The process of receiving orders from a web store or online shopping cart, as well as picking, packing, and shipping them to customers across the globe is called e-commerce fulfillment. Since this type of fulfillment takes place online, it differs from other forms of fulfillment such as marketing and collateral fulfillment (orders will be shipped to internal business locations or employees), retail fulfillment (orders will be shipped directly to business retail locations), and other business to business fulfillment services (orders are delivered to businesses; not consumers).

To help you understand what fulfillment is, let us talk about the three most common types of fulfillment services:

• E-commerce fulfillment: This is the process of receiving orders from an e-commerce website as well as the shipping, packing, and picking of merchandise for customers across the globe. The act of fulfilling orders that took place online is known as e-commerce fulfillment.
• Direct to Consumer fulfillment: Also known as D2C fulfillment, this type of fulfillment refers to the fulfillment of orders to consumers rather than a business. Huge emphasis is placed on speed and accuracy in shipping as well as the provision of special features that guarantee customer satisfaction.
• Business to Business fulfillment: Also known as B2B fulfillment, this type of fulfillment refers to shipping in bulk supply for businesses. Businesses that require this service often procure products in advance so they don’t have to buy items on a daily basis. They may also need to supply merchandise and goods to another company for resale purposes.
• Returns Processing: An important and necessary part of every business, and especially for those selling direct-to-consumer. Allowing online customers to return products without frustration helps replicate the in-store retail shopping experience and build customer relationships. When done well, it can even help increase repeat sales and promote positive word of mouth. Yes, that’s true even from customers who return products! If a customer returns an order by shipping it back to us, we will process the return and restock or dispose of the item depending on your policies and your preferences.