You’ve got merchandise to ship to customers, but how do you make sure everything arrives in one piece? And if you’re dealing with bigger items, how do you avoid paying an arm and a leg in shipping costs? ShipMonk offers 3PL services that are efficient and cost-effective for some retailers. But it may not be … Read more
Contract warehousing is a long-term agreement where a third-party logistics (3PL) provider dedicates facility space, labor, and technology to a single client. Unlike public warehousing, costs and SOPs are customized, giving you predictable pricing, tailored processes, and full control of KPIs without owning the building. This model works best for businesses shipping 50,000+ units annually … Read more
Inventory shortages drain billions from retail operations annually, making stockouts one of the most critical challenges facing businesses today. An inventory shortage occurs when available inventory levels fall below the quantity needed to fulfill customer orders. In simple terms, you’ve sold more units than you physically have on hand. When inventory shortage occurs, it triggers … Read more
Joint shipments can slash your shipping costs by 20-40% while boosting customer satisfaction—but only if you implement them correctly. Picture this: A customer places two separate orders from your store on Monday and Tuesday. Instead of shipping each order individually (and paying double the shipping costs), your system automatically combines both orders into one package … Read more
Your warehouse has inventory in stock. You’ve sold more units to customers than you can fulfill. The math is brutal: angry customers waiting for products you can’t ship. This inventory backlog scenario plays out daily across ecommerce operations, turning profitable sales into operational nightmares. But here’s what successful companies know: inventory backlog isn’t just a … Read more
Seeing “tendered to delivery service provider” on your tracking update? Don’t worry—your package isn’t lost. This status simply means your original carrier (UPS, FedEx, or DHL) handed your package to a local delivery service for final delivery. It’s a completely normal part of the shipping process that happens millions of times daily. Your package should … Read more
Picture this: You’re shipping high-value electronics from Canada to Mexico through the U.S. Using traditional shipping, you’ll pay Canadian duties, then U.S. duties at the border, then Mexican duties at the final destination. That’s three separate duty payments on the same cargo—and a massive hit to your cash flow. There’s a better way. A bonded … Read more
The ecommerce fulfillment solution you choose plays a critical role in your business’s ability to scale, grow profits, and satisfy customer expectations. When deciding between ShipMonk and Amazon FBA, the right choice depends on several key factors, such as order volume, sales channels, product type, and control requirements. There’s no right or wrong answer across … Read more
Poor delivery performance is costing suppliers millions in retailer penalties while destroying customer relationships. Retailers now demand near-perfect delivery performance, imposing brutal financial penalties for failures. Major retailers restrict accounts, charge hefty fees, and reduce shelf space allocation for poor performers. On-time in-full (OTIF) has become the make-or-break metric determining supplier success. This unforgiving measurement … Read more
Your sales team sees surging demand ahead. Operations expects steady growth. Finance plans cost cuts. Suppliers guess wildly. Customers face empty shelves. Sound familiar? You’re trapped in forecasting silos. Most companies operate this way. Sales make promises operations can’t deliver. Supply chains drown in excess inventory or scramble to fill orders. Each department builds forecasts … Read more
In supply chain management, the upstream supply chain refers to all activities that happen before production: sourcing raw materials, evaluating and contracting suppliers, purchasing components, and transporting them to the manufacturer. It’s the upstream supply side of the entire supply chain value network, whereas downstream supply chain operations handle finished products distribution to customers through … Read more
Selling large and oversized items on Amazon, such as patio furniture sets, exercise equipment, and home entertainment systems, can be incredibly profitable. However, it doesn’t take long for the hidden costs to accumulate. You’re often dealing with high Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) fees, expensive storage and shipping, strict packaging and sizing requirements, and complex return … Read more
