Third-party Fulfillment Companies

On the downside, several recent articles have pointed to the challenges of using store associates as pickers. Finding items is naturally harder in a store versus a row-by-row, automated warehouse, and items inside a store often get lost due to misallocation by stockers or having been moved by shoppers.

US-based e-commerce distribution specialist Rakuten Super Logistics (RSL) recently celebrated its 20th anniversary as a national, full-service third-party logistics provider, marking the occasion with the launch of a new service, Xparcel Expedited.

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2017 to 2030. For this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global e-commerce fulfillment services market report based on service type, application, and region:

Yes, carrier choices are limited when it comes to B2C deliveries. This makes having a sound process for carrier evaluation and negotiation vital to online retailers. As the surveys illustrate, offering low shipping rates will go a long way towards reducing cart abandonment. And for online retailers offering FREE shipping, low rates are your key to protecting profit margins.

There are a lot of third-party providers that businesses can choose from to handle inventory management, distribution, warehousing, or fulfillment. Some major fulfillment providers include:

ShipNetwork streamlines returns with efficient eCommerce returns processing. With specified returns handling, you’ll always stay in control of your returns. Our warehouse management system creates and controls lot numbers to ensure products are not expired and carefully track returns or recalls.

Carriers offer shipping calculators on their websites so you can get an accurate idea of shipping costs in the U.S. or abroad. Take a look at major shipping carriers like USPS, FedEx, DHL, or UPS to see which option works best for you.

RSL offers order fulfillment services including pick/pack, kitting, returns, and freight services. In 2001, RSL began as Webgistix with a single warehouse and the mission to provide eCommerce retailers with fast, accurate, and cost-effective order fulfillment services. In 2013, Rakuten Group, Inc. acquired Webgistix, enabling RSL to grow over the next eight years. RSL has now grown to 15 warehouses nationwide enabling a 2-day delivery network using ground services. In 2019, Rakuten Group, Inc. acquired FirstMile and IFS360, a Salt Lake City, UT based eCommerce parcel carrier company.