Order fulfillment through Magento is a preferred method for thousands of eCommerce businesses. Why?

Magento is arguably the best eCommerce platform for large and small retailers alike. As one of the world’s leading eCommerce solutions, Magento provides about 26% of the top online stores with their shopping websites. Its “open source” programming allows web developers to customize every single feature of online stores.

Open source means that the code used to create a software is copyright-free. In other words, anyone can access the code and change it. This provides an unlimited level of customization. Furthermore, when a developer creates a new feature or functionality, they can share it with other developers. Thus, the diversity and usability of Magento continues to expand.

Magento Overview

Owned by Adobe Inc., Magento is unlike any other eCommerce platform in that it is a publicly-traded company with open source technology. It has the flexibility to expand alongside the business whose products it’s selling. There are no limits to what Magento can do in the right hands. All you need is a web developer and a product to sell.

Magento is great for first-time users. It offers everything online vendors need. From product, order, and inventory management, to payment processing and marketing tools; the features are endless.

Magento Page Builder and Content Management System

First, begin with the page builder feature. This is where users can quickly build and configure web pages with a drag-and-drop interface.

Also, Magento is a content management system. The content management system allows you to save and manage photos and product descriptions. Additionally, you don’t even have to be a developer to use page builder. Magento offers several templates to customize with your own products and branding.

After setting up the front end, you can enable and configure your inventory management. With Magento, you can opt-in to sell as a single or multi source merchant. Inventory management tracks product quantities, provides accurate salable stock amounts to customers, and ships according to recommendations or manual selections.

This extension should be integrated with your Magento website to provide the best customer shopping experience.

Fulfilling Magento Orders

Once your Magento store is up-and-running, you will need to fulfill online orders. Whether you choose to outsource for order fulfillment or do it in-house, the details are up to you. Details are important; it’s what ultimately wins the hearts of your online shoppers.

Let’s go over some of the primary considerations when fulfilling Magento orders.

Shipping Policies

Be sure to consider all shipping options when fulfilling orders. Shoppers want fast shipping, and they want options. Research drop shipping to understand terminology and shipping procedures. Understand tracking information.

Return Policies

A returned merchandise authorization (RMA) is granted to customers who request to return an item for replacement or refund. Typically, the customer contacts the merchant to request a refund. If approved, a unique RMA number is assigned to identify the returned product. Either the customer will send the product back or keep it. Ultimately, it depends on your return policy.

The seller may pay for returns. However, the customer can pay to ship the product back to the nearest warehouse. Sometimes the cost of shipping is not worth taking back a used or defective product. Most lucrative online retailers have the policy to accept return transactions online, and sending return labels via email. The buyer is then responsible for dropping the product off at the nearest shipping point.

Processing And Fulfilling Orders with Magento

Magento uses extensions in the way that WordPress uses plugins.

These extensions provide shipping “widgets” for your Magento website. Magento extensions may also offer B2B connections offering expert services and advice. In-depth tools are available to help with your packing and shipping needs. Additionally, these options can provide shipping software that integrates with your eCommerce site.

Shipping Extensions

You may not know the term API (Application Programming Interface), per se, but you certainly know how to use APIs on websites.

APIs are simple widgets embedded into web pages. An API provides pre-coded user interfaces. Customers use this interface to move through the purchasing process—the sales funnel. API keys are long passwords that link together two different websites, or rather, web functions.

For example, Magento sites have shipping extensions. Shipping providers develop these shipping extensions and offer it to all Magento users. The extensions that Magento offers can include, but aren’t limited to; UPS, USPS, FedEx, or FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon). Any Magento-based website can add that shipping application (aka API) to their website.

After installing the shipping extension of your choice, you must input your business information. for the two applications (the retailer and the shipper) to communicate. This is how to retrieve an API key. Then, copy-paste the API key provided for future website access.

Shipping APIs communicate the details (usually via email and/or CRM) of current orders and those processing. After receiving an order, Magento’s inventory management system begins its magic. When the “manage stock” option is enabled, Magento Inventory Management automatically tracks product quantities available for the site through configured stocks and sources.

Inventory

Your business runs and inventory updates along with every one of your sales. As customers shop, you receive the exact, updated information. Information will update for available stock per sales channel and source.

When a customer adds to cart and completes a purchase, available “salable quantities” update per stock. Also, when your inventory will update when you manage orders, create shipments, or issue refunds. Additionally, arrivals of new or transferred stock to your sources will immediately update and be available for online sales. Backorders complete up to specified thresholds without infinite orders or additional configurations as well.

Processing, packing and shipping orders are one reason Magento is number one in eCommerce. Because retailers have 100% customization when it comes to order and inventory management.

Third-Party Logistics

In the past, third-party logistics (3PL) were mostly dedicated to warehousing and transporting goods. Today, these companies are known for specializing in various integrated supply chain operations. These operations could include anything from transportation, warehousing, and the various steps in between.

What’s the best part about working with a 3PL partner? Well, many of them have pre-built extensions (APIs) that easily work with Magento. When choosing shipping, inventory management, and all your order fulfillment options, you may simply search the Magento Marketplace to find the API / extension of the service provider you want.

To choose the right match for your needs, you’ll need to fully understand the types of 3PL partners that are out there and what each offers. If you have multiple products it’s best to have a partner that can handle all of your printing, sourcing, design and distribution needs in one place than to outsource to multiple providers or try to handle things in-house.

The 3PL Process

The process of third-party logistics is simple. There are several different services available for general needs and for specialty solutions.

At Print Bind Ship we are always pushing the envelope. We are a leading 3PL partner that’s always aiming to create a unique experience, or product, for our customers. Whether you need printing, packaging, or global fulfillment, we cover it all. Essentially, we act as your total solution for eCommerce needs; providing all of the services that you need in a single place.

Production

At Print Bind Ship, we have the most advanced, high-quality printing machines and methods to ensure that your materials come out looking perfectly professional every single time. We can handle small runs and large runs, and even print-on-demand orders.

We are able to offer our customers:

Custom box printing
Hard and soft cover book printing
Notebook printing
Large format printing
Pamphlets
Promotional materials

Picking and Packing

If we’re not printing on demand, we’re picking orders from inventory and packing them for shipping as soon as they come in.

We have a dedicated picking process to keep your inventory organized and more. Furthermore, our process ensures that all orders meet our high-quality standards. It makes sure that all packages arrive at their destination looking as good as they did when they left.

Inventory Management

Inventory levels will never run too low on our watch. Whether you have a designated stock in mind or you want our help figuring out what you should have available, we can discuss your needs and find the right solution. Anything that we’re keeping stocked will be tracked and managed. Plus, our integrated technology will make it easy to integrate with eCommerce and track your orders and inventory levels.

Warehousing

We’ll keep your inventory in our warehouse. This is great for you because your inventory will no longer take up your space.

We have dedicated storage solutions that are highly organized. Our storage solutions are set up for efficient picking, packing, stocking, and shipping. Our trained team is dedicated to warehousing, yet again taking the hassle off of your hands.

Shipping and Receiving

We can handle all of your order shipping, materials receiving, and anything else that you need.

With 60+ years in the industry, we formed relationships with the biggest providers and can pass our savings on to you. Today’s customers expect free or cheap shipping on everything – when you work with us, you can afford to give it to them.

Reverse logistics and freight shipping (LTL and FTL)

As your 3PL partner, we will also take care of finding the best freight rates.

Whether you need FTL or LTL transport, we find the right shipping options for businesses. We can process reverse logistics, shipment returns, and other transport, as well. This will ensure that your products get to the right place right on time. We do all of this without any effort on your part.

What to Look for in a 3PL Provider

When looking to outsource your workload, you could hire one logistics partner and a different production company. However, it can be even more cost-efficient to choose a 3PL that can do it all.

That’s exactly what you get when you choose to partner with the team at Print Bind Ship. Now that you understand more about the value of finding the right 3PL partner, here’s what you should be looking for from the best.

Experience

Print Bind Ship has over 60 years of experience in the printing and fulfillment business. We know how we can help your business grow through fulfillment and additional products, and know what to do if a problem arises. We take a proactive approach to every client and order and make sure that we’re always working with your best intentions in mind.

Fast Shipping

We offer faster, more efficient shipping by doing everything in one place. Instead of having to wait for your orders to go from the printer to the warehouse and then onto shipping, it’s all done right here and we can ensure that all of your shipping and freight transport is done as affordably and efficiently as possible.

Cost-Effective

Having the ability to handle so many of your logistics by working with one 3PL partner like Print Bind Ship gives you the cost-effective solution that you’ve been looking for.

We’ll work with you to create a custom solution. The best part, you’ll only pay for what you need. Plus, you’ll get the best rates and when we find savings, we’ll pass them onto you.

Integrated Technology

The modern world of order fulfillment cannot function without virtual integration.

It’s extremely easy to integrate technology; and worth considering. Integrated technology will ultimately save you time and even money. Our integrated technology solutions will allow you to connect to your eCommerce platforms as well as other sites.

With integrated tech, you can consistently monitor your inventory, providing accurate stock levels to customers. You can also streamline everything for easy order and inventory tracking.

Additional Services

Does the provider offer any additional services? Sure, they might be able to warehouse and deliver your goods, or even produce and ship them on demand, but what else can they do for you? The more parts of your supply chain you can assign to one person or partner, the more streamlined your operations will be. At Print Bind Ship, we offer:

Hardcover Book Printing
Softcover Book Printing
Spiral Bound Books
Package Design
Custom Printed Boxes
Subscription Box Fulfillment
FBA Provider
Warehouse Storage
Next Day Air Service
Large Format Printing
Product Launch Kits
Kitting Services

And all of this is in addition to our full-service logistics solutions that will save your business time and money in so many ways!

Partner With Print Bind Ship for Magento Fulfillment

If you are ready to expand your operations at a fraction of the cost and get a lot of the work off of your plate, Print Bind Ship is ready to help. We can handle everything from printing small and large runs, to printing on demand, warehousing, shipping and distribution, and even assisting with marketing and other fulfillment solutions. Our professional teams understand what it takes to deliver efficient service with high-quality results and we’re ready to get started so call us today.