Amazon isn’t called “The Everything Store” for nothing. While it started as an online bookstore, Amazon has since become the largest online retailer in the world, selling almost every kind of good imaginable. As an eCommerce business owner, you’d be remiss if you didn’t use Amazon as one of your sales channels.
All that said, a great order fulfillment partner is essential to achieving your company’s true potential on Amazon. While Amazon’s in-house Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) is a viable option, you may want to look for alternatives before making a choice.
Read on for a list of the best order fulfillment partners for Amazon sellers!
What is Amazon?
Amazon is a major technology company that provides eCommerce, media streaming, cloud computing and other services worldwide. One of its most well-known services is Amazon.com, an eCommerce platform that sells all kinds of products.
A large portion of Amazon’s sales come from third-party sellers who sell their products on the site. Many people sell on the platform in addition to their own platforms because Amazon has a wide worldwide audience, increasing the chances of people noticing and buying their products.
Third-party Amazon sellers can qualify for the Prime program, which gives them extra benefits. Prime seller status means you’re a reliable seller who delivers high-quality products on time. With Prime, people are likely to buy your products because Amazon endorses you.
What is Order Fulfillment?
Order fulfillment is the process of taking a customer’s order, processing it according to their specifications and delivering the goods to the customer. Good order fulfillment is essential for an eCommerce business because it’s how you get products to customers.
In most cases, order fulfillment is a five-step process:
- Inventory receiving: You receive items from distributors or production facilities.
- Inventory receiving: You store the products in a storage facility, typically a warehouse.
- Order processing: After a customer puts an order in, you take the product off the shelf and prepare it for shipping.
- Order shipping: Once your product is picked and packed, you hand them off to a shipping carrier for delivery.
- Customer return handling: If the customer receives a damaged product, they may request a return. You’re responsible for receiving the returned item, identifying what went wrong, answering customer inquiries and sending a replacement item back.
How Does the Amazon Fulfillment Process Work?
The Amazon fulfillment process through FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) works by taking over order fulfillment from your company. Essentially, you’re outsourcing order fulfillment to the FBA team to save on the time and effort of doing it yourself.
Here’s a quick step-by-step guide to fulfilling your orders through FBA:
- Create an Amazon seller account.
- Sign up for FBA.
- List products for Fulfillment by Amazon.
- Prepare your products according to Amazon’s packing and shipping guidelines.
- Apply Amazon shipment ID labels to your packages.
- Send them to the designated Amazon fulfillment center.
Once Amazon receives your products, the warehouse crew will handle all order fulfillment duties for you. When a customer makes an order, you can sit back and rest assured knowing your products are in good hands.
What Does an Amazon Order Fulfillment Provider Do?
An Amazon order fulfillment provider processes customer orders on your behalf. Most eCommerce businesses outsource order fulfillment to third-party logistics (3PL) companies because they can’t handle orders in-house anymore.
What Are the Benefits of Using an Amazon Order Fulfillment Service?
The main benefits of using Amazon order fulfillment services are extra storage space and reduced costs. Here’s a closer look at what you get by working with fulfillment partners:
Increased Focus on Business
Outsourcing order fulfillment means taking a sizable burden off your shoulders. Instead of hiring or assigning people to fulfill orders, you can have them help in other ways that directly support business growth.
Cost Savings
Order fulfillment companies offer storage space, so you don’t have to operate your own warehouse. Generally, third-party logistics costs will be cheaper than renting warehouse space, paying utility bills and hiring staff.
Extended Reach
Some 3PL companies have an international network of warehouses, making shipping products to other countries easier. While you can ship internationally with in-house order fulfillment, calculating shipping rates and times is a pain. With the help of a 3PL company, you can ship products to international customers easily and affordably.
Improved Scalability
With in-house shipping, you might need to purchase new storage space or build a new warehouse if you want to sell more products. Unfortunately, both options are usually expensive and time-consuming. If you work with an order fulfillment partner, however, you can just pay extra inventory storage fees – allowing your eCommerce business to sell more products.
Fulfill your eCommerce shipping needs today with ShipHero’s order fulfillment services!
Factors to Consider While Selecting an Order Fulfillment Partner for Amazon
Before choosing an order fulfillment partner, you must know what you need out of them. Consider these four things before starting your search for a fulfillment partner:
Order Fulfillment Speed
Thanks to Amazon, today’s customers and clients expect one-day or two-day shipping for everything they buy. Because they won’t settle for longer delivery times, you must pick an order fulfillment partner that provides quick fulfillment and delivery times to most of your customers.
Storage and Fulfillment Fees
Storage and fulfillment fees become increasingly important as your product stock grows. Choosing a fulfillment company with lower per-item storage fees can help you save a lot of money in the future. If you sell slow-moving products, you may also want to consider long-term storage fees.
Pricing
Your fulfillment partner may use subscription or volume-based pricing. Choose the pricing model that best fits your needs, and ask about extra fees so you won’t be surprised by additional costs down the line.
Picking the cheapest fulfillment company doesn’t automatically mean you save money – you might pay in lost sales or reputation damage due to subpar service. Research the available options and pick a fulfillment company that fits your needs without sacrificing quality.
Returns Management
A painless product return process increases the likelihood of repeat customers. Pick a fulfillment partner with excellent product returns management and professional customer service.
What to Look For in an Amazon Fulfillment Partner
Working with an order fulfillment company is generally a long-term commitment, so you must choose the right one. Here are three things you should ask about before picking your 3PL partner:
eCommerce Platform Integration
While Amazon is one of the largest eCommerce marketplaces in the world, you may want to sell on other platforms. Fortunately, many order fulfillment partners can capture orders from multiple eCommerce platforms.
Some prominent eCommerce platforms your fulfillment partner should support include Walmart, BigCommerce, Square, Wix, eBay and WooCommerce.
Multichannel Integration
Multichannel order fulfillment means a 3PL company uses one warehouse to take orders from all your online storefronts. You can save a lot of money by processing orders from multiple platforms in one place, making multichannel integration essential when picking fulfillment partners.
Ease of Use
Most order fulfillment companies provide dashboards to manage your inventory and warehousing operations. Finding a fulfillment company with easy-to-learn software is a good idea to minimize the time spent training employees.
How We Chose the Best Amazon Fulfillment Companies
With dozens of order fulfillment companies on the market, choosing just one is hard. Luckily, we made the process easier for you. Here are the criteria we used to choose the best Amazon fulfillment companies in this article:
- Order processing speed
- Fulfillment center network
- Fulfillment software features
- Returns management and client support
- Subscription, storage and shipping costs
Best Amazon Fulfillment Companies
Without further ado, here are the best Amazon fulfillment companies you can work with today:
1. ShipHero
ShipHero is an order fulfillment company offering near-perfect shipping accuracy and quick delivery times. Moreover, we offer transparent flat fees without hidden costs whatsoever. When you work with ShipHero, you’ll get world-class end-to-end fulfillment services at a reasonable price.
Pros
- Wide fulfillment network across North America
- Integration with various eCommerce channels
- Real-time inventory management dashboard
Cons
- Occasional lack of shipping transparency
- Higher international cost of shipping
Pricing
ShipHero offers single-rate prices with no hidden fees for clients in the lower 48 states. Visit our pricing page to get a quote right now.
Check out ShipHero’s order fulfillment solutions today!
2. Fulfillrite
With over 16 million orders shipped and 1,600 clients served, Fulfillrite has a wealth of fulfillment experience. Fulfillrite’s eCommerce fulfillment services pair you with a logistics expert who can troubleshoot and improve your fulfillment process.
Pros
- eCommerce platform integrations
- Discounted shipping rates
- Specialized Amazon FBA prep
Cons
- May not be right for large businesses
- Relatively low SKU (stock-keeping unit) limits
Pricing
Fulfillrite doesn’t post its pricing information publicly. You can get a quote by requesting one from a sales representative.
3. Xpert Fulfillment
If you ship lots of similar products, Xpert Fulfillment is for you. It offers fulfillment rates as low as $4/order for clients who ship over 2,000 orders monthly but only have 10 SKUs.
Pros
- Integrates with eCommerce platforms like Shopify and WooCommerce
- Zero setup and receiving fees
- 100,000 square feet of storage space
Cons
- No information on fulfillment center locations
Pricing
Aside from the special rates, Xpert Fulfillment doesn’t post any pricing information. Contact a sales representative to get a quote.
4. Fulfillment by Sears
Powered by eSellerHub, Fulfillment by Sears helps you process eCommerce orders at affordable rates.
Pros
- Pay-what-you-use pricing model
- No minimum volume requirements
- Full control of pricing and inventory
Cons
- Relatively high price
Pricing
Fulfillment by Sears doesn’t post its rates publicly. Contact an eSellerHub representative for pricing details.
5. Ships-a-Lot
Ships-a-Lot promises to fulfill orders on the same day they come in with perfect accuracy. It also provides unlimited client support, so you can contact them to solve issues anytime.
Pros
- Integrations with Shopify
- Extreme focus on a small number of clients
Cons
- Strict client requirements
Pricing
Ships-a-Lot doesn’t post its prices publicly. Send a quote request through its website for pricing information.
Check out ShipHero today for fast and affordable order fulfillment!
6. ShipBob
ShipBob operates over 30 warehouses worldwide to guarantee your products arrive on time, no matter where the customers are. Even with this international reach, ShipBob offers affordable two-day shipping rates.
Pros
- Robust reporting and analytics tools
- Real-time inventory management dashboard
Cons
- Slow customer support
- Complicated eCommerce integration
Pricing
You can use ShipBob’s online calculator to estimate fulfillment prices. Request a quote for more detailed pricing information.
7. IDS Fulfillment
IDS Fulfillment doesn’t just give you cookie-cutter order fulfillment services. Its team will communicate with you to determine your company’s best fulfillment and warehousing solution.
Pros
- Climate-controlled warehouse space
- Three fulfillment centers covering 92% of the United States
Cons
- No international presence
Pricing
Contact an IDS representative for a free consultation and price quote.
8. Fulfillify
Fulfillify operates four warehouses to ensure two-day shipping to almost the entire United States.
Pros
- 350,000 square feet of warehouse space
- Real-time inventory management dashboard
- Mobile-based fulfillment software
Cons
- No global fulfillment centers
Pricing
There’s no public pricing information on Fulfillify’s website. Complete a contact form to request a quote.
9. Rakuten Super Logistics
Now known as ShipNetwork, the former Rakuten Super Logistics offers one-day fulfillment services with 100% accuracy. With 12 fulfillment centers across the United States, it can ship within one or two business days for 98% of the country.
Pros
- Easy application process
- Dedicated U.S.-based client service
- Robust returns management
Cons
- Minimum order requirement
- Issues with lost inventory
Pricing
Rakuten/ShipNetwork uses a custom pricing model. Contact a sales representative to get a quote.
10. Simpl Fulfillment
Simpl Fulfillment syncs with over 50 eCommerce platforms, meaning you can open your stores just about anywhere on the Internet. It also offers a weight-based pricing model that ensures cost transparency.
Pros
- Always-available client support
- Free fulfillment consultations
Cons
- Only one warehouse location
Pricing
Simple Fulfillment’s services start at $6/order. You can request a quote for more detailed prices.
Final Thoughts
While Amazon has its own in-house fulfillment service, it doesn’t hurt to look into other options. With the right third-party fulfillment partner, you can unlock Amazon’s true potential and sell to millions of people around the globe.
Don’t work with Amazon? Find the best carriers for many of the highest profile marketplaces on the web.
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Top 6 Best Order Fulfillment Partners for WooCommerce
Top 10 Best Order Fulfillment Options for BigCommerce
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Top 10 Best Order Fulfillment Options for eCommerce Sellers
Order Fulfillment for Amazon FAQs
How do I make an Amazon fulfillment order?
You can make an Amazon fulfillment order by following these steps:
- Find the product you want to ship on your inventory page
- Click “Create Fulfillment Order”.
- Complete the customer details form.
- Confirm the information you put in.
- Place the order.
Sellers usually make these fulfillment orders to sell a product stored at an Amazon warehouse to a customer from another eCommerce platform.
Can you start with Amazon FBA with no money?
You can start with Amazon FBA with no money because Amazon charges fulfillment fees for every product sold. You don’t need to pay startup costs – just ship the items to an Amazon warehouse to start making money.
How much can I make with Amazon FBA?
Most Amazon FBA sellers can make $1,000 to $25,000 monthly. You can earn up to $250,000 per month if you’re exceptionally successful. Naturally, how much you earn depends on the products you sell, how you manage customer expectations and how fast you ship orders.
