Articles
Retail
Returns in the E-Commerce Retail Supply Chain – MD Logistics
In recent years, a rise in e-commerce sales has led to an increase in the amount of items returned. This increase in returns creates a challenging situation for retailers and an opportunity for their 3PL providers. Q: How does the reverse logistics process work? A: 3PL providers engineer returns solutions that are specific to their […]
Read More
Overcoming Omni-channel Challenges in Retail – Crane Worldwide Logistics
Supply chains should allocate product across today’s complex omni-channel networks to fulfill customer demand.
Read More
Are You Ready for Omnichannel Retail?
An omnichannel retail strategy provides a consistent shopping experience across different channels and devices, requiring your supply chain to offer a smooth, positive experience for customers—no matter where and how they interact with your brand. Some supply chain challenges to address when dealing with an omnichannel retail strategy include: Supply chain visibility. Consumer expectations are […]
Read More
Cookware Company Stirs Up a Sizzling Supply Chain
When sales of cast-iron cookware heat up, a well-known brand prepares a solution to expand manufacturing capacity and warehouse space.
Read More
A Cool Supply Chain Solution
A 3PL’s cold call leads to a cool technology solution that streamlines processes and minimizes service disruptions
Read More
Engaging the Informed Consumer
Retailers and branded manufacturers can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace by showcasing their most unique assets, according to Kibo’s annual 2018 Consumer Trends report. Based on responses from 3,000 U.S. consumers, the report suggests that while price is still the primary factor in purchasing decisions, consumers are increasingly seeking out a differentiated shopping experience—one […]
Read MoreEssentials of a Healthy Supply Chain Partnership
The supply chain has always been central to providing a satisfying customer experience, but as digital transformation continues to offer labor-intensive services such as overnight shipping and customized products, consumer expectations have never been higher, and the supply chain has never been so complex. To ensure brands are managing the most efficient, optimized supply chain, […]
Read More
The Human Experience
I am adding something to the acronym alphabet soup: HX or the Human Experience. In the ever-evolving supply chain process—shaped by automation, co-bots, and the global search for the lowest skilled hourly wage—are the cards irrevocably stacked against the humanity who grind the operational logistics gears that make it all happen? Recent developments in supply […]
Read More
Fashion Icon Designs Supply Chain Solution
As its main distribution center neared capacity, fashion company Michael Kors redesigned operations without cramping its style by fashioning a digital model of its supply chain.
Read MoreSupply Chain Collaboration: Myth or Reality?
Today’s supply chains are more complex than ever before—that is one of the surest realities of supply chain collaboration. And, due to a lack of collaboration, the supply chain sector is realizing a negative impact resulting from the increased time it takes to make critical decisions. This is why supply chain collaboration (SCC) is such […]
Read More
Online Purveyor of Artisanal Goods Finds Uncommon Solution
Online retailer UncommonGoods needed a way to provide extraordinarily fast shipping times to sell and transport goods to the other side of the country.
Read MoreSupply Chain Commentary: Satisfying Customer Demand in a 365 E-Commerce Market
Today’s connected world has created catalysts of change from consumer shopping habits all the way to the last mile. Omnichannel retailing, combined with Amazon’s domination of the e-commerce world impacts shippers’ decision-making, driving change throughout the supply chain. This change has been so monumental that the term, Amazon Effect – relating to customer expectations of […]
Read MoreGet Your Supply Chain Up to E-Commerce Speed
It’s hard to go more than a day without reading about a new startup or outside party looking to “digitize” the supply chain or logistics process. While some logistics companies such as freight forwarders are automated and use software packages based on EDI or newer cloud-based technologies, if the output of your technology is nothing […]
Read MoreHow E-Tailers Can Reduce Return Rates for Large Items
Merchandise returns are a drain on profits in any industry, but especially for large-format items such as furniture or appliances. E-tailers face additional challenges when dealing with returns compared to local retail outlets, both due to higher transportation costs and the lack of the face-to-face and hands-on experience for the customer. The decision to return […]
Read MoreAddressing Expedited Delivery Expectations
Amazon and other large retailers set customer expectations by offering expedited delivery at low or no cost. Retailers of all sizes must compete on the same turf, yet lack the negotiating power that could net meaningful discounts with commercial carriers. And private carriers often assess charges such as delivering to a residential address, penalties for […]
Read MoreLeveraging Supply Chain Automation to Meet This Year’s Holiday Shopping Demands
Businesses face an increase in order volumes as shoppers stock up for the holidays. According to Deloitte’s annual retail holiday sales forecast, sales are expected to rise 4 to 4.5 percent from 2016. At the same time, online sales are predicted to reach $111 to $114 billion as more customers move away from brick-and-mortar shops […]
Read MoreHow AR Can Take the Sting Out of Seasonal Surge Training Costs
Every holiday season, warehouses expand their workforces two times or more to handle peak retail demand that can make or break the entire year. Time spent training and upskilling temporary employees is typically under two weeks for 90 days of work, while many warehousing organizations rehire a good portion of the same seasonal workforce year […]
Read More
The Amazon Effect: No Longer a Phantom Menace
Retailers strike back at the Amazon empire by providing e-commerce customers with same-day and faster delivery.
Read More
5 Ways to Improve Fulfillment Center Efficiency
To capitalize on the e-commerce boom, fulfillment centers—which are different from distribution centers in that they do not distribute inventory but fulfill customer demand in either B2B or B2C businesses—need to scale and react nimbly and agily. Fulfillment centers must also be as efficient as possible to maximize customer satisfaction. Fulfillment centers do not generate […]
Read More
H.O.W. | How to Transform the Supply Chain for Omnichannel Retailing
As retailers transform their market strategy to embrace new e-commerce and marketplace channels, their supply chain must be ready to pivot as well. Some brick-and-mortar merchants are adding online sales, direct and through partners, while some online retailers are investing in physical stores. Either way, e-commerce will continue to play a larger role in retailers’ […]
Read More