Order fulfilment services never stand still and are constantly evolving to meet the customer’s demands, and no time in recent history has this happened more than during the pandemic. Big retail outlets and brands adapting their supply chain methods and business models have created inventive ways to fulfil orders.
Direct to customer
With the global issues facing ports, warehouses and transport during the pandemic, the increase in big companies delivering direct to the customer was exponential, and the trend shows little sign of subsiding. Some brands take this to the next level and personalise order fulfilment with special offers, sample products, or bespoke messages.
Versatile order fulfilment services
For a while, click-and-collect has been a staple of the retail experience, but these services became essential during the lockdown. Some consumers have now become accustomed to the flexibility the service offers, preferring to arrive at a time that suits them, collect their goods and go. Reserve online and collecting in-store is also a growing trend for more high ticket items. Customers can inspect their purchase before taking it home and eliminate the need for time-consuming returns.
Sustainable order fulfilment
One of the primary purposes of order fulfilment services is to maximise efficiency and reduce wastage. All companies and order fulfilment services seek ways to create more sustainable methods. They do this using greener packaging, fleets of electric vehicles to reduce their carbon footprint, and enabling customers to ship multiple items in fewer packages if they are happy to wait. As more customers are attracted to companies and brands offering sustainable order fulfilment services, this is a trend that is already being widely adopted.
