Looking for a 3PL? Ask These 6 Questions to Find The Perfect Partner
(This is a guest post from our friends over at ShipStation, leading web-based shipping solution that helps ecommerce retailers import, organize, and ship orders quickly and easily—wherever you sell, however you ship)
According to ShipStation’s latest Last Touch report, 83% of consumers are less likely to re-purchase from a retailer after a negative delivery or shipping experience.
With more customers shopping online than ever before, it is even more important to ensure your products are being shipped effectively and in a timely manner. Sometimes that means outsourcing and hiring a 3PL, or Third Party Logistics provider. 3PL’s are a great way to scale your business because they take part or all of your shipping processes in their own warehouse so you can focus on other business operations.
Finding the right 3PL is extremely important since they are your customer’s last touch with your brand, which can ultimately make or break their satisfaction. There are many things to consider when searching for a 3PL to meet your needs.
(more…)Amazon ASIN: What is an ASIN number?
If you want to sell on Amazon, then you have to understand what an ASIN is and how they’re used. These unique product identifiers are part of Amazon’s selling policies and help shoppers find the items they want.
If you don’t use ASINs correctly, you can violate Amazon’s selling terms and even lose your eligibility to sell on the platform!
So, what’s an ASIN number and how do you use it?
(more…)Your Roadmap to Start a Successful B2B eCommerce Initiative
Just a few years ago, research found that 48% of companies now conduct 50-74% of all corporate purchases online. Further, 23% of companies do 75% or more of their purchasing online.
While it’s clear that B2B buyers want to make purchases online, many manufacturers, distributors and others have been slow to adopt eCommerce initiatives.
Part of the problem is that shifting to an online sales model isn’t any easy transition. It can require an entire overhaul in how you conduct business. And, without the right mindset and strategy, your digital transformation might not be fully realized.
To help get you started, our quick guide focuses on five key areas that are key to any successful eCommerce initiative.
(more…)What Is a 3PL and Why Are They Important to Retailers?
(This article was last published on May 12, 2016. It has been updated for accuracy and completeness.)
Providing a good delivery experience can determine whether a customer buys from you again or not.
According to ShipStation’s latest report, 83% of consumers are less likely to re-purchase from a retailer after a negative delivery or shipping experience.
Unfortunately, a lot of online sellers struggle with delivery, causing their business to suffer. But, building and managing your own logistics network is challenging, as it’s expensive and time-consuming.
To meet customer expectations and protect their bottom lines, merchants are partnering with 3PLs to outsource their fulfillment needs. In the years to come, 3PLs will be critical to competing online and growing your business.
Shopify Plus reported that demand for 3PLs is set to nearly double to $408 billion in the first half of this decade.
So, what is a 3PL exactly? What role can they play in your business? And, how to do pick the right one to partner with?
(more…)The Best Way to Integrate Magento with Google Analytics
(This article was last published on February 26, 2015. It’s been updated for accuracy and completeness by our friends over at 121eCommerce, a seasoned Magento Professional Partner and web development agency specializing in B2B and B2C eCommerce.)
If you run an eCommerce store, data-driven decisions are the best way to improve conversion rates, bring in more sales, and propel your business to new heights.
But how can you get the data you use to make your decisions?
Unlike the owner of a retailer store, for example, you can’t just watch customers and see where they linger – and the items or sections of your store that they ignore.
So what should you do?
Google Analytics is a great place to start. It gives you the tools you need to analyze how your site traffic behaves. And, it’s FREE! As a result, it has become the de facto web analytics platform.
And if you use Magento for your eCommerce store, you should definitely use Google Analytics – it’s easy to integrate, offers excellent features, and is totally free.
In this updated guide we’ll take a look at why Google Analytics is such a great tool for eCommerce entrepreneurs and how to integrate it into your Magento storefront.
(more…)
