Supply Chain

Today’s digitally empowered consumer wants retailers to offer more omnichannel fulfillment options, including choices in how and where they can buy merchandise. In The Future of Fulfillment Vision Study, Zebra Technologies surveyed more than 2,700 professionals in the global retail, delivery and logistics, and manufacturing industries to determine the extent to which retailers and their…

The linear models of many consumer goods supply chains are now shifting towards consumer-led, data-driven, highly complex supply networks. The consumer increasingly drives innovation from the heart of the network, demanding mass product customization, more accurate synchronization, and faster multichannel retail responsiveness. Going far beyond the abilities of the typical workforce and infrastructure, these shifts require instant visibility, quick decision making and increased flexibility. Artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics automation have the potential to overcome these challenges and revolutionize consumer goods supply chains. For organizations willing to embrace this inevitable evolution, AI and robotics automation will enable innovation, ensure optimum service levels, and deliver growth at low cost. It will become a major source of competitive advantage.

This week, Home Depot announced plans to spend $1.2 billion over the next five years to speed up and improve its supply chain process. The Wall Street Journal reports the home improvement retailer is spending the majority of the budget on solutions to improve delivery of goods to homes and job sites as the rise of…

The Trump administration said on Monday that it would proceed with plans to impose a series of punitive trade-related measures on China in the next month, intensifying pressure on Beijing as trade talks between the countries continue. The White House said in a statement that the United States would move ahead with its plan to levy…

Target is testing a new product distribution strategy aimed at cutting down its replenishment cycle from days to hours while reducing overall inventory at stores, especially at small-format ones. Preston Mosier, Target's senior vice president of global supply chain and logistics field operations, made the announcement last week during a keynote presentation at the Retail Supply…

United Parcel Service Inc (UPS) told Reuters yesterday that it's in talks with at least one U.S. trucking firm to launch an in-home delivery service for large, heavy goods such as couches and treadmills, as the world’s largest package deliverer looks to cash in on one the fastest-growing segments of online retail. UPS and its…

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the world embarked on a journey toward connectivity and collaboration. The invention and burgeoning popularity of the internet brought together people from around the globe in both personal and professional spheres. Today, technology is still evolving and social platforms have continued to meet the increasing need for in-the-moment communication…

In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss the significance of announcements made this week by REI and Walmart regarding changes they're making to their supply chains, and specifically what's required of their product suppliers.

REI announced this week stricter rules for its product suppliers. The Seattle Times reports suppliers that can’t or won’t meet REI requirements in areas such as manufacturing labor safety and fairness, chemical usage, environmental impact, and animal welfare won’t be considered for its store shelves. REI's prefers all 1,000-plus brands it currently works with to…

The retail industry often serves as a principal driver of supply chain innovation, with companies continually looking for ways to get products to consumers faster and more efficiently. The key to a happy customer experience at a brick-and-mortar or online store lies in an effective and reliable supply chain. Automating certain supply chain processes can…