Sometimes demand can fluctuate, especially during seasonal peaks such as Christmas, but these demands are expected.

However, sometimes demand can be unpredictable too. Imagine a scenario where a post on social media of one of your products has went ‘viral’, which has encouraged many people to purchase it. The demand becomes unpredictable because you weren’t prepared for x amount of people to order the product at once. This could then cause the products/orders to go on back order since the demand is higher than the actual amount of stock you physically have at that time.

Regardless of how good your relationship is with your supplier, you may sometimes still find that certain suppliers are unreliable as a result of them directly, or due to unforeseen issues. The supplier themselves is not always to blame, but issues on their end can then cause issues on your end.

So, you may end up needing to put your products and orders on back order until your manufacturer/supplier can get the products to you, or until you find a new supplier/manufacturer.

‘Safety stock’ is a term used to describe the amount of stock you have on hand in case of emergency, such as supply chain issues, increased demand, etc.

The less you have, the higher your chances are of having to put things on backorder, so its crucial that you always have the right amount of safety stock set aside.

Poor inventory management and tracking causes a plethora of issues, the main issue being that orders can be fulfilled straight away due to having incorrect stock levels.

Telling a customer post-purchase that their order has been placed on backorder isn’t ideal, and can lead to poor customer satisfaction, which causes issues in itself. Poor customer satisfaction can lead to an overall lower level of customer retention/loyalty and negative word of mouth.

eCommerce giants such as Amazon have helped shaped consumer expectations through their ability to offer both same day and next day delivery, which can be harder for smaller brands to follow due to lack of scale and resources.

Not being able to offer fast shipping could cost you sales, depending on how unique your product is, the customer may opt to shop elsewhere knowing the delivery time is quicker. Not only do you have to be price competitive, you need to be time competitive too.

As mentioned earlier, backorders and delayed shipping can lead to poor customer satisfaction, low customer retention, and negative word of mouth, leading to a decline in sales.

One of your main goals as a seller is to build a loyal relationship with customers so they keep coming back, but it is hard to do so if their orders repeatedly get put on back order which is why ensuring you always have the right amount of stock is crucial.

Working with more than one supplier is always a good idea because its good to have multiple options available in the event that something goes wrong with one of your other suppliers or manufacturers.

Your re-order point/level refers to the time you place an order with the supplier or manufacturer. Re-order points should be set and re-analysed regularly to ensure your stock is replenished in a timely manner.

Ensuring you have safety stock in place is crucial in the event something goes wrong on the supplier or manufacturers end. Having safety stock in place means your orders and customers wont be affected.

Accurate demand forecasting helps to ensure that you stay ahead of the game by never running out of stock, therefore never having to place anything on back order. However, demand forecasting works off historical data so if your business is new, you may not be able to accurately analyse your demand forecasting.

If you have a high volume of back orders, chances are you aren’t ordering enough stock from your supplier or manufacturer. While having balanced stock levels is important, it may also be a good idea to put a little extra to one side. Paying more for storage is better than losing out on customers and sales due to high back order volumes.

Accurate demand forecasting helps to ensure that you stay ahead of the game by never running out of stock, therefore never having to place anything on back order. However, demand forecasting works off historical data so if your business is new, you may not be able to accurately analyse your demand forecasting.

Good inventory management is key for any eCommerce business.

Poor inventory management can lead to unnecessary costs due to under or overstocking certain products, leaving you out of pocket.

Keep on top of your stock levels and never miss a sale with our industry leading inventory management system which is designed to be fully user friendly for easy management.

We handle the entire order fulfilment process from start to finish. From picking and packing, to shipping directly to your customer or chosen retailer, our team is always on hand to ensure your orders are picked, packed, and shipped successfully.

Our dedicated team of staff have experience in picking, packing, and shipping orders from a range of different industries, meaning regardless of your product, we’ve got you covered with our tailored BigCommerce fulfilment services.

Thanks to our strong relationship with a variety of shipping couriers, we are able to offer our clients a range shipping options to suit your needs and budget, including domestically and internationally.

Returns are inevitable when you’re an eCommerce seller, but it can be a time consuming process. That’s why we handle your returns for you, meaning you can spend more time growing your business.

Our dedicated customer service team is always on hand to answer any of yours, and your customers questions, because we understand that customer satisfaction is key for any business.

Our expert fulfilment team are able to accurately build any kits and bundles that may be required for your orders