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Ultimate Guide to Shopify Fulfillment Network

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Table of Contents

  • What is the Shopify Fulfillment Network?
  • Getting Started with the Shopify
    1. Fulfillment Network
    2. Shipping Profiles
    3. Shipping Locations
    4. Managing Products
    5. Setting up & Mapping of Shipping Rates
    6. Global Shipping
      Fulfillment
  •  Network Settings
    1. Types of Shopify Fulfillment Network
    2. In-house Fulfillment
      Dropshipping
    3. Third-party Fulfillment
  •  Pros and Cons of Using the Shopify Fulfillment Network
  • Pros:
    1. Sync Inventory & Orders
    2. Accessible Data
    3. Expert Support
    4. Trusted Shopify Shipping
    5. Local Pickup and Delivery
    6. Low Usable Costs
  •  Cons:
    1. Expensive Shopify Plans
    2. Third-party Fulfillment Control
  •  What are the Shopify Fulfillment Services that can be integrated with the Shopify Platform?
    1. Print-on-demand Apps
    2. Drop-shipping Apps
    3. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
    4. ShipBob
    5. ShipHero
    6. ShipStation
  •  Why is PROS your ultimate Shopify Fulfillment Network Partner?
  • Conclusion
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Shopify stands as a dominant force in the ecommerce landscape, boasting over 1.7 million websites and processing a staggering $100 billion in sales. Meanwhile, Amazon, with its 9.7 million sellers and over $469 billion in sales, has established a significant marketplace presence. However, Shopify’s Fulfillment Network steps in as a game-changer for e-commerce businesses operating on their Shopify websites.

Shopify Fulfillment Network serves as the ultimate solution, seamlessly handling complex shipping, warehousing, and logistics services. Swift and responsive logistics and shipping partners are crucial for success in the e-commerce realm, impacting customer satisfaction significantly. Statistics indicate that 93% of customers prefer staying informed and receiving proactive updates about their shipments from retailers.

Navigating through the logistics maze can be daunting, but with Shopify Fulfillment Network, you gain access to a range of logistics services and partners. Whether it’s storage, order packing, or shipping, we guide you through each step of the process, ensuring a seamless experience for your business.

What is the Shopify Fulfillment Network?

Expand your global reach with the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN), seamlessly delivering purchases to customers worldwide. Leveraging advanced machine learning, SFN ensures swift and cost-effective shipping across the US and Canada. By centralizing crucial business data—including shipment tracking, customer information, and inventory levels—SFN provides a unified platform for streamlined operations.

Experience hassle-free order fulfillment with SFN’s efficient fulfillment centers that pick and ship products directly to consumers. This automated process allows you to reclaim time and focus on growing and developing your business.

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Getting Started with the Shopify Fulfillment Network

If you are new to the Shopify Fulfillment Network, then follow these steps to get set up:

1. Shipping Profiles

Based on the customer’s delivery address, shipping profiles allow you to define which of your fulfillment facilities should fulfill an order. Based on the customer’s location, you can use shipping profiles to route orders to SFN fulfillment centers.

If you create a draught order, make sure to manually choose the fulfillment center where you want the order to be fulfilled. Select SFN as your fulfillment location. For example, if you want the order to be fulfilled by an SFN fulfillment center.

2. Shipping Locations

The SFN is usually responsible. It helps in picking, packing, and shipping your products to your customers. It will also keep them informed by sending them tracking information after the fulfillment is completed.

3. Managing Products

Before sending products to the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN), make sure they contain all of the required details to be accepted. Then you can add the products to the Shopify Fulfillment Network.

4. Setting up & Mapping of Shipping Rates

When you use the SFN to fulfill orders, the fulfillment and shipping costs are combined and charged to your monthly Shopify invoice. To offset these costs, you must choose a shipping Shopify pricing strategy that makes sense for your business.

Your shipping charges are calculated by the SFN using zone-based pricing.

5. Global Shipping

You must meet specific standards to ship products overseas. If your business is based in the United States or Canada and you use the Shopify Fulfillment Network (SFN) you must make sure proper import and tax rates are applied.

6. Fulfillment Network Settings

You may customize your settings and preferences on the Shopify Fulfillment Network services to suit your business. On this page:

  • Set paid orders delay
  • Edit delayed slips
  • Order processing
  • Set inventory notification
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Types of Shopify Fulfillment

1. In-house Fulfillment

Everything is stored, packaged, and shipped by you, whether at home or through a warehouse you own. In-house order fulfillment occurs when an ecommerce for b2b manages all aspects of the ecommerce order fulfillment process without needing help.

2. Dropshipping

Dropshipping is an order fulfillment method that does not require an ecommerce platform for b2b to keep items in stock. Instead, the business sells the item and then forwards the sales order to a third-party supplier, who sends the purchase to the buyer.

3. Third-party Fulfillment

Use Shopify Fulfillment Network to connect with a fulfillment company like FedEx, UPS. This method requires a fee, but then most of, or all of, the fulfillment process is managed by another firm.
Pros and Cons of Using the Shopify Fulfillment Network
Pros:

  • Sync Inventory & Orders
    Syncing your stock ensures delivery of ordered items within a good time. Your store will only display the stock you have available. The Shopify Fulfillment network app helps you to manage your inventory across all of your sales channels like eBay, Amazon, your website, etc.
  • Accessible Data
    Shopify fulfillment network helps you manage your orders, inventory, and customer data across all fulfillment centers and channels in your Shopify admin.
  • Expert Support
    When you fulfill and ship your orders, you’ll likely need to hire staff as your business grows. It takes time to manage a team. If your company is still in turmoil, you may be unwilling to offer someone a job.

Each 3PL has a large team of logistics experts and support personnel on hand to assist you. They handle all the tasks for receiving, inventory management, order processing, and shipping, giving you a level of agility that you wouldn’t be able to achieve on your own.

  • Trusted Shopify Shipping
    1. Deliver world-class shipping at favorable prices from trusted carriers.
    2. Save with discounts on shipping carrier rates.
    3. Prepare multiple orders at once with bulk order fulfillment and label printing.
    4. Fulfill orders from the same place you manage products, customers, and inventory.
  • Local Pickup and Delivery
    Set up for pickup and local delivery. When clients are close to your business, you can provide them with unique, local methods of receiving their items. This can shorten your fulfillment time and improve your consumers’ experience.
  • Low Usable Costs
    Many logistics companies offer a variety of price options. This means they’ll be able to adapt to your needs and change costs as you develop. Renting your own warehouse space usually requires a larger capital commitment.
  • 3 methods for lowering operating costs:
    1. Inquire with vendors about early payment discounts.
    2. Choose your office location wisely or skip it.
    3. Select a marketing plan with a good return on investment.

Cons:

  • Expensive Shopify Plans
    Shopify is known for being expensive, with a premium shop plan costing $299; the fulfillment by Shopify service will likely be priced similarly.
  • Third-party Fulfillment Control
    The Shopify fulfillment team works with third-party vendors, which can be difficult to manage and coordinate. You’ll have less influence over third-party vendors as well. This is because third-party integration will be handled by the platform itself.

What are the Shopify Fulfillment Services that can be integrated with the Shopify Platform?

These are the 6 best Shopify fulfillment network services that can be integrated with your Shopify store:
1. Print-on-demand Apps
Print-on-demand is a process that allows you to help sell your products to your customers with little risk. It allows you to work with a registered supplier to sell products after customizing them under your brand on a per-order basis.

So, if you have a Shopify store like this, your order is marked as fulfilled as soon as it’s shipped from your end, as the rest is handled by your supplier. You can also check the recommended workflow and settings with your team of Shopify developers.
2. Drop-shipping Apps
Drop-shipping is the most hands-off fulfillment option, but it gives you far less control over the process. When you choose drop-shipping, the supplier manages the entire order delivery procedure.
3. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)
Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) is a service managed by Amazon. It manages logistics for brands that list products on ecommerce Amazon stores. FBA is exclusively available for Amazon Prime products. It is the most expensive Shopify fulfillment network option when selling for ecommerce on Amazon.
4. ShipBob
ShipBob fulfills orders for thousands of Shopify stores. ShipBob has the most advanced technology in the market. Integrate Shipbob with PROS Shopify development company.

ShipBob offers faster and more inexpensive delivery, and the potential to expand into new channels and markets.
5. ShipHero
ShipHero provides brands and 3PL ecommerce fulfillment services. It makes it easy to ship through warehouse management software and fulfillment services solutions.
6. ShipStation
PROS Shopify development company integrates your Shopify store with ShipStation to simplify shipping and order fulfillment. ShipStation provides you with the tools and resources you need to achieve your sales goals. Whether you have an established business or are just getting started ShipStation can skyrocket your sales.

Why is PROS your ultimate Shopify Fulfillment Network Partner?

At PROS, we provide end-to-end Shopify integration solutions with your existing shopify ecommerce development for sale platforms or any third-party apps. Our Shopify services and tools help streamline key business processes like shipping. Our Shopify experts help you with enhanced features and seamless performance. Our SFN process improves customer experience and increases sales and order values.

Build, grow, and improve your shopify website or shopify store. We offer a full range of services, including app development and custom theme design. Our shopify plus web developers team of experts is here to help you at every stage in your eCommerce journey and waiting to deal with any glitches or bugs at top speed. Our Shopify plus developer team will make that happen, allowing you to relax.

Conclusion

SFN reduces processing and delivery times, decreases the distance between firms and their customers, and improves shipping. As a result, you can run your company more efficiently.

PROS is a result-driven Shopify web development company. we can integrate Shopify Fulfillment services like ShipBob, ShipHero, ShipStation with your ecommerce platform. It allows you to effectively outsource logistics, save money, and meet consumer needs.

FAQ's

The Shopify Fulfillment Network is a comprehensive fulfillment solution offered by Shopify to help merchants store, manage, and ship their products to customers efficiently. It integrates warehousing, order processing, and shipping, streamlining the entire fulfillment process for online businesses.

To join the Shopify Fulfillment Network, you need to meet certain eligibility criteria, such as being located in the United States or Canada, and having products that meet the fulfillment requirements. Once eligible, you can apply through your Shopify admin and follow the onboarding process.

The benefits of using the Shopify Fulfillment Network include faster shipping times, reduced shipping costs, seamless inventory management, and access to advanced analytics and reporting tools. It allows you to focus on growing your business while Shopify takes care of the logistics.

With the Shopify Fulfillment Network, Shopify monitors and manages your inventory levels across multiple fulfillment centers. When an order is placed, the network automatically selects the nearest fulfillment center to the customer and processes the order for efficient shipping.

While most products can be fulfilled through the network, certain items may not be eligible due to size, weight, or other fulfillment constraints. It’s essential to review the product eligibility guidelines provided by Shopify to ensure compatibility.

Shipping fees in the Shopify Fulfillment Network are determined based on factors like package weight, shipping destination, and shipping method selected by the customer. Shopify provides transparent and competitive shipping rates to ensure cost-effectiveness.

Yes, you can easily track the status of all orders fulfilled through the network using your Shopify admin. Real-time tracking information is available, allowing you and your customers to stay informed about the shipment’s progress.

Shopify’s customer service team is available to assist both merchants and customers with any fulfillment-related queries or issues. They strive to provide excellent support and ensure a positive experience for all parties involved.

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