Frequently asked questions

We ship packages with all large and well-known carriers as a matter of principle. Our main partners are DPD and DHL as package delivery service providers and the forwarding agency Raben as forwarding agent.

PORTICA has been working with many package delivery service providers for several years now. Our experience enables us to select the service provider that is suitable for our customers. Each customer can, however, certainly work together with “their” own preferred package delivery service provider. If this carrier is not yet one of our suppliers, we will connect it to our systems.

PORTICA works for a large number of customers who have to supply their retailers, partners or sales representatives with large quantities of advertising media and promotional items. Here it would be uneconomical and not very environmentally friendly for us to send several packages to one partner. It therefore goes without saying that PORTICApicks, packs and sends pallets. We naturally have a professional and internationally operating forwarding agency as a long-standing partner for shipping pallets.

Dropshipment is the solution if you as a retailer do not want to manage all or not all products in your own warehouse as a matter of principle. You order your goods from the wholesaler after your customers have ordered in your online shop. Your wholesaler sends the goods to us. We will take care of the rest: packaging, shipping and returns processing, etc. We also offer payment services and customer service on request.

The handling of standardised consignments is a basic function of our ERP system. PORTICA has decades of experience in handling this kind of shipments. Customers who have the PORTICA shop with the fitting module can even create standardised consignments directly in the online shop and release them for order picking and packing. If no corresponding module is available (e.g. because our client does not operate any or another shop system), the personal account manager at PORTICA imports the corresponding data into our system.

PORTICA is very well prepared for peak times with high shipping volumes due to the fact that PORTICA works for many online retailers where the shipping volume varies according to season. We employ 160 permanent employees and have access to experienced part-time staff in times of high shipping volumes.

We store and ship promotional materials and trade fair stands for various customers. We can also provide the refurbishment/processing of promotional materials according to individual requirements.

We have been working with internationally positioned customers for over 40 years. The worldwide shipping of packages or pallets is of course one of our strengths.

Since many PORTICA customers are internationally positioned and supply their international partners and customers with goods from Germany, it goes without saying that PORTICA handles the export processing.

As a matter of principle, we can store all products that can be shipped with normal package delivery services or on pallets. We also have a safety zone and air-conditioned storage areas.

Dangerous goods can be processed and stored according to specifications.

Goods that require a permanent cold chain (e.g. frozen goods), hanging items on a larger scale or bulk goods are not stored.

By default until 12 p.m. In addition, longer cut-off times can also be agreed on an individual basis.

We exclusively act in a fiduciary capacity to our clients. PORTICA will never compete with the retailers and offer products itself.

For PORTICA , it goes without saying that all processes and procedures are completely adapted to our respective customers.

We are happy to pick and pack ‘experience packages’, where each item is repacked separately again for example; wrapped in tissue paper; contains a scented fragrance insert or small gifts. There are no limits to your creativity.

PORTICA can integrate all shop systems (Magento, Shopware, Oxid etc.) into its own ERP and logistics systems using interfaces.

Our subsidiary, GEDAK, is an IT company that builds webshops, portals and interfaces for our customers and that programs, implements and hosts systems. GEDAK makes it possible to program an online shop (e.g. on the basis of Shopware) without using PORTICA’s Fulfilment service.

There is unfortunately not just one online shop. The cost of a shop depends on the desired functions (such as payment, Web2Print, or standardised consignments) and requirements for the management of roles, rights, budgets and quotas. The design layout (template creation) can also lead to different price models. For this reason, there is not one price for any shop.

Once we have discussed the desired functions, requirements, design specifications and processes, etc. with you, we can make you a fairly accurate planning services offer. Your requirements are then defined in detail in a requirement specification. Once the requirement specification has been approved, we can make you a binding offer.

PORTICA has a 100% IT subsidiary, GEDAK GmbH. Our subsidiary not only programs, implements and hosts online shops, ERP systems, etc., but also develops its own IT applications. GEDAK thus develops and programs all features needed such as  roles, rights, quotas and budget management, even at item level.

We rely on our in-house developments within the ERP system, supported by some standard applications from external manufacturers, as this is the only way to meet the very individual requirements of our customers.

To support order portals, we have also developed a middleware system PORTICA isa which, as an interface to the ERP system, considerably simplifies rights and user administration (as part of more complex e-commerce and advertising media logistics projects).

Shopware is one of the most used webshop systems. The reasons for Shopware’s success have also convinced us: intuitive design, different editions with smooth switching between them, virtual shopping worlds, internationalization, headless commerce, API-first approach and much more.

Our IT subsidiary GEDAK is Shopware Gold Partner. Therefore our customers get a high quality and economic implementation of their webshop.

But of course we can also connect any other shop system.

We program web shops on different platforms and select the optimal system for your project. For B2C online shops we recommend Shopware, one of the most popular eCommerce platforms. Shopware scores with its design variety. This way, you can easily create shopping worlds online and turn shopping into an experience through storytelling.

Each of our customers has a personal customer manager and customer advisor who is extensively trained in our customers’ business processes and is therefore able to relate directly to their concerns. We can also offer a call centre for your consumers’ questions if desired.

Since every customer receives his or her PORTICA, we can only deliver reliable prices after obtaining a better understanding of the overall project. For this we first have to talk. However, we can already produce a first planning services offer with knowledge of only a little basic data.

PORTICA provides you with all the required data. You decide when you want to receive which data. You will then receive this personalised data automatically. If you require additional data, you can of course receive it at any time. If you have any further reporting requirements, we will be happy to implement them for you as you require.

Yes, we also offer this to a limited extent.

If purchasing and the creative consultation are key topics for you, we will then cooperate here with long-standing partners from the advertising media purchasing sector.

ISO 9001 is an international standard, according to which a company can have its quality management system tested and certified by a neutral body. Such certification is required for participation in certain invitations to tender, e.g. from the public sector. ISO 9001 requires a company to constantly monitor, improve and keep its organisational structure and processes under control. The aim is to reduce errors and increase efficiency.

The client can be sure that PORTICA has established structures and procedures to precisely understand, document and implement the client’s requirements. In PORTICA’s typical project business in particular, where the client expects a high degree of `tailoring’, a tested quality management system that is lived by is indispensable. In 1997, PORTICA was one of the first companies in the industry to have its quality management system certified according to ISO 9000 (the standard valid at that time).

The quality seal of the German Dialogue Marketing Association (DDV) is awarded for compliance with the association’s own quality and performance standards. Here, data protection and transparency in order processing are checked at regular intervals by external DDV authorised representatives (mostly specialist solicitors for data protection). In addition, PORTICA is actively involved in research groups specialising in data protection and order processing.