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10 Best Reverse Logistics Companies for Efficient Returns Management in eCommerce in India in 2024

10 Best Reverse Logistics Companies for Efficient Returns Management in eCommerce in India in 2024

The chain of supply moves both forward and backward. Logistics companies strive to get the shipment to the customer at the earliest time and in the safest way possible. However, the order is said to be unfulfilled until the customer happily accepts it. If the customer doesn’t like the product and wishes to return it or submit another product for recycling, the company needs to pull it back. Reverse logistics companies are needed to handle this process. Let’s take a look. What is Reverse Logistics? Ecommerce Reverse logistics is the process of getting an already delivered product back from the customer. It follows the same supply chain process, but in reverse. Being the polar opposite of the conventional supply chain, reverse logistics originates with the customer and ends with the product manufacturer or retailer. The process is sometimes triggered at the warehouse or storage facility, and the product needs to be shipped back to the seller. Even unsuccessful B2C deliveries, especially in the case of eCommerce purchases or B2B returns to the distribution centre, require reverse logistics. And, then, let’s not forget those instances wherein the delivery person spots damaged goods and marks these for return immediately. So reverse logistics has many use cases, especially in the case of small businesses who need to offload their reverse logistics requirements to a competent 3PL company. Either way, the Reverse Logistics Companies assist in moving the product from the origin to the destination. Here are the stages of this backward supply chain: Initiation of return: The customer or delivery partner initiates the process of return. Reverse Logistics Companies then accept the request. Shipping of the returned product: The shipment is then picked from the customer and brings it back to their warehouse or place of processing. Processing of the return: Then thorough checks are run to assess any damage to the product. Receipt by the seller: Once the seller receives the product, it can either be resold or recycled, depending on its condition. Instances of resale: If the product quality has not deteriorated, the company resells it via the same process. Instances of recyclement: If the product cannot be used again, it is sent for recycling. Commencement of conventional supply chain: Once it is ready, the product is put up for sale again. It undergoes the forward supply chain process from scratch, to reach a new end customer. [contactus_gynoveda] What are the 5 Rs of Reverse Logistics? The entire process of reverse logistics runs on these 5 Rs: ReturnsResellingRecalls or RepairsRecycleReplace Let’s understand what each process entails. Returns The eCommerce marketplace leads the amount of returns, although the rate of returns has slowed down from an average of 22% in 2020 to 18-20% in 2021. This trend was ushered in by customers’ growing confidence in shopping online. The lockdown situation then further pushed customers to become accustomed to online purchases. Companies strive for the lowest return rates, as it enhances their brand image, but such exchanges happen for several reasons. Sometimes, customers trigger the return when they are not happy with the product or if they received a wrong product and wish to exchange it. There are instances when they order more than they need or change their minds when unpacking the product. There are also returns due to delayed deliveries. Read this blog on branded shipping to understand how it helps deliver a superior shipping experience and limits the need for returns. Product Return is the first step in the process that reverse logistics companies handle and also the most critical because it deals directly with the end customer. Handling it poorly can harm the company’s image and service feedback. Whether the business is B2C or B2B, the steps taken by reverse logistics companies to process the return are similar. Here’s the list: Accepting customer requests through the company’s portal or manually through customer careAnalyzing and defining the actual reason for return.Processing the exchange request, if anyIssuing return labelsReadying the labels and other documentation for pick up from the customer’s locationNotifying the customer at every step, to gain their confidence Reselling Once returned to the manufacturer or the seller by reverse logistics companies, the product undergoes stringent checks to assess any damage or quality depletion. If the returned product is reusable, the company aims to resell it as a new or returned product. This trend is escalating in many industries, especially the fashion and textile industry. Fashion waste amounts to 92 million tonnes per year and is forecasted to increase to 134 million tonnes by 2030. Burgeoning customer awareness about sustainable living is driving the expansion in reselling and reusing products as much as possible. As a result, there is a growing interest and demand for returned items, especially in the fashion industry worldwide. It is evident that the second-hand and resale market is multiplying and is expected to be valuated at $53 billion by 2023. Recalls or Repairs Some products that are delivered to customers may have manufacturing defects. Some of these recalls are triggered by statutory policies or potential health hazards. eCommerce companies recall these faulty products back to their storage or production facilities for repair before sending them back to the customers. Recalls are trickier than returns as the brand image, and substantial monetary liabilities are involved. Product recalls are followed by repairs and then re-delivered to the customer or exchanged if the products cannot be salvaged. However, some companies undertake to return the customers’ money to retain and enhance brand loyalty. Recycle Globally, humans produce 2.12 billion tons of waste every year, out of which only 13% is recycled. However, sustainable practices are on the rise, and companies are adopting eco-friendly business methods. Recycling paper and waste material is the norm, and so is recycling returns that cannot be reused or resold as it is. All industries are under pressure to employ the reduce, reuse and recycle strategy for efficient waste management. However, many enterprises, especially in the electronic and tech industries use a 3PL recycling partner to develop recycling strategies. Reverse logistics companies consider the life cycle assessment of the returned order an essential step in the process to smoothly deliver the product back to the retailer. It evaluates the product’s condition and helps ascertain its impact on the environment. Smart recycling is critical for companies. If done right, companies can save reusable components of the product and avoid government penalties for poor waste management. Replacement Many customers find shipping a faulty product back to the manufacturer or seller to be a tedious process. Some sellers even prefer replacing the product instead of repairing it. The delivery personnel carries the replacement when they pick up the faulty product from the customer’s location. The defective unit can then be packed in the same wrapping material as the replacement. These practices help to save on transportation costs and prevent expenses incurred for packing the old unit. Moreover, this method also saves time for the customer and reverse logistics companies. What Services do Reverse Logistics Companies Offer? They offer most of the services covered in the five Rs of Reverse Logistics. They are listed below: They offer picking up the returned product from the customer and delivering it back to the manufacturer or retailer. They also inspect the product for any damage.Repacking and labeling the product for resale are offered by some reverse logistics companies, as per the requirements of the seller.Taking the replacement during the pick-up process of the returned order, as per the requirements of the seller, and results in saved time and monetary resources. Keeping customers informed about the status of pick-up or replacement.Assisting in generating refunds are provided by them..Providing omnichannel services to sellers and their customers to ensure coverage via all channels What are the Benefits of Partnering with Reverse Logistics Companies? Delegating the humungous task of reverse logistics to dedicated companies brings in many rewards. The most crucial ones are: Increasing customer satisfaction: The presence of reverse logistics companies in the scheme of operations brings in better customer feedback. Such associates provide timely pick-ups and transportation of the returned product to the origin, thus saving time for the company.Curbing of losses: Reverse Logistics causes many expenses for the service provider and they help prevent that. Some countries, like the US and Canada, allow companies to employ a no-returns policy.Facilitating reuse of returned products: They help to manage the returns process, a business does not need to be wary of product returns or recalls. These companies can take away all the headaches that are generally associated with the backward supply chain. The products and parts brought in by the reverse logistics partner are either reused or recycled by the company. Timely and safe returns further encourage businesses to salvage their products, thus enhancing their supply chain’s overall value and eco-friendliness.Improving the sustainability quotient: When a customer returns a product beyond redemption, the seller can ensure it is disposed of in an eco-friendly way. Reverse logistics companies help businesses ensure the sustainability of operations.Offering valuable business insights: A business can gain valuable insights from reverse logistics companies in the various processes involved in reverse logistics, thus streamlining its operations.Planning the delivery process: Their dispatch software and route planning apps allow them to foresee and schedule the pick-up and delivery of returned goods during their existing trips. This saves time and the requirement for multiple runs for delivery of products and pick-up of returns. Read this article about micro fulfillment to understand how it can help reduce delivery times and increase customer satisfaction. What are the Challenges of Partnering with Reverse Logistics Companies? Not everything would always go according to plan when a business partners with reverse logistics companies. There are bound to be challenged in collaboration. Let’s see what they are: Poor integration of systems: Most 3PL reverse logistics companies have their in-built systems that integrate with the seller/manufacturer’s system for an unhindered flow of information. They assist the sellers and even themselves, in coordinating their operations. Most of these systems use cloud-based technology that helps both parties automate the returns process, pick-up and delivery for drivers, and sync order details and other information seamlessly. But it would be meaningless if they don’t integrate well with the seller’s system. For instance, when the seller triggers a Return Merchandise Authorisation (RMA), These companies must receive it as an acceptance of the return request. Therefore, any tech loophole can cause an issue in the completion of the order-return process. They are also liable to provide information about the shipment’s whereabouts to the seller. The inability to update this data in real-time can disrupt the critical stream of updates between the intermediaries and sellers. Communication gaps: Multiple layers of processes exist between the manufacturer/seller and the end consumer in a supply chain. Adding 3PL reverse logistics companies to the equation can further distance the communication gap between the two ends, thus disrupting the information flow from the customer to the seller/manufacturer via the reverse logistics partner. Most customers form an opinion of a brand based on its return policy and performance. Therefore, a deficiency in this domain can cost the business its clientele. Collaboration issues: One of the critical layers in the chain of supply is the transportation or delivery personnel. Problems sometimes arise with the delivery and distribution of the end product and its return. Such chaos in collaboration with the delivery personnel of 3PL reverse logistics companies can cause more hindrances to smooth transportation. Inadequate connectivity: To reach the customer to pick up the return is the first requirement for reverse logistics companies. The inability to cover a customer’s pin code can halt the backward supply chain before it even begins. In addition, poor roads and inadequate signage can slow down the pick-up partner in reaching the customer’s location and delay the order fulfillment process. More so, if the customer resides in another country, where different laws and regulations come into play, it can cause a big delay. How to Choose the Right Reverse Logistics Companies for Your Business in 2023? Businesses must do some research before partnering with reverse logistics companies. Some important information that you should know in 2023 has been listed below:  Previous experience: The businesses need to ensure that they tie up with those who have relevant experience or knowledge of the required operations. The retailer should know the reverse logistics companies' expertise in working with similar industries, how long they have been operating, their success rate, geographical coverage, among other factors before signing up. Restrictions on product type: A seller must check if reverse logistics companies can handle their product type if and when there is a return by a customer. The product's condition varies when it is picked up from the customer, as compared to being dispatched by the manufacturer. The partner picking up the return must be able to handle it well without causing additional damage. For instance, if it is a fragile or time and temperature-sensitive product, the logistics partner must have the required resources and know-how to bring it back safely to the warehouse. Systems and integration: The in-built systems of reverse logistics companies must be efficient and integrate seamlessly with the sellers platform. As discussed above, the dispatch and route analysis software are critical in the smooth execution of reverse logistics. Therefore, businesses must ensure the logistics partner’s systems fit in well with their software to ensure a smooth flow of real-time information. Timelines for processing returns: Timing is vital in supply chain management, and customers don’t like to wait beyond the promised period. Businesses need to ensure that reverse logistics companies can match their service timelines. These durations must be in sync with the customer's expectations. Rate plans: The reverse logistics cost is almost 75% higher than 4 years ago, and companies spend around 9-15% of their revenues on backward logistics. Hence, companies must check the rates of each service at every step of the process to identify any hidden costs and clarify them. Warehouse network: The companies responsible for reverse logistics that operate in multiple locations closer to primary customer hubs can serve retailers at a quicker pace. A business must check the geographical proximities of reverse logistics companies to their customer hotspots or their own warehouses. Current capacity: A business needs to know the current capacity of reverse logistics companies, in order to hand over their requests for returns to them. A partner can only be selected if they can handle the business’ workload of the return requests. Plans for expansion: This question must be focused on the plans and range of services of reverse logistics logistics companies to expand their reach across the country. The seller can also seek to know their performance appraisal measures. Omnichannel returns: Most players in the supply chain can diversify their modes of distribution by adopting multi channel selling like online marketplaces and offline retail stores. Therefore, the business must know in advance how reverse logistics companies will be able to cover return requests from all channels. A few modes of omnichannel returns include in-store returns, different drop-off spots, customer doorstep pick-up, or return via courier. Giving them more return options ensures higher customer satisfaction. Insurance Coverage: Accidents and mishaps can occur, sometimes out of anyone’s control. In case of delays, damage to the goods, or any other unforeseen contingency, reverse logistics companies should be able to raise the claim. The seller must be aware of their insurance policy to stay protected. Top 10 Reverse Logistics Companies in India in 2023 WareIQBluedartEcom ExpressXpressbeesShadowfaxDelhiveryAramexTCI ExpressBizlogFirst Flight Couriers WareIQ Source By providing a full-stack eCommerce fulfillment solutions and giving its users an experience similar to Amazon Prime with same-day and next-day delivery, WareIQ has evolved to be one of the most excellent fulfillment firms in India. Established in 2019, this Y-combinator backed Shipping Aggregator is accessible to anyone. Besides its stronghold and expertise in the eCommerce fulfillment sector, WareIQ as a Shipping Aggregator stands apart from the rest because of the following aspects: Discounted rates and access to all major national couriers, as well as last-mile delivery services and couriers, guaranteeing next-day delivery and same day delivery service. This is extremely crucial for sellers as they can ensure that they live up to their service level and enjoy a higher customer satisfaction rate, thus leading to further business.A powerful pan-India network of fulfillment centers, urban dark stores, and logistics network of national & hyperlocal shipping partners—all located near their clients, allowing them to provide timely and cost-effective logistical solutions.A centralised logistical centre and tech platform for all eCommerce fulfillment based requirementsA centralised platform for core operationsPost-shipping apps provide tracking capabilities and a smart communication platform to offer the greatest client experience. Multiple products and features are provided, such as the “WareIQ RUSH” that ensures same-day delivery and is amongst the rare fulfillment tech companies in the world, let alone India, to provide such a service, and is thus amongst the best fulfillment companies in India. WareIQ customers benefit from considerable cost reductions as a consequence of WareIQ negotiating the best terms with shipping partners, strategic warehouse presence, and data-driven decision making. WareIQ’s central platform possesses a multifunctional NDR dashboard that helps reduce the processing time of NDR by 12 hours and reduces the RTO by 10%.  Related Search: Top 10 Logistics Companies in Mumbai Bluedart Source Blue Dart Express Ltd. is a South Asian express air and integrated transportation & distribution company, headquartered in Mumbai. It offers reliable and secure delivery of consignments to over 35,000 locations in India. It was founded in 1983 and in its early years, Blue Dart had an agreement with Gelco Express International (UK), for the operations of international air package express services from India.  Has delivered consignments over 35,000 locations in IndiaHas delivery services covering over 220 countriesHas distribution services including air express, supply chain solutions, customs clearance, and freight forwardingHas warehouses at 85 locations across the nation as well as warehouses at the 7 major metro cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai)Has state-of-the-art Technology, indigenously developed, MIS, for Track and Trace, ERP, Customer Service, Space Control and ReservationsHas a subsidiary service called Blue Dart Aviation that is dedicated to support  time-definite morning deliveries through night freighter flight operationsHas a countrywide surface network to complement air servicesHas eCommerce B2C and B2B initiatives including partnering with a few of the prime portals in the country Ecom Express Source Ecom Express Ltd. is an end-to-end technology enabled logistics solutions provider in the Indian e-commerce industry, headquartered in Gurugram, Haryana. It was incorporated in 2012 by a team with several years of experience in the Indian logistics and distribution industry. The company has established its presence in the industry due to a differentiated business model which is built on delivery service capability, customization, scalability, and sustainability. It uses cutting-edge technology and automated solutions to enable first-mile pickup, processing, network optimization and last-mile delivery. The company’s products include Ecom Express Services (EXS), Ecom Digital Services (EDS), and Ecom Fulfilment Services (EFS). Has a presence all over the country including 29 states and union territories. It operates in across 27,000+ PIN-codes over 2650+ townsHas also invested in Paperfly, Bangladesh’s largest third-party e-commerce logistics (3PL) firm. Xpressbees Source Xpressbees is a logistic solutions company founded in 2015 and is headquartered in Pune, Maharashtra. It specialises with Last-Mile Delivery, Reverse Logistics, Channel Management, Dropshipping, Software Solutions, Payment Collection, Fulfillment Status, Fulfillment Services, Cross Border Services and Transportation. It has logistics solutions across B2B Xpress, B2C Xpress, Cross-border and 3PL (Third Party Logistics) that come with an edge of accuracy, speed & scalability. It consists of a distribution network that penetrates 2000+ cities and towns across the country. With time, it has emerged as trusted logistics partners for the biggest names in eCommerce, health care, grocery, heavy machinery, finance, and automotive. Has 3000+ offices & service centersHas 52+ cargo airportsHas 500+ customer care executives Has 100+ fulfillment hubsHas 10 Lakhs sq ft of warehouse capacity Has 35,000+ staff and executives Shadowfax Source Shadowfax is a logistics company founded in 2015. It uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to ensure that supply keeps up with demand in the hyperlocal distribution environment, which is rapidly developing and extremely fragmented, and to provide a fantastic end-user experience. Shadowfax launched India's first delivery SuperApp in October 2021 to help delivery partners expand faster by giving them access to different opportunities through a single platform.  Has expanded to a staff of close to 5000 peopleHas 100K+ daily active users Is active in more than 600 cities throughout IndiaPromises to be able to fulfil 1 million orders each day in more than 7000 different pin codes Delhivery Source Delhivery, since its inception, has successfully fulfilled over 1 billion orders across India. Their aim is to build an efficient operations model for business, through a combination of world-class infrastructure, cutting-edge engineering and technology capabilities and logistics operations of the highest quality. It is one of India’s largest and most popular courier companies that is also homegrown. It offers end-to-end fulfillment solutions and serves over 17,000 pin codes and 175 cities.It offers features such as sending tracking details to customers through SMS and provides same-day/next-day delivery options.It provides multiple payment options at the time of delivery. Aramex Source Aramex is based in the UAE and was established in 1982 with offices in Amman and New York. Their legacy, robust IT infrastructure and nationwide consolidation centers provide customised reverse logistics solutions to the customers. Offers customized return resultsHas the ability to integrate its return portal according to guidelines offered by customersHas a custom payment platform called Aramex Payment Services Has automatic language selection grounded on IPHas 24/7 return requests Has multi-language support TCI Express Source Transport Corporation of India started TCIExpress as a major division in 1996 and has grown over the years to become a household name in express delivery services. The company offers to pick up from 3000 locations across India and keeps a tab on the returns via their centralised system. Speed is an essential part of their services. Has transparent and cost-effective pricing Offers a vast number of reverse logistics servicesOffers services such as supply chain consultancy, inbound logistics, warehousing/distribution center management, and outbound logistics, and in-plant stores & yard management Bizlog Source A tech start-up specialising in reverse logistics, Bizlog serves 53 locations across the nation and is aiming to serve more than 100 in the near future. They offer reverse logistics services from pick-ups, inspections, packaging, repairs and exchanges, insurance and warranty. Pays attention to services such as reuse, refurbish, resale and residual valueServes B2B, B2C, and C2C & C2B with its modular technological platform along with a technically trained team First Flight Couriers Source Based in Mumbai, First Flight Couriers offer expert reverse logistics services. They pick up the return from the customer or the retailer and provide thorough inspection and exchange for unredeemable products. They also offer tracking services every step of the way. Offers a vast array of reverse logistics servicesOffers exchange of merchandiseHas a comprehensive track & trace facility for ordersHas a global reachOffers cost-effective and transparent pricing Conclusion: How is WareIQ the Best Reverse Logistics Company for an eCommerce Business? WareIQ offers a couple of advantages that make it the ideal choice for reverse logistical solutions. Smart Platform: WareIQ’s advanced supply chain tech studies the market trends, order density and conducts an in-depth slotting analysis to suggest the best way to move their returns. Decentralised Warehousing: WareIQ believes that the closer you are to the customer, the faster you can serve them. The company promises to reach 90% of Indian cities within 48 hours. Efficient Integration: The company’s superior-tech ensures extensive integration with all prominent national and regional courier service providers. This enables same-day deliveries in metros. Preventive Checks: As a preemptive measure, WareIQ’s track record of delivery TATs ensures the businesses never face a loss due to delayed delivery or a lack of information. They also run thorough address checks to ensure the package doesn’t return to its origin due to incorrect details of the customer’s whereabouts. Established in 2019, WareIQ, a Y-combinator backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for some of the most reputed brands in India. WareIQ offers a full-stack platform for eCommerce companies to enable same-day delivery and next day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. WareIQ has customised offerings for merchants experiencing different order volumes as well as having different delivery speed expectations. WareIQ is probably one of the very few fulfillment tech companies in the world that have same-day delivery service for their customers under their product “WareIQ RUSH”. With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfilment process, ranging from Inbound Operations such as scanning and quality check, through 100% accurate Pick and Pack, to Inventory Management across all channels. WareIQ’s next day delivery and same-day delivery services are helping eCommerce businesses set new standards with respect to setting customer expectations and fulfilling them with high efficacy. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing and data-driven decision-making. Related Article: How to Reduce Logistics Cost? [signup] Reverse logistics companies FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What role does reverse logistics play?Reverse logistics services are designed to transport products from their point of consumption to an end point to capture value or properly dispose goods and materials. It is responsible for collecting goods, their transportation to a central location, and sorting them according to their final destination. What are five R’s of reverse logistics?• Returns• Recalls• Repairs• Repackaging• Recycling What are the best reverse logistics company in India?• WareIQ• Bluedart• Ecom Express• Xpressbees• Delhivery Does WareIQ provide reverse logistics?Yes, WareIQ has solutions across every touchpoint of the value chain.• Disposal• Value Recovery• Re-inventorization• Smart RVP or Reverse Pickup What are the common problems faced by reverse logistics companies?• Reverse logistics costs are high• Inability to comprehend the reasoning for returns• Lack of visibility into the products that have been received• Insufficient labor resources to "handle" returns• Chances of product damage during transit What do you mean by green logistics?Green logistics entails reducing the environmental impact of logistics by employing more environmentally friendly and sustainable processes. This method considers the complete product life cycle, including manufacturing, storage, transportation, marketing, consumption, and disposal. Related Article: List of Top 10 Warehousing and Logistics Companies In Delhi NCR and Ghaziabad

April 26, 2022

What is Fulfillment Status? A Comprehensive Guide in 2024

What is Fulfillment Status? A Comprehensive Guide in 2024

Each process has a result that matters the most. While an end-user may only think about the final outcome, the result can vary if all the steps in a process are not executed well. Fulfillment status is the fulfillment of a promise made to the end consumer that matters. Similarly, every order that a customer confirms has a lifecycle:  order placement processingfulfillment When the number of orders per day increases from a few hundred to thousands and then lakhs, it tends to become cumbersome for the business to manage all these orders by themselves. The completion of the fulfillment lifecycle determines the success of every order. When a customer places an order on a website, both the customer and the service provider keep an eye on the status of the consignment to know if it has been fulfilled yet. But what does order fulfillment status mean? Let's take a look. What is Fulfillment Status? Order fulfillment status refers to an order's completion level in relation to the processes of the order lifecycle with the final goal being delivery to the end customer. The fulfillment status of a shipment highlights the stage of the order after the payment gets processed until delivery to the end customer. It depends on the activities of the service provider. It reveals whether the order gets processed correctly and when it can be shipped to the customer. What are the different stages of Fulfillment Status? An order's Fulfillment Status is categorized into six stages as per its readiness to be shipped: Fulfilled: Delivering a complete shipment deserves the status of a fulfilled order. This status does not wait for or depend on the customer accepting or returning the final product.  Unfulfilled: A freshly placed order is described as unfulfilled until it is delivered to the customer, or the order query has been closed due to another reason like a return, refund, or decline by the seller. The order stays unfulfilled until the ordered inventory has been picked. Partially Fulfilled: When only some parts of a shipment get transported, it ranks as a partially fulfilled shipment. For example, this can happen when the customer orders multiple items in one shipment and not all are readily available at the time of processing. For the items pending delivery, either a refund gets processed, or they are queued for delivery later. In each case, the customer receives a notification via their preferred mode of communication; text, call or email. Queued Shipment: This is the penultimate stage before the order reaches the customer. This is the stage after the inventory has been picked, processed, and packaged, and the final product is ready for delivery. Then, it just needs a pick up by the delivery personnel and transportation. The customer gets a notification via written communication and a tracking number is assigned the moment the order leaves the service provider's premises. On Hold: The shipment status goes on hold when the customer has added goods to the cart but has not confirmed the order or made the payment yet. The service provider can locate the inventory but cannot begin processing until they receive a confirmed order from the customer. The status changes to unfulfilled when the order is confirmed, which the service provider can then undertake. Scheduled: This status primarily applies to prepaid shipments before their fulfillment date is reached. Their fulfillment date as per the subscription then changes to unfulfilled. The service provider can then begin the process of completing the order. [contactus_lilgoodness] What is the Difference Between Order Status and Fulfillment Status? [table id=12 /] Depending on the stage the customer is at, the status of an order can range from Open, Archived to Cancelled. Open Order: When the customer is surfing and has not placed the order yet, the status stays open until order confirmation or payment. Archived Order: An order goes into the archive when it gets canceled, needs a refund, or faces any other issue. Orders can be manually or automatically archived for viewing after being attended to. Both the customer and the service provider can archive it. It does not mean it gets deleted; instead stored in records away from the sight of the order page. Cancelled Order: As the name suggests, the order status appears as 'Cancelled' when the customer withdraws it. Yet, an order is not fulfilled if a refund is pending for the customer. 6 Step Processes Involved in Order Fulfillment Status in 2024 Source Receipt of Inventory  Fulfillment status begins with locating the inventory in the warehouse or a storage unit and retrieving it for assembly as per the customer's order details. Before processing the final product, the service provider needs to ensure that each piece of the inventory is of desired quality and is not damaged. Then SKU labels and barcodes are put on each piece before reading them for pick up. Order Picking  The inventory identified needs to be picked from the warehouse or any off-site location. It helps if the inventory is organised as per their urgency. For instance, the items in frequent demand can be placed upfront, followed by less-required products. The company's staff or a 3PL fulfillment company can pick up the shipment. At times, the dropshipping method is also used. This is where the manufacturer directly processes and ships the finished product to the customer. As a result, the service provider does not need to host the inventory or finished product; instead, it is sent directly from the seller to the buyer. In case of an unfulfilled order, the inventory can be picked through single-order, batch, cluster or zone picking. in Batch Order Picking, workers pick up inventory individually according to a batch or group of multiple orders. In Single-Order Picking, they pick up the stock as per the individual order received. In Zone Picking, they retrieve the inventory as per the geographical zone or area. And in Cluster Picking, the pickers gather the inventory from various SKUs and multiple orders rather than concentrating on just one. In another mode called Pick and Pass, the warehouse is categorised into different areas as per the inventory stored. Pickers get positioned in every designated area and then manually pick the required inventory and pass it over. Processing  The next stage is making the finished goods ready for the customer. It requires excellent integration between the service provider and customer interfaces for a seamless flow of information from the order to the fulfillment stage. This system needs to prompt the warehouse staff about the inventory required when a customer places an order. Processing includes identifying the inventory required for putting together the final product and locating them in a warehouse or storage unit. Packaging  The order must be packed well to prevent damage during transit before being sent for weighing and labeling. Efficiency and transparency are essential in this stage. That is why many companies offer customisations such as automated fulfillment services as per the needs of the service provider and their customers. Because of these features, orders will be packaged with efficiency regardless of the volume. The packers must observe and try to get the lowest possible dimensional surface area while packing a shipment to be able to place more orders inside the truck. This helps in reducing transportation costs and saves time. Shipping and Delivery  This is the last stage where the product is in the hands of the service provider. The package gets weighed, labelled, documented, and is ready to get shipped to the customer. The service provider needs to select the fastest and most secure way to deliver the order. The nitty-gritty of the eCommerce shipping method depends on the type of product getting transported. For instance, a perishable product must be despatched with a coolant. In contrast, a fragile product will need proper bubble wrapping. An order is said to be fulfilled when the end customer receives it along with a written confirmation via a preferred mode like email or text. After the delivery, the service provider must seek the customer's written feedback about the whole experience, from browsing to ordering, receiving and using the product. Statistics say that 73.6% of customers believe that delivery is the key to a seamless shopping experience.  Returns  Suppose a customer doesn't like the product and intends to return it. In that case, the order remains incomplete until returned to the service provider. As mentioned above, including return labels in the shipment saves time for both the user and the service provider and gets brownie points for the latter. Once returned, the item needs a thorough check for damage before returning to the inventory and processing the refund. The service providers still need to stay in touch with the customer for feedback and to encourage future purchases. What are the Benefits of Fulfillment Status? Given below are some of the benefits of order fulfillment Status that service providers cannot ignore: Being a source of Information Information, especially through eCommerce logistics companies, drives all decisions, and fulfillment status provides it in abundance. Customers invest their time and money in the overall delivery experience. 75% of them expect information on the processing of their order. In comparison, 51% of customers wish to receive real-time visibility into their shipment progress. Fulfillment Status does that on behalf of the service provider. Therefore, keeping the end customers informed of their order progress is critical to being successful and encouraging repeat purchases for service providers. Maintaining Order Accuracy This is crucial for both parties. Order fulfillment Status highlights the details of a shipment for scrutiny. Most customers lose faith in a service provider due to wrong orders being delivered. The top reasons for order returns are damaged goods (22%), different looks as compared to online pictures (22%), and receipt of a wrong item (23%).  Whether for checking the availability of raw materials, tools for warehouse allocation, or checking processing timings, fulfillment status assists service providers in managing their inventory. Inventory Management Multi-channel selling has raised the need for comprehensive inventory management, which enhances the service provider's reach in a shorter time period. Its tech platform leverages real-time data to facilitate the service provider to predict the future demand for a product. The first and most significant step in successful order fulfillment is receiving and sorting the inventory as per the order. In other words, Order fulfillment status means supplying the service provider with good visibility of the inventory. Customer Satisfaction Leading to Customer Referrals Besides the 3 points above, companies have another primary reason for investing in fulfillment status; the higher the success rate of their order fulfillment, the better their reputation, which profoundly influences their sales figures. New customers rely on a company's ratings before selecting their service. Existing customers would not reinvest unless they had a good experience earlier. How is Order Fulfillment Status Tracked? One can track an order fulfillment status in two ways: before and after the order is fulfilled. Here's how tracking happens. Each status can be tracked by adding a tracking number to the order and displaying real-time fulfillment or shipping details for the customer's order. Customers receive this tracking number at the time of order confirmation so they can check the fulfillment status whenever they want. Before Fulfillment We have discussed the pre-fulfillment process that involves steps like receiving inventory to shipping or delivery and, approximately 30% of the time, returns. Tracking an order status will yield one of the below results if done before fulfillment: Pending: This indicates that the customer did not complete the order.Awaiting Payment: This indicates that the customer did not proceed to payment after adding items to the cart.Awaiting Fulfillment: Awaiting fulfillment indicates that the customer has confirmed the order from their end, and it is the service provider's turn.To be Shipped: This indicates that the order has been packaged and waiting to be shipped to the customer.To be Picked-up: This tracking status appears when the customer needs to pick up the order from a pick-up outlet.Partially Shipped: This indicates only a portion of the order has been shipped.Shipped: This indicates that the completed order has been sent.Partial Refund Generated: This indicates that the refund requested by the customer has been partially generated.Complaint Received/Disputed Order: This indicates that the customer has filed a complaint or raised an issue in relation to the order or delivery. After Fulfillment After fulfillment, tracking will yield one of the below results: Delivered: This indicates that the complete shipment has been successfully delivered to the customer.Canceled: This indicates that the customer has cancelled the order. Returned: This indicates that the order has been returned as per the customer's request.Refunded: This indicates that the amount paid towards the shipment by the customer has been fully repaid.Declined: This indicates that the seller has rejected the order. Conclusion The success of the supply chain, especially in retail, depends on order completion. While fulfillment strategies have always retained the power to disrupt a supply chain, they have managed to arrive at the heart of customer experience in the past decade. A good platform for integrating the fulfillment center's and user's experience can profoundly affect a company's Order Fulfilment success. Having a robust system in place that makes the task easier at every stage of the fulfillment cycle is critical. Many companies employ excellent ERP software that integrates well with suppliers, vendors, and customer interfaces. Such a system helps accurately predict customer demand and optimise inventory, human resources, and finances. This is where WareIQ can help. WareIQ, a Y-combinator backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for 300+ reputed eCommerce & D2C brands in India. WareIQ allows you to reach a larger audience in a shorter period of time with storage facilities spread across India and closer to your demand centers. Our smart inventory placement ensures that your demand centers are well-stocked and enables efficient & prompt delivery. We help you evolve from a 5-15 day delivery system to the same day and next day Amazon-like delivery system and are already helping 100+ other brands in India to do so.  With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfillment process, ranging from Inbound Operations such as scanning and quality check, through 100% accurate Pick and Pack, to Inventory Management across all channels. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing, and data-driven decision-making. WareIQ's fulfillment platform enables eCommerce players to provide a superior post-purchase experience to their customers through an app store that has various apps like branded tracking, post-ship badges, RTO shield, etc. WareIQ’s WMS, a centralised tech platform helps to better manage undelivered orders by reducing NDR processing time by 12 hours – a multifunctional NDR dashboard helps to track and take immediate action for undelivered orders in real-time, thereby reducing RTO by up to 10%. Automatic replenishment recommendations and easy purchase order creation capabilities on the WareIQ platform further empower eCommerce companies to leverage all possible ways of increasing their ROI. [signup] Fulfillment Status FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What are the different levels of fulfillment?• Fulfilled• Unfulfilled • Partially Fulfilled• Queued Shipment • Placed on hold • Scheduled Does fulfillment status mean the product is delivered?No, they are not the same. Fulfillment status is basically order status that states whether an order is processed or not or currently awaits shipment. What does "order is in fulfillment" mean?If your order is marked as "in fulfillment," it has most likely been processed and is being prepared for shipment. After fulfillment is complete, order is delivered to the customer. What is "unfulfilled status"?"Unfulfilled" indicates that it has not yet shipped. You'll receive a confirmation email with a tracking number once your order has been sent, and your order status will change to "Fulfilled." What does ‘’awaiting fulfillment’’ status mean?If the status of your order indicates "awaiting fulfillment," it simply implies that the logistics warehouse has not yet begun the order fulfillment process.  Picking the products for your order and packaging them into a box for shipment is part of this process. Does WareIQ share complete fulfillment status updates?Yes, WareIQ has its own order tracking system that notifies the end customers of the fulfillment status updates real-time via mail, messages, whatsapp etc. Apart from this, WareIQ also has a branded tracking app exclusively for its eCommerce clients.

April 19, 2022
Detailed Guide on Micro Fulfillment Center: Meaning, Top Benefits & Challenges with Micro Fulfillment Centers and How Can They Enhance Retail Efficiency in 2024

Detailed Guide on Micro Fulfillment Center: Meaning, Top Benefits & Challenges with Micro Fulfillment Centers and How Can They Enhance Retail Efficiency in 2024

In this day and age, where consumers are used to ordering most of their requirements online, a delay in them receiving that order could have dire consequences for the seller. With so much competition in every sector, businesses are pining for getting their products to their customers at a faster rate than their competitors. To accomplish this goal, businesses and online retailers have had to adopt new strategies to ensure that they don’t fall behind. This is why micro fulfillment centers are important as they can bridge the gap between where the order is being shipped from and the customer's doorstep. Read further to understand all the nuances of micro fulfillment, in more detail. What is Micro Fulfillment? Micro fulfillment is a strategy adopted by companies/eCommerce sellers where the fulfillment cycle is made more efficient by setting up small-scale ecommerce warehouses or storage facilities near densely populated areas, thus reducing the time taken from placing the order to delivering it. In this age of consumerism, where same-day delivery has become a norm in some locations, companies such as Amazon, Flipkart, Big Basket, and other eCommerce/retail companies are finding solutions on how to uphold customer expectations, while at the same time, figuring out how to maximize on their own profit margins. This is where micro fulfillment is the solution.  Last-mile delivery incurs the most costs among the different stages of delivery, and is estimated to be between 40-50% of the entire supply chain cost. With the inclusion of micro fulfillment, this cost can be minimised as it reduces the shipping costs from regional/central distribution centers to the local distribution center. [contactus_uth] What is a Micro Fulfillment Center? Micro fulfillment centers are small, fully or semi-automated fulfillment centers situated in close proximity to the end customer and generally covers an area between 3,000 to 10,000 sq. ft. They center can be part of a larger warehouse or can exist as a standalone unit as well. They are also known as dark stores, where the order processing and packing is fully automated with minimal human interaction. A micro fulfillment center usually has limited inventory, lasting for 24-72 hours, and acts as a base for express delivery for  products within a certain pin code or geographical location. To state an example, Flipkart may have a large warehouse in Binola, Haryana of 13 lakh sq. ft., but in order to fulfil express delivery for Saket, it can set up a micro fulfillment center in Saket of just 500 sq. ft., and thus cut down on the 1.5 hours of travel time. This will ensure that same-day delivery can be easily met for those end-users in South Delhi and offers an enhanced customer experience for the end-user. How can Micro Fulfillment Centers Boost Retail Efficiency in 2024? With the advent of hyperlocal delivery ecosystems, the aim is to increase efficiency to match the needs and expectations of the end customer. Still, despite automated warehouses and large fulfillment centers, with the latest implementations of picking and sorting technologies, the required efficiency is difficult to achieve.  This is where micro fulfillment centers step in. eCommerce companies will find a boost in retail efficiency post the implementation of micro fulfilment centers due to the following reasons: Improved analytics Companies will gain deeper insights into the purchase patterns of customers within a pin code or a smaller geographical location. Thus, the inventory stored will be more precisely suited to the user's needs and will involve faster order pickups as well as cost-saving from unused inventory. Faster fulfillment Even in a semi-automated state, they help reduce the fulfillment cycle duration because the orders have to be picked from a smaller area and can be done with higher accuracy. The order pick up process reduces from 60 minutes in regional distribution centers to just 6 minutes in micro fulfillment centers. Faster delivery With last-mile delivery carving out a significant portion of an eCommerce company’s revenue, they reduce the delivery time and thus aid in cost-saving. Ease of integration They are much smaller in size, aid in the company’s expansion as they can help reach a larger area and are also much easier to integrate into the existing system of the company’s supply chain. 5 Benefits of Micro Fulfillment Centers vs. Traditional Fulfillment Centers As per the real estate firm CBRE, it was seen that for an eCommerce player to earn $1 billion in sales, it requires 1.25 million sq. ft. of storage space. This added to the fact that the majority of players are aiming for a faster fulfillment cycle, shows that micro fulfillment centers provide a solution to the needs of eCommerce players. Micro fulfillment centers prove how useful they are as compared to traditional fulfillment centers in the following ways: Highly responsive to changes in customer demands When the lockdown struck and customers’ demands changed from clothing to groceries, micro fulfillment centers could have adapted to the change in the demands much faster by making space for grocery items and replacing other products. This rapid deployment and shift in resources cannot be matched by a traditional fulfillment center. More customizable products With better insights into the customers’ demands in a certain area, micro fulfillment can stock up on the required inventory that the customers in that area need, and this leads to an optimised, faster and more efficient fulfillment cycle. Improved quality control With a lower order density, it is much easier to ensure that the products being shipped are of the quality demanded and to the correct addresses. Faster delivery time It is common to see commercial vehicles waiting to enter the city limits and ending up in long traffic jams at the city borders. This hassle is saved by micro fulfillment centers being set up close to the end-user, thus reducing the distance and ensuring extremely fast deliveries. Lower operational and set-up costs Micro fulfillment centers take much less time to be set up and the operational costs are lower than traditional fulfillment centers, thus increasing the company’s profits.  What are the Best Practices in Micro Fulfillment? Micro fulfillment is a relatively new practice. Thus, eCommerce and other fulfillment companies are striving to ensure that they can fine-tune this to the best of their abilities. The following are some of the best practices that are being followed universally by most, if not all, eCommerce companies: Inventory: Establishing an inventory management system based on the business model, and thus ensuring that the micro fulfillment center is not under or overstocked is essential. Inventory issues can cause a bullwhip effect going back up to the main distribution center as well.Integration with existing systems: Ensuring the software system for handling the micro fulfillment center can be integrated with that of the distribution center’s Warehouse Management Software and/or the Order Management System and e-commerce platforms, to improve visibility and control over operations.Property Selection: Whether it is building a new store or renovating an existing property, the geographical location and ease of approach must be considered. A cheaper location but with an interrupted power supply will, in the long run, prove to be costlier than a location that might be more expensive but with better civic amenities available. 5 Main Challenges with Micro Fulfillment Centers Micro fulfillment is a solution that can revolutionise the eCommerce industry, but for all the promise and excitement, it must be taken with a pinch of salt. Players, new and old, when expanding using the micro fulfillment route, must keep in point the following challenges and be prepared with contingencies for them: Constant inventory replenishment Be it using the Milk-run route or the EOQ model, micro fulfillment centers, due to their smaller size, will require their inventory to be replenished often, and this means a proactive inventory replenishment system must be in place to handle this. Consumer unpredictability A limited storage capacity can sometimes make it difficult to quickly adapt to a certain trend. For example, an influencer posting about a certain product leads to an overnight trend, and this may lead to unfulfilled orders. Risk of stockouts With a limited inventory of certain SKUs, there is a risk of some products/SKUs facing stockouts during unpredictable high demand changes. Not suitable for all products/SKUs They are not suitable for some larger products which cover more area, and given the limited space available, it will be a choice between which SKU to sacrifice. Order consolidation Customers order multiple grocery items simultaneously and expect all the items to be delivered together. But at the micro fulfillment center, if even a single item is out of stock, it can lead to a delay in the delivery or cancellation of the product by the retailer’s end, both leading to depleted customer satisfaction and mistrust of this system. Source Top 8 Micro Fulfillment Companies in India [2024] Micro fulfillment in India is followed using a relatively hybrid marketplace concept. The FMCG sector in India is vastly unorganized, with close to 95% being unorganized. So, rather than only setting up dedicated micro fulfillment centers, many 3PL, eCommerce and fulfillment companies are using the already established infrastructure of these stores as micro fulfillment centers while also setting up their own micro fulfillment centers. While completely automated micro fulfillment centers have not been set up in India yet, many companies dealing in the hyperlocal delivery industry are using this hybrid model of using the existing Kirana stores as micro fulfillment centers. Below are some of the leading micro fulfillment companies: WareIQFlipkartDunzoSwiggyGrofers/BlinkitBig BasketOla DashShadowfax WareIQ Source WareIQ is a category defining, best- in class full-stack eCommerce fulfillment tech platform (with inbuilt inventory planning, order management & shipping system) for modern brands to accelerate online sales/ expedite revenue growth & profits with same/next day delivery. We not only help you reduce your logistic costs but also your delivery timelines – this could be the game-changer your business needs!  WareIQ offers centralised tech platform for your entire eCommerce operations ML-based prediction engine for efficient warehouse network design & smart inventory placementCentralised platform for core fulfilment & shipping operationsPost-shipping apps for a delightful experience & zero to minimum supply chain leakages Today, over 300 brands have taken charge of their ecommerce logistics & fulfilment with WareIQ to unlock tremendous value in terms of revenue and customer satisfaction. WareIQ Rush is their same-day-delivery platform. Using this platform, WareIQ is aiming to help online sellers offer same day delivery in every major metropolis in India, with a plus 99% fulfillment rate. Sign Up Now with WareIQ RUSH to avail our superior fulfilment tech platform & enhance your online business growth. Flipkart Source One of the original players to bring about this hybrid concept of using Kirana stores as a micro fulfillment centers, this eCommerce giant has opened up micro fulfillment centers and launched the “Flipkart Quick” service to deliver close to 2000 products ranging from grocery to electronics such as smartphones. It now uses its vast network of micro fulfillment centers to provide grocery services across 1800 cities, 23 states, and 10,000 pin codes in India. Dunzo Source Established in 2014, this hyperlocal delivery system caters to 7 cities. Seeing the changing consumer demand due to the lockdown, Dunzo plans to open 300 micro fulfillment centers across 20 cities and keep the top 2,000 SKUs in each center. Their main goal is to provide delivery in under 19 minutes, in every corner of the country. Swiggy Source Swiggy’s Instamart is now available across 18 cities and has achieved the 15-minute delivery service level by opening up multiple micro fulfillment centers in partnership with local Kirana stores. The potential of this service can be realised by understanding Swiggy’s decision to invest $700 million into establishing a micro fulfillment center for hyperlocal deliveries. Grofers/Blinkit Source Grofers, now rebranded as Blinkit, one of the country’s earliest hyperlocal grocery delivery companies, is opening 1000 micro fulfillment centers across India and providing a 15-minute grocery delivery service. With the onset of services like Swiggy Insatmart and Dunzo, Grofers is trying to claim the mantel of India's leading online grocery platform. Big Basket Source Big Basket, with its BB Daily and BB Instant services, provides hyperlocal delivery services by being able to deliver around 90% of the items within two hours. Big Basket was amongst the earliest adopters of the micro fulfillment service. It presently has ten micro fulfillment centers in each metro city and one each in 50 smaller cities. Ola Dash Source Ola is known for its cab service but its up-and-coming same-day-delivery eCommerce service called Ola Dash, is seeking to up the ante by opening up to 500 micro fulfillment centers across 20 Indian cities. Ola Dash is presently providing a 10 minutes “Store to Door” delivery service across nine cities and across 2,500 SKUs and the micro fulfillment platform is set to expand upon that. Ola is hoping to make a name for itself in the eCommerce space. Shadowfax Source This logistics company provides same-day delivery and courier services and is now being used by retailers to fulfil their online orders. With Shadowfax’s micro fulfillment centers which are actually their delivery and sorting hubs, they provide hyperlocal delivery of products such as groceries and medicines, in a very short amount of time to their customers doorsteps. Conclusion: How You Can Utilize Micro Fulfillment Centers of WareIQ to Offer Same Day Delivery to Customers The Indian eCommerce industry is rapidly progressing towards the hyperlocal fulfillment sector. Zomato recently announced their decision to enter this sector as well, and with multiple other startups also aiming to provide the “10-minute” delivery service, the way forward is through micro fulfillment centers only.  As the pandemic restrictions slacken and people are returning back to the offices, the hassles of coming home and buying groceries will return once again too. This will lead to an increase in the demand for hyperlocal delivery services, and subsequently, the need for micro fulfillment centers across metros and even smaller cities in the country. One such company seeking to provide same-day delivery services is WareIQ through their WareIQ RUSH platform. Established in 2019, WareIQ, a Y-combinator-backed startup, has rapidly grown to be the leading provider of full-stack eCommerce fulfillment services for some of the most reputed brands in India. WareIQ offers a full-stack platform for eCommerce companies to enable same-day delivery and next-day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. WareIQ has empowered brands to sell more, sell faster & sell everywhere due to: Access to WareIQ’s strong nationwide network of fulfillment centers & urban dark stores near their customersAccess to all major national & hyperlocal last-mile couriers at discounted rates for making same/next day deliveries possibleEasy integration across multiple online platforms & marketplacesHorizontal marketplaces: Flipkart, Amazon etc.Vertical marketplaces: Nykaa, Myntra etc.D2C platforms: Shopify, Magento, WooCommerce etc.Social commerce platforms: BikayiAccess to a superior centralised tech platform for eCommerce operationsML-based prediction engine for efficient warehouse network design & smart inventory placementCentralised platform for core fulfilment & shipping operationsPost-shipping apps for delightful experience & zero to minimum supply chain leakages ( Branded tracking page with smart marketing placements; Trigger-based updates & smart communication platform) WareIQ has customised offerings for merchants experiencing different order volumes as well as having different delivery speed expectations. WareIQ is probably one of the very few fulfilment tech companies in the world that have same-day delivery service for their customers under their product “WareIQ RUSH”. With world-class WMS functionalities, WareIQ handles the entire range of intricate operations in the eCommerce fulfilment process, ranging from Inbound Operations such as scanning and quality check, through 100% accurate Pick and Pack, to Inventory Management across all channels. WareIQ’s next day delivery and same-day delivery services are helping eCommerce businesses set new standards with respect to setting customer expectations and marketplace fulfilling them with high efficacy. At the same time, WareIQ customers realise significant cost savings and wider reach due to better negotiations with shipping partners, strategically placed warehouses, economies of scale and scope in warehousing and data-driven decision making. [signup] Micro Fulfillment Center FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What is the process of micro-fulfillment?Micro-fulfillment is a strategy for improving delivery times by locating small-scale warehousing operations in highly populated urban areas. Does WareIQ provide micro fulfillment services or have micro fulfillment centers?Yes, WareIQ provides micro fulfillment and has dozens of micro fulfillment centers & dark stores across the country which helps in uniform distribution of inventory across India closer to the customers. How much does a micro fulfillment center cost?To fulfill orders through micro fulfillment centers, it costs around 5$ per order. What is the drawback of micro warehousing and micro fulfillment center?• Requires constant inventory replenishment• Depends on irregular consumer demands• Increased risk of stockouts• Depends on customer locations• Not feasible for all SKU types Is micro fulfillment part of last-mile delivery service?Micro fulfillment warehouse is an integral part of last-mile delivery service because it is generally the last node before the order gets delivered to the end customer. Is micro warehousing the future of eCommerce?Certainly yes, because same day and next day delivery at a minimal cost is the future of ecommerce and micro warehousing will play a vital role in the same. Is micro-fulfillment the next big thing for retailers in malls and restaurants?Micro-Fulfillment is absolutely the next big thing for Mall Retailers, and Restaurants. E-commerce companies and merchants can benefit from micro-fulfillment centers to strengthen their fulfillment strategies. Because they are closer to their clients, they can minimize lead times and turnaround times, allowing them to meet increasing Service Level Agreements.

April 13, 2022
Introducing the WareIQ App Store: Streamline your eCommerce Fulfillment and Shipping Operations

Introducing the WareIQ App Store: Streamline your eCommerce Fulfillment and Shipping Operations

Businesses have myriad needs which vary from one organisation to another, as well as evolve rapidly over time. To enable our esteemed customers to augment the WareIQ platform further, aligned with their logistics workflows, our team of experts has designed a suite of powerful applications. Based on your valuable suggestions, we realised that it may become cumbersome for you, at times, to hunt for the applications unless we organise them into a single point of access. Hence, we are delighted to launch the WareIQ App Store, making it extremely easy for you to discover the apps that you need at your fingertips at the right time. How does the WareIQ App Store Help You? When you visit the WareIQ App Store, you get the flavour of a superior design and ease of experience, with convenient navigational tools, fed with live data of your business performance. Let's dive deeper to understand the massive range of capabilities of the WareIQ App Store and what it means for your business. Provides you with more tools in your arsenal to boost your eCommerce operations amd make supply chain your competitive advantage.Acts as centralised portal, empowering you to manage all the stages of your eCommerce fulfillment and shipping operations from WareIQ platform directly.Shed down the inefficiency, inconvenience and complexity of working on multiple non-integrable apps. Our suite of powerful applications can easily integrate with your eCommerce workflows and systems, thereby opening new avenues to scale up your business.Leverage AI-ML powered analytics, fed with live data, for smart demand planning, smart inventory placement and network optimisation to enable same/next-day delivery for our customers.Helps you reach out to your customers on the right channel at the right touchpoint, and build trust with your customers through transparent communication and seamless engagement.Build customer loyalty by ensuring a delightful post-shipment experience for your customers. Top Apps to Check Out on the WareIQ App Store It may look confusing to you at the first glance, which app to use for which purpose. To make your task easy, here's a detailed analysis of each of the apps on the WareIQ App Store. Branded Tracking Delight your customers with a premium post-ship experience through a Branded Tracking page built with capabilities such as re-targeting and cross selling to increase your revenue. Turn your order tracking page into a profitable marketing channelImprove your products and shipping operationsIncrease customer engagementIncrease customer satisfactionCustomized branded pages Sample Branded Tracking Page There are several benefits of using the Branded Tracking application on the WareIQ App Store: COD and NDR Verification - You can easily verify Cash on Delivery collections by the delivery person and get Non Delivery Reports at your fingertips, so that you are always ahead of your competition on the vital performance metrics.Showcase Product Banners to your customers - Product Banners create a long-lasting impression of your products on your target customers' minds, enabling greater brand-recall and mindshare than your competitors. Gather feedback from your customers - Collecting feedback from customers just after the delivery helps you understand the pain-points of your customers, so that you can work on the weaknesses immediately.Create Brand Awareness - Creating brand awareness will increase customer loyalty, drive up-selling and cross-selling opportunities and boost word-of-mouth for your brand. Link-backs to your store - Store links that redirect the customer to your online store help to drive repeat sales and reinforces customers' confidence on your brand and products.Live Tracking and Updates - Provide full shipping journey and real-time order updates on the tracking page, so that you maintain the highest levels of transparency and trust with your customers, avoid unwarranted misunderstandings. It is very easy to create and customise your own Branded Tracking Page. Click here to learn how you can do it. Notifications It is well-established fact that customer loyalty can be effectively boosted through frequent and transparent communication with the customer through the product fulfilment process. It also helps to reduce the number of grievances and support tickets raised by customers from time to time. With Notifications application on the WareIQ App Store, you can significantly enhance customer engagement through effortless communications, and deliver an impeccable post-purchase experience to your customers through AI-ML powered Notifications and WhatsApp automation. This helps to: Increase customer satisfactionBuild customer trustTransparency in the shipping processIncreases the delivery success ratePre-empt EscalationsReduce unnecessary customer support calls There are several benefits of using the Notifications application: Send timely order updatesCommunicating cutomers about the delivery scheduleUpdating customers about their orders regularlyCreate brand awareness and drive cross-sell opportunitiesSend order updates to your customers on the particular events that you wishGet your business and operations related notifications Customer Feedback Customer Feedback App can get detailed reports on the WareIQ dashboard for brand performance based on the feedback collected from your customers, which will help you to: Increase customer retention and loyaltyImprove customer satisfactionAnalyze customer sentimentMeasure and improve the brand perceptionIdentify unhappy customers proactively You reap some major benefits by using the Customer Reviews app on WareIQ App Store: Gather customer feedbackAct on customer escalations in real timeCollect customer feedback on brand and shipping experience Weight Lock Predicting the final dimensions and weight of the ordered consignment is a tedious and almost impossible task. However, courier partners maintain stringent pricing policies across different weight and size ranges, making it difficult to handle such issues. With the Weight Lock application on WareIQ App Store, you can freeze the weights of your products to eliminate the hassle of weight discrepancies and ship products without worrying about the weight discrepancies. This will definitely help to: Avoid repeated follow-ups with the courier partners over the weight discrepanciesGet accurate shipping cost so that you can do the cost planning before handSave your time and effort on negotiations for weight discrepanciesBring uniformity to streamline your business operationsMake your operations more efficient with Weight Freeze However, there are some product-level pre-requisites for setting up the Weight Lock app:- Dimensions of the productWeight of the productProduct Images Click here to learn how you can easily add Master Products, upload their dimensions, weights and other details. Shipping Badges Shipping Badges appear on your product pages that helps customer check pin code serviceability and the expected delivery date for any product. Why Shipping Badges App? Check pin code serviceability and the expected delivery dateGet upto 30% increase customer conversionsIncrease the trust of your brand Benefits of Shipping Badges App: Drive sales for your productsShow estimated delivery timeReassure customers with prime-like badges on your website You can use this app to: Check real-time inventory availability of the productIdentify the nearest warehouseCheck for the fastest available shipping timeline across our logistics network IVR Calling New-age eCommerce customers prefer to remain connected to the sellers through time-saving modes of communication such as direct calling, but at the same time, they are concerned with their privacy. Similarly, eCommerce business and customer success managers are often exhausted with telephonic intrusions on their personal mobile numbers. To alleviate these worries, now you can leverage the IVR Calling feature on WareIQ App Store as a command centre to connect with your customers and provide lightning-fast reconciliation, without revealing your telephone number. The feature helps you to: Record conversations and track them on order basisEmpower customer teams to seamlessly address customer grievancesEnable a privacy-first approach by keeping your contact details and customer conversation details private RTO Shield RTO Shield gives the eCommerce/D2C businesses a complete checkout strategy to save on RTO losses and boost your revenue Why WareIQ’s RTO Shield? Claim refund for the shipping cost of any RTO order that was predicted safe by usTechnology based smart COD checkout option to detect risky users and save on shipping costsAutomatically disable COD for untrustworthy and blacklisted customersDuplicate orders identification and eliminationShipping Address Verification and smart shipping decisions based on the completeness of the address Benefits of RTO Shield: Improve conversion rates and reduce cart abandonmentFastest checkout experience, checkout under 10 secondsIntelligently identify high RTO risk customers from data sets comprising of telecom, banks, hyperlocal, and OTTIdentify abusers with the help of historical behaviour data on past buying behaviour and win over fraudsters How does it work? Integrate the application with WareIQ3 months historical data would be needed to train the model & generate accurate predictions.Go live in 3-5 days WareIQ RUSH Online businesses can offer Same Day Delivery to their customers and accelerate their online sales with WareIQ Rush. WareIQ RUSH allows eCommerce & D2C businesses to reach a larger audience in a shorter period of time (within one day) by empowering them with a strong nationwide network of fulfillment centers and micro-fulfillment centers near their customers.  Why do you need WareIQ RUSH? Capture impulse buying behaviour of your customers by giving them shorter delivery timelinesReduce cart abandonment rate by giving express delivery to your customersAvoid cancellations due to delayed delivery and deliver the orders within hoursDeliver the COD orders quickly to get the remittance earlyGive a delightful and hassle-free experience to your customers that they can remember Benefits of WareIQ RUSH: Reducing delivery times - Ensuring your fulfilment centres are well-stocked so that you can reach a larger audience in a shorter period of time & offer same day delivery serviceReducing costs - Save resources spent on establishing infrastructure and store your inventory in fulfilment centres as per your business needsImproved customer satisfaction - With WareIQ’s prompt response times, you can ensure timely deliveries and greater brand reliability translating to satisfied customers Conclusion WareIQ offers a full-stack fulfillment platform for eCommerce companies to offer same day and next day delivery to customers – an Amazon Prime-like experience but accessible to everyone. With a strong nationwide network of fulfilment centres & urban dark stores near to end-customers and access to all major national & hyperlocal last mile couriers at discounted rates, WareIQ has established itself as a reliable partner for many reputed eCommerce players across the country. The easily integrable centralised tech platform has been extremely helpful for our customers. With the arsenal of business tailored apps on the WareIQ App Store, you can now choose which app to use to supercharge your supply chain operations. The 1-CLICK App-Integration experience is opening new avenues to scale up business over an inefficient & complex ecosystem of integrating multiple standalone business applications.While you can choose & drop apps as per your business usage in a completely hassle-free experience, you can get working previews of the apps through free trials, and subscribe as per your usage. These smarter apps powering same/next-day delivery help leverage AI/ML intelligence for areas, such as on-demand planning, smart inventory placement and network optimisation. Sign Up Now with WareIQ to avail our superior fulfilment tech platform & enhance your online business growth.

March 25, 2022
Same Day Delivery Service: Key to Accelerate Online Sales in 2024

Same Day Delivery Service: Key to Accelerate Online Sales in 2024

Did you know that same day delivery service can help brands achieve 30% jump in revenueHigher repeat purchasesNear zero returns % As more & more brands start selling online to persist in the market, due to the burgeoning preference of online shopping among consumers, easy & improved accessibility to smartphones & faster internet services, one of the service offerings that has turned out to be the key enabler to online business growth is faster delivery service. Gone are the days when same day delivery service used to be just another factor for maximum customer delight. Same day courier delivery service is the new normal for online brands now. With the growing presence of online brands & geographically dispersed demand from customers across the country, eCommerce brands can differentiate themselves from other online players with same day courier delivery service even to the customers in the nook & corner of the country. Read along to understand how same day delivery services can be a game-changer for eCommerce & D2C business & how WareIQ RUSH can be your best fulfillment partner to accelerate your online sales. What is Same Day Delivery for eCommerce? Same Day Delivery for eCommerce brands is fast evolving as one of the most preferred services. Leading marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart have made deep pockets in the eCommerce space with Same Day fast Delivery service. As the concept is fairly new, there is a lack of awareness among eCommerce brands regarding the myriad advantages of same day/ 24 hour delivery. It means delivery of purchased products to the customer in less than 24 hours, ideally within the same day as the order is placed on the eCommerce platform. A recent survey showed: 60% of online shoppers said that delivery speed was an influential factor in their purchase decisions80% of shoppers shift to a different ecommerce brand if delivery speeds are too long. Thus, speed is a very important factor for any eCommerce business as success depends not only on the product quality but also on the time taken by it to reach the customer. More specifically, about 49% of customers consider Same Day or Next Day Delivery as a value addition to their purchase experience on any eCommerce platform, according to a recent study. [contactus_uth] Why is Same Day Delivery Service Necessary for Online Brands? The e-commerce industry is getting very competitive day by day. With the entry of multiple billion-dollar companies, the segment is getting crowded as never before. With a lot of money in hand, they are able to provide multiple services such as same day /next day delivery service to the end customer which the small or medium-sized entrepreneurs are unable to provide. Moreover, the success of an e-commerce business not only depends on the product quality but also on the entire customer experience which depends heavily on the delivery timelines. For offline businesses who are planning to start online businesses & hence be a multi-channel retailer, same day courier delivery provides an opportunity to participate in the e-commerce boom and stay relevant in the market by providing more convenience to their customers at the same time with a hassle-free same day delivery experience. Do customers really want it? According to a recent survey by PWC, more than 60% of shoppers say delivery speeds influence their purchasing decisions and more than 80% of online shoppers search elsewhere when delivery speeds are too long, this clearly shows how much speed matters. As per Conveyco, “Nearly half of consumers said they were willing to wait within two days for delivery in 2021 as opposed to a quarter of consumers who said they would wait within 3-4 days. This 20% drop off illustrates the importance and expectation that most consumers have when it comes to standard two-day shipping.” Source: Mckinsey Report Now the expectations have started shifting towards same day courier delivery. If the online businesses don't find out solutions to meet the rising customer expectations of hassle-free same day delivery experience, either they are going to be surpassed by their competitors or completely run out of business altogether in the coming future which won't be too far. How is Same Day Delivery Service a Key Enabler for Revenue Growth for eCommerce Brands? High conversion rates - Ecommerce brands offering this fast delivery service have higher customer conversion to capture impulse buying behaviourLow cart abandonment rates - customers tend to abandon the cart if the delivery time is long (5 - 10 days)Delightful customer experience - give a delightful and hassle-free experience to your customers that they can rememberLow order cancellation rates - reach your customers in 24 hours, so that they won't cancel the order due to a delay in delivery.Short cashflow cycles - to get the cash from the COD orders early, you will have to deliver the orders early What are the Top Challenges Faced by eCommerce while Providing Same Day Delivery Services? With geographically dispersed demand & rising customer expectations of same day delivery service of the products purchased online, even in the remotest parts of the country, e-commerce brands are now under pressure to provide such service to stay relevant in the market. However, 24 hour delivery can be challenging for e-commerce brands to offer because of the inaccessibility of prime-like fulfilment infrastructure to online brands selling outside of Amazon due to the following 3 factors: High fixed investments (significant contract size)Rigid contractsTech complexity The fact that eCommerce brands typically don't have physical stores limit their ability to offer same day or 24 hour delivery service. This also makes it difficult to personalize deliveries and create a seamless customer experience.  If e-commerce and D2C brands are handling their own delivery operations, they face a lot of challenges: Missing the 24 hours delivery timeline of orders due to improper planning & coordination of fulfillment process leading to minor delays in O2S (Order to Ship), S2D (Ship to Deliver) timelines that leads to delay in expected O2D (Order to Deliver) timeline of 24 hoursInadequate size of fleets & understaffed warehouses to handle the increased volume associated with same day delivery (in case of sudden spike)Improper packaging, & mishandling of items that lead to product damage during transitImproper labeling that leads to wrong product reaching a wrong destination Do it yourself (in-house) or find the right partner to do it for you (outsource)? There are 2 ways in which online brands can provide same day delivery services to their customers: In-house fulfilment: This provides more control and transparency on the processes, but it is hard to oversee and manage as it requires a lot of capital and manpowerOutsourced fulfilment: This helps to serve the ecommerce businesses in a cost-effective manner but comes with its own set of challenges Apart from the differences, the operations involved in both the methods are similar, which includes Receiving and storing stock. Tracking and analyzing inventory.Picking and packing orders. Shipping deliveries with a shipping partner. The major challenge with both the solutions while offering same day delivery service to the customer is the cost of delivery. If you add the shipping cost to the product, then definitely the customer will abandon the cart. You also can't bear the cost of shipping because it will wipe off all the margin you had selling the product. Here is a short comparison between the 2 methods: How WareIQ RUSH Helps eCommerce & D2C Brands Accelerate Online Sales with Same Day Delivery Services? 5 ways in which WareIQ RUSH helps you accelerate your online sales with same day delivery services: Faster Order to Delivery WareIQ RUSH allows ecommerce & D2C businesses to reach a larger audience in a shorter period of time (within one day) by empowering you with a strong nationwide network of fulfilment centres near their customers. Our smart inventory placement ensures that your fulfilment centres are well-stocked and enables efficient & prompt delivery. As per reports, more than 60% of consumers, currently receiving deliveries in 5-15 days, are willing to pay more for a 1-day shipping speed and about 40% of customers prefer to shop from stores that offer 2-day shipping.  Improved CPS (Cost per Shipment) WareIQ RUSH’s customers save resources spent on establishing infrastructure(i.e. Warehouses and fulfilment centres). We help you store your inventory in fulfilment centres as per your business needs. Our team’s expertise in logistics and our extensive warehousing network across India enables greater influence during negotiations(with warehouse owners and delivery partners), resulting in volume discounts for our clients Planning ahead in time WareIQ’s tech platform uses real-time data to enable your organisation to predict demand. With this data, you can make wise data-driven decisions ahead of time, thereby reducing costly delays and enabling supply chain efficiencies frequently Onground expert support Given the vastness of the logistics involved, WareIQ RUSH provides the expertise needed to improve and advance your supply chain for India’s ever-changing e-commerce environment. Our customer success teams support your day-to-day on-ground operations along with other requirements such as transport documentation, import and export licenses, compliances and economic regulations Improved customer satisfaction With WareIQ’s real-time data and prompt response times, you can ensure timely deliveries and greater brand reliability. This translates to satisfied customers — the most crucial success metric for direct to customer brands in a competitive space like India Customer Testimonial on Twitter Conclusion The online shopping experience of customers reaches an altogether different level with same day delivery experience. With minimum differentiation in product quality & features in similar categories & price range, same day delivery service can be an outstanding value proposition to your customers. In order to stay competitive in the market, same day courier delivery is probably the only way forward for eCommerce & D2C brands. While same-day delivery is an immense opportunity, it can be an operational challenge for founders/business owners alike. This is where WareIQ comes into the picture to help businesses accelerate their online sales. WareIQ is a category defining, best- in class full-stack eCommerce fulfillment tech platform (with inbuilt inventory planning, order management & shipping system) for modern brands to accelerate online sales/ expedite revenue growth & profits with same/next day delivery. We not only help you reduce your logistic costs but also your delivery timelines – this could be the game-changer your business needs!  WareIQ offers centralised tech platform for your entire eCommerce operations ML-based prediction engine for efficient warehouse network design & smart inventory placementCentralised platform for core fulfilment & shipping operationsPost-shipping apps for delightful experience & zero to minimum supply chain leakages [signup] Same Day Delivery FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) What services should the fastest couriers provide apart from same day delivery?Pickup, delivery, returns management, COD and prepaid payment are common services provided by India's quickest courier services. What makes WareIQ different from the other couriers?WareIQ is an ecommerce fulfillment company that acts like a shipping aggregator with shipping Partnership across all prominent National & Regional Couriers, along with integrations with same day delivery partners in metros. Are first-mile and last-mile shipment included in these quickest courier partners?Yes. All of these courier services provide first-mile and last-mile same day/ next day delivery. Does WareIQ offer same-day delivery service?Yes, WareIQ offers same-day delivery in all 7 major metros. How does WareIQ ensure same day delivery services for all its eCommerce clients?WareIQ ensures fulfillment centres near your customer are well-stocked, leading to same-day delivery.The 3 reasons mentioned below ensures same day delivery for WareIQ’s ecommerce partners:1. Strong nationwide network of fulfilment centers, dark stores & hyperlocal services 2. Accurate advanced demand forecasting models3. Smart inventory placement system

March 03, 2022