For decades, companies have relied on warehouse management systems (WMS) to control inventory and material handling processes within their warehouses. Historically, retail distribution centers have been built upon plans that included predetermined transportation routes that outlined the number of stores on a route, what product those stores would get and the quantity and configuration of those products. Consequently, distribution centers have had similar designs, process methodologies and IT infrastructures for years. E-commerce has changed the game, though.
Lancaster Farm Fresh Organics (LFFO) has streamlined its previously manual fleet operations to help get product in and out of the warehouse and into the customer's hand in 24 hours or less, said Ben Kreider, the retailer's transportation director. LFFO uses the Descartes Route Planner.
As ordering and fulfillment models go, there isn't much more basic a concept than pizza delivery. Pick up the phone, place your order, and a driver brings the pie to your door. Simple, right? Wrong.
Outdoor apparel retailer REI has designed its new distribution center to be both energy and workflow efficient. The DC, in the Arizona desert, is a net-zero energy facility and will provide to co-op retailer with 20 years of free energy, according to Rick Bingle, REI's vice president of supply chain.
Last year some well documented supply chain miscues trimmed more than $30m in sales from The Finish Lines' bottom line, and left the retailer with unsold inventory in their DCs and disappointed customers in their stores.
Saying Walmart is the biggest IT investor in retail might raise a few eyebrows, but most people would likely shrug their shoulders and respond with "well that makes sense." But according to the latest research from IDC, Walmart is not only the biggest IT spender in retail but the biggest investor in IT across industries worldwide.
The IBM Digital Analytics Benchmark showed us that consumers are flocking to their computers and mobile devices to buy, browse and research. This all sounds great but, here is the challenge - at the same time their attention spans are at an all-time low. So, what does this mean for marketers and retailers?
As 2015 approached, rather than speculate what top retailers will focus on, Boston Retail Partners asked them about their priorities in a series of surveys over the past year. The overall theme concentrates on enhancing the customer experience by expanding store technology, improving assortments and offering unified commerce experience.