What Is An Amazon 3PL?
Picture this. You have a growing Amazon business and a ton of products, but you don’t have the warehouse, infrastructure or time to manage it all.
Every day, you jump from sourcing inventory to running ads, to navigating the complicated world of eCommerce fulfillment. Time is scarce, and you find yourself directly managing and addressing minor operational concerns.
That is where an Amazon 3PL comes in. They will manage your products on Amazon from start to finish using a simple and transparent process.
A good Amazon 3PL can receive your products from anywhere in the world. From there, they can be sorted, inspected, and picked by specialized reps with knowledge of Amazon’s strict label and packing process.
Why Do You Want to Partner with An Amazon 3PL?
Now that you know a bit about what an Amazon 3PL is, let’s talk about how to find an Amazon 3PL partner for you and your business, and why you may want to partner with one.
There is no hiding it, logistics is complicated, especially when it comes to Amazon order fulfillment.
If you feel like you are spending too much time working in your business and not on your business, you should consider Amazon 3PL services. Switch to long-term thinking. Will poly bagging products yourself improve your supply chain and help your business grow?
The biggest advantage of partnering with an Amazon 3PL is the time that you get back to focus on the more critical elements of running your Amazon eCommerce business. A good 3PL will have competitive storage fees,
Amazon sellers who choose to use fulfillment services like the ones on offer from an Amazon 3PL often enjoy higher levels of customer satisfaction and a simpler eCommerce fulfillment process. This gives them the time that they need to succeed in the industry.
5 Things to Ask
Are There Any Value-Add Services You Offer?
In Canada alone, there are dozens of different 3PL’s and Amazon-focused prep centers to choose from. Finding the right one can be difficult.
You want to ask if they offer additional services beyond their accuracy rate and their average time to receive inventory. Look for things like:
- Carton Forwarding
- Kitting and Assembly
- Cross-Docking & Amazon 3PL Services
- Amazon Product Bundling
- Amazon Returns
- Custom Fulfillment Solutions
- Handling Branded Packaging
Do You Offer Omnichannel Fulfillment?
Amazon is the world’s largest retailer, and largest ecommerce fulfillment company, but they aren’t the only company you should rely on for revenue.
The most important value ad service that an Amazon 3PL can offer you is the ability to sell omni-channel to other major marketplaces like Shopify, Walmart and eBay.
Ask yourself, “does this potential partner offer services that will let me expand outside of Amazon?”
What is your Fulfillment accuracy rate?
A trustworthy Amazon 3PL will advertise their fulfillment accuracy rate on their website. However, if you can’t easily find the number, it is worth it to ask the question to their sales or operations team.
You want to ensure that your 3PL partner is able to accurately label, pick, pack, and fulfill your products to Amazon. Seller central outlines stringent guidelines on how to pack and ship your goods properly to their fulfillment centers.
If your chosen 3PL cannot accommodate the rules, it can have negative impacts on your Amazon business account. On the extreme end, mistakes can result in fines, suspensions and account termination, so you want to ensure you select a reputable, transparent partner.
What Integrations Do You Have?
Another important question to ask is how well their software integrates with different marketplaces and inventory management systems. You want to look for an Amazon 3PL partner who can offer a unified solution that gives you the ability to sell omnichannel.
The reality is that there are thousands of different systems and softwares that a business can choose from, but the right long term partner will have a system that is efficient and flexible.
How Well Does Your Team Understand the FBA Preparation Process?
While many 3PL’s may offer Amazon-specific services, not all of them are made equal. Experience, knowledge, and a specialized team are all things that come if you can vet and select the right Amazon 3PL.
The act of getting your products to an Amazon fulfillment center is itself quite complicated. If your partner doesn’t understand this, you can run into unnecessary problems with compliance.
When selecting a long-term partner to help run your Amazon business account, make sure that their team has the experience that is required to help your ecommerce business grow.
Conclusion
Effectively selling products on Amazon is complex. A great seller will have to juggle marketing efforts, logistics, case management, and more – meaning that a great seller will have their hands full.
This, combined with the constant pressure from maintaining great listings can make selling on Amazon overwhelming.
If you don’t feel like you have the time to focus on the most important parts of your Amazon business, consider looking at a trusted Amazon 3PL.
Hiring the right company can offer you effective account management that will help you, freeing up time for you to focus on the more important elements of your Amazon business.
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