Fulfillment Centers
Fulfilling customer orders quickly, while maintaining product quality and shipping accuracy is a major challenge for many e-commerce businesses today. Merchants that sell frozen or refrigerated foods and beverages online must take shipping into account when choosing a refrigerated and frozen fulfillment location. One of the challenges when considering selling online is maintaining appropriate inventory levels on high moving items. If a seller goes out of stock on a high-in-demand product, it risks losing potential customers to its competition.
Fulfillment centers are ideal for new or growing businesses wanting to focus their energy on creating and soliciting new items without worrying about their storage, packaging, and delivery to the end customer. While there are many fulfillment centers in the country, there are only a select few temperature-controlled fulfillment centers that handle directly to consumer e-commerce. While the business owners focus on their strategy, refrigerated fulfillment centers can take care of inventory management, product packaging, and distribution networks.
Temperature Controlled Fulfillment Centers
Whether you are an e-commerce business or a growing retail operation, having a fulfillment center by your side is a good idea to reserve capital and reduce inventory costs. However, it is important to realize that keeping your products in the best condition possible until they are delivered to the end customer is an important part of excellent service. Through a strategic temperature controlled fulfillment center, merchants can keep their perishable items safe from variations in temperature, air pressure, and humidity.
Variations in temperature and humidity may have severe consequences. When the customer receives their package, they want to see the product in good condition and at the correct temperatures, or risk losing repeat orders. A good temperature controlled fulfillment center will have a focus on food and food safety.
Choosing The Right Refrigerated and Frozen Fulfillment Center
While looking for a suitable Refrigerated and Frozen fulfillment center, one should make sure that it has a proper temperature control mechanism, proven processes, HAACP plans, and accredited food safety standards. Choosing a partner with a focus on food safety is paramount.
A 3PL with either SQF or BRC certifications should be considered over a competitor who does not possess a food safety certificate. A valued partner should be able to bring recommendations for proper packaging, insulated liners, gel packs, and the amount of dry ice needed to maintain product integrity throughout the life of the shipment. It is essential for the product to arrive in good condition and at the proper temperature.
From your business standpoint, you should consider a location that can fulfill your orders within 1 day and provide transportation in 2 to 3 days.
Conclusion
Temperature controlled fulfillment has its challenges for a growing e-commerce business. Selecting the right fulfillment and storage facility can go a long way in maintaining excellent customer service and creating customer loyalty.
RLS Logistics is a leading temperature-controlled third-party logistics company with multiple fulfillment centers able to deliver 99% of the population within 3 days. Working with a full-service logistics company like RLS Logistics allows business owners to spend more time focusing on their business, and less time on order fulfillment and inventory management.
