Many ecommerce owners may start their business inside their homes. They send out orders from the stock stored in spare rooms, basements, or garages to save on costs. If you have an ecommerce shop, you may have grown your operations to where you want to expand your stock lines and market to more regions. This operational growth requires you to move into an established facility, but you may be wondering what to look for in a warehouse for ecommerce. Learn about what to look for in a small ecommerce warehousing solution.

What is eCommerce Warehousing?

Ecommerce warehousing refers to the storage of inventory that will fulfill orders for products that customers purchase online. This process differs from dropshipping, where the storage and shipping of goods is typically done by a supplier. With ecommerce, the business owner handles marketing and takes product orders. 

In 2022, eCommerce continued to climb its rapid upward trajectory with 268 million American shoppers buying from online stores. It is estimated that in the next three years, online shoppers will grow to an estimated 284 million. If you have an ecommerce business, you may need to start thinking about expanding now. 

One solution is by learning more about ecommerce warehousing solutions and how they can help your business to make necessary changes for growth.

What is ecommerce warehousing? It involves the storage, securing, and preparation of products for online sales. Technically any place where you store your inventory can act as a warehouse. However, your garage will not offer your business the same space and management capabilities of an ecommerce warehouse.

It’s important to find a small warehouse space that accommodates your business setup and how you fulfill orders. A small warehouse space should streamline your supply chain when receiving orders, storing products, and picking/packing products for shipments. The right ecommerce warehousing solution should speed up your productivity.

What to Look for in a Small Warehouse Space for Ecommerce

There are several factors to look for when you are in search of a small ecommerce warehouse. Keep in mind your available working capital and the current size of your business. You want to look for a small warehouse space that accommodates your operations without being too crowded for all your products yet not too large where you are paying too much in warehouse overhead costs. 

Check to see if the ecommerce warehouse provides the following features:

Does the Warehouse Have Diverse Capabilities?

The ecommerce warehousing companies should offer loading docks specific to your fulfillment needs that are separate from other ecommerce businesses. It should be equipped with racking systems and shelves that accommodate the size and shape of your products and allow you to easily customize the shelves for products that may be bulky, large, or in odd shapes.

You should be able to reach all products safely and the space should be big enough for you to move about and fulfill orders.

Do They Offer Additional Services?

Some ecommerce warehousing companies only offer storage space. Others may provide other features to help you better manage your inventory such as security, on-site support, inventory management, and more. For instance, you may want secure wifi to run a warehouse management system. Ecommerce warehousing may also offer other perks like warehouse equipment, office spaces, conference rooms, kitchen & lounge spaces, and packing and labeling areas.

Always be aware of what additional services that a place may offer even if you are a small business that doesn’t need these add-ons at this point in your operations. You may want to opt-in later for these services as you scale up. WareSpace offers everything your small business needs to grow, learn more on our amenities page.

In What Regions Are They Located?

Location is an important aspect to consider when looking for a small warehouse space. You want the facilities to be easily accessible and close to manufacturers for restocking while also close to your customer base.

3 Benefits of Using an External eCommerce Warehouse

Companies offering warehousing for ecommerce may provide the solutions you need when growing your business.

1. Easier to Stay Organized

Ecommerce warehousing solutions provide ways for you to stay organized. They offer a broad range of shelving and racking solutions to more easily pack your product inventory to fulfill orders. They offer small warehouse spaces in different sizes so you have the right amount of space without being overly cluttered. You can move freely to quickly fill orders and get them shipped out while also receiving shipments from suppliers.

2. More Accurate Picking and Packing

Picking and packing solutions may involve industrial racking systems and bins that can easily be tabled with product barcodes to improve product visibility when retrieving items. You can implement the type of warehouse picking and packing method that best works for you, such as zone picking or batch picking, to accurately fill orders and minimize errors. You may also easily update your inventory software to have more accurate inventory numbers so you will know when product levels are running low.

3. Faster Shipping + More Time to Focus on Growth

A major benefit to having an ecommerce small warehouse space outside of your home is that it helps to further mature your operations to grow your business. In today’s competitive ecommerce world, swift and efficient delivery is essential. Opting for external ecommerce warehouses strategically places your inventory closer to customers, cutting down shipping times and costs significantly. This proactive choice ensures speedy order fulfillment and heightened customer satisfaction, enhancing overall operational efficiency and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

With an efficient supply chain, you can place more of your focus in other areas of your business. This growth may involve purchasing additional product lines, opening additional ecommerce shops, or hiring more employees.

Finding the Ideal Ecommerce Warehouse

If you are wondering what to look for in a warehouse for ecommerce, you first have to understand your current picking and packing needs, storage requirements, and budget. These factors will help you choose the best external ecommerce warehouse. An ecommerce warehouse solution should make your operations easier to manage so you can continually bring in more sales and profits. To learn more about what WareSpace’s small warehouse solutions have to offer your small business visit our Explore our Spaces page.

Your Space is Ready

Here at WareSpace, we offer small warehouse spaces for ecommerce owners that are looking to move their operations outside their homes. These spaces are designed to meet the needs of your operations, no matter the size, and to provide for more efficient inventory storage and picking and packing solutions. In addition, we offer a range of additional features in one all-inclusive price. Contact us today to learn more.