July 2025 - Ecommerce
Running an eCommerce business is rewarding, but it’s far from simple. Between managing stock, meeting delivery expectations and keeping your website up to date, it’s easy to feel like you’re constantly playing catch-up. Fulfilment, in particular, is one of the most important and often overlooked elements of running a successful online store.
Keep reading to learn about the 5 common fulfilment challenges eCommerce businesses face and how to overcome them with the right strategies and support in place.
Your website is the front of your shop. If it’s difficult to navigate or missing important product details, you’re not only frustrating customers, you’re also losing sales.
From a fulfilment partner’s perspective, a seamless website flow is essential. Can customers easily find what they’re looking for? Are product pages optimised with high-quality images, detailed descriptions and clear stock availability?
If your product listings are outdated or unclear, it’s likely to lead to increased returns, customer complaints and abandoned baskets.
How to fix this?
Take the time to regularly audit your site. Ensure every product has accurate descriptions, quality images and relevant information such as delivery timings, FAQs where applicable, return procedures, and upsell opportunities. Pre-order functionality can also help you manage demand without overselling stock.
Working with a fulfilment partner who understands the impact of a well-structured online experience can help you align operations with your sales goals. The right partner can integrate with your systems to ensure real-time updates and consistent customer communications.
Managing stock can be a logistical headache. Overstocking ties up space, while understocking leads to lost sales and frustrated customers. And it’s not just about the volume of products, you also need to consider packaging. Are you using the most
Cost-effective solutions for shipping your products?
How to fix this?
Smart inventory management is key here. Forecast demand, plan ahead for peak seasons, and regularly review which products are performing well and which aren’t. Partnering with a fulfilment partner that offers real-time stock reporting and scalable storage options can make a huge difference.
Here at JEM, we use a bespoke fulfilment system designed in-house by our own development team. That means your inventory, goods in process, reporting, and operations can be completely tailored to your eCommerce needs. You’ll have complete visibility, making sure your stock is well-managed and your packing is cost-effective and durable.
Having the best products in your niche is great, but if your marketing is inconsistent, you’ll struggle to gain momentum with your audience. Poor planning can also create pressure on your fulfilment operations when sales come in unexpectedly or products are promoted before the stock is ready.
How to fix this?
Schedule marketing campaigns in advance, especially for new product launches and seasonal promotions. However, overall plan this around your inventory availability and fulfilment capacity. Give your eCommerce fulfilment partner a heads-up when demand is expected to spike so they can also prepare accordingly.
A good fulfilment partner won’t only just pick and pack, they’ll support your eCommerce business goals. At JEM, our bespoke system can integrate with your existing eCommerce platforms, giving you the flexibility to scale campaigns without worrying about operational limitations. Whether you’re launching a new range or sending out samples, you’ll have a team behind you that’s ready to deliver.
Staffing is often one of the biggest challenges for growing businesses. Managing shifts, covering for sickness or holiday, handling HR responsibilities and staying on top of regulations can be overwhelming, especially when your time is better spent on growth.
How to fix this?
Outsourcing your fulfilment operations is one of the most effective ways to free up internal resources, as your fulfilment partner handles all the operations. Allowing you to focus on product development, marketing and your customer experience, knowing your fulfilment is in good hands.
By outsourcing to a specialist team, like us here at JEM, who have dedicated infrastructure and staff, you can eliminate the stress and reduce overheads, while maintaining a professional service for your customers. JEM offers complete fulfilment support, so no matter whether you use your own postal accounts or prefer to use ours, the setup is flexible and designed around your needs.
Many eCommerce businesses struggle to scale because their fulfilment setup simply cannot keep up. Manual processes, disconnected systems and a lack of visibility can all lead to delays, errors and rising costs.
How to fix this?
To scale successfully, you need fulfilment that’s as agile as your business. This means smooth integrations and the ability to handle growing order volumes without a drop in quality.
Whether you’re a start-up looking to grow or an established brand needing more flexibility, they’ll help you take control and scale with confidence.
Fulfilment might happen behind the scenes but it plays a leading role in the success of your eCommerce business. From accurate inventory management to smooth delivery and website integration, solving these challenges will improve your customer experience and give you the freedom to focus on growing your brand.
Are you looking for a fulfilment partner who truly understands the pressures of running an eCommerce business?
Getting started with JEM is easier than you might think. We’ll plan everything with you, connect to your eCommerce systems, and ensure orders flow smoothly from day one. Whether you’re looking to switch fulfilment provider or outsourcing for the first time, we make fulfilment simple, reliable and fully supported. Get in touch today to learn more.
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