As the name implies, a pack and ship service handles the packing and shipping of merchandise. Generally, they center on selling services to entrepreneurs that are either unable or merely don’t want the hassle of shipping items themselves. They are a good substitute to developing and maintaining your own dispatch center.
Pack and ship services vs. Fulfillment Services
Pack and ship services typically do not store inventory, but focus on shipping services. Invoices, payments and all customer contacts are done by the business owner instead of the service. These services are particularly worthwhile if you would otherwise be required to have special shipping licenses or insurance to ship their products.
The majority of pack and ship operations deal with several carriers – UPS, DHL, USPS, FedEx and others. They might also arrange local transport and some handle custom drops at airports. Most will even receive packages as well as send them, so you could use them as virtual addresses.
Fulfillment services typically offer storage facilities as well as shipping. Some even pick and pack thereby satisfying all your shipping and storage needs. The major difference between a fulfillment service and a pack and ship service is that a fulfillment service might offer to store merchandise for you. Fulfillment services typically charge for processing orders in addition to packing and shipping.
In a show down between the two there really is a clear winner. A fulfillment service is definitely the clear winner because they are able to store stock for you.
Specialty Services
Some pack and ship services will specialize in worldwide shipping. Their familiarity with insurance, import and export laws and international shipping costs can be extremely useful. In addition some offer one or more of the following specialty services:
• Guaranteed delivery – same day, overnight and next-day.
• No size limitations and custom crating for delicate and unique packages.
• Cargo insurance – essential for time sensitive deliveries and perishables as well as oversees shipping.
• Real time tracking
• Office add-ons on site: copies, supplies, fax, mail boxes and even notary services.
Some smaller, locally owned pack and ship services will hold items in hand (if you rent a mailbox) and ship them at your command. They are often not set up for large-scale storage and only small item sellers would find this useful.
Fulfillment services usually provide a specialty service that standard pack and ship services don’t: customer contact – receipts mailed to your customers, order confirmation, tracking information and in the case of some fulfillment companies, billing services. This can be a great convenience when the only customer contact required is a courteous follow up email.
Deciding between pack & ship and fulfillment services
Pack and ship services are better when you only need to ship odd items or if you need to send very few expensive items. Pack and ship services also have the benefit of being able to accept, as well as send, packages. They can sometimes have more shipping options than fulfillment services too. This is very important if you want to send fragile merchandise and just can’t take the risk that items will be damaged. If this is the case, insurance and package tracking are more important than the need to send multiples.
Pack and ship businesses allow you greater control over the order. Because you begin the process you can decide when the item will be shipped. If the item has further to travel before it reaches the hands of the customer, a pack and ship company might also be more likely to ensure a timely arrival.
Jeff Ehrlich is the owner of FulfillmentPlusNY which operates pick pack and ship operations for a litney of customers~clients~accounts~companies~businesses} globally.Contact Jeff for product storing & shipping.
