Keeping Inventory in Check

Challenge: You need to balance stock levels so that you don't tie up too much of your precious cashflow in stock without risking going out of stock of products and missing out on sales. Overstocking ties up capital and storage space, while understocking can lead to lost sales and customer dissatisfaction.

Solution: Grab a WMS (warehouse management system) inventory software to keep your stock sorted, so you’re not left high and dry or swimming in extra goods. (Motive uses WMS is Cartoncloud, the triggers, warnings and transparency Cartoncloud provides is second to none!) 

High Shipping costs

Challenge: This can eat into profits and make your products less appealing to customers, especially when competitors offer free or discounted shipping. For e-commerce businesses, balancing affordable shipping rates while maintaining fast, reliable delivery can be a challenge.

Solution: Team up with a solid 3PL (we recommend Motive 3PL 👋,) to get your deliveries sorted without blowing your budget. 3PLs can often get better shipping rates than your business can because they have much greater scale and therefore negotiating clout with courier companies. If you're not ready for that, always review other shipping partners, and speak to your shipping partner account manager and review how you're lodging your parcels.

Product Labelling

Challenge: If labels aren’t clear or standardised, it leads to delays in the warehouse, shipping errors, and even missed deliveries. That extra time spent correcting mistakes could slow down your logistics process and hurt the bottom line.

Solution: Implement a standardised labelling and barcoding system on the unit, carton and pallet level, collaborate closely with suppliers and your 3PL. Consistent product labelling and barcoding ensures for smoother operations, fewer errors and potentially large cost savings! 

Returns process

Challenge: Managing returns requires efficient tracking, restocking, and customer communication, all of which can strain resources. If not managed well, a complicated returns process can frustrate customers and damage their trust in the brand... as well as cost you time and money.

Solution: Set up a no-fuss returns process that keeps your customers happy and saves you headaches. You can even integrate a returns portal on your website with a tech partner such as Starshipit.

Same day dispatch

Challenge: To get orders out the door quickly, businesses need to have their inventory organised and ready to go at a moment's notice. If there are any delays in this process, whether due to stock issues or shipping partner inefficiencies, it can lead to unhappy customers.

Solution: Nail your order fulfilment by partnering with a 3PL - after all, they're the experts in all this! Your customers will appreciate the quick delivery and solid communication. (Side note; this is where a 3PL's response time is really important as there's nothing worse than having customers wait for a response, and yourself having to wait for your 3PL's response!)

Find the right support

Challenge: Many small businesses attempt to do everything themselves, risking burnout and missed growth opportunities. With numerous options available—from tech solutions to logistics partners—it’s challenging to know who to trust and what fits their unique needs.

Solution: You don’t have to do it all alone! We love it when companies come to us for help or guidance—whether they partner with us or not, it’s awesome to help businesses grow. We do it all the time ourselves!