There are different types of fulfillment that pet items need. Pets have a lot of needs, and the right fulfillment partner for your pet supply eCommerce store can help ease any challenges that order fulfillment faces with certain types of products:
Even dry, non-refrigerated foods need FDA-approved fulfillment centers so that all pet food is stored safely. Since pet food can expire, a first-in, first-out fulfillment approach is designed to ship items with the closest expiration date, so your customers don’t find already expired food at their doorsteps.
Shampoos, brushes, teeth care, supplements, and medicine — pets need to have all of these things too. Having all the pet care items increases the number of SKUs you need to have on hand, but it will increase your sales and upselling opportunities.
Pet supplies can vary from pet to pet… a bird might need a cage while a dog might need a leash. No matter the pet’s needs, many pet-specific eCommerce companies provide it. To fill these orders, you need a range of boxes or envelopes to cater to the varying sizes of items.
Partnering with veterinary supply brands helps pet parents find the products that allow their vets to offer better care. From prescription diets to medication management, if your eCommerce store sells it, your fulfillment partners should be able to handle it.
When shipping pet products, you need to make sure that your customers’ orders are being sent safely, efficiently, and conveniently. If you’re looking for the right fulfillment partner to help sell pet supplies, food, and toys, then you need someone who can handle your order volume, your inventory, and your shipping needs.
Here are some of the things you should look for when finding a 3PL for your eCommerce pet supply fulfillment:
If the fulfillment provider can’t integrate into your eCommerce platform, it will make things harder, not easier, when it comes to order fulfillment. An integration between your store and the warehouse means that they will receive information when an order is placed, so the packing and shipping process can begin and you can see updated inventory or tracking information.
Pet supplies can be small or large, weighing just a few ounces or more than 50 pounds. Your customers need a range of supplies for their pets, and you provide that with dozens of SKUs in each category to suit their needs.
The warehouse you select will need to have the space to store your inventory and will need to be organized so a dog owner doesn’t end up with cat food in a pick-and-pack error.
With both storage and shipping, certain pet products may need to adhere to certain regulations. Medications and food often fall into this category, with certain items needing refrigerated storage or shipping.
And sometimes these regulations change, so having a fulfillment partner that can help you stay compliant will ensure your company is always following the latest rules.
Let’s face it – sometimes people forget to order the food until they’ve scooped out the last of the bag. You don’t want an order to be placed and sit for days before being filled, especially if there’s a pet somewhere relying on you to get their food to them.
A good fulfillment provider can begin processing orders within a day of them being placed – and may even be able to provide expedited shipping – so your customer’s order can arrive to them as quickly as possible.
Most fulfillment companies have negotiated reduced shipping costs with different carriers. This often means that you can offer your customers more shipping options with different carriers, expedited speeds, or even free shipping if it makes sense.
This will get their pet supplies to them sooner, meaning they can care for their furry family members better.
When it comes to pet supplies fulfillment, AMS Fulfillment can deliver! With a superior quality control process and a proven ability to handle orders of any size, we can tackle all of your pet supply customers, no matter the size of their pet or order. As a B Corporation, we always do what’s best for you, the community as a whole, and the environment.
We ship more than 25,000 packages every single day, specializing in eCommerce for a range of industries including pet supplies. We bring discounted shipping carrier rates and warehouses on both coasts of the United States, so our teams can process and ship orders quickly to customers in the U.S. and internationally.
With millions of pets in the United States alone, you know there is a market for what you have to offer… and to offer quality service and order fulfillment, you need accurate, speedy pet product fulfillment with AMS. With precise inventory management, efficient order picking, and on-time delivery, your customers can get just what they need to keep their pets happy and healthy and a part of the family for years to come.
