by logisticsplus | Feb 5, 2018 | News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logistics Plus Expands Services on the Amazon Solutions Provider Network
Customs Brokerage, FBA Prep and Storage, and Storage services now readily available to Amazon Sellers
ERIE, PA (February 5, 2018) – Logistics Plus Inc. (LP), a leading worldwide provider of transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, and supply chain solutions, is pleased to announce that it has an expanded set of service offerings within the Amazon Solutions Provider Network (SPN). Amazon global sellers will now have ready access to customs brokerage, FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon) preparation and storage, and additional short- or long-term storage solutions.
Logistics Plus was one of the very first third-party logistics companies to be a solutions provider within the Amazon SPN when it began offering FBA and self-fulfilled international shipping services back in June of 2016. Although the Amazon SPN has expanded to include additional providers, Logistics Plus remains an important business partner for Amazon sellers looking to source goods, manage inventory, and market products across Amazon marketplaces around the world. Earlier this year, Logistics Plus was named a Top 3PL Provider by Multichannel Merchant, a key resource within the e-commerce industry.
“We have been providing a full array of global logistics services to a growing list of Amazon sellers, retailers, and merchants for the past several years,” said Scott Frederick, vice president of marketing for Logistics Plus. “Effective management of e-commerce logistics will be increasingly important over the coming years, and so having a broader scope of our services readily available on Amazon’s SPN site is a good thing for both us and retailers needing these types of solutions.”
Please visit www.logisticsplus.com/amazon or email amazonretailer@logisticsplus.com for more information.
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 21 years ago, Logistics Plus is a fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Alma, AR; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Olean, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Winchester, VA; Madison, WI; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; South Sudan; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; and Uganda; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Scott G. Frederick
Vice President, Marketing
Logistics Plus Inc.
(814) 240-6881
Click the image below to download the Logistics Plus logo:
by logisticsplus | Dec 5, 2017 | News
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Logistics Plus Named a Top 3PL Provider 2018 by Multichannel Merchant
Recognition is a testament to the company’s growing retail business segment
ERIE, PA (December 5, 2017) – Logistics Plus Inc., a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce it has been selected by Multichannel Merchant as a Top 3PL Provider for 2018. For the third year in a row, the editors of Multichannel Merchant have created the list as a valuable service for key decision makers responsible for ecommerce, management, marketing and operations at companies that sell merchandise through multiple channels — including ecommerce, mobile, social and catalog.
Third-party logistics providers (3PLs) have been growing in importance in recent years as ecommerce sales continue to skyrocket. More merchants are looking to outsource critical operations and fulfillment duties, which in many cases fall outside their core strengths. A trusted 3PL partner can free them up to focus on other aspects of growing and managing their business. Logistics Plus has developed a solid reputation with a growing number of merchants and retailers requiring a variety of logistics solutions, including importing, exporting, transportation, warehousing, and fulfillment. Logistics Plus is also among only a handful of 3PLs approved to work with Amazon sellers as part of the Amazon Solutions Provider Network.
“Many ecommerce and direct-to-customer merchants today are considering an outsourced fulfillment solution because their business growth has outstripped their internal capabilities,” said Mike O’Brien, Senior Content Manager of Multichannel Merchant. “That’s why we’ve developed our Top 3PL listing as a valuable resource for them. Each 3PL listed has been selected based on their industry experience, range of capabilities and ability to handle high order flow.”
The company profiles in the Multichannel Merchant (MCM) Top 3PL listing include vital information to help merchants in their selection process, including key capabilities, average annual client order volume, top merchandise categories handled, facility locations and more.
“Ecommerce and omni-channel distribution strategies are becoming commonplace among retailers,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “Logistics Plus continues to change and adapt to this important and growing segment of logistics that not only relies on traditional transportation management services but also, increasingly, data management and specialized reporting solutions. Being named a top 3PL provider by the respected editors at Multichannel Merchant is an honor for us, and a confirmation that we’re doing the right things needed to serve the logistical needs of the merchant community.”
About Multichannel Merchant
Multichannel Merchant reaches key decision makers responsible for ecommerce, management, marketing and operations at companies that sell merchandise through multiple channels — including ecommerce, mobile, social, and catalog. Multichannel Merchant delivers original research, as well as in-depth analysis of trends and best practices, news, tactical/how-to, executive summaries, technology and supplier comparisons, tip sheets and resource information to help companies sell & deliver products wherever and whenever the customer wants them – at home, work, store or other locations. Visit them online at www.multichannelmerchant.com.
About Logistics Plus Inc.
Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 21 years ago, Logistics Plus is a fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450+ employees put the “Plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Alma, AR; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Kansas City, MO; Charlotte, NC; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; Olean, NY; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Greenville, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Winchester, VA; Madison, WI; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; Egypt; France; Germany; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; South Sudan; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; and Uganda; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
Media Contact:
Scott G. Frederick
Vice President, Marketing
Logistics Plus Inc.
(814) 240-6881
scott.frederick@logisticsplus.com
Click image below to download the Logistics Plus logo:
by Marketing | May 31, 2017 | News
Companies that sell through Amazon must contemplate whether it makes sense to use Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA) services or consider third-party warehousing alternatives to FBA. When making this important business decision, it is pivotal that companies understand the benefits of third-party logistics (3PL) while recognizing the potential issues associated with FBA. Here are a few of the problems facing Amazon retailers, and ways that 3PL companies such as Logistics Plus can help:
- Issue: Expensive fulfillment and warehousing options where the prices can change monthly
- Cause: Due to the decreasing space at Amazon fulfillment and warehousing centers, the costs continue to increase and fluctuate by month. Between the months of January-September and October-December, Amazon retailers can expect about a 265% increase in monthly storage prices.
- Logistics Plus Solution: By offering similar services as Amazon, but at a lower price, Logistics Plus offers more flexibility with packaging and warehousing, along with predictable and stable pricing all year long (see examples below).
- Issue: Supply chain visibility and unknown locations of products.
- Cause: Due to the high volume of products and limited capacities of FBA warehouses, products may become lost or damaged, leaving the customer wondering where their product is located or being held. When Amazon struggles to offer this valuable information to their customers, this can often lead to a frustrating experience.
- Logistics Plus Solution: Logistics Plus is able to track and locate products much easier because it is much smaller and more nimble than Amazon; and Logistics Plus warehouse management system (WMS) technology provides customers with complete, real-time status of products entering or leaving one of its warehouses (we support both LIFO and FIFO inventory systems).
- Issue: Product quality may become compromised.
- Cause: Many retailers may be selling the exact same thing on Amazon, but the customer always expects to receive the product from whom they bought it from. This may not always be the case with Amazon. Even if the buyer bought their item from a Florida seller, they may receive an identical product, but from a Pennsylvania seller. Although it doesn’t always cause issues, the chance of receiving a knockoff or fake product greatly increases.
- Logistics Plus Solution: Logistics Plus ensures that the your customers will receive the exact product they ordered, significantly reducing the risk of delivering a fake or incorrect product.
- Issue: Customer service communication and cooperation.
- Cause: Due to the amount of retailers selling on Amazon, the customer service responses can often be delayed. Buyers and sellers tend to have multiple questions to make sure they know exactly what Amazon is doing with their orders. Working through these questions, a retailer can often expect a significant amount of time on hold, often without final resolution.
- Logistics Plus Solution: By employing an efficient and cooperative customer service staff, Logistics Plus will tend to every customer’s needs. Whether it is a quote on your next import or a simple question regarding the status of your inventory, Logistics Plus will provides answers quickly.
If you’re a retailer that sells on Amazon and you’re contemplating third-party warehousing alternatives to FBA, then contact Logistics Plus. As an endorsed member of the Amazon Global Selling Solutions Provider Network, we know Amazon and we know Amazon Sellers well.
by logisticsplus | May 22, 2017 | News
Amazon operates eleven (11) global marketplaces around the world (see map below). Selling internationally with Amazon provides retailers with established channels to market their products and grow their business. These marketplaces represent many of the world’s largest e-commerce opportunities. When retailers register to sell in one of these Amazon marketplaces, they gain immediate access to customers who know and trust the Amazon buying experience. Expanding sales to one or more Amazon marketplaces means retailers can benefit from the Amazon brand without shouldering the upfront costs of building business name recognition on its own in a new sales environment.
Selling internationally presents a unique set of logistics challenges for Amazon Sellers to consider. Depending on the country, products sold on Amazon can be subject to additional local taxes such as those for the product’s country of origin, or where the product is stored or sold. Sellers looking to break into European markets should pay special attention to the Value Added Tax (VAT). In Europe, the VAT is applied to most customer purchases. Many U.S. sellers overlook the fact that the VAT is already incorporated into prices on Amazon’s United Kingdom site which will negatively impact profit margins. Having an experienced global tax and trade compliance partner is a must.
If you’re sending your products overseas, a reputable third-party logistics (3PL) company (like Logistics Plus) can help you manage product transportation to a Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) center or they can even provide outsourced warehousing and fulfillment options (with fees that are generally lower than FBA and costs that are free of seasonal fluxuation). For retailers who plan to ship international orders from the U.S. as they’re placed – or to source products from overseas for import to the U.S. – a 3PL can help with the related customs documentation and shipping preparation processes. And since returns are a normal part of any Amazon Seller’s business, a 3PL can also help manage and recoup returned items.
To sell internationally, Amazon requires its sellers to provide customer support in a given marketplace’s local language. Tools like Google Translate work for individual words or short phrases, but they don’t appropriately translate key linguistic nuances needed to market products accurately and disclose important information. A poorly translated product listing could leave your foreign customers confused or even misled. Logistics Plus Linguistic Solutions can help ensure your messaging and disclosures don’t get lost in translation.
The bottom line is that selling internationally through Amazon is a great way to expand your customer base and grow your business. However, international marketplaces can be challenging and expensive without planning and within the right partner(s). Logistics Plus is an approved member of the Amazon Global Selling Solutions Provider Network. Our Amazon experts can help you with everything from importing and exporting, to warehousing and fulfillment – even returns management and linguistic translation services. Our goal is to make global selling as easy as possible for Amazon Sellers. We’re here to help!