In September 2019, we released the JTL-Fulfillment Network into open beta. With today’s stable release, we are not only presenting you with a platform that has grown considerably, but also an optimized platform with numerous functions that make it even easier for you to outsource your warehouse and shipping processes or offer your fulfilment service providers and win new customers.
How exactly does the JTL-Fulfillment Network work?
Growing retailers need larger storage areas, more staff and efficient shipping processes. This creates a complex cost structure on the one hand and a high administrative burden on the other. Retailers who want to remain financially agile and concentrate fully on strategically important areas such as product sourcing, market observation, marketing and sales are therefore increasingly opting to outsource their warehousing and shipping processes.
The JTL-Fulfillment Network (FFN for short) comes into play when searching for certified fulfillment service providers: Our platform, which consists of an online portal and interface technology, brings retailers and fulfillers together. And helps both sides to centralize and automate their entire fulfillment processes.
Fulfillers advertise their warehouses on the online portal and interested retailers can search and filter for them. The conditions – which can include special services such as product reconditioning in addition to the usual services such as pick & pack, incoming goods or provision of storage space – are negotiated individually between retailers and fulfillment service providers.
Online portal and interface technology
As already mentioned, the FFN consists of an online portal and an interface technology: the online portal acts as the “front end” and offers retailers and fulfillers an overview of all products, orders, stocks, etc. Statistics of all ongoing and completed fulfillment processes are clearly presented in the new dashboard.
The systems of the retailer and fulfillment service provider (ERP system, online store or warehouse management systems) are connected via the FFN interfaces so that smooth communication can take place between both sides. Information such as item data, orders, shipping notifications or tracking information is exchanged almost in real time via this interface.
JTL-FFN as middleware
Thanks to the open interface, retailers and fulfillers can integrate any software into the JTL-FFN. Historically grown, mostly complex and maintenance-intensive interface landscapes can thus be replaced by a single cleanly programmed interface: the REST API of the JTL-Fulfillment Network!
In JTL-Wawi, the interface to FFN is integrated as standard and collaboration between retailers and fulfillers is possible at the touch of a button. ERP and store systems from popular third-party providers can be integrated directly via our third-party store integration JTL-Connector or our ready-made plugins. It is even possible to use FFN completely without an ERP system. But more on that later!
The biggest innovations at a glance
Now we don’t want to keep you in suspense any longer and present the most important innovations and developments of our JTL-Fulfillment Network below:
Strong growth
Since the launch of the open beta in fall 2019, the JTL-FFN has grown steadily. Almost 70 fulfillment service providers are now connected to the network, each operating between one and 15 warehouses. This results in 262,000 square meters of usable warehouse space for retailers, which corresponds to around 37 soccer pitches. Another interesting fact: 2.2 million sales orders have already been successfully processed via the FFN during the open beta phase.
Expansion in Europe
In addition to Germany, warehouses in Austria, Switzerland and Hungary have also been activated for today’s release. Further logistics providers from Poland, the Czech Republic, France, Spain, Turkey and the USA are already in the implementation phase, so that you will gain a number of new options in the area of “Cross Border Trade” in the coming weeks. Of course, we will gradually expand the selection of countries in the coming months, but will initially focus on Europe.
Optimized search and filter function
We have designed our JTL-Fulfillment Network so that it can be used by both small retailers and wholesalers with several thousand orders per day. Intelligent filters enable a targeted search for a suitable fulfillment service provider with regard to certain characteristics such as handling best-before date products, organic certification or the use of certain types of packaging. We have refined and optimized this search and filter function so that you can search for and find the right fulfillment provider and compare listings faster and, above all, more conveniently.
New dashboard
In order to manage your fulfillment processes in a clear and resource-saving way, we have redesigned the dashboard for retailers and fulfillers. You can now view all important data at a glance in this central location. Our statistics also help you to maintain a number-based overview of all ongoing processes and derive developments and trends for your business success.
Overall, the FFN ensures a high level of transparency in data communication between the retailer and the fulfiller. As all information required for processing sales orders is continuously synchronized via the FFN’s REST API, both sides always access a common database. This means that there is always only one truth in the FFN.
More plugins
To use the FFN, neither merchants nor fulfillers are bound to using JTL software. Any third-party system can be connected to our network via the REST API. Customized plugins are available for Plentymarkets, Shopware 5 and CosmoShop, with which you can dock to the FFN in no time at all – without any complex interface programming.
Data exchange without an eCommerce system
FFN offers an attractive option, especially for retailers who want to test fulfilment with just a few items: it can be used entirely without an ERP or store system. There is a separate area in the portal for the automatic import and export of CSV files for the necessary data exchange. Here, items, sales orders and deliveries can be maintained independently and created directly at the fulfiller via a web interface.
Import and export plans
To strengthen this data exchange area, we have added an import schedule to the stable release: Instead of only being able to specify an absolute path to your CSV file as before (e.g. “Import/Article.csv”), it is now also possible to specify a path to a folder (e.g. “Import/Article”), from which all files are then automatically imported. The same applies to the use of “wildcards” in the path (e.g. “Import/Art*.csv”), which can be used to filter the files to be imported.
FFN now also moves all your imported files – whether successful or faulty – to an archive folder and provides them with a time stamp. In addition, a “log file” with the same time stamp is written for each import. If an error occurs during import, these are given an “_error.log” suffix so that you can make targeted improvements here and import files again.
Import and export templates
We have added further import templates to the item import: You can now import any number of attributes, container units and parts lists for an existing item in separate import schedules. There is also a new export plan for items (including attributes, container units and parts lists in separate files). The export schedules use the same templates as the import schedules. You can decide for each field whether it should be exported or not.
Stabilization
Of course, general stabilizations are a must for a stable release in order to offer you a high-performance network and an optimal user experience. In addition to improving the interface to JTL-Wawi, we have stabilized the Rest API and added a “multi-warehouse” function that allows JTL-Wawi and the FFN to communicate with each other.
This function allows fulfillers to assign more than one warehouse to their retailers. This should be of particular interest to service providers who operate different types of warehouses (refrigerated goods warehouse, bulky goods warehouse, small parts warehouse) and were previously only able to assign one of these options to each of their customers. The new “multi-warehouse” function also ensures correct rebooking if retailers and fulfillers have initiated a delivery from different warehouses.
Remove from stock Amazon Prime by Seller and Amazon FBA
If you as a seller offer the popular Amazon Prime By Seller shipping service, you can also use the FFN to remove it from stock to corresponding service providers, which you can easily find using the filter function. The fulfiller does not need access to your Amazon Seller Central account or the Amazon API – FFN provides the necessary shipping labels via our own Rest API.
You can also request fulfillers who offer pre-FBA services for Amazon FBA in the portal. To do this, you send your service provider a sales order with the order to pack and ship pallets or parcels according to Amazon’s standards. There is no easier way to outsource the complex logistics required for Amazon FBA.
Terminate cooperation easily at any time
If you want to end the cooperation with your retailer or fulfiller, you can now disconnect your systems at the touch of a button. This gives you the flexibility to react quickly to changing market situations. The prerequisite is that all open sales orders have been finished or canceled, the stocks of the fulfiller are set to “0” and no new deliveries are pending.
What's coming soon?
Our developers are currently working on the large “Returns” area, which is definitely one of your “most wanted features”. From version 1.6 of JTL-Wawi, many of the functions that you already know from our ERP will be available to you in FFN. In future, both retailers and fulfillers will be able to select predefined return reasons in the portal, which can then be viewed by both parties. The returns status and item condition – as well as the other data in FFN – will then also be transmitted for both sides in near-real time. This ensures additional transparency and faster processes.
A special treat for today’s stable release: Although the use of FFN will be associated with costs for fulfillers in the future, we will offer access to the portal completely free of charge for both retailers and fulfillers in 2021.
Become part of the network!
Would you like to test the JTL-Fulfillment Network? Outsource your warehouse and logistics processes or offer your services as a fulfillment provider? Here you can become part of our constantly growing network:
Webinars on FFN
Are you about to make the decision to outsource your warehouse and shipping processes? Or are you already part of FFN but would like to find out more about our platform? Our three themed webinars offer the ideal opportunity: we will not only show you how to get started with FFN, but also introduce you to our plugin structure and the technical possibilities of our Rest API.
Log in here free of charge for one or all three dates:
Help from our certified partners
Do you need help with FFN? Do you have questions? Or would you like to have an individual project implemented? Then we recommend our specialized service partners.
Last year, eight of them received FFN certification. Shopküche, MIMO – a brand of pd.MEDIENLOGISTIK GmbH, RIS Web- & Software-Development, AMZ Fulfillment, OBME, wnm, maßarbyte and RECENTmarketing successfully demonstrated their expertise in this field through an extensive review.
Would you also like to become a certified service partner? Get in touch with our partner management team.
