Articles
Retail
Shippers Stock Up
As the pandemic continues to impact supply chains, retailers go shopping for third-party logistics providers to gain end-to-end control.
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Finding a Home for Holiday Returns
Record retail sales, including a growing share of online purchases (see chart), mean that more returns than ever are flooding warehouses. U.S. holiday retail sales were up 8.5% compared to 2020, says data from Mastercard, and 66% of consumers will likely return at least one gift. At 18%, the e-commerce return rate is almost twice […]
Read MoreWhat is the biggest supply chain lesson you learned from the past two years?
The fragility or brittleness of a global marketplace so deeply dependent on just-in-time inventory. Any event, whether a pandemic, hurricane, or a container ship stuck in the Suez Canal, creates immediate disarray. In response, retailers have reverted to “just-in-case” practices, building up large safety stocks. It has become a choice between risking a stock-out or keeping costly excessive inventory. Where is the balance?
Read MoreWhat’s The Word? The Language of Logistics
Upstream vs. Downstream Some organizations divide the supply chain into two parts to simplify management: upstream and downstream. The upstream supply chain includes all activities related to the organization’s suppliers, which source raw material inputs to send to the manufacturer. The downstream supply chain refers to activities post-manufacturing, namely distributing the product to the final […]
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Is There an End to Amazon’s Impact?
The absorption of industrial real estate is setting all-time highs as consumer demand, with COVID-19 as its catalyst, has shifted to a greater dependency on consumers having products shipped to them rather than them visiting brick-and-mortar retailers.
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4 Tips to Master Reverse Logistics
Up to 40% of online purchases made in the past year were returned, finds recent research. Whether you’re diving into e-commerce for the first time or finding your footing after the accelerated industry growth amid the pandemic, mastering reverse logistics is an essential function of your operation, now more than ever.
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Last Mile Predictions and Priorities
Since COVID-19 shut down the world, the delivery industry as a whole experienced exponential growth. The rise of e-commerce platforms stretched last-mile delivery to its limits. The pandemic forced more people to consider delivery services and now consumers love the convenience. This preference for delivery over in-person shopping will continue into the future even after the pandemic.
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How to Combat Logistics Logjams
Nearly two years into the pandemic, today’s congestion issues and logistics logjams are not expected to end anytime soon. It is imperative brands fortify their supply chains to best navigate the current environment and prepare for what unexpected challenges may lie ahead to limit future disruptions.
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Supply Chain Lessons Learned: The Procurement Groove
16 sound procurement lessons you can tune into moving forward.
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Bringing Insight and Savings to a Retailer’s Freight Spend
AFS helped an agricultural supply retailer achieve freight savings through spend optimization and a more flexible carrier mix, as well as gain benefits from an automated shipping process.
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Reducing Small Parcel Shipping Costs: Here’s Where to Begin
Q. The cost of shipping small parcels is constantly increasing, so how can I reduce and control these expenses more easily? A. Global supply chains are still being impacted by COVID-19, and will likely remain volatile for the foreseeable future. Unprecedented volume is also a huge contributor to these costs. According to Statista.com, the global […]
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Vertical Focus: Pet Supplies
Pets Get Their Paws on Table Food With 89% of dog and cat owners saying it’s important for their pets to eat the highest-quality ingredients, a Chewy.com survey reports, dog and cat food manufacturers shift their products from pet food facilities to human food supply chains. Two examples: The Honest Kitchen recently launched a 100% […]
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What to Expect and How to Prepare for Peak Season
Expect a longer and more unpredictable peak season. Here’s how companies can get their logistics operations prepared for what’s to come.
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Groceries Give Warehouse Automation A Lift
The global warehouse automation market will grow from $29.6 billion in 2020 to $69 billion in 2025 (see chart), says an Interact Analysis report, largely driven by e-commerce retailers that sell groceries and general merchandise, such as JD.com, Amazon, and Target. Fixed automation, such as automated storage and retrieval systems, conveyors, and conveyor-based sorters, will […]
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Vertical Focus | Home Improvement
Pre-Orders Build Up Home Improvement Inventory Many manufacturers have discontinued their less-popular products or increased prices across product categories as ships wait off the California coast, truck drivers face long wait times, and rail yards remain backed up. AAA Distributor, however, has all its kitchen cabinetry, shower doors, vanities, and flooring products ready to ship […]
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How Can Recommerce Benefit Your Supply Chain?
Priorities for global commerce and consumerism continue to evolve, and retail companies are turning to recommerce to reduce their carbon footprint while managing the cost of returns. Recommerce is a fast-growing service focused on reselling problem inventory to extract value from existing products and reduce the environmental impact of manufacturing and transportation. Companies spend an […]
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Dashing Through Soaring Holiday Sales
E-commerce holiday sales will grow 11% to 15% in 2021 versus 2020, says Deloitte’s forecast, with e-commerce sales growing 34.8% in November 2020 to January 2021. E-commerce sales will keep growing as consumers continue to buy online across all categories, the report says. Deloitte predicts a 7% to 9% increase in overall holiday sales compared […]
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Vertical Focus | Sustainable Fashion
Dyeing for Sustainable Denim Researchers from the University of Georgia developed an eco-friendly, non-toxic dyeing technology for denim that could make the textile supply chain significantly more sustainable, as indigo dyeing is a significant source of pollution in the fashion industry. Most indigo is produced synthetically and must be reduced with chemicals. The denim industry […]
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Unlock Potential With Buy Anywhere, Deliver Anywhere
E-commerce sales have surged as a result of the pandemic, forever changing the way consumers shop and receive orders. As a result, shoppers demand faster and more convenient delivery options that get their orders in their hands, when and where they want them.
Read MoreHow to Optimize Your Supply Chain Before the Holidays
As the holidays quickly approach, retailers are feeling the strain brought on by global supply chain issues. Between port closures, labor shortages, and delayed shipping times, it is more important than ever that retailers optimize their supply chains before going into the busiest time of the year. Especially since customers expect (and demand) positive experiences […]
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