Automation was proceeding at a rapid pace in many factories and warehouses before the coronavirus pandemic hit. Now, however, concerns over worker health, the need for social distancing, and the relentless push for cost-cutting are accelerating the progress of robots for order fulfillment.

James Thomson, partner with Buy Box Experts, offers a view of the coming peak holiday shopping season, and describes what retailers are doing to prepare for it, in a time of pandemic.

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic and a plummeting economy, retailers must nevertheless prepare for the traditional peak shopping season. Some are ready, but many are not.

The future of “last-mile” delivery of e-commerce orders is one of flying drones, robots and driverless vehicles rushing product to our doorsteps. Or so the futurists would have us believe.

The pandemic didn’t launch the retail industry on the road to radical transformation. But it unquestionably sped the journey up.

The path to success lies in staying ahead of the curve and implementing solutions that make a difference.