The History of Online Retail from a Logistics Service Provider

Though it may seem like eCommerce sales have taken off practically overnight, the truth is that they have been building for over 25 years! eBay, the pioneer in this class, began in 1995 as a site called AuctionWeb. After becoming eBay, consumers grew tired of the auction platform, and wanted faster transactions. To keep up with demand, eBay introduced their ‘Buy Now’ option, and later opened the marketplace to sellers to set up their own digital shops. With a presence in over 180 countries, eBay has become a global marketplace. But, what does this have to do with a logistics service provider?

Marketplace Growth

eBay is not the only online marketplace in which people can sell their goods or services. Currently, many online retailers, each geared toward different audiences are available for digital sellers. These include Amazon, who has everything from A-Z; Etsy, who appeals to the homemade items crowd; and even Groupon, which helps brick and mortar shops attract new customers. The demand for these marketplaces continues to grow, and the US Census Bureau reported $87.5 billion in online retail sales took place in the US in the third quarter of 2015. Every seller handling transactions in these marketplaces is responsible for either filling orders themselves, or outsourcing to a logistics service provider.

Which Marketplace Offers the Best Profitability?

The answer to this question depends largely on what you are selling. To help sellers determine the best platform to fit their business, ecommerbytes.com launched a ranking system called seller choice where sellers were asked to rank the different platforms they used based on profitability, customer service, communication and ease of use. In the results of the 2015 rankings, Etsy came in first, with Amazon a close second.

As these marketplaces increase, so do the number of logistics supply chain companies who offer fulfillment services. These businesses allow you to store your inventory with them, and when an order comes in they pick, pack and ship it to the customer for you to streamline the entire process. When choosing a logistics service provider, it is important to choose one that has quality control systems in place to ensure they get the right product to the right customer in the right time frame.

Elite OPS has over two decades of experience in order fulfillment services, and has the quality control systems you need in place to help your business grow. As an online retailer ready to grow your business, consider outsourcing your fulfillment services to Elite OPS today. Contact us to see how we can help you grow!