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Order fulfilment services for start-ups
When you embark on a new eCommerce venture, it’s tempting to use a start-up fulfilment service from the get-go. But unless you’re consistently taking 300 – 1,000 orders per month, it’s unlikely to be cost-effective.
That’s because many fulfilment services for start-ups tend to charge minimum monthly fees, regardless of the number of orders you take. If you’re spreading this fee across hundreds of orders it’ll be affordable, but if it’s just a handful, the cost won’t outweigh the benefit.
Here we explain when the time is right to talk to us about outsourcing your fulfilment.
When should start-up businesses look at outsourcing fulfilment?
We typically advise start-up owners to come to us when they’re taking 300 – 1,000 orders each and every month. But there are a few exceptions to this rule.
You’re running pre-order promotions
If you’ve launched your new venture through Kickstarter, Indiegogo or another crowdfunding platform, you’re likely to have thousands of pre-orders to despatch quickly to eagerly awaiting customers. We can help you get through this initial peak, and provide ongoing storage and shipping thereafter.
You’re looking to expand internationally
If you’ve already had success in another market and are looking to launch in the UK or US, we can support your global growth. Our worldwide network of fulfilment centres combined with our real-time, cloud-based software make it simple to manage international operations.
You’ve secured investment
If you’ve secured outside investment to get your business idea of the ground, you’re likely to have a clear marketing plan to ramp up your order volumes quickly. If you’re confident you’ll hit 300 – 1,000 orders per month soon, let’s talk about outsourcing your fulfilment now.
You’re an experienced, multi-business entrepreneur
Maybe this isn’t your first venture. Maybe you’ve worked for an established brand and are now launching your own thing. If you’re experienced at gaining traction in your chosen market, we can quickly help you reach the point where outsourced fulfilment is the right next step.
Is our start-up fulfilment service right for you?
Our sweet spot is helping eCommerce businesses that have found product-market fit and are ready to scale.
Brands that are ready to scale
We help brands with proven products, established business models and growing sales get to the next level.
1,000+ orders per month
We ease the growing pains of brands that are already shipping – or are about to ship – 1,000+ orders per month.
Direct-to-consumer sales
We specialise in D2C eCommerce fulfilment, rather than traditional pallet-based storage and distribution.
Small, lightweight products
We’re optimised for fast-moving consumer products that are smaller than a football and lighter than a laptop.
Don’t outsource fulfilment (yet)
While there are many moving parts to order fulfilment – and perhaps an overwhelming amount of work to be done when you’re doing everything yourself – here are a few additional reasons why it might be best to keep your fulfilment in-house (for the time being).
How much will outsourcing your fulfilment cost?
When you’re ready to outsource, you’ll find James and James doesn’t adopt a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to pricing. We’ll tailor your pricing plan that covers these fundamental considerations.