Although finding the right fulfillment network and third-party logistics management solution can be a headache, it's essential to your eCommerce success.
byrd is s a cloud-based logistics management solution designed to help businesses handle their inventory, track their orders, and streamline eCommerce operations.
Is byrd the right fit for you? Let’s find out what this fulfillment service provider has to offer in our byrd review…
Byrd Review: Byrd in a Nutshell
With byrd, you get access to an all-in-one fulfillment tool that seamlessly integrates with leading eCommerce platforms such as Amazon and Shopify. With it, online retailers get access to a pan-European fulfillment network which allows you to manage your whole supply chain across and remain flexible with the plethora of shipping partners that are a part of byrd's logistics ecosystem.
byrd enables retailers to use a single web application to manage all their inventory, online orders, and shipments across different European warehouses. In addition, with its API access, you can fully integrate your current eCommerce system and tech stack with its logistics software.
According to byrd, their all-in-one fulfillment solution is broken into three simple steps:
- Connect your online store and send them your products: Once you’ve connected your store using their API, schedule deliveries to be made to one (or more) European fulfillment warehouse.
- Warehousing: You can divide stock across different European fulfillment centers to bring products closer to customers, saving shipping time and cutting delivery costs.
- Worldwide shipping: byrd works with trusted shipping couriers like DPD, La Poste, DHL, and the Royal Mail to ship orders worldwide. In addition, they use an automated fulfillment process. So as soon as an order is placed on your online shop, the data is automatically transferred to the byrd warehouse nearest the customer. The warehouse then kickstarts the order process and ships the order that same day. byrd’s international fulfillment solution enables you to sell and ship items worldwide. You can add new warehouses at any time, meaning you can start in one area to see how it goes. Then, judging on the success, expand and stock items in another warehouse that will allow faster and cheaper shipping costs to customers in other countries and locations.
Byrd Review: Integrations
Byrd integrates with various platforms and online marketplaces, including:
Byrd Review: Solutions
byrd offers services for all business sizes: beginners, established, and enterprises- which are judged according to the volume of orders you receive:
- New businesses: 100-500 shipments per month
- Established retailers: 500-10,000 shipments per month
- Enterprises: 10,000+ shipments per month
In addition, they offer a four-stage eCommerce fulfillment solution:
- Warehousing
- Pick and Pack
- Shipping
- Returns
We outline these in more detail below:
Warehousing
byrd’s warehousing solution comprises of three elements:
- Organic certification
- International logistics network
- Real-time inventory
Organic Certification
Though we’ll cover more about byrd’s sustainability policies below, it’s worth mentioning they offer an organic certification for warehouses based in Germany and France. This means that necessary measures are taken to avoid contamination or mixing with other products in these warehouses.
byrd’s organic certification is also made possible by using LOT tracking, a system for quality accountability, keeping track of best-before dates, and monitoring production dates. byrd uses a first-in-first-out policy in their warehouses, meaning they’ll ship old stock first, according to expiration dates, before its new products.
Logistics Network
As mentioned before, byrd has warehouses dotted acrossEurope, over 20 logistics centers, and fulfillment centers in Austria, Germany, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, and France.
But, to be clear, although byrd’s fulfillment warehouses are located around Europe, byrd has chosen these locations for easier international shipping and fulfillment. byrd has already shipped to 120+ countries and plans to expand its logistics network, warehousing, and fulfillment capacity, to provide an even more cost-effective way to deliver to international customers.
Their logistic warehouses are equipped with modern pallet spaces and shelving systems. They offer tens of thousands of square meters of storage space and direct truck connections, enabling quick and efficient storage, dispatch, and delivery.
Real-time Inventory
To ensure transparency, byrd offers real-time inventory management. You can check stock levels in real-time, any time from the convenience of your dashboard. byrd also differentiates between available units and physical stock, which means you don’t risk selling items that aren’t physically in stock.
Pick & Pack
byrd’s pick and pack service comprise three key elements:
- Efficient pick and pack
- Choosing your own branding
- Tailor-made packaging solutions
Aptly named, ‘pick and pack’ describes the process of products being picked from your inventory and packed for shipping. byrd uses smart warehouse management software to process high volumes of orders while maintaining low error rates.
You can follow the order fulfillment process live via your dashboard, including picking goods from the shelf and creating shipping labels. Depending on your requirements, byrd uses single-order or multiple-order picking methods to fulfill orders. The latter enables larger batch orders to be processed quicker.
To ensure the successful transport of goods, byrd uses double-walled packaging in addition to simple shipping cartons to ensure even heavy products are shipped safely. As sustainability is a priority for this company, byrd uses as little plastic and non-recycable materials as possible. Upon request, you can also add ribbons, tissue paper, and marketing inserts into the mix. Alternatively, you can use your own branded packaging. Simply provide byrd with your own packaging materials, and they’ll handle the rest.
Shipping
Key elements:
- Flexible shipping partners
- Express shipping
- Climate neutral shipping (in Germany (DHL, GLS) and across Europe (DPD))
- 15+ carriers (Q1 2022)
- Address validation
byrd ships to more than 120 countries. They take care of the formalities of international shipping, such as custom forms. These are generated automatically via their system. Required documents like pro forma invoices are also added to the shipment.
You can offer customers different delivery options, from economy to standard, to worldwide express. However, when it comes to couriers, lots of issues can occur. For example, suppose they’ve reached their limits and can’t fulfill your order quickly enough. In that case, you could see a significant delay in your order being dispatched, resulting in customer dissatisfaction. Other possible delays could result from strikes, technical failures, or operational bottlenecks. To help avoid these situations, byrd allows you to easily switch to another shipping service provider. That way, you can carry out your delivery and shipping orders as promised…or at least as quickly as possible, given the circumstances.
byrd also provides automatic shipment tracking, allowing for transparency and peace of mind. Your customer and you can quickly check where the package is in real-time.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that byrd offers same-day fulfillment, with national shipments delivered within 1-2 days.
Returns
Key Elements:
- Quality control
- Return shipments overview
- Restocking
- Returns Portal
92% of customers claim they would re-purchase from a shop if their return policy was easy. Furthermore, 79% of consumers want free return shipping, and 67% of shoppers will check the returns policy before purchasing. Suffice to say, your returns policy could impact the success of your eCommerce store. That said, general returns are offered to and from anywhere.
The returns portal, which facilitates this process, however, can currently only be used for merchants using UK or German warehouses.
Regarding the returns processes for these two countries, it’s simple. Customers simply access their order via the returns portal and enter their order number and email address. Then, they select the item they want to return and why. Reasons for return are fully customizable, so you can get an accurate feel for why the customer was dissatisfied with their order. A return label is then generated and sent to the customer within moments to print and attach to the return parcel.
For the environmentally conscious, byrd also provides a virtual returns label. Customers can generate a QR code, which they can use 24/7 via Packstation. This option, however, is only available in Germany.
Finally, your customer will receive a returns confirmation and be kept up-to-date when the return is received and a refund issued.
On the flip side, it’s just as easy for you to keep an eye on all your returns and see which items customers have sent back via your byrd dashboard.
byrd Review: Pricing
byrd operates on a quoted price policy. Essentially, they want to know your business's scale and expectations to tailor their service and pricing accordingly.
That said, you should get access to the following:
- Individual quotation
- Flexible shipping services: you’re not tied to a specific shipping service. As mentioned above, if one doesn’t provide you with what you want, it’s easy to switch to another shipping provider.
- Access to over 20 European fulfillment centers
- The ability to integrate your eCommerce website
- Access to the ‘Click and Ship’ web app: a fulfillment management tool you can use to view, track, and synch stock with your online store.
- You can generate a breakdown of costs, shipment, and inventory reports.
- Access to phone and email customer support.
In addition, depending on the size of your shipping volume, byrd offers access to a Personal Account Manager. However, it’s unclear how much you need to ship before this service is provided. byrd also has a dedicated customer success team for all of their customers and account managers for the larger companies.
Byrd Help Section
byrd’s website has a Help Section, where you can either type in your question or access the section’s online knowledge base. This is split into categories, including onboarding, customer dashboard, status and tracking of shipments, pricing, and so on. Under each category, there are short articles answering frequently asked questions.
Getbyrd Review: Sustainability
byrd claims to be dedicated to sustainable eCommerce & logistics practices and has policies and options for customers to make more sustainable choices. However, the downside is that most of these options seem to only be available in Germany. In addition, pricing for these sustainable options is also only available on a per quote basis.
That said, byrd’s participating in the following initiatives, all of which are pretty cool!:
Carbon Neutral
byrd has partnered with Planetly to measure and manage its carbon emissions and footprint in 2020 and 2021 and will continue offsetting them while working on continuously reducing emissions in the future. Planetly is a technology start-up that aims to help build a carbon-neutral economy by developing solutions to help companies automate their carbon management.
One Tree Planted
byrd has also partnered with One Tree Planted to help offset its emissions. For every 100 shipments fulfilled by customers, byrd will plant one tree.
Packhelp
byrd has partnered with the online platform, Packhelp, to provide eco-friendly and sustainable packaging alternatives to plastic. Packhelp’s website indicates its cardboard packaging is biodegradable, plastic-free, and made from 80% recycled cardboard. Packaging also includes mailer boxes made from recyclable materials.
byrd Review: Is byrd Right for You?
Due to to COVID, competition within the eCommerce space has intensified, so now, more than ever, choosing an exemplary fulfillment service and managing a smooth supply chain is crucial to your eCommerce success. Offering customers reliable, fast, and perhaps free shipping are all ways to entice consumers to choose your brand over others. If your fulfillment solution doesn’t meet these needs, you're less likely to meet customer expectations: it’s as simple as that.
However, with byrd, the process is simple. You can connect your eCommerce shop, ship your products to the allocated warehouse, and begin fulfilling orders after a seamless onboarding process with a dedicated onboarding manager. byrd also goes a long way to relieving the pressure that comes with inventory checking and shipping, allowing you more time to concentrate on other aspects of your business.
However, from their website, byrd’s pricing is unclear. So, you’ll have to contact them directly to obtain a quote. But, on the plus side, this means the quote will be tailored to meet your specific needs.
In regards to byrd’s sustainability efforts, byrd tries to make good choices. However, the majority of their sustainable shipping options seem only to be available in Germany, which could be disappointing for you.
Overall, www.getbyrd.com offers a decent array of perks and intends to make the fulfillment process as easy and seamless as possible for you.
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