Articles
Fulfillment
Logistics Technology: The Unsung Hero of Convenience Commerce
As consumers embraced online ordering during the pandemic, e-commerce sales ballooned from $571.2 billion in 2019 to $815.4 billion in 2020—a 43% jump—according to a recent Census Bureau retail survey. Although online sales have cooled since the initial pandemic-driven fervor, consumers continue to drive convenience commerce, with e-commerce sales increasing 6.7% in Q1 2022. More than 20% of consumer spending from January to March occurred online.
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Robots: Walmart Advances, Amazon Retreats
When faced with anticipated fall-off in consumer purchases, Walmart leans into new robotic solutions. The retailer also re-tasks existing store infrastructure by attaching market fulfillment centers (MFCs)—compact warehouses inside, or tacked onto, retail stores to help fulfill pickup or delivery orders. It gets inventory closer to the customer and amps delivery velocity to serve consumers […]
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Full Kitting: Process, Benefits, and Types
Kitting is a beneficial process that brings together individual components for assembly. It’s an essential step in the manufacturing process where every component is gathered for assembly, saving time and money. Kitting processes take place before the assembly line, gathering the components that are used to make the complete product. However, kitting can mean different […]
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WMS Enables Automation Orchestration for High-Volume E-Commerce Fulfillment
Case study in leveraging a warehouse management system to get the most out of a substantial, physical automation investment, in an existing distribution center.
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The Building Blocks of Omnichannel Fulfillment
How leading brands snap together their omnichannel mix to meet market needs and expectations while serving business goals. E-commerce growth, accelerated by the pandemic combined with organic changes in customer needs and expectations, has forced both business-to-consumer and business-to-business (B2B) brands to adjust their omnichannel mix. Consumers are driving much of the change, with 82% […]
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White Glove Delivery Strategies and Techniques
When consumers were sent home to work, big and bulky e-commerce orders took off, along with white glove delivery expectations. The right combination of technology and strategy can help retailers meet them. Saying that e-commerce shipping has had an eventful two years would be an understatement. The pandemic accelerated the shift toward online retail by […]
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Revealing the Hidden Advantages and Lesser-Known Facts About Automation
Q: How has the changing e-commerce landscape affected demand for customized automation? A: Many have seen firsthand the effects of widespread e-commerce growth, and companies continue to find increased volume across the board. While the rate of growth is slowing from 2020—sales are forecasted to globally top $6 trillion in 2023. The pandemic, of course, was […]
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Omnichannel Commerce & Drop Shipping Fulfillment in the Retail Industry
Implementing a drop shipping solution comes with its share of challenges for a 3PL provider, as these types of orders differ from a standard parcel shipment. Here’s what to consider.
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Find the Right Robotics and Automation Fit for Your 3PL
Choose the solution and vendor that can work hand in hand with you to analyze your objectives and design a solution that supports your needs. Here’s how.
Read MoreManaging the Amazon Effect
Whether online or in-store, customers expect an immediate and frictionless shopping experience, thanks to Amazon. To compete, you must level the playing field with experiences that keep customers coming back to your branded e-commerce site.
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Digital Transformation: The Experience is King
Over the holidays, my wife and I decided to give ourselves the gift of a new couch. Because I work in transportation and logistics, I knew that constraints up and down the supply chain easily could result in a long delivery lead time. So it was a pleasant surprise when the home furnishings company said to expect the couch in about three weeks.
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How can retailers compete with the logistics dominance of the e-commerce behemoths?
Don’t view this as a competition with e-commerce behemoths, but as another sales channel in your omnichannel strategy. Treat it as such and develop your strategy to provide differentiation on customer service and trust to be able to drive direct sales, while still leveraging other channels to build brand awareness. —Scott Hebert CEO SYSPRO USA […]
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Out of Stock? Hoarding is Not a Solution
Investing time and money in making products available is more important today than ever before, thanks to the ripple effects of COVID-19. Capacity constraints and delivery agents have been upended, and product availability is at risk. Rising digital trends and changing consumer behavior and spending habits have also led to an urgency to respond to market conditions quickly.
Read MoreConsumers Have the Last (Mile) Laugh
While the use of last-mile delivery has increased in the pandemic era, the process has experienced various growing pains. A new consumer survey shows customers have encountered regular delays and would like to have greater visibility of their deliveries. The survey, conducted for Anyline by Researchscape, examines the extent to which consumers have turned to […]
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Deploying an End-to-End Solution for a Manufacturer’s Product Launch
Faced with a considerable supply chain challenge—a large-scale product launch—a manufacturer turned to Hub Group for a holistic, end-to-end approach, from drayage to fulfillment, that also enables expansion.
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9 Innovative Ways to Manage and Meet Demand Surges
Retailers uncover new ways to respond to anticipated and unexpected order spikes so they don’t lose the sale.
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Expedited Shipping Can Save Money
As shipping delays and supply chain issues pile up across the country, more businesses struggle to ship and receive products on time. When companies fail to meet important deadlines, the results can be costly, leading to the loss of valuable customers and vendors.
Read MoreHow to Use Canadian Fulfillment Services to Save on Import Costs
There’s a good reason Canadian fulfillment services have risen to prominence in the import sector over the past decade: They save you money—on import duties and their related costs, which can be considerable. Let’s look at this money-saving tactic that’s changed the importing landscape. Duty-free shipping made easy We can thank Section 321 for duty-free […]
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How to Combat Logistics Logjams
Nearly two years into the pandemic, today’s congestion issues and logistics logjams are not expected to end anytime soon. It is imperative brands fortify their supply chains to best navigate the current environment and prepare for what unexpected challenges may lie ahead to limit future disruptions.
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Strengthening Omnichannel Capability to Address Fundamental Shifts in Consumer Behavior
Q. What have the past few years revealed about consumer trends? A. With the rise of e-commerce came the demand for next-day or same-day shipping with a catch—no added cost. Consumers crave the instant gratification they would have experienced from going to the store, without leaving their house, and as large online retailers began offering […]
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