In 2023, the demand for fast and efficient order fulfillment reached new heights, with over 20% of U.S. consumers expecting same-day delivery for their online purchases. Efficient order management is key to success in eCommerce. When you manage orders well, customers are happier, and your business runs more smoothly. This is where fulfillment software comes in. BigCommerce offers these software that helps streamline the order process, making everything from inventory management to shipping more efficient. By using this software, businesses can improve accuracy, speed up order processing, and ultimately, boost customer satisfaction. Let’s explore how this software works and how it can benefit your business.
Understanding BigCommerce Fulfillment Software
Fulfillment software is a tool that helps eCommerce businesses manage their orders from start to finish. It plays a crucial role in the eCommerce world by automating and organizing the steps involved in getting a product from the warehouse to the customer’s door.
What is Fulfillment Software?
Fulfillment software is essential in the eCommerce ecosystem. It simplifies and automates the process of managing orders, from receiving the order to shipping it out. This software connects all the different parts of the fulfillment process, ensuring that orders are processed quickly and accurately. In 2024, the global shipping fulfillment market alone is projected to be worth approximately $49.9 billion, highlighting the significant role this software plays in the industry.
- Order Processing: When an order is placed, fulfillment software automatically processes it by checking inventory, confirming payment, and preparing the order for shipment. According to recent statistics, the average cost to fulfill an order is around 70% of the average order value for online retailers. This underscores the importance of efficiency in order processing to maintain profitability.
- Inventory Management: The software keeps track of your stock levels in real-time. It automatically updates the inventory whenever a product is sold or restocked.
- Shipping Coordination: Fulfillment software helps in coordinating shipping by selecting the best carrier and printing shipping labels automatically. With consumers increasingly expecting rapid delivery, 38% of shoppers will abandon their order if the estimated delivery time exceeds one week.
By integrating fulfillment software with BigCommerce, businesses can manage the entire order fulfillment process seamlessly. The software helps in reducing manual work, minimizing errors, and ensuring that customers receive their orders on time. This integration is vital for businesses that want to scale up and handle more orders efficiently.
Key Features of BigCommerce Fulfillment Software
BigCommerce fulfillment software comes with a range of features designed to make order management easier and more efficient. These features are important for ensuring that your business runs smoothly and that customers are satisfied with their shopping experience.
- Order Tracking: With this feature, both you and your customers can track orders in real time. This transparency builds trust and keeps customers informed about when they can expect their delivery.
- Inventory Management: This feature allows you to keep an eye on your stock levels automatically. It helps prevent stockouts and overstocking, ensuring that you always have the right amount of product available.
- Automated Shipping: The software can automatically select the best shipping carrier based on factors like cost and delivery time. It also prints shipping labels, which saves time and reduces the chance of errors.
Additionally, BigCommerce fulfillment software can be enhanced with Atom8 BigCommerce Automation. Atom8 from GritGlobal allows you to automate repetitive tasks such as updating inventory, processing orders, and managing customer notifications. This integration not only saves time but also increases the efficiency of your order management process. Automating these tasks means fewer errors and a smoother operation overall, leading to better customer satisfaction and higher sales.
Setting Up Fulfillment Software in BigCommerce
Getting started with fulfillment software in BigCommerce is a simple process that can significantly improve your order management. By setting it up correctly, you can ensure that your business runs smoothly, orders are processed efficiently, and customers receive their products on time.
Integrating Fulfillment Software with BigCommerce
Integrating fulfillment software with your BigCommerce store is the first step to streamlining your order management. This process allows the software to handle various tasks automatically, reducing the amount of manual work needed.
- Step 1: Choose the Right Software: Start by selecting a fulfillment software that is compatible with BigCommerce. Make sure it offers the features that meet your business needs, like order tracking and inventory management.
- Step 2: Install the Software: Once you’ve chosen the software, install it through the BigCommerce marketplace. Follow the on-screen instructions to connect it to your store.
- Step 3: Connect with Third-Party Services: If you use third-party fulfillment services, make sure the software can integrate with them. This ensures a seamless connection between your store, the software, and your fulfillment partners.
- Step 4: Test the Integration: After installation, run a few test orders to ensure everything is working correctly. This step helps identify any issues before you start processing real orders.
By integrating fulfillment software with BigCommerce, you can automate many parts of your order process. This integration ensures that orders are processed quickly and accurately, helping you meet customer expectations and grow your business.
Configuring Order Management Settings
Once your fulfillment software is integrated, the next step is to configure the settings for order management. This includes setting up rules for processing orders, managing inventory, and selecting shipping options.
- Order Processing Rules: Start by setting up rules for how orders are processed. You can decide how orders are prioritized, whether by payment method, delivery speed, or customer location.
- Inventory Thresholds: Configure your inventory settings to alert you when stock levels are low. This helps prevent stockouts and ensures that popular items are always available.
- Shipping Options: Choose your preferred shipping carriers and set up the options for customers. You can offer different shipping speeds and costs to meet various customer needs.
To further enhance order management, consider using BigCommerce BackOrder from GritGlobal. This tool allows you to manage out-of-stock items automatically. When an item is out of stock, BackOrder lets customers place orders, which are fulfilled as soon as the stock is available again. This feature is critical for maintaining sales during stock shortages and ensuring customer satisfaction.
By configuring your fulfillment software settings properly, you can minimize manual work and ensure that your order process runs smoothly. This setup not only improves efficiency but also enhances the overall customer experience, making your business more reliable and trustworthy.
Optimizing Order Management with Fulfillment Software
Using fulfillment software to optimize your order management is essential for running a successful eCommerce business. With the right strategies and tools, you can manage inventory better, streamline order processing, and ensure that your customers receive their orders on time.
Managing Inventory Levels Efficiently
Managing inventory is a key part of running an eCommerce store. Fulfillment software can help you avoid problems like overstocking or running out of products. Here are some strategies to manage inventory levels efficiently using the software.
- Real-Time Inventory Tracking: Use the software to track your inventory in real time. This helps you know exactly how much stock you have at any moment, allowing you to make better decisions about reordering and stocking.
- Set Inventory Alerts: Configure the software to alert you when inventory levels are low. This way, you can reorder products before they run out, avoiding stockouts and lost sales.
- Data-Driven Decisions: With accurate data from real-time tracking, you can make informed decisions about which products to stock up on and which to phase out, based on sales trends.
BigCommerce BackOrder is a tool that can help manage your inventory effectively. It allows customers to continue placing orders for products even when they are out of stock. This ensures that you don’t miss out on sales, and customers can receive their orders as soon as the stock is replenished. Additionally, Atom8 can automate the process of updating stock levels and notifying customers when items are back in stock, making inventory management even easier.
By using these strategies, you can keep your inventory levels balanced, ensuring that you always have the right amount of stock on hand. This not only helps you avoid the costs of overstocking but also keeps your customers happy by ensuring that popular items are always available.
Streamlining the Order Fulfillment Process
Speed and accuracy are critical when it comes to fulfilling orders. Fulfillment software can help you streamline the process from picking to shipping, making your operations more efficient.
- Automated Picking and Packing: Use the software to automate the picking and packing process. This reduces errors and speeds up the time it takes to get orders ready for shipment.
- Warehouse Management Systems (WMS): A good WMS, integrated with your fulfillment software, can optimize how you store and retrieve products in your warehouse, ensuring that orders are fulfilled quickly and accurately.
- Automated Shipping: The software can also automate the shipping process, selecting the best carriers and printing labels automatically, which saves time and reduces mistakes.
Atom8 can further streamline your order fulfillment by automating various workflows. It can handle tasks like sorting orders, updating inventory, and sending customer notifications, all without the need for manual intervention. This reduces the chance of errors and ensures that your fulfillment process is smooth and efficient.
Case Studies: Success with BigCommerce Fulfillment Software
Fulfillment software has transformed how many businesses manage their orders, leading to significant improvements in efficiency and customer satisfaction. Here are some real-life examples where BigCommerce’s fulfillment tools, combined with Atom8 BigCommerce Automation and BigCommerce BackOrder, have made a big difference.
- Hobby Store Group: Hobby Store Group, a leading retailer of transportation toys, faced challenges in managing thousands of daily orders. They used Atom8 to automate repetitive tasks like labeling products and updating order statuses. This automation saved time and reduced errors, allowing the company to focus on growing its business. With Atom8, they could also highlight new products automatically, keeping their inventory organized and up-to-date.
- Lexair: Lexair, a global communications technology firm, struggled with manually segmenting customers into different groups. Atom8 provided a solution by automating this process, ensuring that customers were assigned to the right groups without manual effort. This automation improved customer satisfaction by delivering personalized experiences more efficiently.
- Dollylocks: Dollylocks, a company known for its vegan hair care products, faced issues with managing backorders during the COVID-19 pandemic. They implemented BigCommerce BackOrder to allow customers to continue placing orders even when items were out of stock. This approach rescued 8% of their revenue during a challenging time and kept their customers informed about product availability.
- Chilly Dogs: Chilly Dogs, a Canadian brand specializing in high-quality dog coats, encountered frequent stockouts of their popular products, especially during the winter season. To tackle this, they used BigCommerce BackOrder, enabling customers to place orders even when items were temporarily unavailable. This strategy not only maintained sales momentum but also reduced customer inquiries about out-of-stock items. Additionally, they integrated Atom8 to automate stock level updates and streamline communication between their warehouse and sales teams, further enhancing their operational efficiency.
These examples show how businesses can benefit from using fulfillment software like BigCommerce’s tools, along with Atom8 and BackOrder. Automation helps reduce manual tasks, improves order accuracy, and ensures that customers receive their products on time. By integrating these tools, businesses can enhance their operations and provide a better shopping experience for their customers.
Conclusion
BigCommerce fulfillment software is a powerful tool for improving order management and customer satisfaction. By integrating this software with Atom8 BigCommerce Automation and BigCommerce BackOrder, businesses can automate repetitive tasks, manage inventory more effectively, and ensure that customers are always informed about their orders.
If you’re looking to improve your order management and provide a better experience for your customers, consider using these tools. They can help streamline your operations and boost your business performance.
For more information on how to get started, contact us today! We’re here to help you make the most of your BigCommerce store.
