An international warehouse is a storage building located in countries other than the origin of the seller, generally in major global trade centres close to international transport routes. The strategic place ensures efficient shipping across the world, enabling companies to deliver goods to customers internationally easily and quickly on demand.

While warehouses offer logistical advantages, they come with great expenses. Thus, it is crucial to choose the right ones to realize returns. Use these steps to help with the process.

1.    Access Your Storage Requirements

The first step is to consider your storage requirements. Don’t forget to take into account how items should be stored- do they need special handling, temperature regulation, and security. Consider how much you need for your inventory and how frequently you have to replenish it.

When you have an idea about this, determine your warehouse’s type, size, and location.

2.    Choose the Right Location

As a standard guideline, choose locations that,

• Are close to your primary customer base.
• Have a strong transportation infrastructure, including ports, roads, airports, and other facilities, which enable the movement of people and goods.
• Are economically and politically stable.
• Have profitable trade agreements with your base country.

It is also prudent to diversify the locations and avoid relying on one region, as it can expose you to risks, such as political unrest, natural disasters, or trade disputes.

3.    Find Out about the Cost

International warehousing comes with a cost. Your provider will issue a bill that covers storage, handling fees, overhead costs, and more. In case your provider offers fulfilment, too, the fees can be much higher. Take into account the services you require and choose a provider, accordingly.

Usually, third-party logistic providers offer fulfilment.

4.    Know About the Features

Prior to choosing warehousing, ensure their standards fit your requirements. Check out how they organise and store goods, the type of software they use to manage and process inventory, and the type of products they manage.

Check out how they are treating the storage goods. In case you have enough time in hand, talk to other businesses using the international warehouse to know about their experience.

TLS Technology offers affordable international warehousing solutions that will help you reduce expenses for storage and increase your profit significantly.

5.    Check Procedures and Policies

You shouldn’t base your location just on costs or locations. When you are evaluating warehouses, the best location and lowest price will not protect you from failure if your business is not well-suited for a certain warehouse.

Certain procedures and policies decree the general conduct of the operation of the warehouse. These policies have to be spelled out clearly and you should check the track record of warehouse’s past clients to see how they have handled the conflicts before. These include,

• Health and safety measurement
• Management procedures and policy guideline
• Pest and security control
• Human resources management
• Record keeping and reporting
• Quality control
• Maintenance and cleaning
• Disposal of damaged and obsolete foods
• Reverse logistics for returns

Albeit these procedures should provide balances and checks, they should also have the flexibility to fulfil the requirement of a unique situation. A good warehouse emphasises the end goal of a procedure. Thus, it is common to limit the level of information in the procedures document.