Foundation · 2 min
What you need to know
How does ecommerce shipping and fulfillment work?
A paid order moves through stock allocation, picking, packing, and carrier handoff. The carrier then scans and transports the parcel to the delivery address. Each stage should produce a record, so support can locate an order’s status at any point without guessing.
What is the difference between shipping and fulfillment?
Fulfillment covers everything from order receipt to carrier handoff, including stock checks, picking, and packing. Shipping is the carrier-managed journey after handoff. Both stages affect the total delivery time the customer experiences.
Should merchants fulfil orders themselves or use a fulfillment partner?
Self-fulfillment suits low volumes, specialist packing, or products that need personal quality checks. A fulfillment partner can reduce per-unit labor costs and storage overhead at higher volumes. Evaluate real landed cost per order, not just the partner’s quoted rate.
What is a third-party logistics provider?
A third-party logistics provider, often called a 3PL, stores inventory, picks orders and ships them on the merchant’s behalf. The merchant sends stock to the 3PL’s warehouse and passes order details for dispatch. Integration quality, returns handling and minimum-volume requirements vary.
What happens between order placement and dispatch?
The store confirms payment, allocates stock, generates a pick task, packs the parcel, prints the label, and hands off to the carrier. The time between order placement and carrier handoff is the processing or handling time and should be stated clearly at checkout.
Foundation · 2 min
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose between fulfilling in-house and using a 3PL?
Compare the total cost of in-house packing, storage and labor against a 3PL’s fees at your actual order volumes. Also consider integration complexity, lead times for restocking and whether the 3PL can meet your packing and returns standards.
What carrier options do small ecommerce merchants typically have?
Most national postal services and major carriers accept small-business accounts. Some platforms offer pre-negotiated rates. Compare actual quote outputs for your typical parcel size and destination mix rather than advertised rate cards.