The Importance of Packaging for E-Commerce Fulfillment
Scott Hothem • April 14, 2016
In the increasingly competitive world of e-commerce, controlling costs is essential. Remaining efficient while keeping operations costs down is what allows for lower prices and quicker delivery options. While advanced software, warehouse automation and other technological elements are very important and helpful, one often overlooked aspect of e-commerce fulfillment is packaging, and this can be an expensive oversight. A recent editorial in Modern Materials Handling discusses how costly packaging can be in your supply chain. Read the article here.
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Choosing the right warehouse location is one of the most important decisions a business can make. Where you store inventory directly impacts shipping costs, delivery speeds, customer satisfaction, and your ability to scale. While there's no one-size-fits-all answer, understanding the strengths of East Coast and West Coast warehousing can help you build a more efficient supply chain. For many growing businesses, the ideal solution isn't choosing one coast over the other—it's developing a network that positions inventory closer to customers. The Advantages of West Coast Warehousing West Coast warehouses are often the first stop for imported goods arriving from Asia. Ports such as Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Oakland handle a significant portion of U.S. imports, making California a natural choice for businesses with international supply chains. A West Coast distribution center can reduce inbound transportation costs and shorten the time it takes to move imported products into inventory. It's also well-suited for serving customers throughout California and the western United States, where population centers continue to grow. Barrett Distribution's California facilities help customers receive imported goods quickly while supporting both retail and direct-to-consumer fulfillment throughout the West. The Advantages of East Coast Warehousing An East Coast warehouse offers different—but equally valuable—benefits. Nearly half of the U.S. population lives east of the Mississippi River, making locations along the East Coast ideal for businesses looking to reduce transit times to major consumer markets. Strategically located facilities also provide access to major ports, interstate highways, parcel hubs, and rail networks. For companies importing goods from Europe or expanding into densely populated markets in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, East Coast warehousing can improve delivery speed while lowering transportation costs. Barrett operates facilities throughout New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York, and Virginia, giving customers access to key logistics corridors and major metropolitan markets. For food and consumer packaged goods companies, Barrett's Curtis Bay, Maryland facility also offers food-grade capabilities and is located just miles from the Port of Baltimore. When a Multi-Warehouse Strategy Makes Sense As businesses grow, many discover that relying on a single distribution center is no longer enough. A multi-warehouse strategy allows inventory to be positioned closer to customers across different regions, reducing shipping zones, lowering parcel costs, and improving delivery performance. This approach also creates greater supply chain resilience. If weather events, port disruptions, or transportation issues affect one region, inventory in another facility can help maintain service levels. With 19 facilities across major U.S. markets, Barrett helps businesses design scalable distribution strategies that support both today's demand and tomorrow's growth. Whether serving retail partners, ecommerce customers, or both, our nationwide network gives customers the flexibility to expand without rebuilding their supply chain from scratch. Which Strategy Is Best for Your Business? The right warehouse strategy depends on several factors, including where your customers are located, where your products are manufactured, your shipping profile, and your growth plans. A West Coast warehouse may be the best fit if most of your products are imported from Asia or your customer base is concentrated in the western U.S. An East Coast location may provide better service if you're targeting dense population centers along the Atlantic seaboard or importing through East Coast ports. For many companies, however, the most effective solution is a combination of both. By leveraging Barrett's nationwide fulfillment network, businesses can strategically position inventory, reduce transportation costs, improve delivery times, and build a supply chain that's ready to scale as demand grows. Whether you're expanding into new markets or reevaluating your current distribution strategy, Barrett Distribution has the facilities, technology, and operational expertise to help you create a warehouse network that supports long-term success.
If you work in supply chain, you've probably heard the term omnichannel fulfillment so many times that it's started to lose meaning. It's become one of those logistics buzzwords that gets thrown around in conference sessions and sales presentations. But for brands trying to grow, omnichannel fulfillment isn't a trend—it's an operational reality. A decade ago, many brands sold through one or two channels. Today, a single brand might be shipping direct-to-consumer orders, replenishing Amazon inventory, fulfilling wholesale accounts, and managing retail compliance requirements simultaneously. The challenge isn't opening new sales channels. The challenge is supporting all of them without creating separate supply chains for each one. That's what omnichannel fulfillment really means in 2026. It's the ability to manage retail, ecommerce, marketplace, and wholesale fulfillment through a unified operation that provides inventory visibility, operational flexibility, and a consistent customer experience. And that's easier said than done. Many growing brands find themselves adding channels faster than they add infrastructure. What started as an ecommerce fulfillment operation suddenly needs to support retailer routing guides, EDI requirements, compliance labeling, and increasingly complex inventory management. Before long, inventory gets fragmented, processes become reactive, and fulfillment starts slowing growth instead of enabling it. The brands that navigate this successfully tend to have one thing in common: they stop thinking about fulfillment as a warehouse function and start treating it as a strategic part of their business. That's where the right logistics partner can make a significant difference. At Barrett, omnichannel fulfillment has been at the core of our business for decades. We support brands across retail, ecommerce, wholesale, and marketplace channels from a nationwide network of distribution centers designed to handle the complexities of modern commerce. What makes omnichannel fulfillment work isn't simply having warehouse space. It's having the systems, processes, and expertise to manage different order profiles, customer requirements, and service expectations within a single operation. A direct-to-consumer order and a retail replenishment shipment may originate from the same inventory, but they require very different workflows. One may involve individual pick-and-pack fulfillment with rapid delivery expectations, while the other demands strict retailer compliance, ASN management, and precise routing instructions. Barrett's operations are built to support both. Our technology ecosystem connects warehouse management, transportation management, customer reporting, and trading partner integrations to provide visibility across the supply chain. Combined with dedicated account management and continuous improvement initiatives, this allows customers to scale into new channels without constantly rebuilding their logistics infrastructure.The result is a fulfillment operation that can adapt as a business grows. Whether a brand is expanding into major retail accounts, increasing ecommerce volume, launching on Amazon, or managing all three simultaneously, the goal remains the same: create a seamless experience for customers while maintaining operational efficiency behind the scenes. Because in today's market, customers don't think about channels. They simply expect products to arrive on time and accurately. The companies that succeed in 2026 will be the ones that can deliver that experience consistently, regardless of where the order originated. That's the promise of omnichannel fulfillment—and it's why more brands are looking for logistics partners that can do more than move inventory. They're looking for partners that can help them grow.
Launching a new fulfillment partnership is about more than inventory transfers, system integrations, and shipping orders. It's the start of a relationship built on trust, collaboration, and a shared commitment to delivering exceptional customer experiences. At Barrett Distribution, we believe a successful go-live deserves to be celebrated. After months of planning, onboarding, testing, and preparation, launch day represents a major milestone for both our clients and our team. That's why we don't simply flip a switch and start shipping. We make the day memorable, meaningful, and reflective of the brand we're proud to support. Here's what happens when a new brand goes live at Barrett. A Warehouse Celebration Designed Around the Brand Walk into a Barrett facility on launch day, and you may notice something unusual. The warehouse is often transformed with themed decorations, branded signage, and creative touches inspired by the client. From custom displays to branded treats and team apparel, our operations teams embrace the excitement of welcoming a new partner. These celebrations aren't marketing events or publicity stunts. They're our way of saying thank you. Thank you for trusting us with your products, your customers, and your brand reputation. We understand that choosing a fulfillment partner is a significant decision. A successful launch represents countless hours of work by both organizations, and we believe it's worth recognizing. The First Orders Get Special Attention Once the celebration begins, it's time for what matters most: executing flawlessly. The first orders are carefully reviewed and processed by our operations team to ensure everything is working exactly as planned. Inventory locations are verified, workflows are monitored, and each step of the fulfillment process is executed with precision. Our team understands that these first shipments create an important first impression. That's why launch day receives an extra level of attention and care. Every scan, every pick, and every pack matters. Bringing the Brand Experience to Every Shipment At Barrett, fulfillment is about more than getting products from a warehouse to a doorstep. It's about protecting and enhancing the customer experience. Many of the brands we serve have invested heavily in creating a unique unboxing experience. Whether that includes branded packaging, promotional inserts, thank-you cards, samples, or custom packing materials, our teams ensure those details are executed exactly as intended. Associates carefully hand-pack orders using each client's unique packaging requirements, helping create an experience that feels authentic to the brand. When the customer opens the box, it should feel like it came directly from the brand they love—not from a third-party warehouse. That's the standard we strive for every day. Quality Checks Before Every Shipment Leaves Before launch-day orders leave the building, additional quality reviews help ensure accuracy and consistency. Packages are inspected, processes are monitored, and teams work together to verify that orders are shipping correctly and efficiently. This focus on quality reflects Barrett's broader commitment to operational excellence and brand stewardship. We know our clients depend on us to represent their brand, and we take that responsibility seriously. It's one more way we help ensure a smooth launch and a positive customer experience from day one. Celebrating Success Together After the first orders are packed, verified, and shipped, everyone gets the opportunity to take a breath and celebrate. Clients and warehouse teams come together for a themed lunch designed around the brand and the occasion. It's a chance to recognize the hard work, collaboration, and dedication that made the launch possible. Implementation teams, operations leaders, account managers, warehouse associates, and client stakeholders all play a role in bringing a new partnership to life. The lunch serves as a reminder that successful fulfillment isn't just about systems and processes—it's about people working together toward a common goal. And that's something worth celebrating. More Than a Go-Live At Barrett, successful launches don't happen by accident. They are the result of proven onboarding processes, dedicated project management, operational expertise, advanced technology, and a commitment to collaboration every step of the way. Our implementation methodology is designed to help clients transition smoothly and confidently while maintaining the service levels their customers expect. But what truly sets Barrett apart is our people. Many logistics providers focus solely on moving products. We focus on building partnerships. We take the time to understand our clients' brands, customer expectations, growth plans, and long-term goals. We celebrate their milestones, protect their brand experience, and work alongside them as an extension of their team. Because to us, a go-live isn't the finish line. It's the beginning of something bigger. Ready to Launch with a 3PL That Feels Like Part of Your Team? Whether you're preparing for your first outsourcing initiative, transitioning from another provider, or scaling to support continued growth, Barrett delivers the expertise, technology, and partnership needed to help your business succeed. From customized onboarding and seamless implementations to exceptional fulfillment execution and dedicated account support, we're committed to helping brands create remarkable customer experiences from the very first order. Contact Barrett Distribution today to learn how we can help bring your next chapter to life
