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Cart.com has had quite an eventful year – and we hope you have too. We’ve made some changes, grown as a company, had an incredible peak season and brought in new brands. We’ve also expanded our content, covering new topics and exploring industry innovations.We looked at what you – our readers – found most valuable and inspiring. Here are the best and most popular blogs of 2023!
Prana Pets taps Cart.com as omnichannel fulfillment partner
Imagine getting a notice out of the blue from your 3PL provider: “You have three weeks to vacate.” For a sizable D2C wholesale pet supplement operation, that’s unsettling, to say the least. And yet Prana Pets promptly took action, seeking a 3PL that could meet their specific needs.
Founded in 2016 by yoga instructors Brand Solomon and Brand Noonan, Prana Pets aimed to promote healthy living for humans and animals. They developed products designed to improve the health of aging and ailing pets.
Prana Pets experience rapid growth after the entrance of Joel Morrow, CEO. From 2021 to 2023, Inc. 5000 recognized them for notable revenue growth. The brand is present in both the DTC (direct-to-consumer) and wholesale markets, requiring an omnichannel fulfillment solution. They need to deliver swiftly and efficiently to Amazon warehouses, small merchant centers and customer doorsteps. Another critical need is temperature control inventory in the Midwest, close to their customer base.
After Morrow kicked off Project Speedy – the quest to find a new 3PL within three weeks – they found Cart.com, which met their refined criteria. After a seamless transition, Morrow says, “Cart.com is our go-to fulfillment partner that can make it happen when we need it to happen.”
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Read the Prana Pets case study
Ecommerce benefits and challenges with two-day shipping
Customers want their shipping free and fast. Failure to offer speedy delivery is behind 56% of abandoned carts. So, what’s an ecommerce retailer to do?
For many brands, two-day shipping is no longer an option but a reality – it’s the standard. The good news is that advancements in logistics and transportation help businesses meet customer demand. Even so, it’s a delicate balance fraught with benefits and challenges. To make two-day shipping a profitable endeavor, digital retailers must take a few things into account.
Two-day shipping can come with a high price tag, and if you don’t have the right logistics and operations in place, it can make it worse. Your technology also plays a factor. With the speed of two-day shipping, the need for real-time visibility is critical.
When brands implement a two-day shipping strategy, they must look to optimized warehouse operations. Carrier selection, order processing, shipping optimization and clear customer communication are also essential. Ultimately, two-day shipping comes down to an analysis of your products, customer, costs and capabilities. But two-day shipping is attainable with the right partners and tools.
Affiliate and performance media holiday tips
The holidays are a critical time for ecommerce retailers. For many, it means amplified sales and strong numbers. During peak season, ecommerce brands look for ways to maximize revenue and keep ROAS (return on ad spending) high.
Cart.com’s Affiliate and Performance team put together tips for planning and execution. It all started with media placements and how to budget. The bottom line is that Q4 is not the time to try something new because of the increased media and placement costs. Instead, rely on your knowledge. You know where your audience is and what they respond to. Budget approximately 30% for flat fee placements and identify peak days and your top traffic and revenue-driving partners.
Other pertinent tips included finding and incentivizing the right content publishers to use your affiliate tracking links and looking for Gift Guide inclusions as early as Q3. Plan your promotions and events early and develop trigger campaigns. Lastly, take an integrated media approach.
If you didn’t benefit from these expert tips this past BFCM, bookmark the article for 2024.
5 Signs it’s time to upgrade your 3PL
What would you do if you lacked access to real-time logistics data? How would you handle mismanaged inventory or frequent stockouts? These are only some of the reasons that ecommerce brands move 3PL (third-party logistics) providers.
3PLs have become a crucial part of ecommerce. Retail brands partner with 3PLs to increase customer satisfaction, manage risk, scale and save time and money. The ecommerce industry is growing rapidly, making 3PLs an integral part of retail business success. When your 3PL service isn’t a good fit for your needs, there are clear signs.
If you’ve experienced challenges around scalability, visibility and tracking, high fulfillment costs and hidden fees, limited geographic reach or a lack of customer support – it’s time to consider a new 3PL partner. With your ecommerce business and happy customers dependent on exceptional fulfillment services, ensure you understand what the right 3PL partner looks like.
Are you prepared for holiday shopping?
Peak season – which occurs in Q4 – is an essential period for ecommerce businesses. Retailers often plan throughout the year and look at how best to maximize revenue. One of the year’s most important shopping weekends falls within that time. Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) is a whirlwind of shoppers looking for the best holiday deals.
The question Cart.com asks is: Are you prepared? If you don’t have a plan of action, aim to create one in 2024. This popular blog laid out our expert tips. You can plan your way to a successful holiday shopping season with six steps.
Step one encouraged setting clear goals and objectives, while two asked you to lay out your plan and timeline. The third step outlined all the content and assets you need for your peak campaigns. Four detailed an inventory strategy and five set the deadline to stop making functional changes to your website. Finally, step six covered operational strategies. At Cart.com, we understand fulfillment, so we shared information about cutoff dates, employee coverage and packing materials.
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Read how our Cart.com customers did during BFCM 2023
Keep reading in 2024
Keep visiting our blog and resource sections to get the latest industry news, helpful content and how-to’s throughout 2024. If you have ideas or something you’d like to see or learn: Contact us and let us know!
Here’s wishing you the most successful year yet!
