EXPORT ADVICE Selling Online into the U.S. – The 3PL Model For Irish companies wishing to sell online into the U.S. it is imperative to be aware of how to best manage the shipping process. With the constraints around time and cost, shipping from Ireland greatly limits potential sales. Third-party logistics companies alleviate this by completely taking care 3. A warehouse team member gets a of the product once an online purchase is picking list to collect the items that have made. been ordered.
What is third-party logistics (3PL)?
4. The items are packed in boxes with the receipt and order details.
Third-party logistics providers manage inbound and outbound transportation for their clients, as well as warehousing. Most 3PL companies own or lease warehouse space, which they provide to their clients. They generally don’t own their own fleet of trucks but contract with other carriers for freight and shipping.
3 valuable services 3PLs offer
5. The 3PL prints the shipping label or uses Third-party logistics (or 3PL) refers to one of its shipping carrier partners. the outsourcing of ecommerce logistics processes to a third party business, including 6. The shipping carrier collects the package from your 3PL’s distribution center and inventory management, warehousing, and delivers it to your customer. fulfillment. The third party logistics also allow ecommerce merchants to accomplish 7. Tracking information is uploaded to the more, with the tools and infrastructure to 3PL system and synced with your order automate retail order fulfillment. management software.
3PL Order Fulfillment Process
1. Inventory management Managing inventory involves much more than just warehousing your products. A 3PL should allow you to easily sync inventory with your online store, view real-time inventory levels at each 3rd party fulfillment center, and proactively reorder inventory to prevent stockouts.
1. The 3PL receives your inventory at its warehouse and organizes each SKU. Once your 3PL receives and stores your 2. When an order is placed on your inventory, you can check the quantity ecommerce site, it’s either manually on hand and units sold per day for each forwarded to the 3PL or automatically product. This offers full visibility into what pushed (if its software integrates with is available to ship to your customers at any given time. your online store).
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