Order fulfillment, in a general sense, is what you do after a customer visits your website, chooses an item, places it in their shopping cart and clicks “Buy Now.”

Order fulfillment takes time. Order fulfillment, and fulfillment services in general, include all the little things from choosing a package free of holes or dents from the shelf, packing it carefully and taking it to the shipper, as well as managing the inventory for that item and handling returns if the item is defective or damaged. Growing companies don’t always have the manpower to keep up with their orders, frustrating customers who aren’t willing to wait days for their packages to ship.

Luckily, there are companies that will step in and help businesses large and small with their order fulfillment. These order fulfillment services take over some or all of the steps involved, freeing your small businesses to focus on servicing your customers instead of packing boxes. If your company is outgrowing its storage space, both warehousing and distribution services are available to help you manage your expansion more efficiently.

Is there a difference between a fulfillment service and a shipper? Unlike shipping services, which only move your package from Point A to Point B, order fulfillment services make sure that the merchandise is carefully packed and presented so that your customers are constantly “wowed.” Integrated warehousing and distribution speed up the process, allowing your fulfillment team to immediately pull items from your warehouse space and ship them right away. Customers want to receive their orders as soon as possible, and with a little help, the time it takes to get product from your warehouse to your customers can decrease dramatically.

Get more customers with good order fulfillment. Getting your customers’ attention is only one step in the sales process — once they’ve found you and made a purchase, how you handle their order will determine if they order again. By contracting with a company that specializes in ecommerce order fulfillment, you can rest assured that not only did you bring on a new customer, but also that you’ll keep them, even if they need to return or exchange their order.