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Fulfillment — The process of receiving, packing, and shipping an order to the customer after a sale is made.
What Is Fulfillment?
In dropshipping, the supplier handles fulfillment, not the store owner. That’s the main contrast with traditional retail, where the seller fulfills orders from their own stock and warehouse.
How Fulfillment Works
- A customer places an order on your store.
- Order details are sent to the supplier.
- The supplier packs and ships the item directly to the customer.
- The customer receives tracking information, usually from the supplier or your store’s tracking tool.
Fulfillment Models Compared
| Self-Fulfillment | Third-Party Logistics (3PL) | Dropshipping | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who holds inventory | You | 3PL warehouse | Supplier |
| Who ships | You | 3PL, on your behalf | Supplier |
| Upfront inventory cost | High | High | None |
Why Fulfillment Matters for Dropshippers
Fulfillment speed and reliability directly affect chargebacks, refund requests, and reviews — it’s one of the biggest factors in customer satisfaction, even though the store owner never touches the product.
FAQ
Who handles fulfillment in dropshipping?
The supplier does — they pack and ship the order directly to the customer once you forward the sale to them.
How can I speed up fulfillment times?
Choosing suppliers with local or regional warehouses, rather than relying only on standard international shipping, is the most direct way to cut fulfillment time.
Does slow fulfillment cause chargebacks?
It can — customers who wait too long without updates are more likely to dispute the charge with their bank instead of contacting the store first.