Same-day delivery is an essential service offered by most 3PL services, and many customers ask: How late can I place an order for same-day delivery? We explain.
When shipping out goods from a warehouse, the efficiency is measured by quality, cost, and speed. When goods are shipped out fast, it builds a good reputation, but there is a time frame. Numerous customers write to us asking, “what is the latest time for an order to be shipped out the same day?”
Before we get into specifics, one needs to understand that 3PL services need time to coordinate the goods, equipment, picking, packing, and technology to be 100 percent accurate while shipping.
B2C fulfillment
In general, most 3PL service providers (including Fulfillment Hub USA) will ship out an order the same day, provided the order comes into the Warehouse Management System (WMS) before noon. Some providers will have an earlier cut-off time, and some a bit later. This cut-off time is generally influenced by the time the carriers (FedEx, UPS, and DHL) arrive for the day. The volume of orders also plays a role in same-day delivery.
The 3PL service provider needs to pick, pack, quality check, and ship the order as soon as the order comes in — this requires time. Cutting down this time or the cut-off time jeopardizes the entire process, resulting in errors.
B2B fulfillment
Compared to B2C, B2B takes more time. When it comes to B2B fulfillment, the service provider is either coordinating with another 3PL provider for the transport, or with their own. Be it external or internal coordination, it demands more time compared to B2C. Therefore, the 3PL service provider will need a day to fulfill orders. Some even accept orders early morning, but any later than that for same-day delivery will include a fee.
The fee should be listed in the contract. Also, the changes to your business that alters these expectations should be mentioned in the service contract.
JIT delivery
To efficiently utilize space, many businesses opt for Just-In-Time (JIT) delivery. Products and goods are shipped from the warehouse when required. Orders such as these require a day. Similar to B2B services, orders made by the day’s end will be processed the next day, and at times, even early morning orders are accepted. Anything post this will have a fee, and the details of the same should be on the contract.
