Supply Chain

The Key Trends Reshaping CX in a Post-COVID Era
February 14, 2021 at 11:44 am

From small local boutiques to iconic department stores, no corner of the retail sector has been untouched by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the separation between winners and losers has never been so stark. For every mall chain declaring bankruptcy, there’s a competitor that’s quickly responded to the new normal and is reaping the revenue benefits.…

How to Adapt to Amazon’s Latest Push for 1-Day Delivery, Part 1
February 10, 2021 at 3:06 pm

In part one of this three-part series, I will decode Amazon.com's latest and most radical changes to its Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) program. I will share what merchants can do to adapt and thrive in the new one-day e-commerce delivery world. On August 20, 2020, in a post titled Important Updates to Seller Fulfilled Prime…

IoT Tech Trends to Look for in 2021
February 9, 2021 at 7:29 pm

2020 was an unprecedented year that has changed the retail industry forever, turning omnichannel operations on its head. With many stores closed and customers staying at home, retailers had to rethink their overall strategy, many converting in-store inventory to fulfill online orders and turning stores into temporary distribution centers. Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS)…

What Kind of Automation Technologies Are Being Implemented in 2021?
February 9, 2021 at 2:28 pm

Enterprises in virtually every industry are utilizing a bevy of new technologies that create efficiencies and cut costs through new, advanced virtual services. Many of these organizations are working to harness these virtual technologies through automation so that they can vastly improve the customer experience whereby digital processes are accessible through optimized services. Leading technologies…

When Delivery Becomes the Store’s Business
February 7, 2021 at 8:45 am

The COVID-19 pandemic created a major spike in outsourced delivery services as restaurants, grocery stores and retailers rushed to adapt to an overnight shift in consumer behavior. Months later it has become clear that the home delivery shift is here to stay, and the high fees and unpredictability of outsourced services are no longer tenable.…

5 Hidden Trends That Will Shape E-Commerce in 2021
February 4, 2021 at 4:34 pm

Many companies are now wondering about the long-term impact of coronavirus on the retail and e-commerce industry, and what lasting changes it may leave. Despite the doom mongering, many brick-and-mortar stores are doing very nicely online, and so are smaller e-commerce players, with average e-commerce businesses reporting a 15 percent increase in annual revenue since…

The New Wave of Distribution and Fulfillment: Customer Demands Drive Operational Changes in Retail
January 28, 2021 at 4:53 pm

Amazon.com dominates the e-commerce arena with a market share of nearly 40 percent. However, despite its ever-strengthening grip on the digital world of retail, the e-commerce giant has made efforts to build a brick-and-mortar presence in the past few years â€” uncharacteristic of other retailers. Amazon has made highly publicized efforts to establish physical stores in…

3 Benefits of On-Demand Manufacturing
January 28, 2021 at 4:08 pm

On-demand manufacturing, also called cloud manufacturing, emerged over the past decade and is beginning to revolutionize the supply chain industry. Driven by the explosive growth of e-commerce and shifting consumer preferences, the global cloud manufacturing market is expected to reach about $112 billion by 2024, growing at an astounding 19.8 percent annually, according to MarketWatch.…

Connected Inventory 2021: The Future of Retail is Already Here
January 27, 2021 at 2:28 pm

Brick-and-mortar stores were already evolving before the global pandemic accelerated the shift to e-commerce. More than ever, customers know what they need and are going directly to a store that has it, either to buy it or pick it up having ordered online. This consumer behavior makes inventory visibility more important than ever for retailers.…

How New Tech is Transforming the Retail Supply Chain
January 26, 2021 at 12:54 pm

While e-commerce sales were expected to reach $4.2 trillion by the end of 2020, a big part of that money goes to waste due to inefficient processes. Items get damaged, remain unsold, and end up in landfills, not to mention high return rates that have skyrocketed and are expected to reach a whopping $550 billion…