Bscale: end-to-end logistics operations to scale up your business

Adopting more sustainable practices is essential for brands looking to scale up without significantly increasing their environmental impact. This can include operational changes such as using renewable energy at distribution centres. Transportation is another major source of emissions, and solutions such as route optimisation can help reduce its carbon footprint. Introducing circular services, such as garment reconditioning and repair, can also help brands achieve further sustainability benefits.

Customised packaging and branding can be an effective way to maintain a unique brand identity as you scale up your logistics operations. Options such as gold embossing or more sustainable packaging can help enhance the unboxing experience and improve your brand perception. Meanwhile, personalised touches such as handwritten notes or samples can also help to make a lasting impression. The right logistics partner can help you refine these details, ensuring you build customer loyalty while keeping operations cost-effective.

Integrating your brand’s e-commerce platform with your third-party logistics (3PL) provider’s systems can be a complex and lengthy process. That’s why conducting due diligence on potential ecommerce logistics partners is key to achieving a smooth and speedy integration. For example, are their systems compatible with your platform(s) and do they offer plug-and-play ecommerce logistics solutions? Rigorous testing of your newly integrated set-up before going live is also highly recommended. A successful integration with your ecommerce logistic provider can deliver multiple benefits, improving both operational efficiency and oversight, as well as helping to deliver an exemplary customer experience.

Recognising when it’s time to outsource your brand’s logistics is crucial to maintaining high levels of operational efficiency and customer experience as your business expands. But how do you know it’s time to work with an external partner? Managing logistics in-house may be taking focus away from other key areas of your business, or the cost of expanding your in-house capabilities may become unsustainable. Inconsistencies in inventory management or deliveries can also be telltale signs that handling logistics in-house is no longer viable for your brand. Outsourcing to an experienced fashion logistics provider can give you the scalable capacity you need to elevate your customer experience and streamline your brand’s growth journey.

An optimised returns framework can be critical to improving your customer experience and driving brand loyalty – and an experienced fashion logistics partner can help you achieve this. By providing an end-to-end returns solution, including a range of convenient return and exchange options, a third-party logistics (3PL) provider can help you meet and exceed customer expectations. And with real-time tracking and reporting, you’ll have complete visibility of your returns operations, enabling more efficient inventory management. Finally, incorporating circular solutions into your returns set-up can help to make your operations more sustainable – reducing waste, creating new revenue streams and building stronger relationships with your customers.

Outsourcing your logistics operations to a third-party fashion logistics provider can help to maintain and even enhance your brand’s customer experience as you expand your business. Faster delivery times, optimised transportation networks, and more efficient warehouse management systems reduce delays and ensure reliability. For example, automated systems such as Bleckmann’s AutoStores solution can cut order processing times by up to 60%. In addition to improved efficiency, value-added services (from ironing to product photography), as well as customisable packaging and branding, can further enhance the quality of your service – helping to build a strong brand identity and leave a lasting impression on customers with every delivery.

Logistics outsourcing to a third-party fashion logistics provider can help brands scale up operations efficiently without the need for significant upfront investment in infrastructure and technology. The cost of these services can vary depending on factors such as order volume, delivery speed and geographical reach, so it’s important that the service you choose is tailored to your brand’s specific needs. Some providers, like Bleckmann, offer scalable, pay-as-you-grow models to ensure that growing brands aren’t priced out. This approach provides access to the highest-quality logistics services at more affordable rates, offering economies of scale through advanced automation and established industry networks.

While outsourcing your fashion logistics can bring significant benefits, it’s also important to be aware of the potential pitfalls. That’s why due diligence and preparation are key to successfully navigating the outsourcing process. This means having a thorough understanding of your brand’s specific needs and researching the offerings of prospective 3PL partners in detail. It may also be helpful to start with a pilot phase with your new fashion logistics provider before ramping up to ensure a productive and collaborative partnership.

Partnering with a specialist fashion logistics provider can bring a number of benefits to your brand, helping to drive continuous improvement in customer experience and operational efficiency. By providing a fully scalable logistics framework, a third-party logistics (3PL) partner will help you to seamlessly manage surges in demand and expand in line with your growth ambitions. Experienced 3PLs will also leverage established networks, resources and expertise to maximise speed and accuracy of fulfilment. Meanwhile, fashion-specific services such as garment-on-hanger transport, repacking and personalisation can be valuable additions to enhance your customer experience. By handling all aspects of your logistics operations, a specialist apparel 3PL will free you up to focus on expanding your business.

Keeping your logistics in-house can often be a barrier to delivering on your brand’s growth strategy due to the high cost of expanding your own operations. Indeed, as more and more orders come in, it can become increasingly difficult to provide a consistent level of service – whether it’s down to a lack of space, infrastructure or technology. In contrast, a specialist fashion logistics partner can offer a fully scalable logistics solution and framework that’s capable of seamlessly supporting both temporary spikes in demand and underlying growth. What’s more, an established apparel 3PL will have specialised expertise – as well as best-in-class resources and processes – that can help you to maximise efficiency and enhance your customer experience.