What is fulfilment?

Active Ants is one of the largest and most modern web shop fulfilment companies in the Netherlands with multiple fulfilment centres in the Netherlands, UK, Germany and Belgium. We can therefore call ourselves experts in the field of fulfilment. But what exactly does fulfilment mean and how does it benefit you? We would like to explain it to you on the basis of the following topics:

What does fulfilment mean?

In short, fulfilment includes the whole logistic process for handling an order.

Or in other words:

Fulfilment is the logistical process for order fulfilment.

Want to know more about what we mean by fulfilment? Read more here about fulfilment meaning.

Outsource Fulfilment?

Curious about what our Fulfilment Solutions can mean for your webshop? Feel free to contact Active Ants and we will be happy to advise you!

What does the fulfilment process look like?

The fulfilment process can be divided into 6 steps:

Goods-in
Storing Goods
Inventory management
Receiving order
Packing order
Shipping order

But there are still a number of steps missing. The order process often starts online. For example, by placing an order in a webshop. It is important to have a good IT system. This provides the link between the webshop, the ordering system and stock management.

In fact, fulfilment does not stop with the dispatch of the order. Good customer service and return processing are just as important for the success of a web shop and therefore also for the fulfilment company.

Want to know how Active Ants' fulfilment process is set up? Check out our fulfilment process.

What is a fulfilment company?

A fulfilment company takes care of the logistics of, for instance, a web shop.

A company that provides web shop logistics is also called an e-fulfilment company. Active Ants is such an e-fulfilment company.

Would you like to know more about what a fulfilment company like Active Ants e-fulfilment can do for your web shop? Read more about our fulfilment company or watch the video below!

E-Fulfillment Unternehmen Active Ants

What is a fulfilment centre?

A fulfilment centre is nothing more than a location from which the fulfilment process takes place. Often strategically located so that the working area can be served as optimally as possible. And from where the import and export of products by suppliers and transport companies can easily take place.

Active Ants now has five fulfilment centres. Two in the Netherlands and, more recently, one in Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom. Strategically located so that we can provide the best possible service to our customers, the web shops.

Want to know more about our fulfilment centres? Read more about fulfilment centres.

What is the difference between fulfilment and e-fulfilment?

The terms fulfilment and e-fulfilment are often used interchangeably. In fact this is unjustified. Compare it with an apple. An apple is fruit, but fruit is not necessarily an apple. E-fulfilment is the apple here. Thus, e-fulfilment only refers to the logistical process of a webshop. Fulfilment, on the other hand, can also focus on the logistic process of, for example, a physical shop. An important difference between fulfilment and e-fulfilment.

There are also fulfilment companies that only focus on web shops, like we do at Active Ants. It is better to say that we are an e-fulfilment company or partner.

Want to know more about the differences between fulfilment and e-fulfilment? Check out fulfilment vs e-fulfilment.

What is the difference between fulfilment and webshop logistics?

Just like fulfilment and e-fulfilment, webshop logistics and fulfilment are often (partly) wrongly used interchangeably. This is because e-fulfilment is another word for webshop logistics. This means that, just like e-fulfilment, webshop logistics refers to the logistic process of a webshop. The word says it all. Whereas fulfilment is a broader term for logistics, which can also relate to the logistics of a physical shop (offline). Webshop logistics is therefore also often called web shop fulfilment.

Do you want to know more about the differences between fulfilment and webshop logistics? Take a look at fulfilment vs. webshop logistics.

What is the difference between fulfilment and dropshipping?

Dropshipping is actually a form of fulfilment. As a shop owner, you have three choices for carrying out webshop logistics:

Doing the web shop logistics yourself
Outsourcing web shop logistics to a fulfilment company (e-fulfilment)
Having the web shop logistics carried out by a manufacturer or supplier (dropshipping)

Would you like to outsource your webshop logistics? Then you have the choice of using a fulfilment company or dropshipping.

Want to know more about the differences and the advantages and disadvantages of (e-)fulfilment and dropshipping? Check out fulfilment vs dropshipping.

What are the advantages of outsourcing fulfilment?

Are you a webshop owner hesitating to outsource your logistics? We would like to list a few advantages of outsourcing fulfilment for your webshop:

You do not need your own storage space
You do not need extra staff
You save time
You benefit from favourable rates for delivery services
You can offer shorter delivery times
You have more security in the event of illness or leave
You can handle peak periods more easily

Would you like to know more about the advantages of outsourcing your fulfilment as a web shop? Read reasons outsourcing fulfilment or watch the video below!

Outsourcing Fulfilment

Experience our fulfilment benefits

Does your webshop need to outsource fulfilment as well? Feel free to contact Active Ants and discover the advantages!

How do I choose a fulfilment partner for my web shop?

Choosing a fulfilment partner that fits your web shop is important. The proper management of your web shop logistics determines the success of your web shop. There are a number of things to consider in advance, when you are looking for a fulfilment company for your web shop:

The service can differ per fulfilment company. Just like the additional services and possibilities.
It is important that the integration between your webshop, the sales channel and ordering system, and the fulfilment company is possible.
The location of the fulfilment centre in relation to your sales area.
The minimum requirements that a fulfilment company can set for using its services.
The flexibility of the fulfilment company.
The importance of sustainability.
The costs of using the fulfilment services.

Want to know more about choosing a fulfilment partner for your webshop? Read more about it in How to choose a fulfilment partner for your online shop?

What does the fulfilment centre of the future look like?

The fulfilment industry does not stand still. Standing still is going backwards. Active Ants likes to be ahead of the game. We continuously optimise the fulfilment process by investing in new developments. A number of pillars are central to this:

Efficiency
Sustainability & environment
Well-being of our employees

We are happy to give you some examples of our latest investments in the fulfilment centre of the future..

Opening fulfilment centre of the future

Fulfilment geautomatiseerd In 2021 we opened the first fully automated fulfilment centre in the Netherlands. Of course, we cannot do without our employees in the automated fulfilment process. In our fulfilment centres, man and robot work together. This enables us to work much more efficient, faster and more sustainable, while at the same time easing the physical workload for our employees. Our fulfilment centres are also equipped with an Autostore. This allows us to store the products in our fulfilment warehouse much more effectively, requiring 6 times less space compared to a regular warehouse. Want to know more about the fulfilment centre of the future? Read more about it here: Active Ants opens E-fulfilment centre of the future in the Netherlands

Transition to sustainable fulfilment

We are fully committed to the transition to an energy-neutral form of fulfilment. We call this Active Green. We are not only trying to reduce our ecological footprint, but also that of our customers and suppliers. For example, we are already working on green energy and less energy, sustainable packaging material and less packaging material. How do we do this? You can read more about it in: Active Green with Active Ants: The transition to sustainable e-fulfilment

Have you ever wanted to take a look at the fulfilment centre of the future?

We would be happy to give you a look inside our fulfilment centre. Watch the video below or make an appointment and see our robots at work!

Fulfilment centre Active Ants

Fulfilment for your webshop at Active Ants?

Would you like to know more about how we, as a fulfilment company, can contribute to the success of your web shop? Do not hesitate and contact us by phone, email or make an appointment and visit us at one of our fulfilment centres!