The apparel industry is making a lot of money because they are able to generate a high volume of clothing items while ensuring that everything is well managed. In the apparel industry, the role of apparel fulfillment is becoming more and more prominent, and now, more companies are making their way toward these fulfillment centers.
If you are interested in learning how apparel fulfillment services are helping in this industry, then this article is just for you. So, let’s jump right into the article to learn the benefits of this center.
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Part 1. What is Apparel Fulfillment?
When you start a clothing or apparel business, the biggest struggle that the companies face is managing the inventory. It is essential to keep things in the right way so that they don’t get damaged. This is when apparel fulfillment comes into action.
The supply chain of the apparel sector is very diverse, and there are a lot of things that go behind the scenes. There needs to be proper management through which the orders need to be taken, the inventory needs to be organized, the orders should be delivered, and a lot of things. The apparel fulfillment centers cover all these operations.
They will make it very easy for the business to work and perform all the functions smoothly and provide their customers with orders in a timely manner.
Tip: If you are looking for an apparel fulfillment partner, you can rely on 3PL services like NextSmartShip.
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Part 2. The Challenges for Apparel Fulfillment
The fashion and apparel industry is enormous. There are a lot of different challenges that companies and businesses have to face when they are working in this industry. Following are some of the most common risks and challenges for apparel fulfillment.
· Multiple SKUs
SKU means stock-keeping unit; this is the code that is used to track the different products that are present in inventory. With the help of the code, the company will know how many pieces of that specific product are left and will also help them categorize the items and organize them.
However, this is a challenging process because you need proper technology to read the code, keep track of the products, and then keep everything organized. When there are multiple SKUs, there can be a lot of problems in keeping track of everything and arranging everything in an orderly manner.
· Return Service
Almost all the fashion brands offer the return service to their customers. According to the statistics, the return rate is about 30% to 40%. Even though this policy can be good for the customers, this is a massive challenge for the sellers. When the products come again, inspecting the clothing, re-shelving them, or discarding them can be a huge headache.
Hence, this is another struggle that the apparel fulfillment centers face and can make it very hard for the employees to organize the things that are already sold and out of the inventory.
· Labeling
Labeling is another major challenge that comes in the apparel industry. Every company wants unique and cute labeling so that they can distinguish themselves from other brands. However, finding the right place that will help you do the labeling is quite challenging.
· Branding Package
Similar to labeling, brand packaging plays a vital role for a fashion brand. With the help of proper branding, you can easily create a unique identity for your company so that people can easily recognize it.
However, the problem comes when you have to make the branding and the packaging. You need suitable material and high quality for the packing; however, finding the right place can be a little challenging.
· Customer Support
Whenever you are working in the business, you need to provide exemplary customer service to the customers. The customer needs proper service through which they can contact the company, ask your questions, and track your order.
However, providing the right customer support can be challenging as you need proper technology and people for them. Hence, this is another problem that the apparel fulfillment commonly faces.
Part 3. Apparel Range we can Fulfill
The fashion world is very fast-paced. Every day, some new trends and styles are taking the industry by storm. So, when there is an apparel fulfillment center, you need to ensure that they are providing all the clothing items to the customers.
When there is an apparel fulfillment center, they need to have a proper plan and range of clothing that they need to present to the customer. Not only a range of clothing but there should be different styles, materials, and colors so that every person can enjoy and find something that is according to their liking.
When it comes to the range of clothes, there are a lot of things that come here. Women’s clothing, men’s wear, clothing for children, toddlers, and even infant wear. Other than this, there should be a proper collection of accessories such as hats, gloves, jewelry, and even scarves.
For an apparel company, there should be a range of sportswear, swimwear, and even apparel. If a company has all of these options, then it can be said that it is an authentic and complete brand that is offering everything under one roof. Hence, if you are planning on building an apparel fulfillment, then you must ensure all of these products are present in your brand.
Part 4. Benefits of Apparel Fulfillment Services
Now that you know what an apparel fulfillment center is and the different types of clothing options that you need to keep, you also should know the benefits that come with it. The apparel fulfillment centers can improve the logistics and make the work of the employees a lot easier.
Other than this, there are so many advantages when it comes to the fulfillment services.
· Streamlined order processing and shipping:
The first significant benefit that you can get from partnering with the fulfillment center is that they have the most refined systems. There are a lot of operations that happen in the apparel fulfillment center, and all of these operations must be done correctly.
Packing, shipping, picking, delivering, and other operations are done through these fulfillment centers. With the help of the fulfillment centers, this process can be done in a smooth and fast manner.
· Reduction in operational costs
The cost of shipping and management of the apparel fulfillment can be very expensive. This can be a huge problem for both the customers and the brands because no one wants to pay for the money for shipping. However, when it comes to the fulfillment centers, they offer lower rates for operations and shipping.
They have better routes for shipping, which makes it less expensive, and other than this, they also offer many discounts. Hence, when it comes to reducing operational costs, you should opt for fulfillment centers.
· Scalability for growing apparel businesses
Another significant advantage of the apparel fulfillment centers is that there is increased flexibility. This means that as the company’s operations increase, the fulfillment centers will also increase their operations. They can quickly scale the functions of the company up and down according to the needs and the orders that people will be giving to them.
Part 5. Choosing the Right Apparel Fulfillment Center
Now that you know the fantastic advantages you can get from partnering with the apparel fulfillment center, you should also know which is the right apparel fulfillment for you.
There are a lot of excellent companies that are working as fulfillment centers and allowing apparel companies to partner with them. Among all these, NextSmartShip is one of the best ones that you can find. You need a company that knows how to manage the inventory, will perform all the activities smoothly, and also has fast services for the customer, and NextSmartShip is just the place for you. Following are some of the major facilities that you will get with this company.
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· Global Reach
The first thing about NextSmartShip is that it is globally available. This means you can partner with them from any country, and it makes it very easy for the companies to collaborate with them and perform their activities efficiently.
· Effortless Return service
They offer the best return services to the customers. This means if the customers are not happy with the product that they get, then they can quickly return the products and get their money back.
· Best Rate
The rates that you will be getting here are also very impressive. The shipping rates, operational rates, and other types of expenses will be very low when it comes to this fulfillment center.
Conclusion
The apparel industry is booming as more and more people are getting into fashion. However, as the industry is increasing, they must find ways through which they can manage all the functions correctly. This is when the fulfillment centers come into action and will help you in different ways.
Make sure you visit NextSmartShip if you are trying to find the best fulfillment center for your apparel company.
