Web 2.0 has revolutionized small business in many distinct ways. Perhaps the most noticeable is that its now possible to open an online business selling physical products without actually keeping an inventory. How is that possible? With a lot of help from an assembly service, thats how. Assembly services, also called fulfillment services, are responsible for packaging products and mailing them to customers from their site and in a companys own wrapping.

What Does an Assembly Service Do?
According to the Direct Marketing Association, advertising mail creates $686 billion annually in economic activity; and assembly services are a critical spoke in the wheel. For businesses operating entirely online, or those that dont have the physical space to store a suitable amount of product, an assembly service is virtual partner. It is a unique combination of spacious warehouse, fine-tuned mailing machine, and capable employees, who coordinate the entire process.

• Assembly services can be general in nature or as specific as any individual industry. They can help a business grow with these dynamic services:
• Expanding marketing channels using new advertising methods
• Consistently adding new products or expanding existing product lines
• Opening larger sales and marketing areas with greater reach
• Buying inventory and materials in bulk for seasonal distribution
• Establishing a large-corporate image on a micro-business budget
• Readying a company for import/export and foreign trade opportunities
• Letting businesses reclaim existing office space with offsite warehouses and distribution centers
• Helping to satisfy more clients with expert customer service

Choosing an Assembly Service
Any time a company considers adding a professional service to existing business operations, it needs to be approached with caution and attention. This holds especially true for assembly services simply because fulfillment is such a critical part of the process. Customers expect to their orders to arrive on time, attractively packaged, and complete. They expect returns to be handled just as meticulously. To a customer, an assembly service is the face of a business; and if they fail, the business fails. With that much riding on the line, some suggestions from Buzzle on how to choose the right assembly service might not be out of line.

• Can they handle the volume? This primarily depends on a business selling schedule. If there is a steady stream of orders and the business can predict with some certainty how much business theyll do daily, they need to choose an assembly service that is prepared to handle the load.
• Are they ideally located? Although an assembly service can be located anywhere, their proximity to buyers will dictate the amount of postage they, or a business, will pay.
• WhatandNumber 8217;s the turnaround time? Another delivery factor. For example, when customers prefer faster shipping, working with several assembly services strategically placed throughout the region can help keep costs low.
• Can they communicate? Buyers are fickle and orders can change at the drop of a hat. Assembly services should be able to handle changes on the fly and be able to communicate those changes to all parties.
• What is their error percentage? Finding out what the margin of error is and how the assembly service goes about correcting mistakes will help a business ensure a perfect match.

Sources
Buzzle
Direct Marketing Association