6 Fulfillment Services for Personalizing E-Commerce Orders
Personalized packaging drives loyalty and conversions, but producing and delivering custom orders is more challenging than most brands realize.
Unboxing videos became one of the biggest marketing trends in 2021 as social media influencers began playing a larger role in marketers’ strategies. Getting a product featured in a viral video on TikTok or Instagram can provide a brand with valuable recognition, especially when the recipient describes the experience of receiving the product in detail.
Packages full of bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts just aren’t cutting it anymore. Instead, more retailers are using e-commerce fulfillment services to create branded experiences, replete with everything from personalized tissue paper to custom selected product samples. Whether the purchase takes place online or in person, industry players are realizing that presentation is a critical component of the complete brand experience.
For brands looking to execute personalized packaging strategies at scale, we’ve put together a list of six fulfillment services that can help.
Fulfillment Services for Personalizing E-Commerce Orders
1. PFS
PFS provides brands with a customized, flexible, and scalable e-commerce order fulfillment solution. Brands work with PFS to create the kinds of e-commerce and omnichannel experiences that leave lasting impressions. PFS has a global network of distribution centers as well as pop-ups and micro-fulfillment centers, to meet quick surges in online orders. Value-add services for brands include personalization, kitting and bundling (for example, gift-with-purchase packages and ship-withs), branded gift wrap, and white-glove packouts. PFS is also able to provide environmentally sustainable packaging solutions.
2. Whiplash
Whiplash is an e-commerce fulfillment service that creates curated brand experiences. The company couples direct-to-consumer shipping with gift wrapping, brand inserts, and specialized packaging to make sure every order makes a memorable impression. Brands can request custom packing slips based on the characteristics of their customers. Like other order fulfillment services in this space, Whiplash provides optimized shipping capabilities, with tools to find the most cost-effective delivery method for every situation. An open API integrates quickly with most online stores. Whiplash works with companies like Happy Socks, True Botanicals, and Hedley & Bennett.
3. Shopify Fulfillment Network
The Shopify Fulfillment Network will pick, pack, and ship orders for retailers that sell online. The company says it’s end-to-end solution is more robust than others in the space. Clients can select items for fulfillment from inside their Shopify accounts, and the company will suggest which of its fulfillment centers is best positioned to stock those products. Retailers retain full control over the boxing and branding of their packages, so they can design the kind of unboxing moments that are most likely to go viral. For example, brands can choose any products they want assembled together, either in advance or during order fulfillment. They can also send subscription bundles to repeat customers or choose to package different items together.
4. ShipMonk
With e-commerce sales on the rise, ShipMonk has expanded its order fulfillment services for businesses that are ready to scale. ShipMonk integrates with a brand’s existing sales channels using a custom API to sync directly with online shopping carts and automatically import orders. From there, ShipMonk picks, packs, and ships each order. ShipMonk’s process is completely customizable, so brands can request that their packages are packed using pre-defined guidelines and personalized materials. Not only does ShipMonk claim to uphold a high standard of care when it comes to kitting, the company also sends three photos of assembled boxes—one of all the products laid, another of the products presented in the box, and one more photo of the box closed—to ensure the unboxing experience unfolds according to the retailer’s plan.
5. MyFBAPrep
MyFBAPrep is a warehouse and fulfillment network for brands that sell on Amazon as well as their own websites and other sales channels. The company’s prep and delivery tracking platform provides transparency throughout the order fulfillment process, with visual status indicators that show the status of each order and direct communication with more than 50 warehouses. SLAs ensure each brand’s products are received, inspected, and turned around in 24 to 72 hours. MyFBAPrep also puts together multi-packs and subscription boxes, including all aspects of kitting, bundling, inserts, and labeling.
6. Sendoso
Sendoso calls itself a “sending platform,” offering worldwide fulfillment and inventory management via a global network of warehouses. The company delivers direct mail, personalized gifts, e-gifts, and other physical impressions at scale, so brands can build stronger and more trusted relationships with their customers. Brands use Sendoso to send welcome kits, branded swag, and educational materials to their customers. In addition to sending personalized packages to existing customers, Sendoso can also be set up to send e–gifts and virtual gift cards as a way to revive lost leads.
Stephanie Miles is a senior editor at Street Fight.
