Frequently Asked Questions
What is GEMS - Global eCommerce Management System?
GEMS is a smart global selling platform that brings inclusive growth by providing local entrepreneurs with an easy system you can use for selling products globally.
It is a platform that integrates e-commerce marketplaces like Amazon, warehouse logistics, digital marketing, and digital payment methods with ease, convenience, and speed.
We also give business owners the confidence and efficiency in decision-making by providing market insights and opportunities.
How do I apply?
1. Sign up and Onboarding
Go to app.ecfulfill.com/signup.
You need to create an account and accept the Terms and Conditions. Pay the one-time payment of Php4,995 + 12% VAT.
After this, you need to upload the needed information and documents.
2. Product Listing
Provide all the product details, information, and pictures on the platform. Our application will also recommend the SRP in Amazon.
3. Product Shipping
Send the products to eCFulfill for shipment consolidation. We will handle all the logistics requirements.
Where can I sell my products?
Our first market is in the US. You can list your products on Amazon, eBay, and Etsy.
However, we will not stop there. Our goal is to be connected to 65 eCommerce marketplaces across the globe. Each country or region has its leading marketplaces. For example, there is Rakuten in Japan, Flipkart in India and Mercado Libre in Latin America.
Do I have to pay for every marketplace that I am interested to sell?
No, you only need to pay a one-time setup fee. The data and information that you provided during the initial setup will be used in the other marketplaces.
How do I fulfill the orders from my customers? What are the logistics options?
You have 2 options in terms of logistics:
1. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) – You will send the inventory to Amazon FBA warehouse and Amazon will do the last mile fulfillment of your products.
Pros: Your product will be eligible for Amazon Prime. Amazon Prime members get free shipping and will receive the products within 2 days.
Cons: There is an inventory risk. There is no guarantee that the products will sell and Amazon will charge warehousing fee after 3 months.
2. Fulfillment by Merchant (FBM) – The inventory is in the Philippines and you will only send the products to customers if someone buys it.
Pros: The shipping fee is higher because you are sending it individually.
Cons: The listing is not eligible to Amazon Prime.
How long is the process?
The initial store setup will take 4 weeks including the sending of inventory to the Amazon warehouse.
Do you handle product returns?
Unless disallowed, all products we sell are listed under Amazon prime and Fulfilled by Amazon. Amazon also handles all returns. Amazon personnel will assess the condition of the product if it’s still fulfillable or not. If fulfillable, the item will be placed back in inventory, otherwise, they will contact us to confirm if we wish the product sent back or disposed.
What is the cost of return or disposal?
Returns and Removals are charged by Amazon per item removed. Return fee for Standard-Sized items is $0.50 and $0.60 for Oversized items. Seller also shoulders shipping fee. Disposal fee is $0.15 and $0.30 for Standard-Sized and Oversized items, respectively.
How will I receive the Item if I want it returned?
eCFulfill has a partner warehouse in Connecticut, returned items will be shipped to that address. Seller will need to shoulder shipping cost from Connecticut to the Philippines. As this could be costly, we generally suggest disposal and to incorporate the cost of returns in the retail price.
Can you also penetrate other Amazon regions?
Yes, soon. As of this writing, we are ironing the process to route products to Amazon Canada. Other Amazon region, as well as other marketplaces, are in the pipeline as well.
What is FBA?
FBA is Fulfillment by Amazon. Products sold under Amazon Prime are also Fulfilled by Amazon. Goods are also kept in inventory in Amazon warehouses.
How do we select where to warehouse the products?
Amazon’s algorithm will decide on that. Warehouse destination may vary per shipment.
Where is your warehouse?
Our warehouse is in Connecticut. For shipping rates, from our warehouse, please refer to the following blog:
What is Amazon Pick-and-Pack?
This pertains to Amazon’s service of picking the inventory off the shelf, packing it in a polybag or a box, and delivering to the customer. Under FBA, Amazon charges for this for every order fulfillment only.
Do you take the products directly to the Amazon warehouse?
Yes.
What is Amazon Prime?
Amazon Prime is the premium membership program of Amazon. For more information, please look up
https://www.amazon.com/gp/prime.
What are the advantages of Amazon Prime?
Please look up
How do we get our payment?
We will remit to your nominated bank account after 30 days.
For example, the October sales will be remitted in the last week of November.
Who handles customer service?
Amazon assists with customer service concerns related to fulfillment. We will also assist in responding to simple queries, Complex product-related inquiries will be coursed to the product owner.
Do I need 24/7 customer service?
The general rule is to respond to any inquiry within 24 hours. We should be fine as long as we respond within this timeframe. Should you require 24/7 customer service, we can hire a virtual assistant and charge you at cost.
Do you ship by air or sea?
We recommend shipping by air on the initial shipments. Once we determine that there is a lot of demand for the products, we can start looking at shipping by sea.
How much does it cost to ship?
The air freight is 500-700 per kg from our office to Amazon FBA warehouse
Where do you ship the products?
We ship directly to an Amazon warehouse. All shipping fees include land transfer to the Amazon warehouse.
How long does it take to ship?
Air freight takes 14 business days to reach an Amazon warehouse.
Why can’t I search my products on Amazon yet?
Listed products can only be searched once the inventory is done, at which point items are ready for sale.
How much should be our initial inventory?
While there is actually no minimum quantity to ship, having an initial inventory of at least 20 count per SKU will give us room to promote the product, including giveaways.
What are pre-shipping requirements?
Who determines our Selling Price on the marketplace?
We will provide a recommended selling price, covering all costs and commissions. The final decision is still with the seller.
What is product preparation?
Product preparation may include bundling and labeling to meet the standards of the marketplace.
Who prepares the products?
You can opt to do the preparation yourself before sending them to us. We may also do the product prep for a fee.
How much do you charge for product preparation?
Bundling is 10 pesos per bundle, and labelling is 10 pesos per sticker.
What is UPC and GS1?
UPC stands for universal product code. The marketplace requirement is a GS1 provided barcode. For more information, you may visit https://www.gs1.org.
Can I still sell if my product do not have a GS1 UPC?
Yes.
There is demand for my products, but which should we prioritize?
This is ultimately the decision of the seller. However, we do not want our sellers to churn out products that might sit in the warehouse. Our team will provide recommendation on which to prioritize based on existing demand for similar products. Note that this does not guarantee sales performance. Sales is highly dependent on marketing efforts.
GENERAL E-COMMERCE QUESTIONS
I want to sell in Amazon but I don’t have a product to sell yet, can you help me?
Not at this time. We do not handle product sourcing and research.
Why should I sell on a marketplace instead of my own ecommerce store?
Each approach to ecommerce has its own advantages. There are certainly groups and individuals who advocate one over the other. Our stand is that it is best to have both, at the very least an FB page and a marketplace presence.
Why are pictures important?
This is virtual selling. Pictures provide a virtual fee and sense of the product featured. High quality pictures provide virtual experience and use of the product that influence purchasing decisions.
I am now on Amazon! How can I succeed?
Amazon provides all the tools needed to succeed and access to markets. Having presence in Amazon may be good for your business image in itself. I order to be a successful seller, we need to treat this as a SERIOUS BUSINESS and not just a nice-to-have. There is a reason we are striving to give you access to these markets – there is demand for quality Filipino products and you can sell at prices many times over than what you can do locally. We encourage you not to settle with just having Amazon presence. Market and promote your products. Create awareness. Offer promotions. Do as you do when you sell in our local malls. Take advantage of the marketing tools the marketplace has provided and give yourself a better chance of making it big!