Fulfillment center Europe
An ecommerce fulfillment center is designed to rapidly process and ship orders, making it essential for scaling ecommerce operations efficiently. Learn about the benefits of a European fulfillment center, how these services streamline your supply chain, and improve the turnaround of your orders.
Content:
- the process of ecommerce logistics
- The phases of order fulfillment services
- Advantages of using a fulfillment provider
- In-house vs. outsourced fulfillment
Local fulfillment centers in Europe
Fulfillment centers enable quick order processing, as well as quick deliveries. This is especially true when you use local fulfillment centers for your cross-border sales. These are often able to offer same-day or next-day delivery.
There are a lot of logistics and fulfillment providers in Europe that aim for online retailers. Three European based ecommerce fulfillment centers that that we recommend for a medium sized online store are:
Monta is one of the market leaders in the Netherlands, serving both growing and established companies. Monta promotes decentralized working and has a total of more than 20 warehouses, including locations in the Netherlands, Germany, and England.
- handles fulfillment for 3,000+ retailers
- warehouses in NL, DE, FR and the UK
- 1,500+ employees
- 300,000 m² of storage space
- part of DHL (since 2022)
PostNord offers full logistics range within and beyond the Nordic region, including all cross-border ecommerce solutions. The fulfillment provider has offices worldwide, including Sweden, Poland, Germany and the United Kingdom.
- fulfilment centers in multiple European countries
- custom packaging and labelling
- integration with major platforms and marketplaces
- cross-border e-commerce expertise
Operates through a network of partner warehouses across Europe rather than its own facilities. Offers integrations with Shopify, WooCommerce and other ecommerce platforms. Strong presence in the DACH region and wider European market. 5 million parcels per year shipped from German warehouses.
- founded in 2016 in Vienna, Austria
- 50K+ m2 storage space in Germany
- asset-light network of partner warehouses
- focus on ecommerce brands
Salesupply offers national and cross-border solutions for fulfillment and returns as well as customer service. The company works with 25+ fulfillment centers across the world, among them the following EU countries: Germany, France, the Netherlands, the UK, Italy, Spain, Poland, Denmark and Sweden.
- fulfilment in Europe, the US, and Asia
- specialist in cross-border expansion
- real-time tracking and inventory management
- customer service in over 35 languages
- local contact centers worldwide
- 24/7 customer service (including peak periods)
International fulfilment and supply chain partner for ecommerce and B2B. Provides warehousing, order fulfilment, shipping and returns, supported by IT and automation. Focuses on high volumes, scalable operations, omnichannel fulfilment and international distribution.
- global network with 100+ locations
- focus on fashion, beauty, electronics and healthcare
- advanced automation and robotics
- experienced in handling returns and peak volumes
- scalable solutions for high order volumes
- part of Bertelsmann
Large player in fashion fulfilment with a long track record. With Bscale, it also offers a solution for smaller, fast-growing businesses. The focus is on fashion, but the services are broad and also suitable for shoes, bags, accessories, cosmetics and jewelry.
- focus on fashion and lifestyle products
- 1.3 million square meters across 40+ locations
- partnerships with 50+ carriers (local heroes)
- strong in returns and circular solutions
- Bscale: solution for scale-ups and fast-growing companies
- long track record in NL and BE
International logistics provider with a strong focus on fashion and ecommerce. The company offers storage, order processing and returns handling at scale. With multiple European locations and experience with large retailers, Fiege is suitable for fast-growing and international online stores.
- 4.6million m2 storage space worldwide
- 136 locations in 14 countries
- extensive returns logistics
- robotics and automation
- works with companies such as Zalando
- office based in Greven, Germany
Fulfilment by Amazon is the fulfillment solution for sellers on Amazon. You can also use FBA to sell up to half of the stored products on other platforms, like your own store. FBA offers order picking, packaging and shipping as well as returns and customer service.
Bol is the largest online store in the Netherlands and Belgium. As a seller on the platform, you can let Logistics via Bol take care of storage, order picking and returns. Merchants can also choose to only outsource shipping. It has six warehouses across the Netherlands.
- built for selling on Bol
- large automated fulfilment network
- storage, packing and shipping included
- returns and customer service managed by Bol
- eligible for the Bol Select label
- primary hub based in Waalwijk, the Netherlands
Octopia provides cross-border retailers with ecommerce fulfillment services across Europe. They ship more than 20 million parcels per year to over 20 European countries from their warehouses in France, with more than 540 thousand square meters storage space. It also provides other services.
- 300.000+ m2 storage space
- part of Cdiscount
- 8+ million parcels shipped annually
- Warehouses in France, Spain and the UK
- based in Bordeaux, France
Fulfilment partner based in Slovakia, and with a focus on Central and Eastern Europe. Next to fulfilment it helps ecommerce businesses adapt payment methods, delivery options and checkout experiences to local customer preferences, helping retailers compete more effectively in diverse CEE markets.
- 23.000 m2 storage space
- 50-100 employees (depending on season)
- flexible cut off times, due to different SLAs per courier
- fulfilment partner for Factcool, Victoria’s Secret & Eyerim
- Shopify, WooCommerce, Amazon, Allegro, Kaufland, etc.
- based in Senec, Slovakia
One of the leading fulfillment providers in Germany. Offers professional services for storage, picking, order processing, packing, shipping and returns and (customer) service, along with goods inspection and restocking. Including food or personal care products, manual packing and assembling.
- 53.000+ m2 storage space (Heilbronn)
- 600 employees
- connections to 200+ marketplaces
- BIO certified for food and beverages
Active Ants is a cross-border fulfillment company with warehouses in The Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and the UK. The company is known for its large-scale use of order picking robots.
- 100.000 m2 storage space
- using AutoStore and AMRs
- part of Bpost
- based in Roosendaal, The Netherlands
Small-scale fulfilment provider based in France, focused on ecommerce businesses expanding across Europe. It offers storage, pick and pack, returns and EU-wide shipping, with no minimum volumes and simple pricing, making it suitable for startups and low-volume online stores.
- simple and transparent pricing
- suitable for low and fluctuating volumes
- storage, pick and pack and returns included
- based in Saint-Brieuc, France
Founded in Paris in 2018 by two French entrepreneurs. The company started as an ecommerce software provider before expanding into fulfilment. It now operates a network of 9 warehouses, including 6 in France. Its largest facility is located in Évreux, Normandy, and covers 35,000 square metres.
- 80,000+ m2 warehouse space
- 24+ million processed orders in 2025
- focus on D2C brands in fashion, beauty and lifestyle
- active in France, Germany, Spain and the UK
- based in Paris, France
Based in Haelen (The Netherlands), it offers next day delivery in NL, DE and BE at local shipping rates, with a local return address in each country. For the rest of Europe, delivery times up to 48 hours. Returns can be processed, including inspection according to agreed RMA/DOA procedures.
- order processing until 23:59
- also for medical products or perishable stock
- SKAL certified
- self-made OMS/WMS/TMS
- open API with a.o. SAP, Shopify, and WooCommerce
- Gold partner of ChannelEngine
ShipBob is a large fulfillment company that is headquartered in the United States, with multiple fulfillment centers in Europe (Spain, The Netherlands and the UK). In addition to fulfillment, the company also offers inventory management, order tracking and integrations with ecommerce software.
Dispeo originated from 3 Suisses and has extensive experience in fashion and lifestyle fulfilment. It also serves beauty, home & living, consumer goods and other retail categories. The company focuses on higher order volumes and omnichannel retail.
- 100,000+ m2 warehouse space
- multiple warehouses in northern France
- focus on fashion, beauty and home & living
- experienced in peak order and return volumes
- based in Beauvais, France
Focus on automation, robotics and proprietary software. Offers next-day delivery in Germany and is particularly active among fast-growing D2C brands. Following its merger with Alaiko, it became one of the larger technology-driven fulfilment providers, with a large hub near Erfurt, Germany.
- merged with Alaiko in 2024
- 200K+ m2 storage space
- warehouses in Germany and Poland
- 30+ million parcels per year
- strong cross-border focus
- based in Berlin, Germany
Founded in 2002, the company grew from a family business into one of France's largest logistics groups. It serves ecommerce, retail and industrial customers, combining warehousing, transport and supply chain services within a single organisation.
- 1.2+ million m2 warehouse space
- 40+ locations, primarily in France
- 50+ million orders each year
- based in Lesquin, near Lille France
German fulfilment center that offers custom solutions, ideal for small but high potential retailers, that outgrow their first warehouse. It is best at handling small items that require extra packaging. It ships in Europe, with DHL, GLS, Asendia and Schenker (DSV).
- good fit for startups or smaller retailers
- no minimum order requirement
- 800 m² of storage space
- based in Germany
European fulfilment provider focused on startups and growing ecommerce brands. It offers storage, order processing and returns without minimum volumes. With fast onboarding and scalable pricing, it suits small online stores that want to start quickly and grow.
- no minimum order volumes
- fast onboarding process
- scalable pricing as you grow
- flexible contracts
FedEx is a delivery and fulfillment service from the United States, with European offices in France and Germany. The fulfillment center network processes over 210 million shipments across Europe per year, delivering next-day to more than 75 thousand European addresses.
Huboo Fulfilment is headquartered in the UK and has its operational centres in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany. The company offers order picking, storage and shipping as well as returns. Inside Huboo’s warehouses, retailers get a micro-hub with their own hub manager for a more personal service.
B2B and B2C fulfilment powered by an AutoStore automation system, currently being expanded to 45,000 bins. Integrates with DHL, DPD, UPS and FedEx. Currently expanding its warehouse capacity with an additional 30,000 m2 in Hoofddorp, expected by mid-2027.
- 25,000+ m2 warehouse space
- ISO 9001 certified
- part of CTS Group
- based in Nieuw-Vennep, the Netherlands
Technology platform that connects multiple fulfilment partners through a single API and dashboard. Offers extensive support for Amazon FBA prep and cash on delivery across Central and Eastern Europe, including COD payouts and order management. Experienced with health, beauty and cosmetics brands.
- 16+ partner warehouses across Europe
- focus on cross-border ecommerce
- supports cash on delivery (COD)
- office in Tallinn, Estonia
Focused on fashion, beauty and lifestyle. Omnipack was founded in 2016 by Tomek Kasperski, who previously worked at Westwing. Its warehouses in Nadarzyn and Gorzów Wielkopolski are well suited for fulfilment across Central and Eastern Europe.
- 30,000+ m² of warehouse space
- 250+ employees
- 2 warehouses in Poland
- proprietary WMS and merchant portal
- founded by ecommerce entrepreneurs
- office in Warsaw, Poland
If you are selling to multiple countries in Europe, you could consider using a fulfillment center in each market you sell to. They will know which carriers and transportation options are preferred by local customers. You could either partner with a fulfillment provider with a network of centers around Europe, or partner with multiple providers in several countries.
Amazon FBA
One op the options of ecommerce fulfillment in Europe is Amazon. This online marketplace has set up its own fulfillment center for its merchants. This is called Fulfillment by Amazon (or Amazon FBA).
These fulfillment services have many advantages, especially if Amazon is your largest sales channel. But they also come with their drawbacks. For instance, there are limited flexibility options, such as selling through other channels and the inability to make packaging changes or custom kitting.
Fulfillment: the process of ecommerce logistics
Ecommerce fulfillment is the complete process of fulfilling orders of an online store. This includes inventory management, picking and packing of orders, as well as the delivery process itself. While most online stores handle their own inventory and logistics at first, this can become a hassle once the product range starts growing.
And if the amount of orders grows quickly, it can be hard to scale in time to process them all. Additionally, if your online store grows cross-border, you will notice that international logistics comes with new challenges that require your time. Because of that, many retailers decide to use a fulfillment center.
Imagine a hub where inventory is received, customer orders processed and shipments dispatched. This is how a fulfillment center works. It is a space operated by a third-party logistics provider dedicated to making online selling easier. Unlike traditional warehouses that store goods for longer terms, fulfillment centers are designed for short-term storage, managing inventory consistently to facilitate a quick turnaround for order processing.
Fulfillment centers cater to a variety of clients and order types. For example direct-to-consumer (D2C) and business-to-business (B2B) orders, as well as large-scale freight orders for items such as furniture or oversized goods.
Technology behind fulfillment centers
Operations within a fulfillment center are significantly driven by technology. For example, through synchronisation, the fulfillment center receives the orders placed in your online store in real-time. They often also have option to integrate multiple sales channels, like marketplaces. Some of the key tools and systems used in fulfillment centers include:
- Warehouse management systems (WMS) and order fulfillment software, which automate order processing and increase efficiency
- Barcode and RFID scanning, which help track and manage inventory
- Voice picking systems, which guide warehouse workers through the picking process using voice commands
- Robotic systems, which automate tasks such as picking, packing, and sorting
Because of these tools, fulfillment centers are able to streamline processes. This minimizes errors, while working quickly and efficiently. These software systems are also necessary to ensure high customer satisfaction. However, while technology is essential in these operations, of course most fulfillment centers also still need employees to maintain quality of work.
The phases of order fulfillment services
Now that we have a basic understanding of what a fulfillment center is and its key functions, we will delve into the nitty-gritty of order fulfillment services.
Receiving inventory
Receiving inventory marks the start of the order fulfillment process. Fulfillment centers receive inventory sent by the sellers’ manufacturers or suppliers and store it conveniently for order processing. Once the inventory arrives at a fulfillment center, it is organized, sorted, and stored with unique identifiers like stock keeping units (SKUs) for easy retrieval during order fulfillment.
Picking and packing orders
The picking process commences after receiving an order in the online store. This involves retrieving the specified items from inventory. There are several strategies in picking available, which usually indicate how the fulfillment center is structured. Think of:
- Discrete picking
- Batch picking
- Zone picking
- Wave picking
After the picking process, the items are prepared for shipment. This includes boxing or bagging, labeling, and ensuring that items are well-protected during transit.
Shipping and delivery
Sending the product(s) to the customer is the final step in the order fulfillment process. Fulfillment centers often have contracts with multiple shipping companies for frequent pickups, ensuring that customer orders are shipped promptly. Some fulfillment providers also have their own logistics operations, meaning that they ship the orders themselves.
High customer experience and satisfaction levels depend on the efficiency of this process, spanning from processing to delivery and management of returns.
Advantages of using a fulfillment center
There are several advantages to using a fulfillment provider. Online sellers often choose to use these services when they need a more efficient and scalable order fulfillment process as their business grows. By using fulfillment services, they can serve a wider customer base, internationally for example.
Faster shipping
Faster shipping is one of the main advantages of using a fulfillment center. Express shipping services provided by fulfillment centers guarantee delivery in two to three days. This meets customer demand for faster shipping speeds. This not only enhances the customer experience but also fosters repeat business and stronger brand loyalty.
Scaling made simple
Scalability is another advantage of using a fulfillment center. Online businesses can handle increased order volumes without the need for additional warehouse space by utilizing a fulfillment center’s global infrastructure. Furthermore, outsourcing fulfillment can be more cost-effective for businesses, as 3PLs offer flexible pricing that adapts to changes in order volume and growth patterns.
Focus on core business activities
Businesses can focus on strategic areas like customer service, marketing, and product development by outsourcing logistics. At the same time, businesses can service more customers and offer better customer experiences, which can include value-added services like custom packaging.
Handling returns and exchanges
Maintaining a positive brand image and customer satisfaction also hinges on efficient returns management. This includes streamlined reverse logistics, clear return policies, and efficient after-sales support to encourage repeat purchases.
In-house vs. outsourced fulfillment
Several factors need to be considered by businesses when deciding between in-house and outsourced fulfillment. Fulfillment centers can often negotiate lower rates with carriers, which reduces shipping costs for ecommerce businesses.
Evaluating the cost of storing inventory
Storing inventory in-house involves a wide range of costs, from facilities to operational expenses. In contrast, leveraging fulfillment centers can provide a variable cost solution with the flexibility of pay-as-you-go pricing.
It also reduces the need to maintain a storage facility, potentially cutting overall costs for businesses. However, do not underestimate the costs charged by a fulfillment partner.
When to consider a professional fulfillment center
When businesses can no longer keep up with managing their own warehouse and timely shipping of orders, or when they reach the maximum capacity of their current storage space, they should consider partnering with a professional fulfillment center.
Summary
In the fast-paced world of ecommerce, fulfillment centers play an important role. They not only streamline the order fulfillment process but also provide a strategic advantage to businesses by offering faster shipping, scalability, and the flexibility to focus on core business activities.
By catering to diverse ecommerce platforms, providing multi-channel integration, customization, and data-driven insights, fulfillment centers enhance the customer experience and build brand loyalty. Whether it is Amazon’s FBA model or other professional fulfillment centers, these hubs of logistics and order fulfillment have an impact on supply chain dynamics and the overall success of ecommerce businesses.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about fulfillment centers are:
What does an ecommerce fulfilment center do?
An ecommerce fulfillment center is responsible for managing inventory, processing orders, packaging, and shipping products to customers or retailers. It serves as a crucial hub in the supply chain for efficient logistics processes.
What is the difference between a warehouse and a fulfillment center?
The main difference between a warehouse and a fulfillment center is that warehouses provide long-term storage and possibly value-added services, while fulfillment centers cover every aspect of the order fulfillment process, including receiving, storing, picking, packing, and handling last-mile delivery.