Running an online toy and game shop is exciting, but handling the shipping can be a headache. As your business grows, packing boxes at your kitchen table becomes impossible. This is when a fulfilment centre can save the day. This blog will help you connect your online store with a fulfilment centre in three simple steps.
What is an e-commerce fulfilment Centre?
A fulfilment centre acts as a warehouse facility where your products get stored and subsequently packed and dispatched to your customers. The complete order journey starts with receiving orders and ends with successful delivery to customers through these centres. Wealthy Single Source manages your complete toy inventory to let you concentrate on business expansion while these centres serve Toys and Games retailers.
Three-Step Guide to Integration
Step 1: Choose and Prepare
The first step in launching your toys and games business involves selecting a suitable fulfilment centre. Choosing a fulfilment centre demands attention to centres that have toy management skills, coupled with clean storage spaces and affordable rates, and simple returns solutions. Understand their practices when dealing with Christmas, along with other periodic spikes in business.
Every product's information needs preparation after you choose your partner. Make an exhaustive catalogue of your items that includes detailed dimensions and weights with all necessary handling requirements. Add photos as well as barcodes or Stock Keeping Unit numbers that accompany safety instructions and warnings regarding the toys. Proper item storage and packaging depend on this information, which the fulfilment centre uses.
Step 2: Connect and Send
Now connect your online shop to the fulfilment centre. Most e-commerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce have apps or plugins for this. These tools will send order details to the fulfilment centre instantly, update inventory levels on your website, track packages, and help manage returns.
Once the connection is set up, send your toys and games to the fulfilment centre. Label everything clearly, group similar items together, include your account details, and send an inventory list with the shipment. Keep copies of all shipping documents. The fulfilment centre will check your items when they arrive and add them to their system.
Step 3: Test and Launch
Before going live, send some test orders through the system. Order a few items yourself and check if the order reaches the fulfilment centre quickly, if the packing is appropriate for toys and games, how long delivery takes, if tracking information is correct, and if the toys arrive in good condition.
Once testing is successful, fully switch to using the fulfilment centre. During the first few weeks, watch order processing times, shipping speeds, customer feedback, inventory accuracy, and return handling. Create a spreadsheet to track these metrics and have regular calls with your fulfilment centre manager.
Managing Seasonal Peaks and Common Problems
Toy and game sales have huge seasonal spikes, especially around Christmas. Plan by forecasting busy periods, increasing stock levels before peak times, and warning your fulfilment centre about expected order volumes. Give them at least three months' notice before big sales periods.
Even with good planning, issues can arise. Do regular stock checks for inventory discrepancies, keep customers informed about shipping delays, review packing methods for damaged products, and have IT support contacts ready for technical problems.
Why Use a Toys and Games Fulfilment Service?
Products among toys and games require distinct handling procedures. The products arrive in unusual and inconsistent forms. A reliable fulfilment centre has advanced knowledge about proper product packaging methods. Busy seasons such as Christmastime are well understood by their staff because toy sales surge. A fulfilment service enhances your business productivity by reducing delivery expenses and speeding up order fulfilment while minimising your time expenditures. The service streamlines both return management and ensures storage-free business expansion.
Conclusion
Connecting your online toy and game store to a fulfilment centre transforms your business by saving time, reducing stress, and helping you grow. With a good fulfilment centre handling your toys and games, you can focus on finding new products, marketing your store, and building customer relationships.
Start small if you're worried about the change. You could begin with just your bestselling items and gradually move more stock to the fulfilment centre. Remember that the right e-commerce fulfilment centre doesn't just store and ship your toys and games—it becomes a true partner in your business growth.