In recent years, the term fulfillment has become an integral part of the e-commerce vocabulary. Imported from the United States, it refers to a new way of managing logistics by totally outsourcing all operations linked to the storage, preparation and dispatch of orders.
Faced with this, traditional logistics, often managed in-house by e-tailers, are still the norm for many players. But in a context where speed, flexibility and customer experience have become key success criteria, the question is worth asking: fulfillment or traditional logistics, which solution is best suited to your e-commerce business?
In this article, we will :
- Define fulfillment(fulfillment def, logistics).
- Compare the two models with their advantages and limitations.
- Provide a practical guide to choosing the best solution for your needs.
What is fulfillment?
The word fulfillment comes from the English language and can be translated as “execution” or “fulfillment”. In the field of logistics, it refers to all the stages involved in fulfilling an online order, from receipt of goods in the warehouse to final delivery to the customer.
Logistics fulfillment generally includes :
- Receiving and storing goods.
- Order picking and packing.
- Customized packaging (inserts, boxes, made-to-measure packaging).
- Shipment via carriers with real-time tracking.
- Managing customer returns.
In other words e-commerce fulfillment is a turnkey solution, enabling an online store to delegate its entire logistics to a specialized service provider.
For a more comprehensive overview, please consult the complete guide to fulfillment on Shopify .
Traditional logistics: the historical model
Before the rise of fulfillment, most e-tailers operated with traditional logistics, i.e. managing all or part of their supply chain in-house.
In concrete terms, this means :
- Rent or buy a warehouse to store your products.
- Recruit a logistics team to prepare and dispatch orders.
- Negotiate directly with carriers for deliveries.
- Supervise after-sales service and returns.
This model is based on total control, which can be reassuring, but it also implies :
- Heavy investment (real estate, equipment, salaries).
- Operational rigidity, as it’s difficult to adapt quickly to peaks or drops in activity.
- A major mental burden for the e-tailer, who has to manage both sales development and operational aspects.
Fulfillment vs. traditional logistics: the comparative table
To help you understand the differences, here is a table comparing the two models:
| Criteria | Traditional logistics | Fulfillment |
| Costs | Fixed: rent, salaries, equipment | Variable: adapted to order volume |
| Flexibility | Limited: difficult to absorb peaks quickly | Very high: scalable according to demand |
| Expertise | Depends on internal teams | Specialized service provider expertise |
| Transport | Individual negotiations with carriers | More competitive shared rates |
| Technology | Tools often limited, manual follow-up | CMS integrations (Shopify, Prestashop, WooCommerce, Magento) and real-time tracking |
| Focus on business | A lot of time spent on logistics | More time for marketing, sales and growth |
| Customer experience | Depends on your internal resources | Neat packaging, fast, shrink-wrapped preparation, optimized after-sales service |
The benefits of fulfillment
Fulfillment offers a number of major benefits for e-tailers:
- Scalable logistics: you can easily absorb peaks in activity (sales, Black Friday, Christmas) without having to recruit temporary staff or rent additional warehouses.
- Variable, optimized costs: you pay according to your sales and benefit from shared carrier rates.
- Connected technology: direct synchronization with your CMS/ERP, real-time order tracking.
- Save valuable time: you can concentrate on developing your store (customer acquisition, marketing, strategy).
- Improved customer experience: optimized lead times, customized packaging, smooth returns management.
The limits of fulfillment
Fulfillment is not without its constraints:
- Dependence on the service provider: you need to have total confidence in your logistics partner.
- Unprofitable costs for very small volumes: below a certain threshold, it may be more economical to manage logistics in-house.
- Partial standardization: some fulfillment models impose rigid processes, less suited to very specific products.
When should you choose traditional logistics?
In certain cases, traditional logistics are still of interest:
- You start your business with a few dozen orders a month.
- Your products require complex or artisanal handling (fragile, unique, personalized by hand).
- You want to maintain total control over your operations and your customer experience.
When should you choose fulfillment?
Fulfillment is particularly suitable if :
- You’ve exceeded a certain order volume and your fixed costs are skyrocketing.
- You’re aiming for rapid growth and want to scale without constraints.
- You want to free up time to focus on marketing and customer relations.
- You’re looking to improve your transport profitability by pooling rates.
Case study: fulfillment with Iziship
At Iziship, we offer a tailor-made fulfillment solution for ambitious e-tailers:
- Reception, storage, preparation, dispatch and returns.
- Customized, eco-designed packaging: boxes, printed inserts, elegant wedges.
- Highly negotiated transport rates thanks to pooling.
- Seamless integration with your CMS (Shopify, Prestashop, WooCommerce, Magento).
- Warehouses in France and Spain, deliveries in Europe and internationally.
- Preparations filmed to guarantee transparency and quality.
Fulfillment FAQs
All outsourced logistics operations to manage storage, preparation, dispatch and returns.
The word can be translated as “order fulfillment”, but the English term is widely used in e-commerce.
Fulfillment encompasses all stages prior to delivery. Delivery is only the final phase.
No, it’s also for SMEs and DNVBs who want to outsource their logistics to focus on growth
Would you like to find out more? Take a look at La Poste’s approach to e-commerce fulfillment.
In a nutshell
The choice between fulfillment and traditional logistics depends mainly on your business volume, your growth objectives and your priorities in terms of time and budget.
- Traditional logistics are still suitable for small structures or products requiring ultra-personalized follow-up.
- Fulfillment is the ideal solution for e-tailers who want to scale quickly, optimize costs and deliver a flawless customer experience.
At Iziship, we support e-tailers of all sizes with a flexible, human and connected fulfillment solution. Contact us today to build together the logistics that will support your business growth.
