Holiday Fulfillment

DIY Shipping vs. Hiring a 3PL: What’s Best for eCommerce Companies?

by Rakuten Super Logistics | 2-Day-Shipping, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment

6 MIN. READ If you’re an online seller, you know exactly what time of year it is. The leaves are falling, Thanksgiving is around the corner – and the holiday season is about to heat up. Hopefully, that means you’re feeling optimistic. Holiday retail sales eclipsed $1 trillion last year, meaning a potential windfall for sellers that do it right.

Final mile delivery creates a competitive advantage

by Rakuten Super Logistics | Customer Satisfaction, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment

Going the “final mile” for customers Consumers expect convenient, dependable delivery of their orders. Even if you ship truckloads of merchandise efficiently, “the final mile” is about customer satisfaction. That aspect of the delivery process, which is about providing a superior customer experience, is undergoing major improvements to make sure customers receive the correct order, and promptly.

How to Use Holiday Returns to Increase Ecommerce Profits

by Carolina Cano-Espinoza | Customer Satisfaction, eCommerce Strategy, Holiday Fulfillment

We are almost through another record-breaking holiday shopping season! But before you can tally your profits, you must deal with the inevitable result of increased sales — increased returns. Hopefully, you’ve done all you can to reduce online returns this holiday season, from creating a good return policy and product descriptions on your ecommerce site, to improving your online order fulfillment process to ensure 100% order accuracy.

Fulfilling Holiday Expectations During Peak Season

by Carolina Cano-Espinoza | Holiday Fulfillment, Outsourced Fulfillment, Partnerships

We know that this time of the year can be stressful – holiday events, year-end reviews, and shopping for the perfect gifts. As an ecommerce retailer, you have additional holiday stress… Do you have enough inventory for the busy season? Will you end the year in the black? Will your order fulfillment provider keep up with your customers’ demand? There is a lot of pressure to deliver during the holidays.

Kitting and Bundling Your Ecommerce Product SKUs

by Rakuten Super Logistics | eCommerce Fulfillment, Holiday Fulfillment

The season of gift giving is upon us and it brings many opportunities for sellers to offer customers attractive promotions such as gift sets, bundles, and “buy one get one” deals. One way to manage these types of offers on the backend and to assist with operational efficiencies is through kitting. Kitting refers to bundling multiple items into one unique SKU, to be treated as one shippable item.

How Online Merchants Profit from Seasonal Selling, Year-Round

by Rakuten Super Logistics | eCommerce Strategy, Holiday Fulfillment

A seasonal business can be very profitable in Q4, but you can extend your profitability year-round by selling the right products at the right time. Sellers can increase their bottom line by taking advantage of seasonal sales opportunities present in Q1, Q2, and Q3 rather than solely relying on increased holiday sales in Q4. Think about the factors that affect sales and demand throughout the year like seasonal changes, holidays, and events. Don’t wait till Q4 holidays to start selling again.

5 Ways Outsourcing Your Order Fulfillment Creates a Competitive Holiday Advantage

by Rakuten Super Logistics | eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Holiday Fulfillment

While you’re busy trying to stay afloat handling your shipping and returns in-house, do you ever stop and wonder how the “other guys” manage to have time to promote their products at events, engage their customers on social media, AND continue to constantly release new, innovative products? The answer to your curiosity may be quite simple–your competition has a competitive advantage over you.

3 Things Every Online Retailer Must Keep in Mind This Holiday Season

by Rakuten Super Logistics | Holiday Fulfillment

The air outside is cooler, department stores are filling up with artificial firs and wreaths, and the smell of cinnamon and clove is everywhere you go, which means… the 2018 holiday retail season is here! Whether you are ready or not (if you’re not, you can catch up here), you should be looking forward to another record-breaking year for online sales! This year’s holiday retail sales are projected to reach $691.9 billion, nearly 4.0% increase over last year’s total.

2018 Holiday Shipping Calendar

by Rakuten Super Logistics | 2-Day-Shipping, Holiday Fulfillment

Keep these recommended dates in mind when you’re shipping during the holidays. Download a PDF version here.

3 Measurements to Improve Your 2018 Holiday Fulfillment

by Rakuten Super Logistics | Customer Satisfaction, eCommerce Fulfillment, Holiday Fulfillment

Ecommerce is a growth industry that has been breaking records year after year. Last holiday season was no exception. According to Adobe Digital Insights, online sales for the November through December period totaled a record $108.15 billion, a 14.7% increase over 2016! And 2018 is predicted to be a 13% increase over 2017. Yet, with rapid growth comes great challenges. In 2017, holiday fulfillment was once again challenged by an unexpected surge in holiday orders that overwhelmed carriers.