Supply Chain

Whether it’s unpredictable weather, a natural disaster, sudden adjustments to trade policy, product malfunctions or unanticipated sales spikes, disruptions to businesses come in all shapes and sizes. With available technology, logistics expertise and supply chain data, one might think that the logistics industry has significantly reduced the number and frequency of possible supply chain disruptions.…

Retailers are investing in impressive new technologies to enhance the customer experience. Nike’s flagship store in New York, House of Innovation, provides an innovative shopping experience in which shoppers can create customized products by making personal selections from a variety of different laces, fabrics and decals. When the customer has made their choices, they can…

Have you ever thought about where the flowers you purchased came from? This is one of the many questions that John Tabis, co-founder and CEO of The Bouqs Co., works every day to answer through his innovative online floral company. Bouqs is a direct-to-consumer brand that sells flowers from eco-friendly, sustainable farms, and sources stems…

I attended the 2019 Home Delivery World conference in Philadelphia last week. Over the course of two days, the retail logistics conference featured speakers from brands such as QVC, Giant, and Etsy, presenting on topics ranging from grocery and e-commerce, to parcel and heavy goods, to last-mile delivery and returns. A session in the Data…

Supply chain technology is entering a renaissance as retailers look to digital tools to transform nearly every aspect of operations. Nearly three-quarters of retailers report plans to digitize their supply chains as they seek to improve real-time visibility and responsiveness in an increasingly challenging environment. With pressure mounting on all sides, a well-run supply chain…

Rent the Runway, the online service that provides designer dress and accessory rentals, announced on Thursday a $125 million investment co-led by Franklin Templeton Investments and Bain Capital Ventures that values the company at $1 billion. The financing is the largest funding round Rent the Runway has raised to date, and will bring total equity raised to…

How does the delivery experience impact customer loyalty? According to recent MetaPack research of more than 3,500 consumers in North America and Europe, if retailers get the basics right, enable customers to curate their own deliveries, and meet their needs and interests quickly, customers will reward them with long-term commitment and repeat orders. Findings of…

As 2019 continues, many retailers are preparing for a post-season pause and an off-peak lull. However, others must plan for peak periods that go beyond the traditional holiday season. Different types of companies experience seasonal peaks at different times of the year, and even “micro-peaks” throughout the year. Whether, for example, it’s New Year’s galvanizing…

In part one of this series, I looked at how retailers can and should prepare to forward-buy inventory, the pros and cons of the practice, and the factors (i.e., inflation, tariffs) that led the industry to this point. The Tariff Effect Technology is the only way to effectively gauge demand volatility, react and re-plan for…

In a keynote presentation earlier this week at Shoptalk in Las Vegas, Art Peck, president and CEO of Gap Inc., detailed four key areas that retailers must not be willing to compromise in order to continually meet rising customer expectations and drive profitable growth. Coincidentally, Peck was on stage a mere four days after Gap…