Articles
Retail
Minimizing the Financial Impact of Peak Season Returns
As the supply chain world settles in for a long winter’s nap, the reverse logistics world is shifting into overdrive to handle peak returns season. Both retailers and manufacturers report that the percent of returns for 2014 is roughly the same as it was by this point in 2013. The rate of returns for holiday […]
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Customer Service: Delivering the Royal Treatment
As evolving retail models push consumer expectations to the extreme, companies explore new ways to show customers they rule.
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Visions of Customer Service
Tighter links are being forged between customer service and logistics in the retail supply chain. As competition between traditional and online shopping choices heats up, expedited transportation offerings and blended supply chain networks play a pivotal role. Simply put, delivery speed and logistics agility provide the customer service levels needed to win. The main advantage […]
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Putting Stock in Retail Analytics Tools
For Kleenex maker Kimberly-Clark, managing inventory at retail stores in China was nothing to sneeze at—until it found an analytics solution that delivers comprehensive stock data.
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The Nuts and Bolts of the Automotive Aftermarket Supply Chain
Whether it’s time for a tune-up, a vehicle won’t start, or a teenager just wants to pimp his ride, auto aftermarket supply chains are geared up to deliver the parts and accessories that keep drivers on the road.
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Retailers Try I.T. On for Size
As retailers shop for ways to adapt to e-commerce and changing consumer behaviors, logistics technology provides the perfect fit.
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Bringing Supply Chain Visibility to the Last Frontier
A Web-based shipping tool helps Classic Alaska Trading Company tame the wilds of its inventory and fulfillment operations.
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Discount Apparel Logistics: Outfitting the Outlets
As consumers embrace bargain hunting, off-price apparel retailers re-style their supply chains to meet demand.
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Green Logistics The Walmart Way
Why sustainability best practices are part of the retailer’s supply chain DNA.
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E-Fulfillment Strategies That Deliver the Goods
By adding speed and visibility to their logistics operations, retailers delight online customers, and keep them coming back for more.
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8 Ways to Strengthen Online Retailer Supply Chains
Most online retailers are well aware that effective supply chain execution is the strategic heart of their business. Here are eight ways to keep online retail supply chains running smoothly and cost-effectively. 1. Invest in people. Make sure your supply chain managers have adequate experience and knowledge. The right skill set can’t be learned on […]
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Sporting Goods Logistics: Keeping the Ball Rolling
Athletic equipment distributors and retailers use supply chain management to avoid stockouts, manage seasonal peaks, and stay in the game.
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Cloud-Based WMS Fires Up Supermercados Supply Chain
Peruvian supermarket chain Supermercados feeds its need for DC network realignment with a SaaS WMS solution.
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Inventory Replenishment: A Push in the Right Direction
Close-out retailer Tuesday Morning uses a WMS to allocate and ship a constant stream of new products to stores, keeping customers happy every day of the week.
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Retailers Rebalance Time vs. Cost?
For retailers and their value chain partners, practicing inbound logistics provides two competitive advantages—the ability to keep prices low, because matching demand to supply optimizes inventory-to-sales ratios and creates other economies; and the agility to use time as a competitive advantage by serving customers faster and more completely. In the past, retailers emphasized keeping costs […]
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Holiday Stocking: Preparing for the Seasonal Retail Rush
Smart planning throughout the year helps retailers strike the right balance for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and beyond.
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“Sell By” Dates Cost Shippers Billions in Wasted Perishable Goods
Every milk carton and other perishable packaged food item bears date-stamped tags such as "Display Until," "Best Until," and "Sell By." Did you know that these dates are not intended for consumer use, and do not indicate when the food is spoiled? They are only intended for retailer use. Yet billions of dollars worth of […]
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Supply Chain Therapy Strikes a Balance
There’s nothing like a spur-of-the-moment urge, then splurge, to improve temperament. Retailers today are all too willing to facilitate “retail therapy” and oblige customers by making it easier than ever to satisfy their random impulses. Advertising—subliminal or overt—is quick to connect happiness with material possession, regardless of what kind. Then the supply chain takes over. […]
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You Are Everywhere: Mapping the New Retail Supply Chain
Gone are the days of single-channel apparel retailing—and supply chains servicing that model. Today, apparel retailers must optimize their supply chains to deliver products from any point where consumers want to buy them.
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