When launching an e-commerce site or online sales business, it is necessary to decide on the products to be sold, the cart system, and the logistics and warehousing service. Among them, many people find it difficult to decide on a “distribution warehouse service.”
In this article, we will thoroughly explain how to choose a warehouse distribution service, as well as the features and costs of each service!
What is a Distribution Warehouse Service?
The distribution warehouse service is a service that handles everything related to the distribution of online shops, from the following order processing to packing and shipping procedures.
It is a process to take in the information received on the EC site and give shipping instructions.
If your e-commerce site sells products through multiple sites, such as your site, Amazon, Rakuten, etc., some systems have functions that allow you to centrally manage these sites.
The order processing functions include the following items.
1. Order Confirmation
2. Inventory Confirmation
3. Acceptance of Email transmission
4. Payment Confirmation
5. Shipping Instruction Creation
When goods are received from an online store, known as which shippers, they are placed in the warehouse.
Upon receipt, the warehouse inspects the received goods by comparing them with the receiving data provided by the online store.
Since barcodes are often used to match, it is necessary to coordinate with the distribution warehouse as to how barcodes are attached to the products for inspection.
In addition to checking the contents and quantity of products, the inspections for items include appearance, weight, accessories, etc.
“Picking” is the process of removing goods from the warehouse according to shipping instructions.
In a large warehouse, there is also a system in which instructions are created in a single stroke so that the products to be picked can be picked up efficiently.
Distribution processing is the process of processing goods at the request of the shipper so that they can be delivered to the user.
Distribution processing includes attaching product tags and price tags.
Some companies have obtained a cosmetics manufacturing license for the distribution and processing of cosmetics and quasi-drugs.
Packs products requested for shipment from online stores using specified packing materials.
Depending on the instructions, special packaging such as gift wrapping may be used, or an invoice or flyer may be included.
After confirming the destination, arrival date and time, etc., the shipment is handed over to the delivery company.
After the shipment is completed, shipping data including the tracking number is sent to the e-commerce site.
How to Choose a Distribution Warehouse Service
When outsourcing a distribution warehouse, the first concern is the price.
Fees include:
- Initial costs are fixed costs and monthly costs
- Storage fees are variable costs, delivery agency fees, etc.
- Fixed initial and monthly fees
Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the cost according to the situation of your business.
Due to the nature of the online shop and the nature of the business, it is advantageous to have a small fixed cost when selling a small number of units.
There are some necessary functions due to the nature of the products in the online shop.
For gifted items, wrapping variations are required.
Apparel products may require a distributor who can process distribution, while cosmetics and quasi-drugs may require a cosmetics manufacturing licensee to process distribution.
For customers who want their products to be immediately delivered, same-day delivery must be possible. To enable same-day delivery, some companies have warehouses in multiple locations in Japan and can ship from warehouses close to the user.
This is a trade-off between cost and service content, so careful consideration is necessary.
Cross-border EC sites require overseas shipping. So, it is necessary to confirm whether this is possible.
It is important to have a distribution system that is linked to your EC mall or shopping cart to reduce man-hours and prevent errors.
To prevent errors, you should choose a service that allows system integration without human intervention.
Comparison of Logistics Warehouse Service Features and Rates
○: Supported ×: Not supported-: Unknown
| Company name (service name) | AnyLogi (Any Logi) | Fulfillment By Amazon | sb Logistics | openlogi | E-LogiT Co., Ltd. | Ltd. Scroll 360 | LogiMo Pro Logimo Pro | EC Warehouse.com | |
| Initial cost | 0 Yen | 0 Yen | inquiry | 0 Yen | Quote | Quote | 0 Yen | 120,000 yen | |
| Fixed cost | 0 Yen | 100 yen / product or 4900 yen / month | inquiry | 0 Yen | Quote | Quote | 0 Yen | System usage fee 12000 yen ~ / month Administrative fee 10,000 yen ~ / month | |
Variable cost | Delivery agency fee | 370 yen to 1,300 yen | From 282 yen | From 199 yen | From 370 yen | Quote | Quote | From 320 yen | By designated courier company |
| Inventory storage fee (monthly) | 0.05 yen ~ * Approximately 0.5 yen / (pieces / day) for 60 sizes and 750 pieces | 4.370 yen ~ / 1000㎤ | 6 yen ~ / 1000㎤ ・ Month | Post flight size from 6 yen | Quote | Quote | Less than A4 size 9 yen ~ | 4000 yen / tsubo | |
| Goods warehousing fee | 15 yen / product | Included in delivery agency fee | 38 yen / piece | 18 yen / point | Quote | Quote | 18 yen / piece | 10 yen to 50 yen / piece | |
| Picking fee | Included in delivery agency fee | Included in delivery agency fee | Included in the warehousing fee | 14 yen ~ / point | Quote | Quote | Included in delivery agency fee | 10 yen to 100 yen / piece | |
Optional support | Inspection | ○ ○ | × | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ |
| Distribution processing | ○ ○ | × | ―――― | × | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | ○ ○ | |
| gift wrapping | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | |
| Bundled support | ○ ○ | × | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | |
| Original packaging material | ○ ○ | × | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | ○ ○ | |
| Overseas shipping | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | × | ―――― | |
| Return support | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | |
Here is a More Detailed Analysis of each Warehouse Service Feature and Rates
AnyLogi Group’s logistics service develops software that supports the entire supply chain from production to logistics. The company operates more than 30 of its own brands and offers a full range of EC/D2C business-specific features.
They provide brand-oriented logistics fulfillment services such as product storage, integration with each EC cart/mall, auto-shipping, bundling, shipping, returns processing, and design/procurement of original packaging materials.
Features
- No fixed fee and pay-as-you-go service (for shipments of 500 or more per month).
- Supports overseas delivery
- Scalability to link/automate processes before and after the delivery
- Fast turnaround time from signing a contract to starting to use the service
Plan / Price
Clear and simple pricing!
- The initial cost is 0 yen
- The storage fee is calculated in units of per-square-meter
- Delivery fee includes material cost, picking cost, packing cost, and shipping fee
| ◯ Basic charge | |||||||
| size | Post mail | 60 size | 80 size | 100 size | 120 size | 140 size | |
| Goods warehousing fee | 15 yen | ||||||
| Storage fee | From 0.05 yen * For 60 size and 750 pieces, about 0.5 yen / (pieces / day) | ||||||
| ◯ Shipping fee | |||||||
| Post mail | Takkyubin Ta-Q-Bin | Takkyubin Ta-Q-Bin | Takkyubin Ta-Q-Bin | Takkyubin Ta-Q-Bin | Takkyubin Ta-Q-Bin | ||
| size | SS size | 60 size | 80 size | 100 size | 120 size | 140 size | |
| Domestic shipping charges | 370 yen | 680 yen | 780 yen | 880 yen | 1,050 yen | 1,300 yen | |
| Option fee | ・ Multiple picking fee 20 yen ・ Delivery request content correction work fee 250 yen ~ ・ Return work amount 350 yen ~ ・ Okinawa / remote island delivery 0 ~ 2,500 yen (varies depending on location / size) | ||||||
This company provides logistics fulfillment services
The company works with over 40 warehouse operators and is recommended for those who have difficulty choosing their warehouse.
The main advantage is that there is no initial cost and you can use the required amount when you need it on a pay-as-you-go basis. Therefore, we support everything from small shipments to large-scale online shopping.
Features
- No fixed costs and pay-as-you-go
- Supports overseas shipping
- Provides scalability and flexibility through a nationwide network of warehouses
- Speed from contract to start of use
Plan / Price
- The initial cost and system usage fee are 0 yen.
- Warehouse usage fee per item (starting from 0.2 yen), shipping fee per cardboard (starting from 370 yen)
- EMS fare is an additional cost
| ◯ Basic charge | |||||||
| size | SS size | 60 size | 80 size | 100 size | 120 size | 140 size | |
| Goods warehousing fee | 18 yen | ||||||
| Storage fee | 0.2 yen | 1 yen | 2.5 yen | 4 yen | 6 yen | 10 yen | |
| ◯ Shipping fee | |||||||
| Post mail | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | ||
| size | SS size | 60 size | 80 size | 100 size | 120 size | 140 size | |
| Domestic shipping charges | 370 yen | 700 yen | 800 yen | 900 yen | 980 yen | 1220 yen | |
| Okinawa shipping fee | Domestic shipping charges +0 yen | Domestic shipping charges +600 yen | Domestic shipping charges +1100 yen | Domestic shipping charges +1600 yen | Domestic shipping charges +2100 yen | Domestic shipping charges +2600 yen | |
| Remote island shipping fee | Domestic shipping charges +0 yen | Domestic shipping charges +500 yen | Domestic shipping charges +500 yen | Domestic shipping charges +500 yen | Domestic shipping charges +500 yen | Domestic shipping charges +500 yen | |
This service is provided using Amazon’s worldwide logistics system. Please take a look at the above video as it is explained in an easy-to-understand manner! Their service will handle everything from product storage, shipping, and returns processing.
You can register with Amazon’s listing service and deliver your products as specified by Amazon.
Amazon manages the inventory of the delivered items, and when an item is purchased, it is shipped and the payment is collected.
Features
- Amazon’s ability to attract customers
- Able to deliver to sales via other e-commerce malls through “FBA Multi-Channel Service”
- If delivered, it will go from sales to the collection, so the initial investment is low
Cost / Plan
Listing costs include listing plan costs, sales fees, shipping charges, and other costs.
① Listing Plan Fees
The amount charged varies depending on the plan. Plans can be changed after signing a contract.
| plan | Small-lot exhibition | Large exhibition |
| price | ¥ 100 / Product | ¥ 4,900 / month |
| Recommended person | ・ Those who sell 49 or fewer items every month ・ Those who have not decided what to sell ・ Those who do not plan to place advertisements or use detailed listing tools | ・ Those who sell 49 or more items every month ・ Those who want to sell products in the category with restrictions ・ Those who are planning to place advertisements ・ Those who plan to use detailed listing tools ・ Those who want to list products in the Amazon catalog |
② Sales commission
In addition to the above monthly fee, a sales commission will be charged each time a product is sold. Sales commissions vary depending on the product category. Most products will have a sales commission of 8-15%.
Here are some of them. If you want to know more details, please click here.
| Category | Percentage of sales commissions | Minimum sales commission |
| Clothes & fashion accessories | · 15% of the product price for the part where the total sales per product are 3,000 yen or less · 8% of the product price for the part where the total sales per product exceed 3,000 yen | 30 yen |
| Skincare, makeup, hair care, bath products, perfumes | · 8% of the product price if the total sales per product are 1,500 yen or less · 10% of the product price if the total sales per product exceed 1,500 yen | 30 yen |
| Shoes & bags | · 15% of the product price for the part where the total sales per product are 7,500 yen or less · 5% of the product price for the part where the total sales per product exceed 7,500 yen | 30 yen |
| Food and beverage | · 8% of the product price if the total sales per product are 1,500 yen or less · 10% of the product price if the total sales per product exceed 1,500 yen | none |
| Books, calendars, magazines, and other publications | 15% | none |
③ Shipping fee
Shipping fees vary depending on whether you ship in-house or use Fulfillment by Amazon. If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, you will be charged an FBA shipping agency fee and an FBA inventory storage fee.
FBA shipping charges vary depending on the size of the order. This fee includes picking, packing, shipping, CS (customer support), and returns.
| FBA delivery agency fee | ||||
| size | Maximum dimensions | Shipping Weight | Packing weight | Shipping fee per item |
| Small size | Less than 25cm x 18cm x 2.0cm | Less than 250g | 50g | 282 yen |
| Standard size category 1 | 33cm x 24cm x less than 2.8cm | Less than 1kg | 50g | 381 yen |
| Standard size category 2 | Less than 60 cm | Less than 2kg | 150g | 421 yen |
| Large size category 1 | Less than 60 cm | Less than 2kg | 150g | 589 yen |
| Large size category 1 | Less than 80 cm | Less than 5kg | 150g | 712 yen |
FBA inventory storage fees vary by category and month.
| FBA inventory storage fee | |||
| Category | Moon | Small/Standard | Large / Extra large |
| Clothing & Fashion Accessories, Shoes & Bags Category | January-September | 5.160 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] | 4.370 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] |
| Clothing & Fashion Accessories, Shoes & Bags Category | October-December | 9.170 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] | 7.760 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] |
| Categories other than the above | January-September | 3.10 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] | 3.10 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] |
| Categories other than the above | October-December | 5.50 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] | 5.50 yen x ([Product size (cm3)] / (10 cm x 10 cm x 10 cm) x [Number of storage days] / [Number of days in the current month] |
If you use Fulfillment by Amazon, it will vary depending on the plan you choose. Take a look.
| Shipping fee when shipping in-house | |
| Large product plan | For products other than books, music, videos, and DVD products, you can set your own shipping charges. |
| Seller of small-lot listing plan | All items are subject to the shipping charges specified by Amazon. In Japan, the shipping fee will be 262 yen to 524 yen. |
④ Other expenses
There are additional sales commissions and optional program fees.
A company that has been engaged in mail-order logistics for over 52 years.
Features
Fluid staffing, latest equipment, cost reduction through abundant experience
High quality with a misdelivery rate of 0.0016% or less
Wrapping and printing support for each customer at the delivery destination
Price / Plan
They can answer inquiries about prices and details, so if you are interested, please contact them.
Price / Plan
They can answer inquiries about prices and details, so if you are interested, please contact them. Click here for the official website
Kiyonaga Co., Ltd. is a major e-commerce logistics company that provides cloud logistics outsourcing services. With a monthly fee and initial cost of 0 yen, it is recommended for small and medium-sized EC businesses immediately after launch. Since it is a full pay-as-you-go system, it is a nice point to be able to use even one product.
Features
- Since there is no fixed cost, services for small to medium-sized businesses.
- A simple service fee system.
- Transition to “premium logistics service” is possible according to the growth stage.
Price / Plan
A LogiMoPro service fee is required to use LogiMoPro. Prices vary depending on size and shipping method. Here are some of them. In addition, an optional service fee is required for the wrapping fee and return shipping fee.
| Post mail | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | Takkyubin | |
| size | S size Less than A4 size | M size 60 size | L size 80 size | 100 size 100 cm or less | LL size 120 cm or less | 3L size 140 size |
| Shipping fee ① (Mail service/delivery multi-channel) | 352 yen (tax included) | 715 yen (tax included) | 803 yen (tax included) | 869 yen (tax included) | 924 yen (tax included) | 980 yen (tax included) |
| Shipping fee ② (Sagawa Express designation/cash on delivery) | ―――― | 726 yen (tax included) | 814 yen (tax included) | 880 yen (tax included) | 935 yen (tax included) | 1,089 yen (tax included) |
This service is operated by Freecell Co., Ltd. With the keyword “100% response to customer’s request”, they support mail orders and online shopping from warehousing to delivery, as well as photography agency, customer center, ordering agency, and total online shopping.
Features
- Price setting according to the quantity
- Mail order management with a distribution system dedicated to online shops
- Veteran staff can handle small turns
Price / Plan
This plan design is recommended for those who have more than 300 monthly shipments even in the off-season, who want to grasp the inventory status in real-time, or want to outsource order processing. In addition, packing material costs and arrival work fees will be incurred separately. If you want to know more details, please click here.
| Contents | Unit / Price Unit price | |
| Initial cost | 1 set = 120,000 yen | |
| Storage fee | 1 tsubo = 4,000 yen 1 shelf = 4,500 yen 1 pallet = 3,000 yen | |
| System fee | 1 month = 12,000 yen ~ | |
| Administrative fee | 1 month = 10,000 yen | |
Logistics Warehouse Service/Cooperation System Comparison
| Company name | Fulfillment By Amazon | sb Logistics | openlogi | Ltd. e-LogiT | Ltd. Scroll 360 | LogiMo Pro | EC warehouse.com | AnyLogi | |
Cooperation system * 1 | Next engine | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | * 3 | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― |
| Kura to mail | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| TEMPOSTAR | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | * 2 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| GoQSystem | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | * 2 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| AMTS-Premium | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Pristar | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Makado! | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Sedoraku Mk-II | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Sippino | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | * 3 | * 3 | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Easy inventory | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| e convenience store | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Crosma | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| e-store manager | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Fast sales | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | × | * 2 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Sedorisu and Premium | ○ ○ | × | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Auxiliary cat mail order management system | ○ ○ | × | × | * 2 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| CROSS MALL | × | ○ ○ | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| LOGILESS | × | ○ ○ | × | * 3 | * 3 | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
Cooperation mall cart * 1 | Shopify | × | × | ○ ○ | * 3 | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― |
| BASE | × | × | ○ ○ | * 3 | ―――― | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― | |
| STORES | × | × | ○ ○ | * 3 | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Amazon | ○ ○ | × | × | ○ ○ | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Rakuten | × | × | × | ○ ○ | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Yahoo! Shopping | × | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ○ ○ | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| PayPay Mall | × | ○ ○ | × | * 3 | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| Color Me Shop | × | × | × | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― | |
| MakeShop | × | × | × | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― | |
| mercari | × | × | ○ ○ | * 3 | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| eBay | × | × | ○ ○ | * 3 | ―――― | × | ―――― | ―――― | |
| B cart | × | × | × | ○ ○ | ―――― | ○ ○ | ―――― | ―――― | |
| URL | URL | ||||||||
- Those listed on the official website/materials. In some cases, it is possible to cooperate via the cooperation system even with the “linkage mall cart” of ×.
- Listed on the site as a support company.
- It seems that cooperation is possible with customized development.
Summary
In this article, we introduced how to choose a logistics warehouse service, as well as the features and costs of each service. For an e-commerce site, choosing a distribution warehouse service is a matter that greatly affects the customer experience, internal flow, and costs.
