Retail

Same-Day Fulfillment: The Value of Speed to Retail

March 12, 2014

Analyst Insight: Next-day delivery is the new normal. And fulfillment windows are compressing even further as companies like Amazon continue to raise customer expectations. But companies wrestle with what level of service makes sense, and how to justify investments. It's not about making every process in the DC faster. It's a delicate balance of revenue gains and improved customer service against investment and operating costs. - Helgi Thor Leja, Industrial & Electrical Industry Leader, Fortna Inc.

For Many, 'Information Disconnects' Make Comprehensive Visibility a Dream

March 12, 2014

Electronics Purchasing

Ideally, the goal of the information supply chain is end-to-end visibility. Without adequate end-to-end visibility, including all internal and external tiers, the globally connected supply chain is doomed to suffer the consequences of volatility - and in many cases, experience amplified consequences. Unfortunately, most companies still struggle with information disconnects and black holes.

How Good a Bet Was It to Enter an Emerging Market?

March 12, 2014

The Economist

This year Western firms' giant bet on the emerging world will come under more scrutiny. Most multinationals are profitable in emerging markets. American firms, for example, made a 12 percent return on equity in 2012, roughly in line with their global average. But having grown fast, profits are now falling in dollar terms.

SAS Issues Demand Signal Analytics Tool for CPG

March 11, 2014

SAS

SAS, a vendor of business analytics software and services, has created SAS for Demand Signal Analytics.

Ocean Carrier Mega-Alliances: A Question Mark for Shippers

March 10, 2014

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

I'd like to propose a symbol for those huge new vessel-sharing alliances that will dominate the global container trades this year and beyond: a great big question mark.

Warehouse Execution System Delivers a Fresh Solution for Perishable Foods Manufacturer

March 7, 2014

Challenge: A leading perishable foods brand was experiencing high transportation costs, extended delivery times and loss of selling time, when shipping product lines from multiple manufacturing locations to a network of food distributors.

Seko Inks Joint Venture With Secans Global for Store Development

March 7, 2014

Seko Logistics

Seko Logistics has forged a new partnership with Secans Global, a vendor of services for global retail expansion.

Adopting the Right E-commerce Fulfillment Strategy

March 5, 2014

SupplyChainBrain

Analyst Insight: Online sales surged last year, and many companies saw their e-commerce sales grow by double digits. This growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future, so the good news is that rising rates and revenue for e-commerce are significantly exceeding expectations. But there is bad news too - e-commerce is stressing distribution operations and many companies are having difficulty keeping up. Adopting the right operational practices for order fulfillment is essential for business success. - Kelly Reed, Partner, Tompkins International

Time for an End-to-End Transformation in Food & Beverage Industry?

March 4, 2014

SupplyChainBrain

Analyst Insight: Food and beverage companies lag consumer packaged goods companies in corporate performance. With rising raw materials costs and volatility, coupled with increased compliance for food safety, they are facing greater change and increased risk. As they move into 2014, their supply chains are not as mature and their challenges are greater. - Lora Cecere, CEO and Founder, Supply Chain Insights

Amazon, Other Foreign Online Retailers Have 'No Chance' to Succeed in Russia

March 4, 2014

Bloomberg Business Week

Russia has become the it girl of e-commerce. Even amid a slowing economy, the country's online shopping increased 26 percent last year, to 510 billion rubles (about $14bn), according to Moscow's Data Insight, and could double by 2015. That has made the country an intriguing target for foreign players such as Amazon, eBay, Asos and China's Alibaba Group, while boosting the fortunes of such local companies as search engine Yandex and Amazon-like Ozon. Can foreign e-tailers make it there?