Challenge: An e-commerce retailer was planning to build a facility around automated technology, and the operation required a flexible and scalable picking solution that could accommodate a highly diverse inventory of materials. The company also had strict fulfillment and shipping deadlines that depended upon high order accuracy.
Like their counterparts in Silicon Valley, China’s largest tech companies struggled to prove online groceries can be a viable business. Then the novel coronavirus struck.
Analyst Insight: Retailers are still tweaking their omnichannel strategies to leverage their distribution centers and physical stores in the new e-commerce economy. Inventory optimization across stores, DCs, and drop-shipping requires a move toward a unified view of all inventory, and achieving efficient and cost-effective storage, accessibility and movement. In addition, tailored order fulfillment programs from buy-online, pickup-in-store (BOPIS) to direct-to-consumer (DTC) are now vital parts of directing purchases for greater buyer satisfaction.
The need for specialized service in the last-mile delivery of large items has attracted not only small-parcel providers, but also trucking firms and third-party logistics providers.
In an era when next-day delivery is becoming a fundamental expectation, companies across industries are rethinking how they receive, fulfill and ship customer orders.
Each sales channel presents a unique opportunity to connect with customers and achieve long-term, profitable growth in a constantly evolving commerce environment.
