Keep Up With the New Pace of E-Commerce Fulfillment
Undeniably, one of the strongest trends of the digital age is the growth of e-commerce business operations. The ability to shop online has evolved consumer expectations so that quick, accurate, and efficient e-commerce processes are no longer seen as a luxury, but a requirement. As order volumes grow, e-commerce businesses need to maintain delivery speed without allowing shipping costs to rise.
To give an idea of where customer expectations are regarding e-commerce service, here are a few data points worth considering:
- 61% of consumers expected delivery in 1-3 hours.
- 48% have abandoned a cart because of a delivery fee.
- 67% of consumers will find an alternative vendor if their desired delivery option is not offered.
The punchline is this: customers want their deliveries fast and cheap.
Keep Fulfillment Automated. Keep the Experience Personal.
Though the landscape for how goods are purchased has changed, the desire for a compelling customer service experience has not.
77% of customers believe that a strong customer service experience is key to earning brand loyalty, so the challenge for e-commerce distributors becomes how to infuse a relatively sterile order-fulfillment process with a personalized touch.
Automating repetitive tasks doesn’t mean sacrificing the personal elements of the customer experience. Custom package design, unique inserts, and variable-data handling automation are a few personalization strategies that can be implemented into automated e-commerce fulfillment without sacrificing production throughput.
Case Study
How a Beverage Company Automated for 2X Order Growth
An online beverage subscription company was fulfilling orders manually, and due to a labour shortage, management wanted to automate its processes within the next 24 months.
Read Case Study
Why Choose PSI Engineering for Your E-Commerce Fulfillment Automation
Pack area expertise that drives better automation
We specialize in pack area automation, with deep experience across packaging, document insertion, verification, labelling, and sortation. Our focused expertise allows us to design automated e-commerce fulfillment systems around the specific demands of e-commerce businesses.
Automation configured for your operation
PSI develops application-specific automation around your workflow, product mix, packaging requirements, and throughput goals. Your e-commerce fulfillment system will be designed around how your fulfillment operation actually runs rather than a standard configuration.
One team from design through support
With PSI, you have application engineering, equipment integration, commissioning, and 24/7 technical support through one dedicated team. You get a partner who understands your system and can help optimize it as your fulfillment requirements change.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is e-commerce fulfillment automation?
E-commerce fulfillment automation uses automated equipment and software to handle repetitive manual tasks in the order fulfillment process, from packing and document insertion to sealing, labeling, weighing, and sortation. By automating these processes, fulfillment operations can process higher order volumes, reduce manual handling, improve accuracy, and keep pace with changing customer demand without increasing labor at the same rate.
How does order fulfillment automation work in e-commerce?
Order fulfillment automation connects equipment and software to automate repetitive steps after an order is picked. Products move through a pack line where systems can handle tasks such as packing, document printing and insertion, marketing material insertion, carton sealing, weighing, dimensioning, labeling, and sortation. These systems can be integrated with existing warehouse software to route orders and apply the right documents, labels, and materials based on each order.
What are the benefits of fulfillment automation?
Fulfillment automation can help e-commerce operations increase throughput, reduce manual handling, improve order accuracy, and increase labor efficiency. Automating repetitive manual tasks in the pack area also helps teams handle peak demand without adding temporary pack stations or increasing headcount at the same rate. By connecting processes such as document insertion, packaging, labeling, weighing, and sortation, automation can create a more consistent and efficient order fulfillment process.
What are the types of e-commerce fulfillment automation?
E-commerce fulfillment automation can be applied to many steps in the packing and shipping process. Common examples include automated document printing and insertion, marketing material insertion, carton closing and sealing, weighing and dimensioning, print-and-apply labeling, product verification, and automated sortation. These technologies can be combined into a pack line based on an operation’s order volume, packaging requirements, product mix, and fulfillment process.
What technologies are used in e-commerce order fulfillment automation?
E-commerce order automation can use technologies such as conveyor systems, print feeders, document insertion systems, carton sealers, print-and-apply labeling, checkweighers, dimensioning systems, verification systems, and automated sortation equipment. These technologies can be integrated into a pack line to automate repetitive tasks, improve fulfillment accuracy, and increase throughput while maintaining the level of packaging and presentation required by the operation.