{"id":54029,"date":"2022-09-19T23:00:01","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T20:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iconicerp.com\/?p=54029"},"modified":"2022-09-15T21:36:16","modified_gmt":"2022-09-15T18:36:16","slug":"how-to-implement-ship-from-store-services-in-your-retail-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iconicerp.com\/ar\/how-to-implement-ship-from-store-services-in-your-retail-business\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Implement \u201cShip From Store\u201d Services in Your Retail Business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
It\u2019s no secret that consumer expectations today are higher than ever. Modern shoppers not only want quality products at reasonable prices, but they also want those items delivered as quickly and cost-effectively as possible. Look at How to Implement \u201cShip From Store\u201d Services in Your Retail Business.<\/p>\n

Industry data shows<\/a>\u00a0that 1 in 10 shoppers will stop buying from a retailer because of slow delivery and only 46% of consumers are happy with how long it takes for orders to arrive.<\/p>\n

Suffice it to say that order fulfillment is a big deal for modern consumers. So, how do you, as a retailer keep up? One way is to implement ship from store<\/em>,\u00a0<\/em>a service that could potentially speed up order fulfillment and keep shoppers coming back.<\/p>\n

Read on to learn more about the ship from the store and how to make it work in your business.<\/p>\n

What is shipped from the store?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ship from store is exactly what it sounds like \u2014 it\u2019s an order fulfillment method where the retailer ships customer orders from their brick-and-mortar store rather than a warehouse. Physical stores are essentially being converted into fulfillment centers, so that order picking,\u00a0 packing, and shipping take place in the retailer\u2019s brick-and-mortar locations.<\/p>\n

The service has gained a lot of popularity during the pandemic, as more consumers turned to online shopping.<\/p>\n

Retail Dive reports<\/a> that in 2020, Bed Bath & Beyond converted 25% of its stores into fulfillment centers and shipped 36% of online orders from its brick-and-mortar stores. Retailers like Apple and Best Buy also doubled down on ship from store, with Best Buy turning 250 of its stores into hubs that can ship higher volumes of online orders.<\/p>\n

The benefits of implementing it in your business<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Offering ship-from-store services can help retailers stay competitive amidst the rise of online shopping. Consider the following.<\/p>\n

Speed up order fulfillment.<\/strong>\u00a0If your stores are located closer to your online shoppers, shipping merchandise from your physical locations rather than fulfillment centers can cut down on shipping and delivery time. Since you\u2019re shipping from a location that\u2019s closer to people\u2019s homes, you\u2019ll be able to get their orders into their hands faster.<\/p>\n

Improve customer satisfaction.<\/strong>\u00a0Speedy order fulfillment leads to happier customers, which ultimately increases customer retention, loyalty, and lifetime value.<\/p>\n

Helps move brick-and-mortar inventory. <\/strong>If you have fewer people shopping in-store, selling your brick-and-mortar inventory online and fulfilling those orders from your location can allow you to sell more merchandise and\u00a0avoid overstocks.<\/p>\n

The disadvantages of the ship from the store<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ship from store isn\u2019t without its challenges. It\u2019s not an initiative that you should implement haphazardly, and you need to recognize that the service adds complexity and costs to your operations.<\/p>\n

Higher costs.<\/strong> Shipping from stores may take more time and resources, particularly if your brick-and-mortar locations aren\u2019t equipped to handle online orders. Retail Dive points out that it\u2019s one of the most expensive ways to fulfill orders and it often relies on third-party solutions for delivery.<\/p>\n

You would also need to invest in either hiring new team members or training your existing employees on how to handle online orders.<\/p>\n

May disrupt in-store processes.<\/strong>\u00a0Ship from store services will require you to revamp some of your store policies. These changes can lead to friction and inefficiencies when they\u2019re not handled properly.<\/p>\n

How to implement ship from a store in the retail<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now that we\u2019ve covered the basics of the ship from the store, here are some best practices on how to do it right.<\/p>\n

Ensure you have inventory visibility across all your channels<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The success of your ship from store initiatives hinges on proper\u00a0inventory visibility. You need to have a single view of your stock across physical and digital channels to see which products are available in-store and online.<\/p>\n

Your stock management system must have a record of all your locations\u2019 inventory and should help you route orders to the right location.<\/p>\n

Your inventory management solution should also provide retail-time data and update stock levels as soon as a sale takes place. The last thing you want is to sell an item online that\u2019s no longer available in-store.<\/p>\n

To accomplish this, see to it that your\u00a0brick-and-mortar store and eCommerce site are tightly connected. This can be done by either integrating your solutions or running your online and offline retail initiatives through a single platform.<\/p>\n

\"How<\/a>Dedicate space in your store<\/strong><\/h3>\n

On the logistics side, it\u2019s important to have spaces in your physical locations to handle online orders. The right setup will depend on the size of your store and your foot traffic. In some cases, carving out a section in your stockroom can work, while other retailers are using sections within their retail stores to take care of eCommerce orders.<\/p>\n

Train your staff<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Next up, ensure that your team has the knowledge and skills to handle ship-from-store orders. If your employees currently have their hands full, then you may need to hire additional workers for your ship-from-store initiatives. Already have enough staff? Then you need to assign new responsibilities to your existing employees and make sure they\u2019re trained well.<\/p>\n

In either case, to successfully implement ship from store, your team must know:<\/p>\n