When it comes to getting products to customers quickly, terms like "same-day shipping" and "same-day delivery" are often thrown around. But what do they actually mean? Let’s break it down.
What is Same-day Delivery?
Same-day delivery ensures that the order is not only shipped but also delivered to the customer on the same day they place the order. This service is usually offered by companies with a local presence, such as grocery stores or large online retailers that have fulfillment centers close to the customer.
Example: You order groceries from a local supermarket at 10 a.m., and by 3 p.m., your items are at your doorstep. This is same-day delivery in action.
Challenges of Offering Same-day Delivery
Offering this perk may gain a lot of sales but it comes with its own set of challenges, including:
- Logistics Management: You would need to have warehouses located in multiple locations around where your customers live. Inventory would also need to be allocated to many different warehouses
- Cost: Same-day delivery can be costly, both for the retailer and the customer. Retailers may need to partner with multiple carriers to find the best rates, adding to the complexity.
- Customer Expectations: If the order isn’t delivered on the same day as you promised it will lead to customer dissatisfaction.
What is Same-day Shipping?
Same-day shipping means that an order placed by a certain time will be processed, packed, and shipped out on the same day. The delivery time will depend on the shipping method selected and the carrier's speed.
Example: Imagine you order a gadget online at 9 a.m. and choose Standard shipping. It is processed and handed off to a shipping carrier that same day. The package may arrive the next day or a few days later, depending on your location and the shipping option chosen.
Related: How to Pick the Location of Your American Order Fulfillment Company
How Ship My Orders Manages Orders Efficiently
Your customer just placed an order on your website. Yay! Now what happens? This is where your 3PL steps in and acts on your behalf. Through an API our system connects to your shopping cart multiple times during business hours, and for some shopping carts every 15 -20 minutes (during business hours), and will retrieve any orders that are ready to ship. As long as that order is in our system by noon PST we will get it out the same day! If... why is there always an if? The product is ship ready.
What is “ship ready”?
Ship ready means an item is on the shelf and ready to be picked for an order. The item is barcoded and ready to go. If an item needs to be barcoded or manipulated in any way it is not ship ready. Ensuring an item is ship ready will allow someone to pick an item, and know it’s ready to be packaged and shipped to your customer.
Items that are ship ready will not delay our same-day shipping promise. It’s like you promised to meet your friends at the movies at 1:00, but at 12:45 you realize you can’t find your keys, your jacket zipper broke, and you need to water your plants real quick. You were not ship ready. Therefore you probably won’t make it to the movie on time.
What if an item is not “ship ready”?
What if you needed a special barcode on some of your items for a wholesale customer? What if you wanted to put two different SKUs in a special box and make that a new SKU? Whatever your “what if” is, we can most likely do it for you. Our Special Orders department can handle all your "what if" needs. This awesome team will work with you to make sure your needs are met. So when a big new customer lets you know they want to place an order from your company but they need their barcode over your barcode, tell them “No problem, my team will get it done.”
Keep in mind that these projects will delay the time it takes for those products to be ship ready, please contact our team and they can give you an estimated ETA.
Okay, so we have your order in our system, there’s ship ready merchandise available, now what?
Our system will direct a team member to go to the allocated area and scan and pick the items for your order. Once the products are picked the next stop is packaging. Just for good measure, all products will be scanned again before they are packed. A team member will make sure the correct box is chosen, not too big and not too small but just right. Maybe it doesn’t need a box, maybe this order needs an envelope. But I digress, and that’s a blog for another day.
Your customer’s order is checked, properly packed, and has the shipping label on the box. Please keep in mind the shipping label’s return address will have your company’s name and our address. This order will look like it was shipped directly from you!
The courier then picks up the order, but that’s not where we end our services. At the end of the day, we will upload all the tracking information to your shopping cart. If you have set up shipping notifications in your cart, this should activate an email to your customer letting them know their order is on its way! How cool is that?
Now just between us, some days we will ship orders past the noon cutoff. Just like the name suggests we love to ship orders. If for any reason you do not want this to happen we can have our API stop downloading orders at noon. Whatever your needs are, Ship My Orders have you covered. Would you like a 3PL that’s flexible to your needs? If so please fill out a quote request today.
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