Organizations must be cognizant of 2018 tax changes because the way they procure their equipment can have a significant impact to their overall business, bottom line and financial performance.
For consumer goods companies with omnichannel sales, downstream demand is a key signal to consider when thinking about inventory allocation, new product launches, demand planning, and other decisions. However, not all downstream demand is created equal.
In our instant-everything world, customers want orders ASAP and at the lowest cost possible. This is becoming increasingly harder to do as parcel growth is expected to continue rising 17 to 28 percent each year through 2021. To make matters worse, the dwindling warehouse labor force is facing major skill shortages and an aging workforce.
In today’s world, traffic is faster, food delivery is held to incredibly quick standards and when we order something online – we expect it at our door within two days. Many retailers and manufacturers are struggling to keep up, and their customer service is lacking when they fall short. Indications are that accelerated demands will become normalized. In fact, a recent Logistics Viewpoints report shows that 50 percent of millennials still desire even quicker deliveries.
Today we hear a lot about the Amazon Effect and its popular two-day shipping policy, but what we don’t hear is how companies are keeping up with this instant-everything expectation and how warehouse automation affects shipping outcomes. Whether it’s shipping automation or packaging, every process plays its role in today’s top goals of decreasing costs, improving efficiencies and impressing customers.
Now more than ever, retailers are feeling the pressure to measure up to international competitors like Amazon. However, many still rely on central distribution centers, causing orders to oftentimes travel thousands of miles to reach their destination. This takes unnecessary time and money spent on shipping, and when customers are expecting their packages quickly and affordably, you need an array of distribution tactics to fulfill those orders. The million-dollar question is this: how do you fulfill customer needs while improving efficiencies and cutting costs? The answer is to think local – and that’s where in-store fulfillment comes into play.
To keep pace with growing consumer expectations, retailers must be equipped with modern order management systems that greatly expand their fulfillment capabilities. However, many still lag behind. To gain insight into these challenges and retailers’ top priorities for a future OMS investment, Radial partnered with Incisiv to conduct a quantitative survey of retail executives spanning key business functions across the retail supply chain.
In the old days, consumers went shopping because they had to. However, thanks to a plethora of new options, consumers today must now be inspired to want to shop. To improve the customer experience, retailers are looking toward many different options, such as buy online pick up in store (BOPIS), click and collect and ship-from store. While convenient, these fulfillment methods have only further exposed the problem of out-of-stocks.
A unique, robotic, goods-to-person order picking technology for warehouses and distribution centers.
Sure Sort™ is a robotic “each” or “piece” sorter that easily handles complex variables and delivers a wide variety of items into a compact array of order bin locations in a single pass.
The global supply chain is comprised of a set of complex business processes involving many players spread all over the world. An effective Global Trade Management (GTM) digital platform must be able to handle these diverse functions and be able to integrate well with both systems and people. A digital supply chain is an enabler of value. It will enable you to manage global risk; improve agility, speed and quality; and reduce costs in many areas of your operation. IDC predicts that, by 2020, digitally-mature companies will achieve $430 billion in productivity gains over their less-connected peers.
Retail buyers and merchandisers are continuously tasked with sourcing new merchandise and comparing to existing products to ensure their product lines remain competitive in the marketplace. With multiple seasons and programs to support, it is challenging to identify new supply sources, review new products with existing suppliers, negotiate contracts and confirm timely supplier production runs.
Converting retail stores into mini-fulfillment centers is a more cost-effective way to expand the distribution network using existing facilities that are already close to where customers live.
Customer service has become a key component of the overall customer journey, and more critically, customer lifetime value. Therefore, retailers need to invest in service options to provide choice and convenience to customers.
The holiday rush will be here before you know it; take time now to ensure your DC — and workers — are properly equipped and trained.
Digitizing the supply chain provides efficiency, reduces risk, and increases agility.
Getting products out the door in a timely fashion isn’t the biggest struggle E-commerce retailers face, it’s dealing with the returns.
