The rapid rise in eCommerce now represents the golden age of e-Commerce. Every business can set up an online store within 30 minutes using cloud-based platforms like WooCommerce, Salesforce, or Magento. This unique situation gives third-party logistics providers (3PL Integrations) an additional channel to reach new customers. Furthermore, to provide more integration, they can analyze different e-Commerce platforms that potential clients use.

This will make it easier for clients and 3PL Integrations to work together. In addition, the 3PLs Survey reveals that 73% of 3PL users believe that 3PL services offer innovative ways to improve logistics operations.

What are the best eCommerce platforms for 3PL Integrations? What are the most important e-Commerce integration techniques? Why are 3PL providers so useful for eCommerce brands? Check out our blog post.

Overview of key e-Commerce platforms

A Statista survey found that 67% of 3PL service providers worldwide rank finding and keeping customers as their top challenge. To help 3PL providers grow, it is important to highlight their work well and show potential customers why they are the best.

Shopify also stated that global retail eCommerce sales would reach $4.9 trillion by 2021. As a result, 3PL services should look into integrating with popular eCommerce platforms to find new clients, given the astronomical rise in eCommerce adoption.

We have listed several e-Commerce platforms for 3PL Integrations.

Shopify

Being among the ruling e-Commerce platforms, Shopify contributes a convenient SaaS solution for companies-newbies. Moreover, Shopify permits users to set up their online stores without any technical knowledge.

Professional designers can install the chosen theme from the Shopify marketplace. It also has a wide range of plugins and apps that are useful.

The e-Commerce platform offers an intuitive interface that makes it easy to publish content such as images, descriptions, images, etc. In addition, Shopify allows you to add unlimited stock-keeping units (SKUs), create a hundred variations of one product, and sell in multiple currencies.

Shopify also allows cross-channel e-commerce (via Instagram, Amazon, or Facebook), has built-in tools to analyze and market email, and a function that lets you set different shipping rates.

Magento Open Source

Magento offers clients basic commerce functionality and promises scalability options. It also comes with a core code for free. This e-Commerce platform also offers many customization options. Magento Open Source is less expensive than other eCommerce solutions and offers more flexibility for third-party integrations.

The platform is responsive and mobile-friendly and offers many features that can be used to manage a small store. These features include global management and catalog management.

They also offer efficient tools for marketing and promotions. A large number of platform users have supported the creation of detailed documentation about Magento use.

WooCommerce

This WordPress plugin is open-source and modifiable. It can convert websites into shops. This e-Commerce platform has the largest market share due to its ease of use and setup. However, WooCommerce’s widespread use does not necessarily mean that it is for everyone. The solution is best suited for small businesses that need traditional commerce functions.

WooCommerce has an intuitive admin interface that makes selling easy. It also allows for a quick setup. The marketplace has more than 55,000 extensions, plugins, and the possibility to customize.

This WordPress plugin does not require any transaction fees and can be easily integrated with many reputable payment gateways such as Square, Stripe, or PayPal. It also offers core SEO and marketing features for its clients.

BigCommerce

This SaaS-based subscription-based platform is today one of the most powerful in the eCommerce market. BigCommerce is a great choice for small and medium-sized companies because it makes it easy to create and launch online stores within a matter of days.

It can store 600 variants of each product. The platform also offers many built-in sales features such as ratings and reviews, real-time shipping estimates, and real-time shipping rates.

This helps to reduce the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the website. BigCommerce also offers unlimited products and file storage. There are no transaction fees and integration with 55 payment gateways. These are great benefits.

Salesforce

This cloud SaaS e-Commerce platform is one of the most trusted. It allows customers to grow quickly. Salesforce integration is preferred by many companies due to its flexibility, stability, high scalability, and non-restrictive nature.

This platform features an intuitive admin panel, customizable dashboards, and reliable security upgrades. Clients can also integrate the e-commerce platform with third-party systems such as Salesforce native custom relation management (CRM) or AI-based marketing tools.

Salesforce offers many languages and multiple currencies checkouts, as well as different localized payment options.

OpenCart

Merchants have the option to download this free, open-source eCommerce platform and enjoy its extensive functionality with many pre-built modules and plugins. Companies can also customize the platform themselves if they have programming skills. OpenCart is a great platform for eCommerce brands who want to create unique websites.

OpenCart allows you to modify the code and experiment with the online shop’s interface or functions. It offers the essential commerce features needed to run a store.

It also integrates more than 30 payment gateways and allows for multiple integrations. The marketplace offers over 13,000 themes and plugins, as well as modules and extensions. It is possible to add unlimited products and categories.

Top-10 must use e-Commerce techniques for 3PL Integrations.

Experts in logistics believe that integration with an eCommerce platform should be the heart of a 3PL company. As 3PL Integrations services expand and develop, it is no longer productive to use standalone software solutions like Excel or rely on on-premise warehouse management (WMS).

We have listed the top ten eCommerce integrations for 3PL providers.

Shopping carts

Clients of 3PL services require the expertise of 3PL providers to integrate with the most popular shopping Carts. This helps them grow their e-commerce businesses. Integration of a WMS with leading shopping carts allows 3PLs access to customer orders instantly and eliminates the need for customers to manually enter orders.

A shopping cart is a crucial interface that end-users interact with frequently. Any information they need about order status should also start and end there.

The shopping cart should contain information about the available products, their descriptions, and any updates. This is done by connecting application programming interfaces to WMS, CRM, or enterprise resource planning systems (ERP).

Management of orders

In order to satisfy customer needs, it is necessary to integrate order management software and different e-commerce platforms in order to collect all required data. E-Commerce integration is essential for order management systems. It allows e-commerce brands to access their primary functionality.

Companies can access their online shops in real-time by integrating with different shopping platforms. This allows for a simplified and more efficient fulfillment process.

Inventory management

E-Commerce inventory management is a method of organizing the storage, tracking, and shipping of company inventory. The entire process covers everything from ordering and restocking inventory to forecasting. Integration with an eCommerce platform allows you to plan for unexpected circumstances.

These may include product run-outs or miscalculated storage requirements or space, delays in manufacturing, or cash flow problems.

Packing

Integration with e-Commerce platforms will improve the WMS for the 3PL provider. It promotes the automation of manual tasks such as picking, packing, and shipping parcels.

A WMS that is intuitive should include master pick tickets to facilitate efficient picking, further hands-free packaging, and order verification. Moreover, the WMS should allow direct access to all 3PL shipping partners as well as automatic label printing. The WMS should allow you to search for the lowest shipping rates. All of this must be done in one interface.

Shipping and delivery methods

Shipping eCommerce integration is a great option for e-commerce fulfillment. It allows you to offer online shops with direct shipping capabilities. This allows for a streamlining of both the checkout and the delivery process.

Shipping API integration is a way to connect receivers with couriers. These APIs are essential for creating and maintaining a positive eCommerce customer experience. They promote the automation of the most complex processes of online retail.

Parcel tracking

Integration with an eCommerce platform will allow for the monitoring of all company’s online orders, shipments, and the communication of order status and parcel location to customers in real-time.

This includes important features such as shipment tracking and estimated delivery rates. It also provides frequent updates about the status of orders. Integration with e-Commerce platforms improves customer experience. Customers can have clear expectations regarding delivery and be notified about any delays or other issues.

Delivery proof (POD)

POD is a receipt that acknowledges the delivery of the parcel in a suitable condition. Integration with an eCommerce platform allows drivers to show POD by including the receiver’s contactless sign, photos, and notes to a relevant software program in real-time. It also offers geotagging and other features such as geotagging.

The ability to digitally capture signatures from clients saves time for back-office staff and couriers. It also eliminates the need for paper scanning, documentation, and archiving.

Shipping and delivery methods

Shipping eCommerce integration is a great option for e-commerce fulfillment. It allows you to offer online shops with direct shipping capabilities. This allows for a streamlining of both the checkout and the delivery process.

Shipping API integration is a way to connect receivers with couriers. These APIs are essential for creating and maintaining a positive eCommerce customer experience. They promote the automation of the most complex processes of online retail.

Software for billing

Integrating with a popular e-commerce platform allows 3PL providers to invoice clients quickly and accurately, as there are many service agreements and hundreds of billable events.

Integration with billing software allows for automatic billing and reporting. It also helps to capture different billing workflows and specific charges depending on each client. This reduces billing time and decreases 3PL’s cash. This allows you more time to spend on core functions.

Mobile barcode devices

These mobile scanners are used by employees at the facility to accurately count inventory, quickly process SKUs, and provide inventory visibility to clients.

This cutting-edge technology is a competitive advantage that can help retain clients and draw new ones. 3PL Integrations should have mobile barcode scanners in order to provide accurate pick-and-pack operations in real-time.

Communication with customers

One of the best ways to please clients is to give them all information about their inventory. 3PL services can integrate with e-Commerce platforms to provide such information via a permissions-based portal that automatically notifies clients about warehouse events (such as low inventory levels) or track the delivery status in real-time.

3PL providers are beneficial for e-Commerce businesses

For many reasons, modern 3PL services have been hugely successful. Convenience is one of the golden-key benefits of integrating eCommerce brands with 3PL providers. E-Commerce brands will be able to spend more time on their business activities and make them better by outsourcing logistics operations.

We will be discussing some of the major reasons e-Commerce businesses should integrate with 3PL services.

Lower expenses

3PL providers can be used to manage logistics and supply chain functions. This increases an organization’s potential savings. Companies don’t need to rent warehouses, shared industrial spaces, or hire fulfillment staff.

3PL providers also take on liability for damaged inventory, broken equipment, and other accidents that may occur in the facility or during transport. In addition, 3PLs are responsible for such operating costs as well as equipment and staff training.

Leaner workforce

The company can avoid unnecessary bloating by collaborating with 3PL providers. Clients don’t have to worry about managing, certifying, or hiring ancillary workers such as warehouse staffers or delivery drivers. This allows clients to spend more time building a front-end team by hiring these employees through their 3PLs.

Delivery and distribution efficiencies

Many small and medium-sized eCommerce companies can use 3PL services to increase their distribution networks and reduce delivery time without investing in additional logistical infrastructure. This allows e-commerce brands to compete with large-box retailers. It also encourages them to think of 3PL as a crucial part of a customer-satisfaction strategy.

Scalability based on demand

3PL services provide e-commerce brands with a scalable solution that allows them to expand their operations to meet increasing demand.

This feature is particularly useful for SMEs who may have difficulty upgrading their logistical operations to meet customer demand. Moreover, e-Commerce businesses can collaborate with 3PL providers to be more responsive during various demand surges, such as the holiday season.

Partner with professionals

e-Commerce companies cannot compete with 3PL providers without the necessary experience and expertise in logistics. Supply chain and fulfillment are the specialties of the first. 3PLs are therefore skilled in applying IT solutions to minimize bottlenecks and maintain a smooth supply chain.

The bottom line

According to Nasdaq: “By 2040, 95% of all sales will be made online.” This can put 3PLs under increased pressure for client support, especially online. In addition, customers today expect high visibility in an e-commerce environment.

They want to be able to see the availability of products, their arrival time, and the delivery process. This is where integration with eCommerce platforms comes in handy.

Different integration methods, such as APIs and electronic data interchange (EDI), can be used to create an eCommerce ecosystem that is scalable and robust enough to meet customer requirements.

End-users will enjoy the best data flow possible. This encourages them to return and drives business and attracts new customers. Integrating with e-Commerce platforms gives end-users, 3PL customers, warehouses, and carriers the right visibility and operational effectiveness.

Are you already integrating with an eCommerce platform? Which 3PL Integrations benefits are most important to your company? Or, which e-Commerce platform do you recommend for your company? Please share your thoughts with us below.