Should Dropshipper Let Services Place Orders for Them Fully Automatically?
Let's make this straight: NO.
Or more accurate, NO for most dropshippers who don’t want to suffer from financial risks.
The general order fulfillment process
Generally speaking, the entire order fulfillment process is as follows:
Customer places an order - You receive the order - You place an order with AliExpress - AliExpress ships the goods according to customer information - Logistics transportation - Product delivery.
In this entire fulfillment process, third-party software services like DSers, optimized itself with years of service experience for dropshippers, provide partial automation now:
Automatically syncs the order information from your store to your control panel in DSers, fully prepared for your inspection (Figure 1).
Figure 1
After your customer paid you, you can place order to AliExpress by one-click (Figure 2).
Figure 2
After you paid on AliExpress, DSers automatically syncs various order status and tracking information from AliExpress.
Automatically Tracking Detailed function descriptions here, you can even build a tracking page for you customers! This will improve your brand image! |
In these 3 steps, the first and third steps are partially automated, saving you the trouble of manually copying and pasting order information to AliExpress and manually tracking each supplier's logistics status and saving the tracking number.
But why?
Why is the second step, one-click order placement to AliExpress, not automated? Is it technically unfeasible?
Obviously not. Even a click of a button can be simulated with a script. Many similar third-party service software also isolate the dropshipper's order placement and payment steps in the automatic fulfillment process.
So why is this?
Why it's not fully automated
We all know that dropshippers choose the dropshipping model to reduce economic risk. Whether it's low-cost startup, no inventory risk, or low product trial and error cost, all point to this ultimate goal.
However, in fully automatic order fulfillment, the following situations can contradict this seemingly convenient function with the dropshipper's ultimate goal:
1. Fraudulent orders
If these orders are automatically fulfilled and the dropshipper does not detect and intervene in time, it may result in both money and goods being lost. Large fraudulent orders can cause even more losses to the dropshipper.
2. Customer order modification requests
If a customer cancels an order immediately after placing it, or wants to change the delivery address, product color, or size, fully automatic fulfillment may have already placed the order with the supplier.
Communicating changes with the supplier may take more time. Refunds for canceled orders might take 7-14 days (depending on your payment method) to process, increasing your working capital investment.
3. Automation process anomalies leading to extended fulfillment times Full automation involves issues like automatic payment deductions, which increase the number of data transmission nodes. If there is an anomaly at any of these uncontrollable nodes, product delivery time may be delayed.
When you use a fully automated services, you might neglect in checking, and possibly promising customers overly short shipping times.
This can result in customer dissatisfaction, order cancellations, returns, negative reviews, or complaints, causing financial losses to the dropshipper.
As a store owner, dropshippers should play the role of a proprietor, verifying every order because this is your MONEY! Similarly, the process of checking orders may help you spot errors and contact your customers timely. They will appreciate your thorough service and responsible attitude, helping your business grow!
In fact, except for placing the order and making the payment to AliExpress, DSers has automated all other processes. After fulfilling your role as a boss (inspecting the orders you received), you only need to click 2 buttons to effortlessly complete the entire order fulfillment process.
Complete The Entire Order Fulfillment Process In 2 Clicks Try DSers and just do your boss job, leave dull workloads to DSers! |