ECommerce fulfillment is a vital supply chain link for every online business. If you ship a lot of orders to customers in other countries, you might also use fulfillment warehouses outside the U.S. That’s where you might run into the word “fulfilment.” No, it’s not a typo.
For people who speak and write British English, fulfilment — with just two Ls instead of three — is the proper spelling. In American English, fulfillment with three Ls is the more common spelling, though both spellings are correct. Here’s what you need to know about fulfillment vs. fulfilment — the words and the services.
What is a fulfillment center?
A fulfillment center is a warehouse that provides order fulfillment. This includes warehousing and storage for your products. Fulfillment centers also pick and pack your orders and handle shipping.
You might use just one fulfillment center for your eCommerce order processing. Or, for better national fulfillment coverage, you could use multiple fulfillment centers for the distribution of your products.
Fulfilment vs. fulfillment: what’s the difference?
Fulfil and fulfill mean the same thing. Fulfilment is also known as 3PL services. Third-party logistics companies in Canada, the UK, Australia, and New Zealand may offer you fulfilment services rather than fulfillment. The services are identical, even though the spelling is different. While most U.S. fulfillment companies (including Red Stag Fulfillment) use the spelling with three Ls, both are correct. There is no difference between fulfil vs. fulfill.
Fulfil vs. fulfill: the product fulfilment process
Whether you say fulfill or fulfil, the order fulfillment process follows several distinct steps.
- Receiving or inbound shipping. Your goods arrive in the fulfilment center, usually via freight, and are logged into inventory.
- Storage. The fulfilment center stores your products until they go out to your customers.
- Picking. When an order comes in, a picker pulls the items to fill that order.
- Packing. After picking, the order goes to a packing station. A packer boxes it, making sure to use enough infill to protect the items.
- Shipping. Carriers pick up packages for delivery. Some fulfillment centers, like Red Stag Fulfillment, offer same-day shipping. That gets your packages out the door and on their way to the customer the same day the order is placed.
Your fulfilment center may also be able to provide extra services. Red Stag Fulfillment offers several add-on services for our clients. These include kitting and un-kitting, light assembly, and inventory management assistance, in addition to fulfilling orders.
How to choose the best fulfilment company
The spelling of fulfilment vs. fulfillment is less important than the quality of your fulfillment services. When you’re looking for a fulfilment company, it’s essential to ask the right questions. Here are a few examples to get you started.
- Do you have monthly order minimums?
- What are your fulfillment center locations? Do you charge location fees for placing stock in more than one warehouse?
- What size/weight is your typical parcel? Do you have size or weight limits?
- Do I need to sign a contract? If so, for how long?
- What is your accuracy rate?
- Do you have a shrinkage allowance?
- What types of services do you offer beyond basic fulfilment?
Red Stag Fulfillment has created a questionnaire with even more detailed questions to help you find your fulfillment match. Order delivery is key to customer satisfaction. It’s crucial to pick the best fulfillment company for your online store.
However you spell it, Red Stag Fulfillment is here to help
Red Stag Fulfillment provides U.S.-based order processing for businesses from around the world. Our best-in-industry 3PL services will earn you raves from your customers. And we provide a good value, with zero inventory shrinkage and order fulfillment accuracy guarantees.
Whether you spell it fulfilment or fulfillment, Red Stag is here to help.
