Supply Chain

Consumers today are becoming less patient with shipping times by the minute, with many expecting packages to show up at their doorstep at lightning speed. Approximately 56 percent of millennials expect same-day delivery, and 26 percent of U.S. online shoppers abandon their carts when shipping times are too long. To accommodate this consumer shift, two-thirds…

For most large retailers, their recent bump to sales volume is not working out as expected. Instead of a banner period of profitability, retailers are finding the costs to manage supply chains expensive. Logistics costs have skyrocketed. Ocean freight rates from Asia to the United States are significantly higher than last year, as are truckload…

Merchandise facility managers are having a hard time catching a break this year, dealing with labor shortages and a dearth of shipping containers and air freight capacity. All of that has caused major inventory backlogs for brick-and-mortar retailers. These ripple effects, of course, stem from the pandemic, which temporarily shut down factories and other production…

Location intelligence (LI) combines location-based data with business intelligence (BI) to uncover new business opportunities that were previously hidden. Identifying new patterns and establishing critical relationships between trends and demographics create a gold mine of opportunities for chief merchants, supply chain leaders, and strategists who are waiting to explore new avenues. As the demand for…

Online retailers are facing a major crisis. Since COVID-19 hit, reduced headcount and social distancing practices within the walls of warehouses and distribution centers mean retail businesses are struggling to manage the stresses and strains of increased e-commerce demand, which is forecast to continue to soar. Grow Carefully While any increase in sales is good…

Amazon.com's encroachment into grocery has been rapidly increasing in recent months and presents another array of challenges to traditional grocers that have fought to survive in last year’s digital world. At the end of April, Amazon announced the expansion of its in-garage grocery delivery service to all markets where it currently offers grocery delivery. This…

Earlier this year, the National Retail Federation (NRF) released its 2021 retail sales forecast. NRF expects retail sales to rise between 6.5 percent and 8.2 percent over 2020, which equates to a $4.33 trillion uptick. This prediction hinges on the success of COVID-19 vaccinations and the re-opening of the economy, but should it play out,…

Each year the retail industry rapidly grows, with recent statistics forecasting that global retail sales will hit $26.69 trillion by 2022. And the U.S. has been revealed as the world's top-spending nation, housing 69 percent of online shoppers. However, with the growing demand for efficiency, speed and personalization, retailers are struggling. That’s where technological tools…

To address the challenge of balancing inventory and gaining visibility into it, requirements for effective and efficient buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS) and curbside pickup programs, retailers are increasingly turning to automated technology solutions. They’re automating order and delivery flows with their product suppliers through the use of EDI (i.e., the electronic interchange of business…

The Home Depot made the decision to contract its own container ship, CNBC reported. The home improvement retailer made this decision amid global shipping issues, such as congested ports, container shortages and slowed shipments as a result of COVID-19 outbreaks. Jonathan Gold, vice president of supply chain and customs policy for the National Retail Federation,…