics because of the people I get to work with every day."
💬 Yalid, Client Success Specialist: "Working in logistics is new for me, but I love it. I love it because in this area there is no room for boredom. Every day brings new surprises and opportunities to innovate. We really have a high impact, but also a lot of responsibility. We must make a difference for our team and always improve and learn."
🫡 Tyra, Chief of Staff: "I love working in logistics because there are new challenges presented each day."
Thank you for following along with our 12 Days of Logistics Series, and Happy Holidays!