“Quality in a product or service is not what the supplier puts in. It is what the customer gets out and is willing to pay for.” ~ Peter F. Drucker

If you have ever stepped inside the doors of an order fulfillment center, you know there is a lot of inventory being moved around. It is the nature of the industry. If you are an independent publisher who plans on outsourcing your order fulfillment, there are some steps you can take to reduce the chances of having your product damaged in a warehouse environment and increase the odds of your customer receiving your book, dvd or cd in good condition.

• Request a sample of the packaging, from the fulfillment house, that will be used to ship your book, cd or DVD. Does it pass your “crush test?”
• Shrink wrap your publications; further safeguarding the product from getting beat up and bent up – especially important for paperback books.
• Visit the fulfillment house, if at all possible; take tour. Check for cleanliness and order.
• Every so often, have friends or family order your publication and take note of the exterior packaging. Does it meet with the standards and speed of delivery you agreed upon and are paying for? Does the exterior packaging hold the “goods” securely in place during shipping?

Shrink wrapping may not be necessary for books that will be sold by a wholesale book distributor, in case lots. However, for orders that will be fulfilled individually, shrink wrapping is a great way to protect the edges and corners from being damaged, as it moves through the channels of the warehouse.

Any respectable fulfillment company should give potential clients a tour of their facility and provide you with a sample of the packaging they use, if you ask. A reputable company understands that a lot of time and money has been put into producing and publishing your product, and you are trying to protect your investment.

As an independent publisher offering a quality product, do you what you can on your end to help reduce the likelihood there could be some damage to your stock.

This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.