Overview of eCommerce Fulfillment Companies
An eCommerce company’s existence is largely dependent on allied services that allow it to extend its presence out of the digital world. Such services enable an online seller to reach out to customers without the need to operate a brick-and-mortar store. These services allow eCommerce companies to fulfill their orders, and the process involves a multitude of steps between receiving the order and delivering it to the doorstep of a customer.
With several fulfillment businesses operating throughout the world it can become difficult to decide which one suits the needs of your business. Therefore, in this article, we bring to you the best eCommerce fulfillment and third-party logistics companies in the world. The article sheds light on the various services these companies provide to help you understand the requirements of your business.
Top 10 Best 3PL (3rd Party Logistics) eCommerce Fulfillment Companies [2021 Updated List]
1. FedEx
FedEx is a major international logistics company. It was established in 1971 in the United States and has since spread its operations to more than 220 nations and territories around the world. It is one of the largest shipping and logistics services companies internationally, employing 600,000 people and processing an average of 12.5 million packages every day.
FedEx is a popular eCommerce fulfillment service provider across the globe. It offers several 3PL services for online sellers such as warehousing, inventory management, express delivery services, international air, land and sea freight as well as customs clearance. Apart from these, it offers value-added services which include distribution, last-mile delivery, labelling, and packaging solutions.
2. DHL
DHL is a global logistics giant with operations in more than 220 countries. It has been a key player in the international 3PL industry facilitating thousands of online sellers from around the world. It was founded in 1969 in the US. It is a part of the Deutsche Post Group and is a household name in Europe. DHL employs a massive workforce of over 380,000 people worldwide to process and handle approximately 1.8 billion shipments every single year.
DHL offers several order fulfillment solutions for eCommerce businesses including freight solutions, shipping services, express delivery solutions, as well as shipping solutions for sensitive and bulk items. It also offers several third-party logistics solutions including warehousing, order distribution, transportation, as well as integrated logistics services.
3. Aramex
Aramex is one of the largest shipping companies in the world which was founded in 1982 in the Emirate of Dubai. It offers several logistics and fulfillment solutions to businesses around the world with a reach of more than 22 countries. It employs more than 17,000 people worldwide and processes over 100 million orders every year.
Aramex offers a wide range of solutions for online selling businesses throughout the world. Some of its offerings include express shipping, warehousing, goods transport, cross-border shipping as well as 3PL. It offers several dedicated solutions for eCommerce companies such as packing, labelling, cash-on-delivery, package insurance and more.
4. UPS
UPS (short for United Parcel Service) is a global logistics company. It was established in 1907 in the United States and is currently operating in more than 220 countries internationally. It is the largest logistics company in the world in terms of revenue and employs a massive staff of 500,000 employees in several nations and territories. It also handles one of the largest order volumes every year, delivering roughly 4.7 billion packages being delivered annually.
UPS offers several eCommerce fulfillment services to businesses around the world. Its solutions include express delivery, warehousing, freight. It offers specialized solutions for shipping heavy, sensitive and dangerous items. It also offers a suite of value-added services to online retailers such as packing, labelling, and scheduled pickups.
5. Ceva
Ceva Logistics is a French logistics and supply chain management company headquartered in Marseille. It was founded in 2007 in France and has spread worldwide to over 160 countries and almost 800 office locations. It employs a workforce of more than 78,000 personnel handling 2.8 million tons of surface freight, 429k CBM of sea freight and 363k tons of air freight.
Ceva’s offerings include dedicated solutions for several industries including retail, technology, healthcare and more. It offers several fulfillment solutions for eCommerce businesses including warehousing, inventory management, cross-border delivery, last-mile delivery and reverse logistics. It also offers value-added services such as packaging of products, cargo insurance and customs clearance including others.
6. DCL Logistics
DCL Logistics is a 3PL services provider headquartered in California. It was founded in 1982. It offers turnkey logistics services to online businesses around the world. It is a major logistics service provider with an average of 2.5 million packages handled every day.
DCL offers a variety of services for online sellers including express shipping options such as same and next day delivery and cross-border shipping. It also offers several dedicated 3PL services for eCommerce companies including warehousing solutions, inventory management, order tracking and more.
7. Blue Dart
Blue Dart is an Indian logistics company founded in 1983. It is currently headquartered in Mumbai and serves more than 220 countries and territories around the world. It is a part of the Deutsche Post Group. Blue Dart is a major eCommerce 3PL solutions provider with over 11,000 vehicles, 2113 facilities with almost 3 million sq. ft. of warehouse space, and a workforce of 12,200 people.
Blue Dart offers express shipping services and cross-border eCommerce solutions as well as custom clearance services. It also provides businesses with warehousing, packaging and temperature-controlled shipping solutions among others.
8. GLS
General Logistics Systems is a British-owned Dutch-headquartered multinational logistics company. It was established in 1999 and is a subsidiary of the Royal Mail Group. It is a popular eCommerce logistics service provider in Europe and works with more than 250,000 clients around the world. It has a presence in over 40 countries and employs a workforce of 21,300+ people.
GLS offers several dedicated eCommerce solutions such as express delivery and freight forwarding transporting over 600 million packages every year. It offers several sorting and processing facilities with more than 1400 depots in over 70 nations.
9. Omni Logistics
Omni Logistics is an American 3PL solutions provider operating in North America, Central America, Asia and Europe. It is a major eCommerce fulfillment solutions provider around the world and offers tailored solutions for several industries including healthcare, technology and more.
Omni Logistics offers various third-party logistics solutions such as warehousing, air, sea and surface freight, distribution and express delivery. It also offers value-added services such as small courier delivery, white-glove logistics, product assembly, packing and repacking or products, custom labelling as well as special deliveries.
10. ShipBob
ShipBob is an international eCommerce logistics and fulfillment services company startup. It was founded in 2014 in the United States and currently operates in more than 220 countries and territories around the world. Its fulfillment network is spread across the continents of North America and Europe supporting more than 5000 businesses. It currently employs more than 900 people.
ShipBob offers several services for fulfilling online orders to businesses around the world. Its offerings include warehousing, packaging, and shipping of online orders. It also allows businesses to manage split inventories across multiple locations. It offers express delivery solutions and allows customers to receive their orders within 2-days in select regions. Apart from these, it also allows businesses to assess their performance through comprehensive reports on the fulfillment process.
Final thoughts
The fulfillment of eCommerce orders is an intricate process. It involves multiple players and several steps only to achieve the singular goal of satisfying the customer. Since customer retention is important to the success of any business, it is necessary that an online seller avail the services of a reliable fulfillment company. Through this article, businesses can get a broad idea of what the biggest names in the industry have to offer.
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