When it comes to your retail or e-commerce business, growth can be challenging. While it’s exciting to see your brand take off, knowing how to adapt to your increased inventory and sales is where it gets tricky. Luckily, you have many options to distribute all of your orders!
What are your options?
Traditionally, retailers use less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Trucking companies are able to consolidate and transport smaller shipments of freight by utilizing a network of terminals and relay points. This is a familiar choice and widely practiced. The problem with the LTL method is that different shipments are sent to the same region on separate trucks which costs more money and puts strain on the supply chain. As a retailer and e-commerce business owner, you could also attain your own warehouse and transportation assets to haul your products. Although, that can seem terrifying and incredibly expensive. An often underused service is pool distribution.
How does pool distribution work?
The pooling concept is all about creating a more efficient use of resources. The framework of pool distribution combines LTL shipments onto fewer trucks and delivers those shipments to single source regional terminals called “pool points.” Cartons are separated by destination then loaded onto local delivery trucks to be distributed to their final location. Simple, right?
Scaling your business by utilizing pool distribution with Speedy Delivery LLC comes with many benefits:
Why do you need it?
Lower Costs:
Think of pool distribution like Uber Carpool, but instead of people it’s boxes. Shipping by a full truckload is always going to be less expensive than a LTL shipment. Having the ability to “ride-share” your shipments with other shipments, you’re also able to share the costs. Essentially, you’re able to cut costs and deliver the same amount of product.
Reduce Transportation Time:
Reliable and consistent transportation is a high priority for many distributors. Consolidating shipments onto one truck for drives across the country requires smaller trucks, less stops, and ultimately better delivery times. (We call ourselves Speedy Delivery LLC for a reason)
Superior Service:
Finding ways to run a lean operation is essential for any ecommerce or retail business. Reducing the number of overall shipments will create a more simple and efficient operation. Adding in checkpoints along the way allows pool distribution providers like Speedy Delivery LLC to check and double-check for damaged or missing items gives you more control and peace of mind over your products. These checkpoints decrease the chance for claims and losses for the retailer (which also cuts costs).
Now is the best time to get started with a pool distributor! Speedy Delivery LLC (SPEEDY) is a third party logistics (3PL) provider of warehousing, pool distribution and Last Mile delivery. We have a great team of professionals dedicated to making SPEEDY the premier choice in providing innovative logistics solutions, and committed to our mission: “Not Just Last Mile—The Extra Mile”.
If you are just getting started with understanding your supply chain, check out our article on third-party logistics companies and how they can benefit your growing company: What is a 3PL and How Does it Help E-Commerce Businesses?