Contract packing is becoming popular among online businesses. Instead of having a warehouse where you can store the products, you can ditch it and allow a contract packing company to do the job. Apart from storing the products, they will also help in labelling them and sending them out to your customers. Before you pursue any partnership, you have to ask these essential questions first.
What will the payment structure be like?
You need to ask about the cost of this service. The primary reason is that you’re outsourcing because you want to save on costs. If you end up spending more to outsource, you might instead decide do things on your own. Ask if the payment includes all the services provided or if there’s a different set of charges for labelling, storing and delivery.
How many staff do you have?
Another reason why you might decide to partner with a packaging company is that you don’t have enough people to do the job. You think you can’t cater to the demand on your own. Make sure enough people are present to process the orders as soon as they arrive. Otherwise, you won’t deliver on time. It will negate the purpose of outsourcing this service in the first place.
How long will it take to deliver?
It would help if you determine the length of time it takes to finish the delivery. It depends on the location of your customers. Once the packaging company promises to deliver on time, it’s essential to stand by it. In some instances, it requires a higher payment for express delivery. You might be willing to pay it if it means that you can satisfy your customers better. However, if it’s too much to ask, and your customers won’t mind waiting an additional day or two, you don’t need the express option.
What kinds of packages do you deal with?
The packaging company must be capable of handling the types of products that you sell. If they can’t, you need to look for other choices. Check the previous companies the packing company partnered with to give you an idea of if they can manage your needs.
What system do you follow?
Allow the packaging company to explain what they do to ensure the delivery of the orders. Check if there’s a quick way to notify them of orders to guarantee the arrival of the orders to the customers.
What do you do if there are mistakes?
It’s possible to have issues regarding the delivery. There could be mistakes regarding the recipient or the mailing address. There could also be a mix up with the product(s) delivered. In any of these instances, the packaging company must take responsibility for their actions. You’re already going to suffer because your customers will be angry about the mistake. You don’t want to make things even worse due to a lack of accountability by the delivery partner.
Once you receive the answers to these questions, you can feel confident about your packaging and delivery partner.