Choosing the ideal fulfillment service can greatly impact your ecommerce business. It’s a decision that affects vital business aspects like customer contentment and overall profitability. In this unbiased review, we take a look at Fulfillment.com. We delve into this top-tier fulfillment provider to examine its features, cost structure, benefits, drawbacks, and potential alternatives.
Our goal is to provide impartial insights to help you make the best choice for your company. Rely on our experience and guidance on fulfillment companies and ecommerce management systems to determine if Fulfillment.com aligns with your expectations and needs.
What Is Fulfillment.com
In 2011, Vanguard Economics was founded by partners who saw an opportunity in the ecommerce industry to better serve online retailers. They offered solutions that would give any company access to premium support and customer service.
Fulfillment Services
Much of that same team is still with the company in 2024, rebranding to Fulfillment.com (or FDC, for short). This shows the type of company FDC is in terms of caring for its staff and customers.
In order to offer the best pricing, FDC uses a customized approach, creating quotes from your last month’s:
- Shipment weights
- Zip codes
- Postage costs
Pricing
This data is entered into a calculator, which can estimate expenses, including additional services like kitting and storage.
Fulfillment.com has a $1,000 monthly order minimum with no startup costs or set-up fees. Receiving fees are $9.45 per pallet. Picking and packing starts at $0.20. FDC charges no more than $0.47/cu ft/month, and those rates are not affected by seasonal pricing.
While Fulfillment.com’s pricing plans aren’t overly transparent, their custom quote process ensures the best pricing for any size company. Simply send a spreadsheet of your last month of orders to receive a fast quote to get started.
This process even includes a review from FDC’s fulfillment experts to ensure their service is a good fit for you! Each client is matched with a “Success Manager” who offers support and is your permanent point of contact.
Scalability
Fulfillment.com’s massive presence in the 3PL industry allows them to get significant discounts on postage. No matter where you ship from or to, expect highly competitive rates that will help offset the cost of the service. Not only that, but FDC will help you select the best options for delivery speed and cost-effectiveness, though you have the power to customize your preferences through BestOMS.
Global Logistics
Shipping providers partnered with Fulfillment.com include:
United States
- USPS
- FedEx
- DHL
Canada
- Canada Post
- ChitChats
United Kingdom
- Royal Mail
- Parcel Force Worldwide
- dpd
European Union (via Netherlands)
- dpd
- General Logistics Systems
Australia
- Australia Post
To summarize, here is a list of pros and cons for this fulfillment company that will attempt to cover the important areas for deciding whether it will work for you:
Fulfillment.com Pros
Fulfillment.com Cons
Fulfillment.com offers world class warehouse management at 8 locations around the globe. To get the fastest delivery times and best shipping rates, you can stock your goods at multiple locations for rapid fulfillment.
Fulfillment Services
Once you have sent your products to an FDC warehouse (or warehouses), you can monitor and manage your inventory and individual orders from FDC’s convenient app. BestOMS. This includes:
- Inventory tracking
- Warehouse management
- Address verification
- Backorder management
- Carrier optimization
- Custom packaging
All in all, FDC is a trustworthy company capable of getting the job done while offering high-tech perks that are easy to use. You can expect to spend less money on shipping and reduce customer complaints.
In addition, they provide ancillary services such as product kitting, custom packaging, and pallet shrink wrapping for safer and more efficient transport of goods. All these services are provided with the aim of streamlining your ecommerce operations and enhancing customer satisfaction.
Fulfillment.com is also equipped to handle Amazon FBM and FBA, as well as subscription boxes. Their meticulous operations ensure that every order is sorted, assembled, and shipped perfectly.
Warehouse and Inventory Management
Being in full control of your logistics process is part and parcel of successful ecommerce operations. Fulfillment.com understands this and offers customers features like inventory tracking and address verification. You get to rule the roost and decide everything from your carrier selection to packing options. This way, you stay up-to-date on each stage of the process and can make the necessary amendments whenever needed.
In addition, they also have climate-control systems to ensure your products are stored in optimum conditions, which is especially beneficial if your products require specific temperature or humidity levels.
Another valuable feature is Fulfillment.com’s integrated Order Management and Warehouse Management system, fondly known as BestOMS. This system meticulously handles all aspects of the supply chain, right from order processing, picking, packing, and shipping to customer service management. This integration with the client’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) means a more streamlined and effective fulfillment process.
Alongside these primary features, you’ll appreciate the added advantage of real-time shipment monitoring and same-day order processing. This means you’re not just waiting for updates – you are actively following along with each step of the process, and this instantaneous information flow might prove imperative for making quick business decisions.
Keeping in mind the diverse needs of its clients, Fulfillment.com has integrated its operation with over 70 different platforms, marketplaces, and CRM tools. This makes it easier to sync and sell products across multiple channels, thereby expanding your ecommerce reach and profitability.
Integrations
Aside from Wix, FDC has automatic functionality with the big players in ecommerce: Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, and Adobe. If you’re an independent retailer, chances are you’re already on one of these platforms.
Multichannel Fulfillment Integration
Fulfillment.com also makes it easy to sell on your favorite marketplaces. Link your existing merchant accounts on Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Walmart, and more directly to your FDC account. This way your orders and customer info can be automatically imported to the nearest warehouse for fast, reliable service.
Their integrated Order Management System, BestOMS, offers extensive visibility into the fulfillment process so you can keep your finger on the pulse of your business. This allows you to sort your inventory and orders, make updates, and even address problems in the middle of the process. BestOMS is invaluable for anticipating and managing demand, as well as offering transparency throughout the process.
Fulfillment.com’s dedicated Success Manager is both a blessing and a curse. While FDC does have phone and chat support, you will primarily want to communicate with your account manager.
Customer Support
While this individual support is generally a good thing, it does limit the ideal support window for questions and comments. However, FDC does have a help center that is always available if you have an urgent issue when your Success Manager is unavailable.
Overall, Fulfillment.com communicates well which makes the somewhat complex process of getting set-up relatively painless. They are flexible in payment terms and contracts, leaving much of the business decisions of your supply chain up to you. Their app is also easy to use and has lots of features, giving you near-full control at your fingertips.
Fulfillment.com is a legit company that works directly with Amazon and other leading marketplaces. They have been awarded as a top 3PL provider for five years running by Multichannel Merchant and have received ratings of 5 stars from companies in all different categories.
Here are just a few examples of Fulfillment.com reviews; you can find more testimonials on their reviews page.
The positive feedback from the clients of Fulfillment.com speaks volumes about the company’s service quality. These testimonials represent the company’s continued high-level of service and ability to assist people selling in any category.
As an ecommerce seller, it is wise to consider all of your options before committing to a specific partner. Check out fulfillment reviews and research different ways you can ship your products. You may find a different company is the ideal fit due to the size of your operation or a specific discount based on the services you require.
Company
While Fulfillment.com is an industry-leading option, it may frankly be overkill for a lot of smaller businesses. In those cases, we recommend comparing ShipBob, eFulfillment Service, eShipper, or in-house fulfillment.
- ShipBob: A reputed tech-enabled 3PL that focuses on direct-to-consumer logistics. Providing services in warehousing, pick and pack, inventory management, and shipping, it serves as a robust alternative to Fulfillment.com. It integrates seamlessly with major ecommerce platforms such as Shopify, Amazon, and more, similar to Fulfillment.com. Remember, it’s always a good idea to compare the pricing model and the services offered by companies before deciding.
- eFulfillment Service (EFS): Prides itself on its transparent pricing with no long-term storage fees or set-up costs. This company provides services such as picking, packing, and shipping for small to mid-sized businesses. The company also integrates with popular ecommerce platforms. They do not offer as many services as Fulfillment.com, which may limit your level of control and future growth. But if those extras aren’t needed, EFS may be a simpler option.
- eShipper: Undeniably more expensive on paper with a startup cost, receiving fee, storage expenses, and picking and packing rates, but the low minimum order amount is more approachable for some micro-businesses. If you are in a hurry to pass off your fulfillment services, eShipper is a very beginner-friendly option.
- In-House Fulfillment: For very small operations and startups, shipping your own orders is a viable and often cost-effective option. As an added bonus, you maintain full control over all of your inventory and freight. This might be an attractive option if you prefer a hands-on approach to order management and want to be actively involved in your fulfillment process.
While In-House Fulfillment might seem like a more affordable alternative to using a third-party provider like Fulfillment.com, you’ll need to factor in the costs of warehouse space, inventory systems, packing materials, and staffing. Additionally, you need to account for the time and effort required to manage this process. If you have some space in the office or your garage to keep your products and can hire a fulfillment manager or team to print labels and take them to the post office, it may be a budget-conscious move to handle fulfillment all on your own. As you grow, however, you will likely want to hand off this aspect of your business to a 3PL.
Share Your Experience! Leave A Rating!
In conclusion, the reputation of an ecommerce fulfillment platform like Fulfillment.com largely depends on the experiences and feedback of its users. The extent to which it has met the diverse needs of sellers plays a vital role in shaping its image.
Whether you’ve had a great experience or encountered a few customer issues, your perspective is important for a balanced understanding of the platform. Sharing a detailed review contributes to a fuller, more accurate portrayal, allowing others to form a well-rounded opinion before choosing their ecommerce fulfillment provider.
If you’ve experienced great service, encountered difficulties, or even have a negative review to share, don’t hold back. Your voice could be the deciding factor for someone on the fence about adopting a new fulfillment solution. Your insights can help businesses make informed decisions about their ecommerce fulfillment strategies.
So as an ecommerce seller, contribute to the community – share your experience and leave a rating.
