Supply Chain

J.C. Penney is closing its distribution center in Wauwatosa, Wis. and cutting 670 jobs. USA Today reports the retailer will begin shutting down the 2 million-square-foot warehouse and customer service operation this summer. The move comes as J.C. Penney looks to reduce its supply chain network, which "is oversized relative to its national store footprint," company…

Traditional retailers are under tremendous pressure from online and other forces. But how bad is it? And what can retailers do to remain competitive? Formerly successful retailers like Borders, Aeropostale, RadioShack and Payless Shoes have gone bankrupt under the online onslaught. Just recently, the “category killer” Toys"R"Us filed for bankruptcy. While other retailers are keeping…

Don’t miss this webinar to learn how to protect your business from costly overstocks, out-of-stocks and returns.

My girlfriend recently tried to return a dress to a New York City department store. What should have been an easy process turned into a hassle for one reason: she had purchased the dress through the store’s website. We bounced back and forth on a wild goose chase from the checkout counter to the customer…

Wal-Mart will require suppliers to deliver more goods to warehouses exactly on time or face fines, another step in the retailer’s efforts to keep inventory low and shelves stocked as it battles with Amazon.com. More specifically, Wal-Mart executives plan to announce at an annual conference this week that large suppliers fulfill orders within a specified one- or two-day…

With a unified view of its data, IWA has been able to segment and target customers with personalized marketing campaigns

Retail has become one of the most difficult industries in which to survive. Behemoths such as Amazon.com increasingly sweep weaker competitors off the map. So, how can retailers compete in the age of Amazon? Unfortunately, there's no “silver bullet” technology that can help here. The key is being able to adapt quickly and experiment with…

Best Buy has sent out special delivery trucks of nothing but TVs — hundreds of thousands of TVs — to its stores in recent days to be ready for Black Friday crowds. At the same time, its distribution centers are packed full of thousands more TVs stacked high, ready for the crush of online orders expected…

People working in the retail supply chain typically don’t like the words “block” and “chain” used in the same sentence. These words imply a disruption in the seamless flow of goods from producer to consumer. However, taken as one, the term "blockchain" may bring new life to the interconnectivity of the retail supply chain. Blockchain…

Amazon.com has quietly launched an app designed to help delivery drivers get in and out of its warehouses faster, according to CNBC. The app, called Relay, debuted late last month and is available on Apple and Android devices. Drivers enter cargo information into the app, allowing them to check in with a QR code and…