Nearly 80% of the online population has purchased something using the internet, and 50% of the online population have purchased more than once. These online buyers contribute to the E-commerce sales that are expected to reach nearly $500 billion by the year 2018. After all of these purchases have been made and these products have been ordered, the obvious next crucial step is the delivery of these products through the logistics process.
Logistics management services is a growing field that specializes in ecommerce, order fulfillment, and distribution. They also typically support business to business (B2B) outsourcing models for product and literature from internet starts-up companies, as well as established eTailers, and Fortune 1000 giants.
Third Party Logistics (3PL) usage is experiencing rapid growth, growing at a rate of 12% to 15% annually. A 3PL is a person or company that provides outsourced logistics services. Originated in the military, logistic services can encompass everything that involves management of the way resources are moved to the areas where they are required. Logistics management solutions teams are always looking toward the future, as well as dealing with their immediate needs. For example, 38% of warehouse managers planned to implement or invest in a new warehouse management system in 2015. This number was an increase from the 21% of managers who planned for expansion in 2014.
The best logistics management services are conveniently located so they can reach 80% of the total U.S. population within three days using ground transportation. Ideally, the company you select might have one location in the center of the country, as well as a west coast location if needed. Additionally, a company that targets both U.S. and international prospects provides the best ecommerce order fulfillment services.
For 40% of online retail transactions, consumers are willing to pay for shipping. A qualified logistics team is able to coordinate all of these deliveries and correctly calculate the costs to charge customers. The best logistics management services are also just the correct size — large enough to handle any type of opportunity, but small enough to provide the personalized attention every customer deserves.