Advice needed on order fulfillment

[Michelle Spittle]

Hi, my company manufactures wheel alignment equipment and we are now looking at exporting worldwide. We are looking at obtaining order fulfillment in the USA, Australia and Canada.

Our UK customers currently enjoy next day delivery where possible so express delivery is something we'd like to replicate for our overseas customers so it makes sense to have stock warehoused in other countries to be dispatched as soon as an order comes in.

Any advice wold be appreciated.

 

[Lawson@CBF]

Happy to help you. We have US and Austrailian partners that we work with passing business to each other.

 

[The Secret Strategist]

Hi, my company manufactures wheel alignment equipment and we are now looking at exporting worldwide. We are looking at obtaining order fulfillment in the USA, Australia and Canada.

Our UK customers currently enjoy next day delivery where possible so express delivery is something we'd like to replicate for our overseas customers so it makes sense to have stock warehoused in other countries to be dispatched as soon as an order comes in.

Any advice wold be appreciated.

What would you like advice on? Tell us more?

• Why are you focusing on USA, Australia and Canada?
• Why is next day delivery important in this industry (or isn't it)?
• I'm guessing you make-to-stock etc? (why?)
• How do you currently store your products?
• How do you currently sell/promote/market/deliver these products? (presumably this is quite a specialised marketplace)?

 

[Michelle Spittle]

Hi,

1. We are focussing on the countries that we can list on ebay, European orders we can handle at this end.
2. Next day, as such isn't a priority, our UK customers currently get next day but we would like to keep some sort of express delivery promise.
3. We currently build to stock however we are space limited so we build to cover a months expectations at a time.
4. We store our products packed and ready to dispatch from our factory.
5. We currently sell on our own website, quicktrak.co, through ebay and amazon as well as sales via various distributors.

 

[The Byre]

we are now looking at exporting worldwide.

European orders we can handle at this end.

Without on-the-ground representation and setting the jurisdiction for disputes to the local country and not the UK (as well as the very obvious need to have all tech. documentation in the local language - which I'm sure you do already) you will sell very few.

I have yet to see a German 'Werkstatt' that did not have a Bosch FWA system - though I'm sure are are many. Your prices are very good (i.e. low) and I could see a huge market for all the smaller workshops and tyre shops that did not want to spring for a Bosch system, but they need to know who to talk to in Germany, not the UK, when things go wrong.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

You seem to be very well sorted out. I think of a couple of local mechanics who I know well who would be your market. Where do they buy stuff now? The answer is a mix of chains and freelance agents. Rather than ask here I would ask small mechanics in your target areas.

 

[The Secret Strategist]

5. We currently sell on our own website, quicktrak.co, through ebay and amazon as well as sales via various distributors.

You obviously don't have to give away specifics, but what stats do you have regarding 'what works and what doesn't' (when it comes to your sales and customers)?

• What is your competition and how do they sale their products? (what is your usp compared to them?)
• Have you maximised UK sales first? (If so, how do you know)
• Why does your customer buy from you and not the competition?
• What percentage of sales is your own website/ebay/amazon and distributors?
• You suggested it's specifically ebay you're looking to drive sales through? Is it only ebay (& if so why?

Sorry for all the questions. Just interested to learn your current state of play and why you've decided now is the time to sale worldwide.

 

[Deleted member 59730]

Just interested to learn your current state of play and why you've decided now is the time to sale worldwide.

It it wasn't for companies like the OP's looking to sell overseas we would be doomed as a country.

 

[Michelle Spittle]

We have pretty much got the customer service side of things covered, obviously with most of our international sales going through ebay or amazon the customer has the security of ebay/amazon services - we are also setting up a free international helpline and maybe setting up virtual offices in various countries. The key thing here is with our product we offer lifetime warranties because we are confident that they simply dont breakdown. We have very little comeback from our UK customers so we're confident in the product.

We have already starting selling into Europe and have had no problems, as my original post states our main area of enquiry is order fulfillment and warehousing.

 

[GraemeL]

Hi, my company manufactures wheel alignment equipment and we are now looking at exporting worldwide. We are looking at obtaining order fulfillment in the USA, Australia and Canada.

Hello Michele.
If you want help with fulfilment in USA, Australia and Canada then I think it unlikely you will get meaningful help here.

(Quite why one of the posters is asking you all those questions I dont know, but answering them is not going to help you!)

My only thought is that your new target market is geographically huge, compared to the UK. It may well be that you will need several partners in each of those countries. Next day delivery will definitely need multi site distribution. MAybe you could make friends with another business doing what you want logistically, but with a non-competitive product offer.

Tyre or exhaust distributor?

Graeme

 

[The Byre]

@GraemeL has pretty much nailed it. You need local representation and you will find this by exhibiting at a few international trade fairs for workshop supplies and, as Graeme suggested, talking to non-competing workshop supplies companies.

 

[The Secret Strategist]

(Quite why one of the posters is asking you all those questions I dont know, but answering them is not going to help you!)

Apologies. That’s what I get for not reading the question properly in the first place.

Sorry Michelle.