The Internet has revolutionized shopping. Customers can now purchase whatever they’d like with a simple click of a button or tap of the finger. Most purchases now come from online retailers rather than brick-and-mortar stores. While buyers are happier than ever, traditional retailers are suffering – they’ve lost 25% of operating earnings as a percent of sales due to meteoric online growth.
 
E-commerce giants like Amazon may be threatening every business under the sun, but retailers are quickly adapting. Many have already embraced online shopping and tailored their companies to suit an emerging market, but the savviest retailers are combining drop shipping with third-party logistics (also known as ‘3PL’). In simpler terms, the retailer gets a third-party company to manufacture and ship the goods to the customer.
 
Smarter Selling
 
Retailers can source 3PLs and drop shippers close to the customer’s location, which saves money on delivery time and fees. Shoppers demand rapid fulfillment and often won’t have the patience for delays or long wait periods. Happy customers lead to high retention and sales, both of which are great for business.
 
One company that is revolutionizing e-commerce is Zebit – a unique online marketplace with zero physical goods. The company realized that scaling their business required establishing flexible communication protocols with vendors. Zebit soon partnered with Logicbroker whose adaptable, cloud-based platform and extensive network helped onboard new suppliers, expand their product collection, and scale their business efficiently. Logicbroker’s automated processes and software integration streamlined vendor relations, allowing engineers to focus more on their work.

“Over the past year, we have experienced tremendous growth,” said Colby Ross, Zebit’s Director of Product Management. “We have grown our business 10x, much due to our partnership with Logicbroker and the drop ship vendors they work with.”

 
Read the full article on Inc here.