Fulfillment: Why ambitious online merchants should think about it

Fulfillment in ecommerce is more important than visuals, product marketing, and basically anything else. Don’t believe us? According to research, 65% of potential customers abandoned their online baskets when they found that the delivery of products was either too slow, too costly, or both. Would you willingly risk losing 2/3 of your potential buyers? 

Luckily, you don’t have to. With new and evolving tools such as fulfillment automation, eCommerce merchants can provide superior customer service to their customers, offering order fulfillment at lightning-fast speeds and reasonable costs. 

In this article, we will explore why fulfillment should be a key part of any online merchant’s overall strategy for growth, customer retention, profits, and more. With scalability, customer service repercussions, and brand-building possibilities, fulfillment can provide that missing puzzle piece to take your ecommerce store to the next level. 

The Importance of Customer Service in Online Order Fulfillment

One aspect of fulfillment that often gets overlooked is customer service. Having a streamlined order and delivery process is essential, but what happens when issues arise? For example, you might face negative comments or complaints on your social media channels. 

In such cases, using social media moderation tools can be a game-changer—this lets you scan your channels for specific keywords or sentiments and allow you to address any concerns swiftly. By integrating these tools with your fulfillment systems, you can create a cohesive customer service strategy that enhances the overall experience, even if the mention of your brand wasn’t direct, such as a review of a support email.

If customers post any possible complaints or feedback through social media platforms, you can use customer service technologies to highlight and complement your efficient fulfillment system. For example, using moderation tools, you can identify customer complaints about any fulfillment issues, and then craft a personalized message for your customers, letting them know exactly what steps are being taken to address the issue. 

Addressing customer feedback directly, but within the public forum of social media, is a great strategy for boosting your reputation and trustworthiness, sharing your company values, and gaining a loyal customer following. It can also be wise to have a customer service sop template to help ensure that all customer interactions follow the same consistent procedures. This will help to improve the efficiency and the quality of your customer communications when it comes to incorporating feedback and responding to questions and inquiries. 

And if you do actually take into account customer feedback, and make requested changes, your fulfillment process will genuinely run in a more smooth way, providing enhanced customer experiences drawn directly from customer feedback. It’s a win-win situation. 

How to Amplify Customer Experience With Brand Building 

Fulfillment isn't just about getting products from Point A to Point B; it's an opportunity for brand building. Customers who receive their orders on time and in perfect condition are more likely to share their positive experiences. 

One great way to amplify this goodwill is through influencer marketing. Partnering with influencers to showcase your efficient fulfillment process not only validates your operations but also reaches audiences you might not have otherwise tapped into. For instance, you can ask your influencers to film the unboxing process, where they can see more than just a timely delivery and instead experience the product through the eyes of a person they admire. 

Promoting the efficiency and ease of your fulfillment process can help boost your brand’s online reputation. When customers realize that ordering products with your brand is not only easy and fast but also reliable and affordable, your brand’s trustworthiness and reputation will grow. 

You can amplify this process by relying on Presta’s suite of fulfillment features that will ensure that you’ll hit every order and delivery date out of the park. If anything goes wrong, you’ll find out immediately. Likewise, if you’re unsure about something, the PrestaShop Academy is at your disposal. 

Final Thoughts

Focusing on providing fast, cost-effective, and reliable order fulfillment is a great way to respect customers’ needs and boost the impact of your brand. 

Customers who know their orders will be fulfilled to perfection will not only return to make repeat purchases but also share your brand with natural word-of-mouth marketing. So providing excellent fulfillment is a great way for your eCommerce digital shop to grow, especially if you can find the right automation solutions for your scale and needs.