{"id":24444,"date":"2021-06-09T16:22:58","date_gmt":"2021-06-09T15:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/localhost:10003\/?post_type=scaleup&#038;p=24444"},"modified":"2024-08-13T16:19:21","modified_gmt":"2024-08-13T15:19:21","slug":"fulfilment-in-global-expansion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/scale-up\/fulfilment-in-global-expansion\/","title":{"rendered":"Order Fulfilment Powers Global Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>The opportunity to introduce new customers to your products and position yourself as a \u2018global brand\u2019 can help create a strong standing within your market. There are&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldfirst.com\/uk\/blog\/guides\/6-reasons-to-expand-internationally-in-2021\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">many compelling reasons for expanding your business internationally<\/a>, so it\u2019s wise to carefully plan your brand positioning and product offering for the best chance of success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ons.gov.uk\/economy\/nationalaccounts\/balanceofpayments\/articles\/impactofthecoronavirusandeuexitonthecollectionandcompilationofuktradestatistics\/2021-03-08\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">pandemic and EU exit uncertainty<\/a>&nbsp;contributed, and continues to contribute, to the erratic nature of UK and global trade, the outlook for cross-border direct-to-consumer (D2C) eCommerce remains on a positive trajectory. By 2026, the market is&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fnfresearch.com\/cross-border-b2c-e-commerce-market-by-category-852\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">expected to reach 4,820 billion dollars<\/a>&nbsp;and carry a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 27% through 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For businesses who have done extensive research, identified a new export market that\u2019s the right fit for their products, and have their sights firmly set on going global, what factors do they need to consider?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One fundamental part is&nbsp;<a href=\"\/order-fulfilment\/\">order fulfilment<\/a>. It\u2019s a real balancing act to ensure you keep your current, loyal customers happy with on-time order deliveries while wowing and persuading customers to love your products in your new territory. So, to get the ball rolling, you\u2019ll first need to\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article<\/p>\n<\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/scale-up\/fulfilment-in-global-expansion\/#work-out-the-best-way-to-get-your-products-from-a-to-b\" >Work out the best way to get your products from A to B<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/scale-up\/fulfilment-in-global-expansion\/#outsourcing-fulfilment-to-support-your-international-ecommerce-expansion-strategy\" >Outsourcing fulfilment to support your international eCommerce expansion strategy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/resources\/scale-up\/fulfilment-in-global-expansion\/#to-summarise%e2%80%a6\" >To summarise\u2026<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"work-out-the-best-way-to-get-your-products-from-a-to-b\"><\/span><strong>Work out the best way to get your products from A to B<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The international logistics and fulfilment strategy you decide on for expanding into a new market needs to be one that ensures the reliable and continuous delivery of orders to customers. How exactly you ship your products depends upon the country you are exporting them to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 1: A cross-border fulfilment model<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Products leave one country to another<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inventory is not stored in the country being shipped to<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideal for businesses whose international orders aren\u2019t\/won\u2019t be a large part of their business model and want a more hands-on approach to managing their stock<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Easier to test success in the new market without a large upfront investment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Option 2: In-region entity with local fulfilment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Products are stored in the country the business is expanding into<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ideal for businesses whose market is local, but covers a large geographical area (e.g. the US)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Reduces delivery costs and time in transit, making it a cost-effective way to handle international orders<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The business picks up custom tax\/duties, so the end customer doesn\u2019t get stung with a surprise bill<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Popular payment methods are easier to manage locally<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Returns are easier for the customer as they\u2019re not dealing with international postage<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Third-party logistics providers (3PL) with local fulfilment centres in centralised areas can fulfil customer orders on your behalf, resulting in further time, effort, and money savings<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"outsourcing-fulfilment-to-support-your-international-ecommerce-expansion-strategy\"><\/span>Outsourcing fulfilment to support your international eCommerce expansion strategy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to significantly increase your international sales, you may want to research partnering with a specialist logistics and fulfilment service provider. If there\u2019s more demand for your products, and you have more to invest, you may be inclined to use more than one fulfilment centre to extend your global reach quickly and seamlessly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a customer places an order on your website, your fulfilment partner will pick and pack the product\/s (stored in their own fulfilment centre), complete all the necessary shipping paperwork and work with their shipping networks to deliver it to your customer, on-time and in one piece. If the customer wants to return the item for any reason, they\u2019ll deal with that too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While you may feel uncomfortable with the idea of outsourcing a major part of your business operations, it doesn\u2019t have to mean you\u2019re completely hands-off. Specialist fulfilment partners will give you the\u00a0<a href=\"\/fulfilment-software\/\">technology and tools<\/a>\u00a0to have complete visibility of the order fulfilment process \u2013 some even offer \u2018access anytime\u2019 portals for your customers to track their parcel and initiate swift returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ultimately, outsourcing is an efficient option as you can use the company\u2019s infrastructure, expertise, and systems that are already in place and operational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=oOdj0tig7VI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Expertise and contacts<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A 3PL has the know-how when it comes to the rules and regulations of products in&nbsp;<a href=\"\/really-difficult-sell-online-usa\/\">different markets<\/a>, as well as export and delivery taxes. They\u2019ll also have access to a network of reliable carriers, with preferential rates that can be passed on to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Speed<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Working with their trusted carrier partners,&nbsp;<a href=\"\/fulfilment-company\/\">a fulfilment company<\/a>&nbsp;will ensure the timely shipment of your items, automate all of your orders and streamline the entire shipping process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Scalability<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have cyclical\/seasonal sales or don\u2019t have the right infrastructure, outsourcing fulfilment responsibility will help you&nbsp;scale up&nbsp;quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Cost-savings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u2019ll save on overheads and staff hiring costs (especially as demand increases), as well as packaging and shipping costs. Plus, these savings mean you\u2019re giving customers more reasons to choose your products (because you can pass on cheaper shipping costs, or even free shipping, to them).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Time-savings<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Because you\u2019re not doing the logistics yourself, you can focus on building your business and your \u2018bigger picture\u2019 strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Keeping order fulfilment in-house<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s a long list of responsibilities when it comes to order fulfilment, as outlined above, but if you do decide to fulfil all customer orders in-house, be sure to do your due diligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s wise to undertake extensive research into the transport couriers who will be delivering your products in your new export market. Do they have a good reputation? Would you prefer to use a long-standing courier firm (which may cost you more), or a smaller firm, which may provide more flexibility?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the value of your products \u2013 and the speed at which they need to be delivered \u2013 you can use a combination of postal and courier options. Once you\u2019ve decided, make sure you procure your courier in advance. Trading events that happen in the last three months of the year typically cause congestion, so prepare to increase delivery lead times for this busy period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Check whether you need to create an entity in the region and conduct imports yourself, or whether you\u2019ll need to use a third party to buy and import your products, without creating an entity. Tax implications and documentation required, especially post-Brexit, can be complex.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.great.gov.uk\/advice\/prepare-to-do-business-in-a-foreign-country\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Gov.uk<\/a> provides plenty of advice in this area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"to-summarise%e2%80%a6\"><\/span><strong>To summarise\u2026<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Whichever fulfilment model you adopt, and whether you\u00a0outsource\u00a0or keep everything in-house, by spending a good deal of time planning your international fulfilment and logistics strategy, you can ensure your products get into your customers\u2019 hands quickly and cost-effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Guest article originally written for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.worldfirst.com\/uk\/blog\/selling-online\/fulfilment-in-successful-international-expansion\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">WorldFirst<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The opportunity to introduce new customers to your products and position yourself as a \u2018global brand\u2019 can help create a strong standing within your market. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":24557,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"yes","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[376],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-scale-up"],"acf":[],"modified_by":"James Dillon","featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210317_104956-scaled.jpg","featured_image_src_square":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/20210317_104956-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"J&amp;J Global Fulfilment","author_link":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/author\/james-and-james\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24444","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24444\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ecommercefulfilment.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}