Shift From Brick And Mortar To Ecommerce, A Simple Guide

Author: Jason Martin
Reviewed by: Ecommerce Operations Lead
Last updated: October 13, 2025

Executive TLDR

Moving online succeeds when your data, barcodes, and pack rules are clean before launch.
Standardize receiving with ASNs, book dock times, and target a 1 to 3 day dock to stock so inventory is sellable fast.
Build a simple pick and pack flow, right size packaging, and rate shop every label to protect margin.
For supplements and cosmetics, capture lot and expiry and pick FEFO to stay compliant and fresh.
Start with a 30 day pilot, measure accuracy, speed, and cost per order, then scale in waves.

Want a store launch that ships clean on day one — Talk to an Expert

What changes when you sell online
Clean product data and barcodes
Inbound setup: ASNs, receiving, putaway
Outbound setup: pick, pack, labels, tracking
Controls for dated or regulated goods
Your 30 day launch plan
Why Product Fulfillment Solutions
FAQ

What changes when you sell online

In stores, presentation wins. Online, accuracy and speed win. The shift is from weekly pallet moves to daily parcel orders. Success comes from clean product data, simple warehouse rules, and a label that prints only after the last scan. Get these right and customers get what they ordered, fast, at a cost you can live with.

Clean product data and barcodes

One product master, one truth

Each SKU needs a title, description, barcode, dimensions, weight, case and inner details, and hazard flags.
Use one scannable barcode per sellable unit. No barcode sharing across variants.
Save label placement rules for unit, inner, carton, and pallet so receiving and pack are consistent.

If your catalog is growing, standardize data and flows under 3PL fulfillment and ecommerce fulfillment services to keep one source of truth.

Inbound setup: ASNs, receiving, putaway

Send a complete ASN

Include PO, SKUs, barcodes, quantities by carton and pallet, weights, and dimensions.
Print matching carton and pallet labels so the dock scans, not guesses.

Book dock times and stage cleanly

Schedule arrivals and staff to hit a 1 to 3 day dock to stock target.
Separate overages, shorts, and damages into an exception lane.

Putaway to labeled locations

Large, high contrast bin IDs.
Fast movers live near pack to reduce walking.

Need space, overflow, or seasonal staging — see warehousing and storage solutions. Get the same facts on everyone’s screen with real time information.

Outbound setup: pick, pack, labels, tracking

Pick the right way

Batch single line orders for speed.
Cluster or wave multi line orders.
Always scan at pick to stop swaps on look alike SKUs.

Pack with a simple matrix

Post which mailer or carton to use by product family.
Add inserts only when they help, instructions, care, reorder path.
See pick and pack services.

Print labels last and rate shop

Create labels after the final scan at pack.
Rate shop on weight, zone, and promise day. Add regionals for dense lanes.
Protect margin with discounted shipping rates.

Tracking and status

Push tracking to your store and notify customers immediately.
Keep exceptions visible so support and operations work from the same facts.
Shared views live under real time information.

Controls for dated or regulated goods

If you sell supplements, vitamins, cosmetics, or OTC:

Capture lot and expiry at receiving and enforce FEFO at pick.
Mark bins that require lot picking.
Kitting sheets include component lots for sets or subscriptions.
Quarantine questionable returns and document destruction rules.

For category depth, review health and wellness fulfillment services and kitting assembly services.

Your 30 day launch plan

Week 1, clean the data

One product master with barcode, dimensions, weights, case packs, hazard flags.
Unit and shipping label templates saved and shared.

Week 2, inbound discipline

ASN format locked.
Dock schedule posted at the door.
Receiving checklist live.
Set a 1 to 3 day dock to stock goal and report daily.

Week 3, floor and pack rules

Slot fast movers near pack.
Print large bin IDs.
Post the pack matrix at every bench.
Add a small exception lane for rebag or relabel so the main line never stalls.

Week 4, pilot and tune

Run a one week live pilot on the top movers.
Measure handling time, order accuracy, billable vs actual weight, on time ship rate, and cost per order.
Fix slotting and packaging rules, then roll to the rest of the catalog.

If you outgrow your space, expand cleanly with warehousing and storage solutions.

Why Product Fulfillment Solutions

Central U.S. hub in Cincinnati so most customers get 1 to 3 day ground.
Barcode first receiving aligned to your ASN for predictable dock to stock speed.
FEFO and lot or expiry control built for consumables.
Pick and pack standards with right size packaging and scan at pack.
Small parcel optimization with multi carrier rate shopping.
Retail and marketplace readiness with simple label templates and EDI solutions and connections.

Talk to an Expert

FAQ

What is the fastest way to be ecommerce ready
Clean product data, lock barcodes, and post a pack matrix. Then pilot with your top movers for one week.

Do I need multiple warehouses to be fast
Start centralized. A Cincinnati hub reaches most buyers quickly with ground. Add nodes only when data proves savings.

How do I cut label costs
Right size packaging and rate shop every label. Blend nationals with regionals on dense lanes.

What accuracy should we target
Aim for 99.7 percent or better. Separate look alikes and add a second scan at pack.

Can one inventory pool serve my site and marketplaces
Yes. Standardize data and labels once, then route orders by promise and cost under 3PL fulfillment.