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Optimizing Holiday Order Fulfillment – Proactive Strategies for a Successful Season

The holiday order rush tends to sneak up on us unexpectedly, bringing a flurry of stress at the busiest time of the year. Develop a proactive approach to prepare for the season and its increased orders. Your holiday season can truly be the most wonderful time of the year if you use these four strategies to optimize holiday order fulfillment.

Fulfillment Success Strategy: Keep your Inventory Up-to-Date

Accurate, up-to-date inventory tracking is essential during the holiday season as it directly affects sales, customer satisfaction, and overall business efficiency. During high demand, real-time visibility into stock levels allows retailers to prevent stockouts and reduce excess inventory. This ensures that popular products are available for customers, enhancing their shopping experience and increasing the chances of repeated business. Additionally, effective inventory management streamlines operations, allowing businesses to allocate resources wisely and respond quickly to market trends, ultimately maximizing profitability during this competitive time.

Communication with Customers is Essential for Success

Effective communication will also optimize holiday order fulfillment. With increased demand and potential delays during the holidays, keeping customers informed about order status, shipping timelines, and any changes in inventory helps manage expectations and reduce frustration. Clear communication also allows businesses to showcase promotions, provide personal recommendations, and address customer inquiries promptly, fostering a sense of connection and loyalty. Prioritizing communication will improve customer satisfaction and encourage repeat business!

Successful Holiday Order Fulfillment: Understand your Shipping

Offering diverse shipping options can give customers much-appreciated flexibility. The ability to cater to many different customer needs can lead to increased sales during the holiday season. Establish strong relationships with your delivery partners and negotiate contracts early to secure better rates, priority services, and other resources needed during peak times. Before any major holiday, carriers often publish specific shipping deadlines to follow so that packages reach their final destination before the desired date.

Planning for Returns In the Holiday Season

The holiday rush often brings unexpected challenges, from supply chain disruptions to last-minute gift changes. A well-thought-out strategy helps ensure that customers receive their orders on time and that any returns are handled smoothly, enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. This proactive approach minimizes potential losses and streamlines operations, allowing businesses to focus on delivering a positive shopping experience. Ultimately, a solid returns plan not only safeguards against the chaos of the season but also fosters trust and reliability in the eyes of customers.

Prepare Now for the Holiday Season with FFI

The holidays can be an extremely overwhelming time for businesses, so start in October to prepare yourself and your staff for the busy season ahead. Keep your inventory up-to-date, allow your customers to have visibility and clear communication on their orders, understand your shipping deadlines, and plan for returns.

By keeping these four strategies in mind before the rush of the holidays hit, you are destined to have a great season. Remember, you are not alone; Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. can help you optimize your holiday fulfillment. Please contact us on our site or call 973-361-1700 to get the support you need. We got this, you got this, we ALL got this! Let’s all make the 2024 holiday season the best one yet!

Comprehensive 3PL Warehousing Solutions – Immediate Warehouse Space Available

If you want cost-effective warehouse solutions that will optimize your profits, turn to Fulco Fulfillment Inc. (FFI). Whether you are looking to store pallets or need long-term dedicated space, FFI can meet all of your logistics needs. Our systems and staff have an impressive track record of reducing inventory costs while increasing overall efficiencies.

Immediately Available Warehouse Space

We offer flexible storage solutions for your business; no storage need is too small. You only pay for the required space, eliminating the need for the large upfront costs associated with renting or owning a permanent warehouse space. Our warehousing for retail and ecommerce customers allows you to choose from flexible storage options.

Warehouse Systems are Made Easier for Our Clients

FFI has invested in a leading-edge system for warehouse and inventory management that maximizes accuracy and efficiency. FFI uses the latest technology and order processing software to accept your freight, manage inventory, coordinate distribution, and streamline fulfillment logistics. This allows businesses to focus on their core competencies, such as production, marketing, and sales, while leaving the storage and logistics to the experts.

Client Service is FFI’s Top Priority

At FFI, we pride ourselves on our customer service and do our absolute best to help your logistics run smoothly. Each account is assigned to one of our experienced client service coordinators, who will ensure that you and your customers are fully satisfied. Our client service coordinators offer help and resources from 8 am-4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. No matter where you happen to be, our client service team will provide feedback and respond promptly via email or telephone.

Our Warehouse Location is Unbeatable

Our Dover, NJ location is just minutes off of Interstates 80 and 287, granting easy on/off access to major highways in the Northeast. The Port of New York and New Jersey is the largest on the East Coast and is located at the hub of the most concentrated and affluent markets in the world. With the addition of the Newark/Elizabeth ports being nearby, FFI can provide swift dispatch and receipt, optimizing your transportation costs. While many of our customers are in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, we also serve customers outside the region who need a reliable East Coast partner.

FFI is the Right Warehouse Solution for You!

You deserve a fulfillment partner who is trustworthy, attentive, and dedicated to you and your business. If you are looking for immediate space to hold your inventory, do not hesitate to reach out to us on our site or call 973-361-1700 and ask for Jen or Tony.

Fulfillment for the Promotional Products Supplier

As a supplier of promotional products, your clients need you to be accurate, fast, and organized … they depend on you. But who can you depend on?

Warehousing and Distribution of Promotional Products

Promotional product suppliers need to warehouse and manage the inventory of their products, apparel, and event materials; working with an experienced fulfillment company can streamline this process considerably. A fulfillment company that uses real-time inventory and 24/7 access to an ordering system will provide support during the busiest of seasons.

A Fulfillment and Management Platform That Easily Tracks and Send Materials

At Fulco Fulfillment Inc. (FFI), we have created a user-friendly fulfillment management platform that allows our clients to send their products to multiple customers at any time. Our clients can easily browse available inventory, select the items to reserve, and add any shipping instructions.

Portal Access Flexibility

The management platform is reached through a portal. Authorized pre-registered users are granted entry at various priority levels with parameters defining their access to materials. Order screens are pre-populated based on the login and each user has access to the portal 24/7.

Orders are entered into the order management system and captured with easy, shopping cart functionality. Once an order is placed, the customer receives an email acknowledging that the order has been received. They receive another email when the order ships.

Inquiries done on product details are in real time, and inventory reports can be generated through the portal. Users can keep track of their order’s historical data and package tracking information.

Using barcode technology, FFI accurately tracks and maintains inventory from receipt to inventory movement to picking and shipping. This kind of solid inventory management avoids pitfalls like running out of branded promotional products right before a scheduled tradeshow or convention.

FFI’s OMS also can prioritize orders by selecting a “rush” button, which sends the order directly to the customer service coordinator for priority processing.

Unique Promotional Products Ordering Portal

We also offer the ability for the promotional products supplier to have an online ordering portal to a potential “online swag store” for their customer’s use without the expense and programming hassle of an e-commerce platform.

How FFI’s Streamlined Approach Succeeds

A national home improvement company came to us for help with the packing and distribution of its branded promotional products and apparel. They had been handling all of these functions internally, but, as its network of authorized dealers grew, the demand was growing far beyond their ability to keep up. The order management system of FFI was a perfect fit for their needs. They also needed us to physically transition 100+ SKUs and set up an effective re-stocking program to avoid issues like product surplus or stockouts.

We accurately transitioned the 100+ SKUs into our warehouse in Dover, NJ and set up SKU locations for efficient picking. Besides promotional items, the diverse inventory included staff uniforms, marketing materials, signage, everyday brand ware, and prizes.

FFI learned the details of their inventory and requirements for packing and shipping and began handling all their branded promotional product and apparel fulfillment. The client was able to triple their network of authorized dealers!

Keeping Promotional Products Inventory Stocked

FFI keeps stock levels managed in real time. When a product reaches the understock level, an email notification gets sent to our customers, allowing ample time to order replacement inventory. Replenishment is shipped to FFI’s warehouse from the customer’s provider and the products are received into inventory for ordering visibility. This process prioritizes meeting customers’ demands, ideally without experiencing stockouts or overstock issues.

Swag Bag Assembly For Events

For goody bags or swag bag assembly, FFI has inventory management that ensures that your giveaways are correct and ready for all scheduled events. We work within your budget, providing packing materials as needed. Let our team of skilled and flexible assemblers make your products truly stand out from the rest.

Reliable Trade Show and Event Shipping for Promotional Products

Trade show exhibit management requires detailed service at all stages and extensive experience to meet specific “in-hand” dates. Our trade show exhibit management process includes consolidating shipping and secure packaging techniques. We assist in getting your exhibit and related products to trade shows in a timely, cost-effective manner. If you require specific delivery requirements, FFI will find creative ways to get your items to the convention floor.

Return Services Management for Trade Shows and Events

Our return shipment inspection procedures ensure that your materials will be returned correctly after the trade show. Using return labels that FFI provides in advance, shipping the show materials back to the storage facility is simple. Our warehouse team will then carry out inspections to evaluate the products, ensure they are intact and catalog all products back into inventory so they are visible in the portal for your next event.

Promotional Product Suppliers Depend on Fulco Fulfillment, Inc.

FFI has the inventory, warehousing and integrated systems to make us the perfect promotional products supplier partner. If you’d like to learn how we can help your business grow, give us a call at 973 361 1700 or fill out our contact form.

Outsourcing
E-commerce Fulfillment Can Help Grow Your Business

E-commerce businesses will find numerous advantages to using a 3PL for their fulfillment rather than keeping those processes in-house. Outsourcing fulfillment helps control costs and reduce expenses by leveraging a 3PL’s buying power, all while benefiting from its expertise.

3 PLs Provide Excellent Scalability

When you outsource inventory management, supervising warehouse staff, and packing and picking, you can then free up your time to focus on scaling your business, generating sales, and growing your customer base. As your business grows, the responsibilities and workload will too, so outsourcing to a reliable fulfillment partner will allow you to devote your time to new product ideas or marketing projects and effectively scale the e-commerce side of your business.

Get Lower Operating Costs with Outsourced Fulfillment

Outsourcing fulfillment comes with a cost, but so does picking and packing in-house. Outsourcing fulfillment can reduce your operational expenses: the man-hours you save packing and shipping eliminates the need to hire employees and manage HR. You can also save on any monthly fees you incur to store your inventory.

Save Time with Outsourced Fulfillment

Your trusted 3PL can store all your inventory for you, so you avoid having to take deliveries, handle the stock, and organize the products. Order fulfillment and logistics take up valuable time and energy that can be better spent in other ways.

Outsourced Fulfillment Provides Quality Returns Management

Managing returns is a major challenge for e-merchants. As with accurate order fulfillment, you need to establish return accuracy to meet customer expectations. Outsourced fulfillment providers are experienced in providing excellent customer service for returns. These providers will take care of and inspect returned orders, especially crucial during peak seasons when sales volumes increase, raising the number of returns as well.

3 PLs Can Lower Your Shipping Costs

Outsourcing fulfillment can also save you money on shipping. As high-volume shippers, third-party logistics companies often receive preferable rates from carriers. These savings can be absorbed or passed on to your customers, who can then be offered cheaper or even free shipping as a sales incentive.

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. Is a Trusted E-commerce Fulfillment Partner

Outsourcing e-commerce fulfillment offers many benefits, including lower operating and shipping costs, scalability, and dependable returns management. Let Fulco handle your fulfillment so you can focus your energy on growing and managing your business.

Third-Party Warehouse Inventory Management

Companies navigate many challenges to maintain optimal inventory levels and meet demand in today’s highly competitive business landscape. Warehouse inventory must be efficiently managed; one way to stay ahead of the competition is by partnering with a third-party warehouse. Businesses often choose a third-party warehouse over an in-house team to reduce expenses, increase efficiency and accelerate operations.

Third-Party Warehouses Can Provide Accurate Inventory Tracking

Leveraging technology to automate inventory tracking allows for accurate inventory levels. Tracking is crucial for companies to maintain adequate stock levels and minimize the risk of overstocking or running out of stock. Inventory count errors can become a huge roadblock; miscounts create problems at all stages of order fulfillment and warehouse management.

With the right third-party warehouse partner, your company can comfortably outsource the responsibility of inventory management. “Cycle counting” ensures the customer’s inventory is tracked as accurately as possible, by physically counting inventory and comparing it to recorded quantities. This helps identify any discrepancies, find improvement opportunities and allows customers to track inventory accurately and make informed decisions at any stage of the product’s journey.

Fulco Fulfillment Inc. (FFI) tracks product information like the SKU, description, location, minimum understock levels and pricing. All of this data is stored in barcodes on printed labels. Fulfillment warehouse staff scans items for accuracy of customer orders.

Third-Party Inventory Management Utilizes Good Warehouse Layout

Warehouse layout impacts business efficiencies. Assessing our warehouse space and ensuring each point of the fulfillment process has logical, well-stocked workstations reduces touch points and the number of steps our team needs to complete the picking and packing process. Figuring out the fast movers and strategically organizing the warehouse inventory so these items are the easiest to get also improves pick time.

Good Storage Impacts Efficiency

How inventory is stored in a warehouse can significantly impact the picking and packing process and the overall efficiency of warehouse workers. FFI organizes storage space with clearly marked bins, labels, and racks to help pickers locate items quickly and reduce mistakes. FFI’s robust warehouse management platform makes these activities more efficient and reduces the risk of errors and bottlenecks. Our customers use their online portal to the Order Management System (OMS) to access a quick, digestible view of inventory.

Another benefit of outsourcing inventory management is its flexibility for storage space and handling. When you partner with a 3PL, you can easily scale up or down as needed without worrying about your in-house warehouse capacity, software limitations, or employee availability.

Forecasting for Increasing Demand with Warehouse Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is crucial for companies. Although it is difficult to predict customer demand, it becomes easier with a warehouse management system. Forecasting demand can be done by tracking stock movements using warehouse inventory systems and physical inventory. You can set inventory thresholds to re-order and replenish stock when needed. Using FFI’s OMS, checking on a product’s history by month or season is simple.

Using a proactive approach and forecasting demand helps FFI’s customers manage their inventory more efficiently, reducing the risk of overstocking or depleting stock. The OMS continuously receives data from your sales channels and ordering platform. It reports on inventory levels, sales trends, cost of goods sold, and provides tracking of freight. The WMS can use this data to adjust reorder points, signaling when it’s time to replenish stock.

Managing Returns with Fulco Fulfillment

Organizing returns management and tracking is crucial to maintaining accurate inventory levels. FFI’s OMS utilizes the software’s integrated returns management features to track returned items and update inventory levels. We maintain transparent and timely communication with customers about their returns, increasing customer satisfaction.

Strategic Inventory Management Leads to Success

Optimizing inventory is a delicate balance, especially during peak seasons. At its most basic level, inventory management refers to monitoring the items a business has on hand. It includes ordering, replenishing, sorting and forecasting inventory. Businesses must ensure they have sufficient stock to meet increased demand without excess inventory after the peak subsides. Demand forecasting, safety stock management, and real-time inventory tracking ensure the right balance.

Fulco Fulfillment Inc. Provides Excellent Inventory Management

Outsourcing warehouse inventory management to the right third party ensures that the complex blend of techniques, technologies, and training will all be leveraged for your business. It’s an advantage that can lead to significant benefits. Contact Fulco to get started at 973 361 1700 or fill out our contact form.

Trade Show and Event Fulfillment

Coordinating a calendar of trade shows, events and conventions for your business can be overwhelming. Using a reputable fulfillment company is one way to make your trade show planning easy. To help generate valuable leads and visibility for your business, your materials need to arrive on time and in great condition. Fulco Fulfillment Inc. (FFI) takes care of your event materials as if they were our own by providing warehousing and storage until you are ready for them and then providing trackability of your show products and their delivery.

Event Fulfillment and Management Platform – Easily Track and Send your Materials

Our user-friendly event fulfillment management platform will save you valuable time. Using our web portal, send your products – printed materials, premium items, banners, booth, etc. – to multiple shows. Our clients can easily browse available trade show inventory, select the items to reserve, and add any shipping instructions.

Portal Access Flexibility

The management platform is reached through a portal. Authorized pre-registered users are granted entry at various priority levels with parameters defining their access to the tradeshow materials. Examples of access levels:

Sales team members
Event planners
Marketing managers
Elite super-user access

Authorized users will see only those products or perform only those tasks associated with their access level.

Swag Bag Assembly For Events

You may only have one opportunity to make a lasting impression. Your goody bags or swag bags need to be properly assembled and delivered to your event on time. FFI has inventory management that ensures that your giveaways are correct and ready for all scheduled events. We work within your budget, providing packing materials as needed. Let our team of skilled and flexible assemblers make your products truly stand out from the rest, freeing you to focus on more strategic aspects of your events.

Reliable Trade Show and Event Shipping

Trade show exhibit management requires detailed service at all stages and extensive experience to meet specific “in-hands” dates. Our trade show exhibit management process includes consolidating shipping and secure packaging techniques. We assist in getting your exhibit and related products to trade shows in a timely, cost-effective manner. If you require specific delivery requirements, FFI will find creative ways to get your items to the convention floor.

Return Services Management for Trade Shows and Events

Our return shipment inspection procedures ensure that your materials will be returned correctly after the trade show. Using return labels that FFI provides in advance, shipping the show materials back to the storage facility is simple. Our warehouse team will then carry out inspections to evaluate retractable banners and their stands for breakage, booth components to ensure they are intact and catalog all products back into inventory so they are visible in the portal for your next event.

Proper Trade Show Fulfillment Leads to Success

Attending a convention or event can be a great way to boost your company’s profits and expand brand awareness; the key to making it all work is to choose the right fulfillment service. Let the experienced professionals and careful service of FFI make your next convention or event a huge success. Just call us today at 973 361 1700 or fill out our contact form to see how our fulfillment services can make your next convention or special event shine.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) Prep Services

Amazon offers an ideal platform for businesses of all sizes to reach a vast audience, but incorrect prep can incur hefty fines. To avoid unnecessary charges, you need to carefully prepare your products to meet Amazon’s requirements. Our Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) compliance includes unloading containers, repackaging thousands of SKUs, labeling products with barcodes, and properly preparing e-commerce products following FBA rules.

The Benefits of Utilizing an Amazon FBA Prep Service Provider

FBA prep services are perfect for sellers of any size, including small businesses and large enterprises. It is great for sellers who lack the time, resources, or expertise required for FBA prep.

Save Time

Outsource your FBA prep services to avoid the time-consuming tasks of manual labeling, packaging, shipping, and adhering to Amazon’s standards. The time you save can be devoted to your customers.

Quality Control

Our Fulfillment by Amazon prep services are tailor-made to assist sellers in satisfying Amazon’s stringent criteria for inbound shipments. Inspecting your products for quality, ensuring they are in good condition before shipping them to Amazon’s warehouse and keeping your customers happy by minimizing damaged products are all important to the process.

Efficient Order Fulfillment

By hiring an outsourced FBA Prep Service Provider, you can eliminate the need to incorporate FBA prep into your daily workflow.

Space Savings

Complying with Amazon’s packaging requirements can mean cluttering your home or office space with cartons, pallets, and other packaging materials. Avoid this headache by storing your supplies and products with your FBA provider and shipping them to Amazon as needed.

Increase Profit Margins

Retailers can expedite the movement of products on Amazon by outsourcing FBA prep and shipping tasks, leading to faster turnaround and increased profit.

Your Partner for Successful Selling on Amazon … and Beyond

In addition to FBA, Fulco Fulfillment Inc. offers a comprehensive range of fulfillment services including storage, pick and pack, and shipping. We even handle returns management, treating your products as if they were our own during every step of the process.

Get the most out of selling with Amazon! Let us show you how using FFI for your Amazon fulfillment is a great investment for your business. Give us a call at 973-361-1700 or fill out our contact form.

What are APIs and How Can They Help Order Fulfillment?

Certain aspects of the fulfillment process may initially sound intimidating. Application Programming Interface, or API, sounds complicated, but in fact, its operation will make things less complicated for you. An API acts as a middleman in the information systems used to run a fulfillment company, transferring and translating code between the systems, allowing shipping capabilities to be communicated and accessed across multiple applications. APIs are commonly used by logistics companies to automate processes and data transfers allowing an instantaneous flow of information among 3PL providers and customers’ platforms. These could include an e-commerce website, shipping carriers, warehouse management systems (WMS), or order management systems (OMS).

An API can save employees valuable time: they no longer need to transfer the information by a file upload.

APIs provide their customers with three main advantages:

1. The Automation Advantage

An API provides a seamless connection that shares information across systems. Along with this automation comes the ability to customize. Every business is unique, and having an API that adapts to your specific needs can improve your workflow. An API will integrate with different shipping systems and provide the analytics that you need, which can improve customer experience, drive sales, and increase your ROI.

2. An API Improves Customer Experience

An API can improve your customer’s experience by giving them easy access to valuable data. An API can allow the customer to:

Extract product details from a database, including product descriptions, product IDs, specifications, images, pricing, quantity in inventory and so much more.
Look up order details–the API syncs order imports and export status.
Check on the status of an order and eventually access the tracking number.
Receive up-to-date information about where their products are and estimated delivery times.
Sort and filter the order data according to the date of packaging and shipping.
Cancel orders, return orders, create bulk import orders, and add inventory for an ordered product.

Further parameters can be added as the customer’s needs evolve.

With all that data so readily available, you’ll be able to utilize the information for customized output, API integration, and reporting. Customers have access to data and reports 24/7, 365 days per year. The dynamic reporting tool enables non-technical users to build custom reports without programming. Once created, reports can be generated on the fly or scheduled to be generated and delivered automatically.

3. APIs Adapt to Your Business

Every business is unique, and every business is continually changing. With an API, scaling is always an option because you don’t have to worry about outgrowing a homegrown system. Your system will stay up-to-date with the latest technologies as they emerge. Because APIs are completely customizable, you are able to specify the reports to fit each and every need that your customers may have.

Fulco Fulfillment Offers Excellent API Systems Integration

At Fulco, we know that there is never a one-size-fits-all solution for data transfers, which is why APIs are so valuable. Our order management systems uses Veracore, which integrates with various platforms including Amazon.com; Ultracart, BigCommerce, Shopify, Volusion, Magento, and WooCommerce.

The automation, adaptation, and customer service a good API affords will allow your business to run smoothly today and keep up with your changing business needs tomorrow.

If this sounds like the type of solution you have been looking for, reach out to Fulco by giving us a call at 973.361.1700 or filling out our contact form. Let us show you how an API can streamline your order fulfillment and increase your ROI.

The 3 Ps of Fulfillment

Sudden retail or e-commerce business growth can be very exciting for a company, but it presents many challenges as well. These can manifest in different ways, one of the most complicated of which is order fulfillment. In order to take advantage of the opportunities growth provides, many retailers–both large and small– partner with 3PLs.

Working with a successful 3PL will allow you to focus on expanding your business. Fulfillment companies can take care of storing your product, picking and packing the orders, and ensuring everything gets sent out on time. When a company is growing rapidly, order fulfillment is best left in the hands of a reliable 3PL.

How do you find the right 3PL for your business? There are “one size fits all” 3PLs, but since every business is unique, choosing a 3PL with a specialized approach that fits your company could give your business an extra boost. There are three easy ways to evaluate a fulfillment company.

The Best Fulfillment Starts with People

The most important of the three P’s is People. A team is only as good as its weakest link. The staff should be experienced and offer a dedicated client service manager. Experience in the fulfillment world and a focus on customer service will help your business to thrive.

Get the Right Platform for Your Fulfillment Data

If you’re running a growing business, you know how important it is to keep track of every order and ensure packages are delivered seamlessly. We have more access to information today than ever before, and all that data can become overwhelming. Before partnering with a 3PL, you may have felt buried under all the data.

Information paralysis is a serious issue. Thankfully, partnering with the right 3PL can deliver you information in the most digestible way possible. Working with a 3PL means they will focus on the back-end operations of order fulfillment, giving you the freedom to focus on the front end of the business.

Fulco Supports the Whole Order Fulfillment Process

The final P stands for the Process. Making sure that the order fulfillment process is run smoothly and effectively is vital. This starts with orders received, then continues to the picking, packing, and shipping process, and then to the warehousing, returns, and anything else that the customer needs.

Fulco Brings Together People, Platform, and Process

FFI provides the best of all three Ps. We have experienced, designated teams to troubleshoot any problems, up-to-date processing platforms, and a fantastic warehouse location allowing for unparalleled access to shipping anywhere in the U.S. and the world. While we work on perfecting the 3Ps, you can focus on growing your business.

If you’re having issues with your fulfillment process, we want to help you! Give us a call at 973.361.1700 or fill out our contact form.

How We Handle Product Version Control

Product version control and expiration tracking are paramount details for meeting unique business requirements. Luckily for our clients in the healthcare industry, Fulco Fulfillment Inc (FFI) has software with sophisticated capabilities that supports tracking expiration dates on regulated products.

Organizing inventory according to expiration date is not only extremely important for healthcare companies, but for financial and manufacturing customers too. Product version control is the process we use to identify and track major or relatively minor revisions and version changes made to any kind of product. Using settings defined by our customers’ business parameters, we make it easy to aggregate goods based on their lot, expiration date, or version.

Product Version Control Relies on First In, First Out

Every version of a product is assigned a sequential number. The FFI order management system (OMS) automatically funnels through these numbers from the top down, until it finds the current version, otherwise known as FIFO (first in/first out). Inventory rotation can be set as FIFO or FEFO (first expiring/first out) which captures serial numbers. Another feature our system offers is the ability to turn versions on or off.

Think about your everyday visit to the store, and you’ll see the FIFO method in practice. When an employee restocks products, they put the newest inventory items on the back of the shelf and the oldest inventory in the front. That makes it more likely that all the stock will be sold before the product expires.

FFI uses the FIFO model for physical inventory flow in order to rotate incoming inventory. Stockers place newer items at the back of the shelf and move the older ones to the front. When a customer places an order, the picker will pick the older stock from the front of the shelf, so inventory moves out in roughly the same order in which the warehouse received it.

When the order for the product is fulfilled, the correct product version is picked, packed, and shipped. For example, the OMS sees your product as a bottle of vitamins, but the warehouse management system (WMS) sees it as two separate products, or two separate versions. Each of these versions have a distinct SKU (stock keeping unit). When an order is placed for the bottle of vitamins, the OMS will automatically select its current version. Picking and packing will be performed with confidence knowing that the most current bottle of vitamins is shipped to the consumer.

Since successful inventory management comes from traceability, we keep careful inventory of how many units of each SKU remain in our distribution center. If the expiration date passes, you will receive an alert from FFI’s OMS. You can then decide what to do with the spoiled inventory in our warehouse. Customers can choose to return the product, destroy the product, or do something completely different. Ultimately we want to see our customers succeed with up to date and accurate product version control.

Trust FFI with Your Product Version Control

We understand how important it is to keep your stock of products up to date so consumers aren’t receiving expired or old products, and you’re meeting your regulation requirements. You can trust our sophisticated software and your dedicated Customer Service Representative team to faithfully serve your account. Your team is composed of professionals who understand your business and can address urgent needs immediately. Contact FFI to learn how we can make product version control a breeze.