Ecommerce Fulfillment

What is ecommerce fulfillment?

Ecommerce fulfillment is the complete end-to-end process of receiving, processing, and delivering online orders to end consumers (D2C). It begins the moment a customer completes a checkout on a digital storefront or marketplace and encompasses everything from real-time inventory syncing and order picking to automated packing and last-mile shipping.

What are the steps in ecommerce fulfillment?

The process starts when inventory arrives at a warehouse and gets received and put away. When an order comes in, staff or robots pick the items, pack them, print a shipping label, and hand the package to a carrier. If the customer returns the item, the warehouse also processes the return and puts the item back into stock.

Speed and accuracy drive the customer experience, so fulfillment providers track inventory across every sales channel to prevent overselling. Brands can fulfill in-house, work with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider, or use a marketplace program such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA). Placing inventory closer to customers shortens delivery times and often lowers shipping costs.

Back to the full glossary.