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Should I Have Both National and International Fulfillment Solutions?

Should I Have Both National and International Fulfillment Solutions

In today’s interconnected world, every business can expand well beyond their nation’s borders. International fulfillment remains widespread and helps businesses grow to new heights. However, some companies are content with national solutions. So, which one is best for you? We’ll review everything you need to know to make the right choice.

Shipping

Your shipping capabilities and the possibility of expansion are crucial in this decision. Shipping nationwide is often cheaper. However, providing shipping internationally increases your customer base. It can easily be accomplished by hiring a company that specializes in order fulfillment services. Most companies do charge a fee for this, though.

Competition

Offering global shipping instantly gives you an advantage over local businesses. A main perk is that you’ll have a more diverse clientele. This helps increase the amount of risk you can handle. For example, if the storefront has to close, you’ll still have plenty of customers outside of a brick-and-mortar establishment. Local businesses can’t say the same thing.

Expansion

Determining how much you can expand is critical in deciding if you should work with an order fulfillment service that offers both solutions. As your customer base grows, you must expand operations to produce more products. If you grow too quickly and aren’t prepared, it can result in you losing business. It's best to develop a plan for increased production before going global.

Online

A critical factor in whether you should have both options is whether your business performs well online or if most of your sales come from foot traffic. Online retailers can benefit from automatically offering global shipping. Local businesses should get online soon to stay caught up since, according to Ready Cloud, 18% of retail sales happen online. By 2024, that number is projected to reach 22%.

Hybrid

Working with an order fulfillment center that offers national and international shipping is usually best. You can start by slowly expanding your business to a national level. Then, provide shipping in one more country at a time to ensure you can keep up with the increased demand. Slowly expanding ensures you don’t get overwhelmed while going global.

We offer fulfillment options for businesses that want national or international services and everything in between. Our company partners with leading delivery services to ensure prompt delivery and proper handling. Contact us today to learn more!