Companies that provide inventory management and fulfilment services are widely known as Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers. Let us explore why 3PL should be a part of your online business’ expansion plan.

Some important pillars of consideration in making a decision about third-party warehousing and fulfilment are:

1. Inventory Management
2. Scalable Fulfilment
3. Inventory Management Optimisation

1. Inventory Management

Inventory management is one of the most critical aspects of any online business. It becomes increasingly complex as the business grows. Owing to the increased levels of inventory SKUs, it becomes more difficult to manage and track inventory across multiple locations. The difficulty is especially pertinent if your business is operating in multiple countries or regions. 3PL providers offer a solution to this problem by providing centralised inventory management services. With centralised inventory management, there is greater ease in monitoring inventory levels across multiple locations in real-time. This makes it easier to manage stock levels, prevent stock-outs, and reduce the risk of overstocking.

2. Fulfillment Solutions

As an online business grows, it needs to be able to scale its fulfilment operations to meet increasing demand. This can be a challenge for businesses that are still managing their own fulfilment processes. If you don’t have the resources or expertise to scale your operations quickly, the challenge can be demanding. Third-party warehousing and fulfilment providers offer scalable fulfilment solutions. These are solutions that can help your business grow and expand without having to worry about fulfilment capacity. The benefit of outsourcing fulfilment to a third-party provider is tapping into their provider’s expertise, resources, and infrastructure to scale their fulfilment operations as needed. With this competitive edge, your business can better keep up with demand and expand their operations. All without having to invest in expensive equipment or personnel.

3. Inventory Management Optimisation

Warehousing and fulfilment providers also offer inventory management optimisation services, which can help businesses reduce costs and improve efficiency. With inventory management optimisation, you are able to analyse inventory levels and fulfilment processes. This process identifies areas where you can reduce waste, improve efficiency, and cut costs. This can include optimizing inventory levels, improving order processing times, and reducing shipping costs. By working with a third-party provider that specializes in inventory management optimization, your businesses can optimize their fulfilment operations and reduce costs without sacrificing quality or service.

Decision

3PL providers offer a wide range of benefits to online businesses that are looking to expand and grow. By outsourcing inventory management and fulfilment to a third-party provider, your business may largely benefit from the points listed above. It can help your online business reduce costs, improve efficiency, and focus on your core competencies – which can ultimately lead to faster growth and greater success. If you’re an online business that is looking to expand and grow, we hope that these considerations help you make the best decision for your business.

To learn more about how to choose a warehouse and fulfilment provider in Singapore, check out this article:
7 Things to look out for when choosing a Fulfillment Service or Provider in Singapore

To understand how technology is used to increase productivity in fulfilment, look here:
What is the purpose of a Warehouse Management System (WMS)