When you are running an e-commerce business, there are many nuances you need to address throughout your brand’s lifecycle. Instead of overwhelming yourself, you sublet some aspects to 3rd parties while focusing on what is more important.
For example, letting others take care of your logistics and marketing so that you can design better products and deal with customer feedback to improve your image.
So, if you are running a shop on a platform such as Shopify, you need to know about Shopify 3PL and how they can simplify your logistics. Let’s discuss this in detail in this article while recommending a great 3PL for Shopify.
| Table of Content |
Part 1. What is a 3PL for Shopify?
3PL or 3rd Party Logistics is the term used for the process of allowing another company to manage your product or brand’s logistics. This management typically involves picking your product from the manufacturer, packing it at their warehouse, and keeping it there until it is ready to ship.
Sometimes, Shopify 3PL providers deliver it to their warehouses in regions close to your customers. Providing these services helps the Shopify shop owners to save costs and, in return, get a streamlined delivery process.
The Shopify 3PL is so easily integrated with Shopify shops that neither the customer nor the owner worries about handoff processes. The customer only worries about timely delivery while the owner focuses on developing, marketing, and selling their products. about 100 words
Part 2. How Does Shopify 3PL Work?
Below, we explain what a Shopify 3PL looks like, but it may vary based on what terms and conditions you have finalized with your 3PL for Shopify provider or company.
- Shopify 3PL provider receives your products that are part of your inventory, especially ones you have placed in your shop. They then have to arrange each in order based on the SKU provided.
- They store these items in the warehouse in the origin location or a warehouse near the location of the most number of customers.
- Whenever a customer places an order, the information is automatically shared with the Shopify 3PL if the 3PL is integrated with your Shopify account. Otherwise, you have to share the information manually.
- A worker then picks the ordered product, packs it, and makes a receipt with the necessary delivery information. This information may even include the shipping carrier like DHL as well.
- The Shopify 3PL provider is responsible for finding and managing shipping carriers and choosing the best one for each delivery order.
- Typically, the carrier working with the Shopify 3PL collects this package and proceeds to their delivery channel most optimum for the customer’s location.
- Most 3PLs then relay the tracking information regularly to your management system, where you can see the updates on your dashboard.
- Most Shopify 3PL also cater to returns. After 3PL receives the item, it will document it and either send it back to the origin or dispose of it as per your contract.
Part 3. Benefits of Partnering with 3PL for Shopify Store Owners
Now that you have read about how Shopify 3PL providers work, you can understand what value addition they bring to your Shopify account. Here are the significant benefits that you get when engaging with a 3PL.
- Stress-Free Process –3PL agents take care of everything from receiving products from vendors to delivering them to your customers. You don’t stress about any step of the whole process.
- Years of Experience –Many Shopify 3PL provider companies have worked with many clients, are aware of your pain points, and can help you relieve them instantly.
- Easy Integration –Whether shipping, packing, tracking, or returning, their information is integrated with the Shopify platform, allowing easy access to information.
- Keeping Track –Manage your inventory in any of the warehouses provided by your Shopify 3PL via their smart inventory management system, allowing you always to keep track.
- Simple Account Setup –The process is already simple but is made more intuitive because of your dedicated account manager assigned to you to serve and guide you through each step.
- Pick, Pack, and Ship –Each order is assigned to the nearest warehouse to your customer. As you requested, the fulfillment process starts from there and involves labeling, packing, and customization.
- Trusted Fulfillment –Reliable 3PL for Shopify, like NextSmartShip, provides the best solutions so your business grows globally.
- Complete Tracking and Analytics –If you work with trustworthy agents like NextSmartShip, you and your customer can easily track where the order is and how long it will take to reach you in real time.
- Custom Packaging –You have detailed customization options to make each delivery unique for your customer if you work with a professional Shopify 3PL.
- Automated Fulfillment –Once getting your integration automated allows you to focus on other things and save tons of time which is because 3PL for Shopify does this for you minimizes any issues.
Part 4. Choosing the Right 3PL Shopify Provider
In the previous section, you have understood in detail what critical aspect a Shopify 3PL provider serves you and how you benefit from them for a small monthly fee.
NextSmartShip does this and more when it comes to providing you with the best, simple, affordable, yet fast Shopify 3PL services. With the enthusiasm of a passionate and professional team, NextSmartShip brings your business to a new level and does the heavy lifting.
Whether it’s integrating data and information with your store, receiving orders seamlessly, or sending inventory to many warehouses across the globe, NextSmartShip has all the solutions. So, there is no need to worry about picking, packing, and shipping your crucial orders, and let NextSmartShip do the rest.
Part 5. How to Integrate a 3PL Service with Your Shopify Store?
In this section, we take the example of the best Shopify 3PL company, NextSmartShip, on how easy it is to set up and integrate a 3PL with your shop.
Here are the easy-to-follow steps to make it work and enhance your automatic fulfillment of your orders.
- The first step is to sign in to your Shopify account and head over to the Apps option menu, where you click on it to search for NextSmartShip or your preferred 3PL for Shopify.
- Follow the instructions as presented on the screen until you reach the point in the image below. Here, you simply press the ‘Install App’ in green, as you can see.
- When you press the ‘Install App’ button, it will start syncing. The Shopify 3PL provider will ask you to sign in before the linkage and sync. You may see the Update App if you have done this before.
- After the sync is finished, you need to specify the location, and in this case, NextSmartShip will manage your fulfillment options as your Shopify 3PL.
- If it doesn’t show as intended, you should immediately contact their customer care representative to resolve the issue ASAP.
- Now, every time you want to fulfill an order, you can select your Shopify 3PL agent in the products menu, and they will take care of the rest.
- The process will now be the same each time you want to fulfill an order, and as soon as the fulfillment process begins, you or your customer will immediately get the tracking number.
Part 6. Common Misconceptions About 3PL for Shopify
Let’s look at some of the biggest misconceptions many Shopify owners will have against collaborating with 3PL service providers. They miss out on these opportunities because of it.
1. You Lose Control When You Handover Operations to a Shopify 3PL
It might seem a bit disconcerting at first because most of your inventory is residing in the warehouses of your 3PL. But rest assured, you still have control as you are under a binding contract, and the experts are handling it to ensure everything goes smoothly.
2. Enterprises Can Benefit from 3PL for Shopify
Great 3PLs like NextSmartShip have multiple packages that cater to different-sized businesses and guide them along the way to grow better. Ultimately, if you grow, you give more responsibility to the 3PL provider.
3. Too Many Hidden Fees
Most of the time, there are no hidden fees but additional costs clearly mentioned by the Shopify 3PL provider, such as combined storage, inbound and outbound costs, or customs and duties. If a 3PL provider doesn’t share this information, you should avoid them as much as possible.
Conclusion
Taking the services of a Shopify 3PL is the backbone of any shop owner as it allows them to focus on important things like managing their shop, creating new content, and promoting their brand. 3PL companies and agents take care of the rest, like picking, packing, and shipping your products.
There are many other benefits of 3PL for Shopify agents, some of which we have mentioned in this article that showcase how important they are. If you are looking for a reliable and experienced Shopify 3PL provider, NextSmartShip is your safest bet.
