Growing fast? Smarter fulfillment helps you scale, deliver faster, and stay sustainable

Running a successful online store means juggling many moving parts. But when your order volume grows, so do the headaches: packing, shipping, delivery issues, returns. If you’re spending more time juggling logistics than growing your business, it might be time to rethink your fulfillment strategy.

That’s where order fulfillment service comes in. Especially for growing and medium-sized e-shops, outsourcing logistics can be the difference between a chaotic operation and a scalable business that keeps customers happy.

Let’s explore how smarter fulfillment helps you grow – without losing your sanity.

What is order fulfillment (and why it matters more than ever)

Order fulfillment is the process of storing, packing, and shipping products to customers. Instead of doing it all yourself, you can work with a logistics partner who takes care of these tasks for you. A typical fulfillment service includes integration with your e-commerce platform, warehousing for inventory storage and management, and the courier services needed to deliver the product to your customer. Some fulfillment providers even offer better shipping rates thanks to their volume and partnerships.

In daily operations, fulfillment providers automate much of the manual work e-shops would otherwise handle themselves. Orders placed in the online store are sent automatically to the warehouse, where staff pick, pack, and label the shipment according to predefined rules. The courier is notified, the package is dispatched, and tracking is updated instantly – often without the merchant needing to touch a thing. This level of automation saves hours of manual handling, prevents errors, and allows merchants to spend more time focusing on sales and customer relationships.

According to Sander Borodkin, Head of Sales in Estonia at SmartPosti, the benefits are immediate and year-round: “All products listed in the online store are automatically imported into our warehouse system. Our fulfillment setup allows merchants to offer fast, reliable deliveries across Estonia, and frees them from day-to-day logistics headaches.”

These daily efficiencies form the foundation for healthy growth. But when growth accelerates or seasonal spikes hit, flexibility becomes essential.

Mantvydas Kaukėnas, Head of Fulfillment Services at Venipak, emphasizes adaptability: “Fulfillment should adapt to the merchant, not the other way around. The goal is to give businesses room to grow without locking them into fixed warehouse or staffing costs. During peak seasons, resources can be adjusted to match demand so merchants can process higher volumes without sacrificing speed or service quality.”

Borodkin adds that SmartPosti can reallocate internal resources to maintain performance at scale: “With sufficient warehouse space, we can easily support rapidly growing businesses. Best of all, our service frees e-shop owners from the hassle of recruiting seasonal staff and handling related paperwork – allowing them to stay focused on sales, customer satisfaction and business growth.”

This flexible model helps businesses avoid heavy fixed costs, paying only for actual usage. One merchant, Eiva Beauty, for example, grew sixfold in monthly order volume over five years of cooperation, supported by fulfillment scalability during high-demand periods – without investing in its own infrastructure.

Speed matters: why fast delivery is now a must

Shoppers across the Baltics are getting used to 2-day delivery. Some even expect next-day. This shift in expectations is no longer a nice bonus – it’s becoming the standard.

Fulfillment partners help meet this expectation by storing products closer to customers, automating order processing and labeling, and shipping through optimized courier networks. Venipak reports that 98% of its Baltic shipments are delivered the next working day. This speed reduces canceled orders, increases customer loyalty, and helps merchants gain a competitive edge.

Sustainability starts with smarter logistics

Eco-conscious shopping isn’t just a trend – it’s a growing expectation among customers. Fulfillment can contribute to more sustainable logistics in several ways, such as centralized warehousing and consolidated deliveries.

One impactful shift is the rise of parcel locker deliveries. According to Kaukėnas: “Parcel lockers are currently the most popular delivery method across the Baltics, and that’s no coincidence. Consumers are choosing this option because it’s more convenient and more sustainable. Couriers deliver multiple parcels to a single location, reducing driving distance and emissions. It’s a meaningful step toward smarter last-mile logistics.”

SmartPosti echoes this approach with added emphasis on technology and partnerships. Borodkin shares: “We use smart routing algorithms to reduce unnecessary mileage and fuel consumption.”

By outsourcing smartly, merchants can reduce their carbon footprint – a win for the planet and a strong signal to environmentally aware customers.

How to choose the right fulfillment partner

Not every fulfillment service is the right fit for every business. When evaluating options, consider how well the service integrates with your e-commerce platform, whether it can handle your current and projected order volume, and how it supports international shipping and returns.

Integration doesn’t have to be complicated. Kaukėnas points out that most online shops can connect within just two working days, linking their e-commerce platform, sending inventory to the warehouse, and going live with automated picking, packing, and tracking.

SmartPosti uses Ongoing WMS, which integrates with all major platforms. Borodkin explains: “Once a merchant signs up, our onboarding contact provides step-by-step instructions. All products listed in the online store are automatically imported into our warehouse system.”

Other important factors include:

• The countries they ship to and from
• Availability of inventory tracking and reporting
• Support during peak seasons or campaigns

Also consider scalability and pricing transparency. Venipak uses a usage-based pricing model, where merchants pay for storage, picking and packing per order, and delivery based on destination and service level. SmartPosti offers personalized quotes based on volume and goods type.

Cross-border & international shipments

Expanding abroad often brings challenges like customs complexity, long transit times, and maintaining visibility across borders. Fulfillment providers with strong international networks help merchants overcome these hurdles by offering centralized fulfillment and integrated delivery options to over 200 countries. As Kaukėnas puts it: We’re seeing more and more merchants from neighboring countries use Baltic fulfillment centers to serve their customers efficiently, reducing delivery times, cutting costs, and scaling faster without building new infrastructure.”

SmartPosti provides a competitive edge for Estonian e-shops expanding into Finland. Borodkin explains: “With a well-established network of parcel lockers and delivery partners across Finland, we ensure fast and reliable last-mile delivery. We offer easy return solutions and tracking tools that Finnish consumers value – making it easier to build trust in a new market.”

Fulfillment that fuels growth

Order fulfillment isn’t just logistics – it’s a growth strategy. For small and medium-sized e-commerce businesses, working with the right partner means faster shipping, happier customers, and room to expand without burning out.

Whether you’re ready for next-day delivery or planning your entry into new markets, smarter fulfillment might be the missing piece.