When to Consider Fulfillment by Flipkart as an E-Commerce Seller?

In this fast growing economy, e-commerce businesses are booming in the market. In order to be successful it is important to meet your customers expectations. From offering high quality products to a timely delivery, an efficient fulfillment process is crucial for a business. Flipkart, one of India’s largest online marketplaces, offers fulfillment solutions that streamline inventory management, packaging, shipping, returns and 24/7 customer support.

There are two types of fulfillment options available with Flipkart:

• FBF
• NFBF

What is FBF and NFBF?

FBF	NFBF
Fulfillment by Flipkart	Non Fulfillment by Flipkart
The products are stored in Flipkart’s warehouse, where the service providers of Flipkart handle packaging , 24/7 customer support, returns and shipping directly to the customer on receiving the order. This allows your business to enjoy a hassle free experience with Flipkart ensuring smooth fulfillment process and logistics. It also includes:FAssured badgeFaster delivery High quality selection recommendationStringent quality checks	The products are stored in the seller’s warehouse, where the seller is responsible to pack the products before scheduling a pick up with a Flipkart agent and is charged with a normal shipping cost that is applicable to deliver the product. Apart from inventory management and packaging, the further process of Fulfillment is managed by Flipkart.Here are the activities managed by Flipkart under NFBF:ShippingReturnsCustomer serviceFAssured badge provided based on reliability score.

What is FAssured badge?

FAssured badge is a program that is designed by flipkart, which provides benefits to your products. This program ensures stringent quality checks and delivery within 2-4 days increasing visibility. With this badge you can expect higher revenue, increased trust, thereby enhancing your overall experience with Flipkart. 

Benefits of FBF program

Signing up with an FBF program has certain benefits added, thereby allowing your business to focus on the core activities without having to worry about logistics and shipping.

Here are the benefits received:

• Fast delivery: With FAssured badge the FBF program ensures faster delivery of the products directly to the customer compared to other products.

• Trust: Signing up with the FBF program can result in higher conversion rates as it is the buyers most trusted website.

• Scaling: With an FBF program, your business can solely focus on the core activities without being concerned about the order fulfillment process. 

• Storage: Inventory management is a task, especially when your e-commerce business is booming, therefore the FBF program is the perfect solution where it provides a facility to store your products, thereby managing the entire shipping process, saving you all the hassle of storage and logistics.

• Quality check:  FAssured badge makes sure to go through a stringent quality check, in order to examine the quality and the condition of the material before delivering it to the customer.

FBM

If the seller of the business is not satisfied with the above options, you can always choose to manage the entire process of fulfillment which is termed as FBM.

FBM refers to “Fulfillment by Merchant”

The seller of the business is completely responsible for delivering the goods directly to the customers. It includes storage, packaging, 24/7 customer support, returns and shipping.

Benefits of FBM 

The FBM program deliberately includes more cons than pros when compared. It’s a huge responsibility, as the entire process of order fulfillment along with the main activities of the business is completely handled by the seller of the business. An FBM program has its own benefits, such as:

• Control: With the FBM program, the sellers have the flexibility to exercise complete control over how the products are packaged, thereby allowing for customised packaging that enhances the customer experience.

• Cost effective: Sellers of the business can reduce costs by handling the fulfilment process, unlike signing up with an FBA program.

• Amazon storage: Since the fulfillment process is completely handled by the business, the sellers can avoid paying storage fees charged by FBA.

• Shipping: The FBM program allows the sellers to choose a method of shipping that is convenient for the customers, thereby optimizing cost based on product and location. 

• Customer relationship management: The seller of the business has direct contact with the customers. This in turn can be an opportunity to build strong relationship with your customers, thereby increasing your brand credibility. 

Benefits of having multiple FCs with Flipkart.

Having inventories in multiple FCs can increase your product ranking in search results, thereby making it easily available for your customers. Flipkarts algorithm automatically accepts sellers with more FCs, resulting in same day delivery to the customers.

FC Refers to “Fufillment Center”

Fulfillment centre is a facility provided to store your inventories, which are packed and shipped to your respective customers upon receiving the orders.

Here are the benefits of having multiple FCs:

1. Improves customer satisfaction: Products that are stocked over multiple FCs with an established VPOB in different states facilitate faster regional fulfillment, ensuring goods are closer to customers, thereby reducing the shipping time, which improves customer satisfaction. 

2. Reduced shipping fees: Inventories in different FCs will improve the ranking in search results as your product gets a higher priority over the other set of items that are at a distant location or either out of stock. Having VPOBs registered in different states allows the seller to enjoy reduced shipping fees with the use of nearby FCs to fulfill the orders, eliminating long distance transportation costs.

3. Demand: E-commerce businesses can optimise listings based on recent trends, thereby increasing product availability. With a registered VPOB in different states, the sellers can easily sell products of high demand complying with GST regulations, which increases the chances of ranking higher in search results.

4. New market: Having multiple fulfillment centres with VPOB in different states enables sellers to tap into new markets without having to open a traditional office, resulting in the growth of your business.

5. Cost efficient: With VPOB registered in different states and stocks in multiple fulfilment centres, your business can eliminate the cost of setting up a traditional office in different states, ensuring compliance with the rules and regulations.

6. Increased reach: Flipkarts algorithm automatically accepts sellers with more FCs,resulting in same day delivery to the customers.

Benefits of VPOB for Flipkart

Flipkart VPOB is commonly used by the Flipkart sellers to register for GST in multiple states. With an established VPOB the sellers can store their products in Flipkart warehouses by complying with local GST regulations without having to own a physical office space, thereby speeding up the deliveries through the FBF program.

1. Expanding reach: Flipkart VPOB helps the sellers to register for GST across multiple states, thereby expanding their business operations without having to own a physical office space.  

2. Business focus: With VPOB in different states, businesses can expand their operations in different markets with the FBF program, thereby allowing you to focus on the core activities of the business.

3. Cost-efficient: Registering with VPOB in different states allows the sellers to manage their costs efficiently, thereby saving money on rent, utilities, etc,.

4. Trust: Flipkartis the most trusted platform by the buyers across the world. Hence, using the FBF program can be a leverage for your business, thereby building trust and credibility .

5. Inventory space: As and when your business starts booming in the market, the sellers do not have to worry about the inventory space with the FBF program. The sellers get complete access to Flipkart warehouses as we are present in multiple states, thereby reducing the shipping cost and ensuring fast delivery to your customers.

Documents required by Flipkart VPOB

Below are the necessary documents required for VPOB:

• PAN 
• Address proof
• Photograph
• Cancelled cheque
• MOA, AOA, COI
• Board Resolution
• Authorized Signatory letter
• Partnership deed

List of Flipkart warehouse locations in India

• Ahmedabad
• Bangalore
• Delhi
• Chennai
• Guwahati
• Gurugram
• Hyderabad
• Kolkata
• Lucknow
• Mumbai
• Pune
• Visakhapatnam

FAQs on Flipkart Fulfillment Center