How fulfilment contributes to the online presence of a webshop

- Interview with Eric Lauwers, Managing director Tollos -

The actual delivery of a product to a customer, largely determines the image that the consumer has of an online purchase. That means a considerable responsibility for Tollos as a logistics service. How do you provide optimum service?

Our optimal service is based on knowledge. Tollos first learns to know its customers, their products, customers and growth expectations. Based on these data, we work out a unique logistical process, taking into account the products and profile of the customer. This allows Tollos to provide optimal and flexible service.

Besides the regular logistics services Tollos provides a range of personalization services, ranging from greeting cards and gift wraps to specialized and personalized packaging. These services may also be adapted by season and / or action.

For many consumers the opportunity to choose a time and place of delivery is very important. What can you offer in this area?

Merchants, as opposed to traditional stores, are open 24 / 7. But to receive the purchased goods one is often tied to the normal business hours of the carrier. This means that consumers should take a day off, or other people need to be asked in order to receive goods. Other carriers work with delivery- or servicepoints, where consumers can pick up the goods.
Tollos developed comfort services, which enables a webshop to offer its customers to deliver the goods on weekends and holidays, outside office hours, or on any specific time. Tollos does not only offer this to her clients but to every consumer who receives a package via Tollos.


The European Commission is committed to make online shopping across the border more attractive. For the coming years there is therefore an expected growth for international purchases. Do you offer international logistics?

Webshops certainly promote international purchases, given the Internet is not bound to distances. Yet we expect within Tollos still that most people choose online stores nearby, mostly within their own or neighbouring countries. To support this view Tollos not only counts Belgium as its "domestic market", but also applies domestic rates on its' domestic region’ including Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. For this region also our domestic express delivery service is available, meaning that we immediately pick up the package at the store or in our warehouses and go off to the consumer.

In addition, Tollos delivers all over the world. Therefore we have divided the world into six zones, depending on distance and delivery times. Delivery dates fall between 1 day for neighbouring countries to 8 working days to other countries.

A major issue of merchants are 'returns'. There are often high costs involved. What do you advice merchants considering returns?

Tollos provides three important options for the return of goods:

1. With guaranteed delivery, the employee of Tollos, along with the consumer, opens the package and asks for signing the delivery note as proof of delivery and acceptance. If the goods do not meet the requirements, they are taken back to the warehouse or returned to the webshop.
2. The consumer contacts the merchant who commissions Tollos to pick up the goods and return them to the webshop
3. Consumers can request a return - if the webshop has our "integrated return" service - on the basis of a tracking number.

We encourage all our customers to return goods to their webshop for inspection and review. It can teach a webshop why a certain product was returned.

Where are you proud of?

Tollos is proud of its partner network that enables her to offer the comprehensive set of services in terms of fulfillment. These range from things like packaging and engraving products to the creation of unique packaging solutions. Tollos works with partners from various industries so that clients of Tollos can concentrate on their core business - in particular the webshop -.

You are present at the E-shop Expo as Gold Sponsor this year. What can visitors expect?

Our focus - this year - goes mainly to the contribution of e-fulfillment to the online presence of a shop. We compare how 'big' brands become ‘big’ and how a webshop can make its brand ‘big’ by logistics and fulfillment. At our booth, the visitor will get several examples about how fulfillment can contribute to that much-needed e-presence.

During the E-shop Expo we also launch a new service called 'FulFideo'-in collaboration with our partner Bezoom - where a customer can have a company video made. This video makes the webshop real and visual and shows the logistical support. This gives consumers a true picture of the online store and the way its order is handled.

More info about Tollos on www.tollos.be