Order Fulfillment Archives - Fulco Fulfillment

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.

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.

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.

How Your Product is Packed in Shipping Containers Could Save You Money

When it comes to e-commerce fulfillment, there are different ways to load and pack shipping containers with your product. Shippers are either utilizing palletized or floor loaded shipments. The shipment can either be full truck load (FTL), or less than a full truck load (LTL). Using our top-of-the-line work force, Fulco Fulfillment Inc (FFI) can handle either method efficiently, and probably save you some money. Here’s some information on what the difference is between floor loaded vs. palletized shipping, and why you should know which your product is currently using.

Palletizing Shipping Containers

Palletizing your products means to simply stack and ship your products on wooden pallets. With pallets you will find there is more ease of movement and is a safer way of transmitting items from one place to the next, but it can be quite expensive as well.

Your decision to palletize will depend on factors such as fragility of your cargo, the destination of your cargo, and the mode of transit by which your cargo is being shipped. The pallet provides a stable and load-bearing bottom for each unit, which can then easily be moved and loaded with a pallet jack, forklift, or other handling equipment. Once the products are stacked together, they are held up using straps or plastic wrapping. After this, it is ready for shipping.

Pros and Cons of Palletizing Shipping Containers

Pro: pallets are great for shipping products both nationally and internationally.
Pro: pallets can protect more delicate cargo. Using pallets allows the shipper to turn a bundle of smaller sized boxes into a stronger single unit that will be able to provide more support.
Pro: pallets are faster and easier to load and unload because you can use machinery to move them.
Pro: pallets can protect cargo from water damage. The pallets protect the shipment en route by keeping product off the floor with its elevated surface, creating a barrier for the products inside from soaking in the event of a leak from an overseas voyage.
Pro: palletization can work for both LTL and FTL freight.
Con: palletizing can come with significant cost implications since the pallet itself increases the weight of overseas shipping containers.
Con: you can fit less product in each shipping container because the pallet takes up extra space.

Floor Loading Shipping Containers

In contrast, floor loaded containers are when the contents are loaded onto the floor of the container directly. This can also be known as floor stacking and it allows you to fill the entire container from the floor to the ceiling with the contents.

With floor loading, you will be able to load larger items at a significantly lower cost. Typically this would be more time consuming because manual loading and unloading is required, but with Fulco Fulfillment’s experienced team, this issue is absolutely minimal.

Pros and Cons of Floor Loading Shipping Containers

Pro: floor loading your products significantly decreases freight costs because the entire container is being used to ship the products in question.
Pro: you save money by not paying for pallet. You will also be less likely to need more containers when shipping out your product.
Pro: you reduce the carbon footprint of shipping your products because each container is packed as efficiently as possible.
Con: more delicate products can be damaged. Floor loading your products is not the most suitable option for every product that you may be offering. With floor loading comes an increase in the likelihood that the products could get damaged during transit. Because of this, floor loading is typically done with heavier and bulkier items such as construction equipment, furniture, etc.
Pro: palletization can work for both LTL and FTL freight.
Con: there are additional labor costs associated with loading and unloading a freight shipment off of the container. It also takes extra time to load and unload the shipment in question.
Pro: however, experienced warehouses like FFI are efficient floor loaders. We keep these additional costs to a minimum with our top-of-the-line work force who have years of expertise handling floor loaded shipments.

FFI Can Help You Optimize How Your Shipping Containers are Packed

The most important thing to remember when choosing between the two options is to do an in depth cost-benefit analysis to see what works best for your business. With FFI as your e-commerce fulfillment partner, we can help you determine whether palletization or floor loading is the best option for getting your products quickly and safely to your customers. To get started, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 973.361.1700.

Get Ahead of The Curve Utilizing Eco-friendly Packaging With Fulco Fulfillment

Eco-friendly packaging, otherwise known as sustainable packaging, can best be defined as packaging that is sourced, created, and implemented to deliver minimal environmental impact.

In the recent past, companies that took the eco-friendly or green initiative were few. It was viewed as an alternative route to running your business while being mindful of the planet. While this was once perceived as a niche business practice, we are seeing this become the standard so that business’s environmental footprints can be lessened. Organizations are making this the new normal now more than ever, and Fulco Fulfillment Inc. is here to assist.

Using eco-friendly packaging and green packaging supplies is an ideal way to reduce the pollution and waste that eventually makes its way to landfills and oceans. Most, if not all, companies are looking to go green with their packaging today. Eco-friendly packaging in e-commerce especially can benefit the environment and economy.

Consumers are increasingly frustrated with receiving over-packaged products. By using right-size packaging for your e-commerce business, your company will display how much it cares about reducing waste. E-commerce fulfillment clients that are looking to hop on the sustainable bandwagon can source directly from FFI.

Fulco Fulfillment Sustainable Packaging Options Include:

Biodegradable, zero-waste peanuts made of organic starch: they decompose in water and leave no toxic waste.
Sustainable packing label envelopes made of 100% recycled polyethylene
FFI offers ProLite Shippers and Duralit envelopes made of 35% recycled materials that are recyclable, waterproof, tear, and puncture resistant.
Corrugated bubble wrap and recycled cardboard squares: a wrap made from up-cycled corrugated cardboard. Rather than disposing of cardboard, recycling it into corrugated bubble wrap gives it a chance at an additional life as a cushioning material.
Air Pillows made of recycled materials: inflatable air pillows are used to fill voids while packaging. They can also be packed in boxes to secure loose items. This packaging consists primarily of air since they are small, inflated bags. They can be reused or recycled.
Kraft Natural Reinforced Packing Tape

What is eco-friendly packaging?

As mentioned earlier, eco-friendly packaging is a green method of packaging that doesn’t deplete natural resources we have become so dependent on. The packaging is considered beneficial, healthy, and safe for both communities and individuals throughout the entirety of its lifecycle. It can be recyclable, compostable, reusable, made of biobased materials, or renewably sourced materials.

Eco-friendly packaging advantages:

Reduces your company’s carbon footprint.

Since sustainable packaging is better for the environment, it will reduce your company’s consumption of resources.

Improves your brand image

Using eco-friendly packaging shows that you care about the environment, creates a good impression, and depicts you as a responsible company.

Lighter packages reduce transport costs

Get ahead of the competition by reducing package material and preventing excessive waste. When this is implemented properly, you will notice storage being used more efficiently. With the extra space, you will be first and foremost lowering storage costs, and can increase the amount of products you want to store without going over budget or wasting space.

The marketing appeal of eco-friendly packaging

Customers are interested in switching their consumption habits so that they can lower their impact on the environment. Therefore, making the switch to sustainable packaging can help influence your customers when they decide which businesses to patronize.

Fulco Fulfillment is your Eco-friendly Packaging Partner

Eco-friendly packaging is a gateway to elevating your e-commerce business to the next level, and will start you on the sustainable path. By using eco-friendly packaging, you will be joining the cause in protecting our lands and oceans from accumulating single-use packaging. When you make the change to eco-friendly packaging, you will be using less material for your products. The lack of material will help you save money on storage costs, shipping costs, and packaging costs. It’s a savings trifecta that we recommend every business should choose.

If you decide to work with a professional fulfillment provider like Fulco Fulfillment Inc., we can assist with your switch to eco-friendly packaging at your business. While you focus on your e-commerce business, we will focus on making sure you are up to speed in this more sustainable world. To learn more about eco-friendly packaging, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 973-361-1700.

Unique Packaging & Custom Fulfillment

The customer experience for your product starts when they first see it on your website, and needs to continue through checkout and shipping. That’s where we come in: at Fulco Fulfillment Inc., we can provide unique and cost-effective packaging and fulfillment solutions for your product.

Box size

Every product has unique properties. We are not saying that your product needs to fit as perfectly as an iPhone in its custom and highly customized packaging, but we make sure a wide array of box sizes are stocked in order to prevent floating items in your outgoing shipments.

Box shape

Have a uniquely shaped product? We can supply specialty box sizes to ensure your product arrives to your customer the way you envision. Additionally, you can consider our sustainable packaging options. Using eco-friendly packaging can reduce your company’s carbon footprint and your shipping costs by using lighter materials. Learn more about the benefits of eco-friendly packaging here.

Box color

Typically, brown is what many associate with a shipping box. But we can work with you to stand out. Want your logo on every side, or the box to be a different color? You could make a colorful box a recognizable aspect of your brand for your customers.

Box tape

Want to use stock brown boxes but still splash your logo? A cost-effective way to accomplish this is by using custom tape. We print and stock the rolls of tape so you can be sure all of your shipments display your logo and branding.

Box filler

What do you want your customer to see when they open your shipment? We have a wide variety of box filler for you to choose from, including custom folded paper, air pillows, and newspaper. Let’s come up with a solution that impresses your customers.

Box content

Custom inserts are a great way to cross market and encourage future orders. We can work with you to identify what kind of custom inserts your customers should receive in their order.

No Box

If you’d rather not use a box, we can supply custom bags as well. We enjoy thinking up creative solutions to your product’s needs.

Fulco Fulfillment Can Help You Create Unique Packaging for Your Brand

Your packaging is an important part of your brand. After placing an order, your customer’s impression of you as a business can be affected by the appearance of your packaging. Fulco Fulfillment Inc. can help you make a positive impact on your customers through unique packaging solutions, and encourage them to place more orders in the future.

To learn more about unique packaging and custom fulfillment, fill out our contact form or give us a call at 973.361.1700.

Technological Factors to Consider When Choosing a Fulfillment Center

When considering outsourcing a fulfillment center, companies search for a technologically compatible fulfillment partner. They want a company that can deliver seamless and integrated fulfillment, logistics, and supply chain solutions. Technology allows all of this to happen in a cohesive manner and allows customers to view and interface with data online. Fulco Fulfillment, Inc. (FFI) is a leader in e-commerce fulfillment. We support our customers’ online visibility with control and easy-to-use technologies by aligning our technical services to meet their business objectives.

FFI delivers a powerful suite of solutions including:

real-time reporting with live access to data
custom distribution wireless scanning solutions
easy e-commerce integration options

Real Time Custom Reporting For Fulfillment and Access to Data

Around the clock access to real-time data is an essential part of fulfillment. At FFI, customer reports can be automatically exported from our order management system and forwarded to the relevant decision maker. Accessible reporting captures data and allows users a password-protected login to view classic reports and data sheets, including:

Order Reports
Product Reports
Offer Reports
Shipping Reports
Territory Client Structure Reports
Product History Reports
Products Shipped
and much more

Empower your sales and marketing team while maintaining control over brand assets

Without the proper tools, managing sales force logistics can be extremely challenging. FFI enables literature fulfillment customers to automate the decision making associated with collateral distribution while limiting the need for manual review of orders. Sales and marketing managers can automatically control/limit recipients’ access to products. They can set-up product-specific and budget-based controls. Order limits can be set by access levels and approval management is available for rush/expedited shipments or even restricted products.

For fulfillment clients, peace of mind is having a partner with a state-of-the-art warehouse management system which includes inventory email alerts and lot code / serial tracking capabilities. While product version / lot tracking products may be modified or changed over time, these changes are easily tracked by a Version ID—giving clients the ability to define versions and set parameters in the OMS which dictate how versions are handled.

E-commerce Integrations for Inventory and Warehousing

As a warehousing, inventory, and order management company, we’ve learned through working with e-commerce customers that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to data transfers. One thing is for certain though: there are better ways to transfer and share data between systems other than entering it by hand. For example, CSV (comma-separated values) files are one way. A CSV is a universal file type that many systems support and merchants feel comfortable managing when it comes to exporting and importing text files of their data between systems.

Ease of integration is an important benefit for companies outsourcing fulfillment.

Indeed, some systems require CSV as an alternative to an API or a direct database connection because file-based integration allows data to be passed between different databases or operating systems, without necessarily connecting directly to them.

And since CSVs are plain-text files, it’s easy for a web developer or other members of the team to create, view, and validate the data as a spreadsheet. All you need is a header row at the top and subsequent rows of data, which can be manipulated and easily shared across different systems.

There are several cases where transfer via CSV order files has proven very useful. However, APIs have emerged as a newer way for two systems to communicate or integrate with each other. APIs are a great solution for many use-cases, but they are not the only solution. There are several cases where a transfer via flat files has proven very useful, as well.

API Systems Integration

An API (Application Program Interface) is a set of code that allows two software programs to communicate with each other, creating a streamlined and paperless flow of goods from receiving to shipping. Using code, an API spells out a standard, predictable way for a developer to write a program requesting services from another system or application.

Veracore, FFI’s order management system, integrates with numerous platforms via real-time API or batch mode order integrations with both web-based and legacy platforms. For example, Veracore’s shopping cart and marketplace integrations include: Amazon.com; Ultracart, BigCommerce, Shopify, Volusion, Magento, and WooCommerce.

As an alternate option, FFI also partners with DropStream. This partnership allows FFI to provide our e-commerce customers with automated integrations to over 60 e-commerce systems, including online shopping carts, marketplaces, and ERPs. DropStream allows our customers to be totally connected to these integrations and automated order fulfillment workflows. E-commerce orders are imported directly into our Warehouse Management System (WMS), and tracking numbers are exported directly to our e-commerce client’s online shopping cart.

In summary, e-commerce customers can receive orders via three different ways:

shopping cart integration
upload an order file (CSV)
manual order entry

Custom Distribution Wireless Scanning Solutions for Order Fulfillment

With time-saving mobile barcode readers, accuracy and streamlined shipping of e-commerce purchases are greatly improved. Barcode scanning verification and wireless scanning pick-and-pack services read a pre-printed SKU (stock keeping unit) or barcode appearing on each inventoried product. Each product is given a unique SKU which helps minimize errors and automatically updates the inventory system as goods are shipped. This eliminates manual changes and physical counts which waste valuable production time. For e-commerce clients, the real-time updates from the scanner to the order management system (OMS) helps them maintain real-time visibility and a more accurate inventory.

Choose a Fulfillment Provider that You are Technologically Compatible With

Fulco Fulfillment, Inc., works with e-commerce businesses of every size, with a wide variety of product profiles and pick-and-pack demands. We’re used to handling difficult circumstances and exceeding expectations by helping our clients fulfill their client promises and delivery demands. To learn more, contact us.

Warehouse Fulfillment Technology Saves Clients Time & Money

Fulco Fulfillment’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) follows best practices to streamline every aspect of our warehouse management fulfillment processes.

While each client has its own needs, managing their differences doesn’t have to be an arduous process. Whatever the primary focus of your business, whether it is B2B, B2C or e-commerce, the flexible solutions offered by Fulco Fulfillment are guaranteed to meet your needs and scalable to grow along with you.

Warehouse efficiency is critical to operational success. Fulco Fulfillment WMS helps keep our warehouse organized, clean and accurate, so workers can be more productive and we can keep customers happy.

How WMS helps us focus on our warehouse fulfillment solutions

A Warehouse Fulfillment System Keeps Things Organized

In order to keep our warehouse running at tip-top efficiency, we utilize barcode technology in addition to a wide array of picking options and shipping station integrations that run in real time. When your company outsources warehouse services the last thing you need is unorganized mess that will set you up for failure. With our proprietary WMS system we can locate any inventory within the warehouse with just the push of a button. Before a receipt is submitted to the WMS, the system is told where the units we receive are to be located.

Thereafter, by engaging WMS we can select search or open, or use warehouse location services to drill down to specifics including where in the buildings, which aisle, which rack, which shelf and more.

Fulco Fulfillment also offers temperature monitored areas in the warehouse that range from approximately 60° F to 79° F, and we can provide reporting for tracking.

A Warehouse Fulfillment System Keeps Things Clean

One of the most important aspects of maintaining a warehouse is keeping it clean on a daily basis. This begins at the receiving dock which is kept clean and well organized. Orders that arrive are immediately expedited to their place in the warehouse so that the next order that comes in can be accepted without any clutter getting in the way.

Products more in-demand and moved around more often are kept closer to shipping, this allows for more efficient movement of goods throughout the warehouse. Stock in high demand is easier to handle on a regular basis if it is closer and more accessible. Transporting it across less space also means saving time and money.

A Warehouse Fulfillment System Keeps Things Accurate

Clients have the ability to set their own understock levels so they know when to replenish stock. Depending on the circumstances of every business, an e-mail reminder can be delivered the moment inventory dips below this level and a secondary e-mail notification can be delivered when the inventory becomes completely empty, reaching zero.

Fulco Fulfillment places tremendous importance on the accuracy of material received, because when receiving is out of order so is the rest of the warehouse. Proper inventory accuracy, faster order fulfillment, and an increase in overall receiving productivity are goals we constantly strive for.

When WMS receives the details of the inventory, clients have the ability to access multiple inquiry options and generate reports. Every product that is received through Fulco Fulfillment’s warehouse is recorded in the WMS, allowing the end user to navigate the information pertaining to all products with complete ease.

When receiving our clients’ specifications Fulco Fulfillment will make inquiries to determine the following information:

Products specifications: Do they include versions, lots or expiration dates?
Pallets: Can they be stacked, will they be floor loads, shrink-wrapped, what are the size requirements and are there labeling requirements?
Quality: What is the customer’s tolerance level of acceptable defects?
Carton sizes and types, including corrugated, branding, size limits and other considerations.

When it comes to receiving, our fulfillment director ensures the receipt of materials is done correctly, beginning with verifying all receipts by skid, carton and piece count against packing slips supplied. This is a critical part of the process because receiving mistakes often lead to negative impacts on future productivity and accuracy. Packing lists or shipping documents are signed off for accuracy. Any and all discrepancies are immediately reported to the client via e-mail. If necessary, images are taken and sent to the customer.

We use our receiving procedure to verify all quantities received and the data entered by our operators. Verifying goods received can depend on the cargo and customer expectations regarding:

Quantity
Description
Product code
Condition of goods
Weight of goods
Temperature, if applicable.
Receipt identification number
Customer name
Shipper name (vendor)
Purchase order

Once everything is confirmed, the material is put in its proper place in the warehouse, also known as “locating.” This allows a computerized manifest to be accessible on-line to our clients 24/7. If physical count of receipt quantities performed by Fulco Fulfillment does not match the packing list quantities, the client is notified immediately. The client can now contact the vendor to determine how to proceed and advise Fulco Fulfillment accordingly. This concludes with confirming that the putting away of the product is completed.

The Efficiency of Using Warehouse Space

Fulco Fulfillment’s warehouse is occupied with the inventory of a wide array of clients, each with their own variety of different sizes and shapes. We store it all. Utilizing vertical and horizontal space has always posed a challenge, but Fulco Fulfillment has the experience to circumvent any problems time and time again. By adding half-pallet locations, bins can be utilized in flow shelves whenever applicable. Our expertise helps us spot and engage underutilized space by reducing aisle width when it becomes available, consolidating the location of inventory, and reviewing the depth of the needs of storage.

To learn more about our warehousing services see https://www.fulcofulfillment.com/our-services/warehousing/ or give us a call at 973-361-1700. We look forward to assisting you making your business the best it can be.

Outsourcing Fulfillment Transition Planning

There may come a point in time when you get sick of using your basement, garage or spare bedroom as a means to organize your product and fulfillment, Fulco Fulfillment wants to make that transition process as seamless as it could possibly be when you outsource your fulfillment. As your business grows, it is important to keep up to date with deliveries or else the business could begin to lose credibility and no one wants to see that happen.

Outsourcing and moving your product to a larger fulfillment facility such as Fulco Fulfillment Inc. would be an optimal move to continue shipping products without any interruption of service. Transitions, however are not as easy of a process as it might appear to be for each business is unique and requires different methods of delivery, storage, etc. In order to begin this transition process, it’s important to understand and think about what would be best for your small business.

Understanding the Logistics Profile

Transitioning begins with planning and in order to accomplish that meetings must be scheduled to talk about what the appropriate requirements are for the product and how a fulfillment warehouse such as Fulco Fulfillment Inc. can provide those requirements to you through our operational processes. If necessary compromises may need to be made in order to fulfill the appropriate requirements for your business. Transitioning to a larger facility may throw what you may know about delivering and storing your products out the window but that is what makes these meetings so important so that in the end you feel more at ease about spreading your product far and wide. Here are some things that should be considered throughout the meetings:

Service levels required
Sources of inventory and replenishment lead times
Special product handling requirements:
- Environmental requirements
- Fragile
- Liquid
- Hazmat
- Weights and dimensions
- Expiration dates
- Serial number control
- Subscription handling
Channel support:
- Amazon
- Big box selling (EDI and routing guides)
- Small box retail
- Selling online or on multiple online platforms
- Controlling inventory availability across channels
The more obvious discussions:
- Order volumes, line item volumes
- Seasonality
- Number of SKU’s and SKU churn
- Who will handle customer service and returns
- Packaging and assembly requirements
- International shipping

In order to make your meeting as effective as possible, think about the points listed above so that your company and a fulfillment company such as Fulco Fulfillment Inc. can reach a proper agreement that makes everyone happy in the end.

Systems integration

In order for the transition process of outsourcing fulfillment to begin it is imperative that both your methods of delivery whether it is manually or through an ecommerce service can communicate with Fulco Fulfillment Inc. quickly and flawlessly. Without any method of communication to Fulco Fulfillment’s it would impossible for your small business to get the orders out on time and without fail. Becoming familiar with how your business is able to relay product information will be important when beginning the transition process so you will know how to keep track of the items going in and out of the fulfillment warehouse on a daily basis.

A strategy for shipping is also important when beginning the transition process of outsourcing fulfillment. If your business has a policy for 2-3 day shipping for example then that is something the fulfillment warehouse should know right away in order to properly organize orders that will need to be shipped. Let the fulfillment warehouse know about carriers to use, strategies for international shipping and etc.

The transition process and outsourcing fulfillment can only start once you are certain your existing systems incorporated already at your business can be properly moved over to a warehouse like Fulco Fulfillment Inc.

Make sure any customers, carriers, suppliers and vendors know about the new location of the warehouse you move to otherwise you’ll be left with a lot of angry individuals.

Moving day

Something to keep in mind once the day to move actually arrives is to move the product in your current location in pieces or specifically halves. While moving it is important to keep shipping from the old location until all of the product is moved successfully to the new warehouse. Moving in parts will be able to give you some insurance in case there are any issues that may arise during the move process. The better you plan, the more likely the transition process will go as smooth as possible without issue and with Fulco Fulfillment Inc. at your side transitioning will be as stress free as possible for the sake of your business.