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Do I need an online business license?
When you start a brick-and-mortar business, you get a business license from the city or county where your operations are headquartered. So, when you start an eCommerce business, do you need an online business license? The answer to that question […]
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What is shipstation?
ShipStation is a web-based shipping platform that helps businesses manage their small parcel shipping and e-commerce fulfillment. It’s how you can get products and purchases to your customers, though it often won’t help with managing your inbound inventory if you […]
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AI in ecommerce: chatbots, tools, applications, personalization
The machine learning algorithms have risen and — sorry, John Connor — but the people are embracing AI in eCommerce because they’re just such good shoppers. Retailers are on board, too, because automation tools powered by machine learning (ML) and […]
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How to calculate shipping costs
Learning how to calculate shipping costs can be some of the trickiest to get a handle on for eCommerce businesses that want to balance customer satisfaction with affordability and margin control. The vast majority of your customers expect shipping to […]
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Ecommerce business continuity plan: Complete guide for 2025
When disaster strikes your supply chain, every hour of downtime costs your ecommerce business money. A hurricane shuts down your fulfillment center. A cyberattack takes your website offline. Your key supplier faces production delays. Without a solid ecommerce business continuity […]
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Understanding inventory turnover ratio
Your company’s inventory turnover ratio is an important metric. A simple inventory turnover formula can help you understand and improve your inventory management. When you get clear about your inventory turnover ratio, you can run your business with smaller carrying […]
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What is economic order quantity?
Economic order quantity, or EOQ, is a formula that helps you figure out the right amount of stock to fill your orders during the year ahead. Economic order quantity helps you reduce the amount of money you have tied up […]
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How to take your brick-and-mortar retail store online
The spread of the novel coronavirus forced many brick-and-mortar retailers to temporarily close their doors. Even before COVID-19, many brick-and-mortar stores were struggling. However, the pandemic exposed existing weaknesses in the retail business model and exacerbated them. To make up […]
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How to calculate and reduce inventory shrinkage
There are many terms for inventory shrinkage: warehouse shrinkage, product shrinkage, loss of product. They all amount to the same thing — your merchandise is missing from the warehouse shelves. For businesses that sell physical things, some amount of shrinkage […]
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Ultimate guide to reverse logistics
In an ideal world, your eCommerce would have a return rate of zero. However, returns are unavoidable when you sell online. That’s why you need a robust reverse logistics operation. Return rates for eCommerce shops are more than double the […]
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Cross docking for backorder management
You might not have heard of cross docking, but it just may be the solution to your ecommerce fulfillment problems. This is a time when many online retailers are facing difficulty in keeping products in stock. Cross-docking can help your […]
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3PL and 4PL logistics: differences and comparisons
Logistics has become increasingly sophisticated. The current worldwide crisis has put supply chains in the news. However, the role of outsourced logistics in the supply chain hasn’t been fully explained. Most people may have heard of 3PL, 4PL, 5PL, and […]