Cargus acquired QeOPS, one of the leading providers of e-fulfilment services and customized logistics solutions in Romania, in 2021 with the purpose to strengthen its service offer for e-commerce customers, in line with strategic investments of the company over the past two years, focused on strategic grow direction improving the general customer’s logistic, comprehensive solutions and highest delivery quality performance.
QeOPS started operating in Romania at the end of 2016, and in 2021 it registered a turnover of over 6 million lei. The company started from a warehouse of 500 sqm, and currently operates a warehouse of 15,000 sqm, located in CTPark Bucharest West.
“Operations in this new 15,000 sqm location were started in September last year and offer the advantage of the proximity of the Cargus hub so that the time for taking over the parcels has been substantially reduced. Basically, for Cargus customers who also benefit from e-fulfilment services, the CUT-OFF time, order preparation and delivery to the courier, will increase until 20:00, and thus they will benefit from a competitive advantage over other online stores, with next day delivery nationwide. In addition, all orders taken by Cargus are instantly visible to users in the Cargus Mobile app”, said Paul Copil, CEO and founder of QeOPS.
The QeOPS warehouse is multi-client and includes a wide variety of products, from memory sticks to large appliances such as side-by-side refrigerators and volumetric furniture. Once in the warehouse, the goods are unloaded and received quantitatively, and in the case of certain products, the reception is also made from a qualitative point of view. The company’s IT system sends detailed reports to partners on these receptions, including any lack of conformity. It’s a full range of fulfilment services – basic and special – under one roof, and the clients have constant access to the latest technologies. Cargus and QeOPS constantly optimize processes and implement new technological solutions, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of business, without additional costs.
Further, orders are received through interfaces that integrate other platforms used in the logistics system, the company thus offering each customer a certain degree of automation, depending on the size and complexity of the business, the entire IT system is customizable from this point of view.
The space and costs are also flexible and customizable, the fulfilment service being created so that customers can focus on the core business and not be distracted by logistical challenges. In this way, they can be competitive on the market, without getting the right logistic know-how in-house. Fees are based on the pay-as-you-go model, which involves billing services after they have been performed.
Fixed costs are replaced by variable costs, and customers do not have to pay extra for renting space or employees. But the space allocated to an e-commerce customer can be increased with the scaling of the business.
Once orders are processed, the picking and packaging process for the courier follows. Each product is scanned individually, and the order is automatically validated when the order becomes complete, at which point the invoice and AWB are printed.
“Cargus and QeOPS offer a complete last-mile logistics and distribution solution, a service that can be customized at the customer’s request, a service created for our partners to grow, diversify their sales component and meet the needs of consumers.
Using the Cargus Mobile app, recipients also benefit from dynamic delivery management and can choose to redirect the package to their preferred Ship & Go point, gaining flexibility and more time to receive it. In addition, for the recipients and our e-commerce customers, we have developed and implemented contactless payment solutions, both directly to the courier and in the national network of over 500 Cargus Ship & Go centres, including for return parcels redirected to PUDO points – a premiere for Romania”, said Jarosław Śliwa, CEO Cargus.
Investments in the new warehouse are extensive and ongoing. In addition to state-of-the-art IT and video surveillance infrastructure, handling equipment and other facilities already in place, the entire space will be fully equipped in the next six months. And this will include new investments in automation, process improvements and a 50% increase in the number of employees in operations.
The pandemic has brought an increase in the e-commerce market in the last 2-3 years, but Romania is still, in the beginning, with 5 percent – 6 percent of total sales, which is a market of 4- 5 times lower than in well-developed European countries.
