Related Articles
Big Data, Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Supply Chain
Designing a Soft Goods Supply Chain
Discover how soft goods supply chains can use AI, ML, and other advanced technologies to accurately predict peak season demand.
Demand Planning, Fulfillment, Retail
9 Innovative Ways to Manage and Meet Demand Surges
Supply chain disruptions and other challenges are forcing retailers to find new ways to respond to demand surges, whether they’re anticipated or not. Here’s how they make sure they capture the sale.
Demand Planning, Risk Management, Technology
2022 Supply Chain Predictions
Get ready for another rollercoaster year. From limited transportation capacity to skyrocketing material costs to continuing supply chain disruption, here’s what to expect and what to do about it.
Demand Planning, Retail, Materials Handling
Vertical Focus | Home Improvement
From The Home Depot's same-day delivery strategy to paint demand spilling over, here's what's trending in the DIY and home improvement supply chain.
Demand Planning, Retail, Risk Management
How to Avoid Fragile Supply Chains
Supply chains breakdown in different ways, and each type of risk needs its own mitigation strategy.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Transportation
Other Reasons Why Supply Chain Stress Won't End Soon
Our "new normal" global consumption reality won't be ending soon. It's not just e-commerce—other factors augment long-term stress on your ability to marshal supplies and source transport to serve customers.
Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Supply Chain Management
A Valid Question
"Inbound logistics" doesn't sound odd now. But in 1980, it was counterculture. Today, many call this approach supply chain management or the demand-driven enterprise. No matter what you call it, the benefits and value are clear.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
3 Ways Retailers Can Fully Prepare for the Holiday Season
COVID-19 created a whole new world of retail, with more online orders, increased transparency, and a focus on scalable redundancy. Retailers that meet these three goals may have a joyful holiday season after all.
Customer Service, Demand Planning, Transportation
Building Resilience With Dedicated Transportation Solutions
In an volatile economic environment, shippers need reliable, cost-effective solutions to meet customer demand. Dedicated transportation solutions, which mitigate capacity risk and improve on-time delivery, can offer a solution.
Customer Service, Demand Planning
Four Behaviors of Design Thinking
To safeguard customer loyalty and drive sustainably innovative solutions, some supply chain experts are turning to the design thinking methodology, which focuses on four crucial behaviors.
3PL, Customer Service, Demand Planning
Getting Crafty with Supply Chain Solutions
Verst Logistics helped an arts and crafts supplies company address peak season challenges and growing sales by expanding its supply chain capabilities.
Demand Planning, Transportation, Warehousing
Continued Support Through Seasonality
A premium CPG company turned to Hub Group to develop a dynamic solution to eliminate supply chain inefficiencies and support a surge in volume.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Supply Chain Management
5 Operational Actions Shippers Can Take to Build Resilience
Shippers can take these five operations-focused actions to build resilience and pave the way for success as they shift into the "operate" phase of the COVID-19 crisis—not only to efficiently operate in this new business environment, but also to prepare for the next phases of the crisis.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning
Caffeine Fix: Mug Maker Meets Brewing Demand
With their temperature-controlled mugs in high demand on a global scale, manufacturer Ember turned to SEKO Logistics to handle an influx of orders and help establish a supply chain.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Inventory Management
Hunger Games: Managing Food Logistics Challenges When Demand Spikes
When consumers are ravenous for a trendy food or beverage, whether an unexpected, one-time jump or a seasonal occurrence, supply chain professionals can meet demand and boost sales by leveraging analytics to more accurately forecast demand shifts and working closely with business partners to expand capacity.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management
GOOD QUESTION | Popeyes chicken sandwich shortage: Supply chain fail or marketing savvy?
Readers weigh in on the Popeyes chicken sandwich shortage: Was it a supply chain miss or a marketing ploy?
Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain
Demanding Service
It is exactly the wrong time to abandon a demand-driven approach to the supply chain.
Demand Planning, Global Logistics, Logistics, Supply Chain, Technology
3 Steps to a Demand-Driven Supply Chain
Customers expect immediate access to goods and services, and convenient delivery options. In short, it’s an on-demand economy. Companies must adapt and start optimizing their supply chains to stay competitive. Here’s how.
Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Logistics, Supply Chain, Transportation
Making Scents of Demand Planning
Bedoukian Research improves forecasting, demand planning, inventory management, and logistics processes with the help of Smart Software.
Customer Service, Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Retail, Logistics, Logistics I.T., Supply Chain Management
Inventory Replenishment: Why Push When You Can Pull?
Retailers are implementing technology to more accurately forecast demand.
Cloud Computing, Demand Planning, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Global Trade Management, Logistics, Logistics I.T., Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Top 100 Logistics IT Providers & Market Research Survey
Inbound Logistics’ annual Logistics Technology Perspectives offers market research to help IT buyers and users make better sense of what’s going on in the industry. And, the Top 100 Logistics Technology Providers list celebrates best-in-class innovators that are helping shippers revolutionize their supply chains.
Demand Planning, Logistics I.T., Supply Chain Management
Christopher McGovern: Watch Him Soar
Christopher McGovern, vice president, supply chain management at Aero Precision, knows the importance of communication and data collection.
Last Mile Delivery, Demand Planning, Logistics I.T.
Avoiding Christmas Past: Use Technology to Ensure Timely Holiday Deliveries
Investments in technology might just be the way to save Christmas.
Demand Planning, Retail, Logistics I.T., Transportation Management, Supply Chain Management
Forecasting Seasonal Surges Keeps Products on the Shelf
Transportation forecasting lets shippers collaborate with carriers to identify capacity gaps and reallocate assets.
Demand Planning, Global Logistics, Manufacturing
Heroic Logistics Saves the Day for DC Comics
Special print production needs prompted DC Comics to seek an overseas partner and rework its logistics.
Demand Planning, Legislation, Public Policy, and Regulations, Ocean, Logistics I.T., Trucking
Trends—January 2014
SKU proliferation tops demand forecasting trends; U.S. government creates National Maritime Domain Awareness Plan; Trucking industry documents HOS impacts; 10 manufacturing and supply chain trends to keep an eye on in 2014; 5 tips for mapping the supply chain; Spot market demand stays high into 2014; Logistics sector adopts big data
Raising a Glass to Better Beverage Management
Faced with processing more than 63,000 orders each year, the Manitoba Liquor Control Commission turned to Aldata’s merchandizing optimization and demand-based replenishment.
Demand Planning, Logistics I.T.
When Just Enough Goes All the Way
In the midst of organizational change, furniture retailer Design Within Reach upgrades its demand forecasting and replenishment system to better control inventory.
Demand Planning, Logistics I.T.
Predicting Demand Levels Down the Road
Polymer and fibers manufacturer INVISTA turned to a new inventory planning tool to meet recessionary challenges.
Big Data, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Visibility
What's the biggest supply chain silo?
Readers shine a light on the most significant information lapses and data gaps in the supply chain, from transportation siloes to the lack of visibility into suppliers.
E-commerce, 3PL, Demand Planning, Trucking, Warehousing
What Does the Labor Shortage Mean for Your Supply Chain?
Labor shortages exacerbate supply chain issues, creating a perfect storm for disruption. Here’s why it’s happening and what to do about it.
Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Global Trade Management, Risk Management
Vertical Focus: Electronics
The electronics industry has seen price hikes, supply chain shortages, an increase in global demand, and much more. Here's the latest Vertical Focus on what's happening in the electronics industry.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Is There an End to Amazon's Impact?
Amazon’s amazing levels of industrial absorption is just the beginning of a greater evolution of how brick-and-mortar retail, distribution and even manufacturing will continue to evolve.
Automation, Robotics, Demand Planning
Scalable Automation Boosts Productivity for Peak Season and Beyond
Verst’s partnership with Locus Robotics addresses labor challenges by using computer-guided bots, enabling Verst to fill orders faster and with greater accuracy.
Finance, Demand Planning, Risk Management
S&OP: Bringing the Outside In
To achieve success in today’s volatile global environment, there is a need to have a more “outside-in” approach using information from your extended supply chain to maximize customer value and overall supply chain surplus.
Big Data, Demand Planning, Manufacturing
Precision Starts with Visibility
One roadblock to quickness and precision is a lack of visibility. To overcome this challenge, businesses are leveraging data analytics powered by the right technology.
Big Data, Demand Planning, Risk Management
Build an Agile and Resilient Supply Chain in 4 Steps
Visibility is absolutely vital to any business striving to achieve agility and resiliency, and the vulnerabilities that can follow. The good news is that these vulnerabilities can be addressed by taking four necessary steps toward achieving agility and resiliency.
Demand Planning, Transportation
How the National Freight Strategic Plan Can Benefit Shippers
The new National Freight Strategic Plan lays out a vision for long-term investments in infrastructure, the workforce, and other essential parts of the freight system aimed at strengthening the nation’s competitiveness.
Demand Planning, Technology , Supply Chain Management
From a Modest Beginning
When we started Inbound Logistics in 1981, the latest technology was using fax machines to distribute routing guides to vendors. Forty years later, we've advanced to using technology in a pivotal year, empowering the demand-driven enterprise.
Customer Service, Demand Planning
Amping Up the CX
A look at some of the strategies that shippers and their 3PL partners use to provide end customers with an excellent experience.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
What's the Holiday Sales Scenario?
The holiday retail season will play out in one of two ways sales-wise, both of which are lower than prior years. The gift that keeps on giving? E-commerce sales.
Demand Planning, Retail, Supply Chain
Cycling at Full Speed
Bicycle manufacturers and retailers race to catch up to surging demand as consumer behaviors shift gears.
Demand Planning, Risk Management, Technology
COVID-19 Supply Chain Resources & Recovery Strategies
Leaders share best practices for sharpening digital strategy, developing resilience, and improving visibility as shippers re-engage in trade and navigate COVID-19 uncertainty.
3PL, Demand Planning, Supply Chain Management
Addressing Shippers' Top Concerns
Although shippers should be prepared to see varying results compared to their original 2020 goals, a recovery in consumer demand is not too far away.
Distribution, Demand Planning, Retail
Home for the Holidays
Consumers are planning to do their holiday shopping mostly from home and earlier this year, presenting big challenges for distribution centers.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Sustainability
Meat Supply Chain: Where's the Beef?
Responding to consumer demand for healthful options—and beef shortages—brands cook up plant-based meat alternatives while trying to avoid getting burned by supply chain challenges.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Vertical Focus: Home Goods
Take a look at how consumer shopping behaviors changed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other trends impacting the home goods industry.
Health Care Logistics, Distribution, Demand Planning
Building a Supply Chain in One Week
When their client pivoted to make a low-cost, readily available bed to quickly serve those on the front lines, SEKO Logistics rapidly set up distribution operations to meet urgent demand.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Supply Chain
Reset, Rewind
As the COVID-19 pandemic redefines consumer behaviors, some nostalgic supply chain practices are making a comeback.
Retail Logistics, Demand Planning, Retail
Providing Solutions Through Unprecedented Times
With the increased demand for essential supplies across the country, Hub Group’s collaboration with multiple retailers has helped suppliers deliver critical loads quickly and safely.
Demand Planning, Supply Chain, Technology
GOOD QUESTION | How should shippers adjust their supply chains in response to the disruption caused by COVID-19?
We asked and you answered—this is how you think shippers should adjust their supply chain strategy in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Supply Chain
Parts and Parcels
A conversation with Rony Kordahi, chief operating officer with Parts Town, a distributor of restaurant equipment parts.
Distribution, Finance, Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain Management
Managing Working Capital Amid Product Shortages
The shift from “just-in-time” to “just-in-case” inventory management bears implications for working capital and requires distributors to adapt.
Big Data, Demand Planning, Fulfillment, Logistics I.T., Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Digital Transformation: The Experience is King
Over the holidays, my wife and I decided to give ourselves the gift of a new couch. Because I work in transportation and logistics, I knew that constraints up and down the supply chain easily could result in a long delivery lead time. So it was a pleasant surprise when the home furnishings company said to expect the couch in about three weeks.
Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Risk Management
Evaluate Risk Before Critical Decisions
The past year has opened the door to many risks and response strategies that supply chain leaders must keep top of mind when making critical inventory, demand, logistics, and pricing decisions.
Careers, Food Logistics, Demand Planning
Getting Into the Spirit of Things
Profile of Alexi Cashen, co-founder and CEO of Elenteny Imports
3PL, Demand Planning, Risk Management
Leveraging 3PLs to Ease COVID Business Growing Pains
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the demand for more robust and responsive logistics, with more consumers and businesses expecting just-in-time delivery or products shipped directly to their front doors. One option is utilizing third-party logistics (3PL) suppliers to move and transport excess raw material or finished goods.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
How can brick-and-mortar retail make a comeback?
Supply chain leaders answer this month's Good Question, discussing whether brick-and-mortar retail can make a comeback.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Supply Chain Predictions for 2021
The continued proliferation of third-party fulfillment options means Amazon and its shipping partners—FedEx, UPS, USPS, DHL, and regional couriers—will have a hard time keeping up with the volume. Will the trend continue? Here are some predictions for 2021.
Demand Planning, Risk Management, Technology
3 Ways to Bolster Your Supply Chain
There’s no single action that can prevent another supply chain crisis like the one brought on by the pandemic. However, certain measures can mitigate the impact of the pandemic and any other catastrophic disruptions.
Food Logistics, Demand Planning, Retail
Finding a Caffeine Fix
With coffee consumption outstripping production, coffee purveyors blend sourcing creativity with more delivery options to match percolating demand.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Overcoming the Returns Challenge
Returns have become an integral part of online shopping. In order to ensure no delays in the return supply chain and give customers a first-class experience, retailers need a robust returns platform.
Maritime Logistics: Water Ya Gonna Do?
The maritime industry navigated stormy seas during the pandemic, but emerging technologies, increasing volumes, and new strategies point to a ship-shape future.
Agriculture Logistics, Demand Planning, Retail
Everything's Coming Up Roses
As soon as a flower is picked at the farm, floral logistics blooms into a complex arrangement of proper packaging, refrigeration, and speed—especially during the holidays.
Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Warehousing
Inventory Management: Two Key Indicators to Improve Warehouse Operations
Calculating the coverage rate and the turnover rate are excellent ways to add resiliency to your supply chain. To do this you will need a solution in which you can accurately track data in real time.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
5 Must-Take Actions to Prepare for the 2020 Holiday Season
Given this new normal, what are global supply chains to do? How are they supposed to keep inbound goods flowing, deliver products, and reduce bottom-line risk? Now that your expectations are realistic, let’s dive into a few actions you should take this holiday season.
Global Economy, Demand Planning, Supply Chain Management
Supply Chains Need Long-Term Resilience
Before COVID-19 struck, supply chains were praised for their just-in-time capabilities. Now entirely new levels of supply chain resilience are needed, according to the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' 2020 report.
Distribution, Demand Planning, Labor Management
Reading the Room
With great adversity comes great creativity—that’s how Annette Danek-Akey, EVP of supply chain at Penguin Random House, helped quickly convert a new facility into a picking and shipping point to meet the fluctuating demand for books.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Shaking Up Subscription Services
During the lockdown, some subscription services unboxed a demand surge while others were forced to close the flaps. Here's how successful services deliver the goods.
Demand Planning, Labor Management, Technology
Focus on the Future
Leadership profile of Robert Johnson, CFO and COO of Future Tech Enterprise.
Demand Planning, Risk Management, Technology
5 Ways to Attain Resilience
To better weather the next supply chain disruption, organizations should consider these five ways to enhance day-to-day planning and improve shock resilience.
Demand Planning, Transportation Management Systems (TMS), Technology
Supporting Shippers' COVID-19 Adjustments
George Kontoravdis, president at Fortigo, discusses how the transportation management solutions provider adjusted its feature set in response to changing customer needs resulting from COVID-19.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Retailers: It's Time to Act
While 43% of retailers say they're taking aggressive action to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, 38% are taking only some action, and 19% are taking a wait-and-see approach. Retailers should take aggressive action to address these five issues to mitigate the effects of COVID-19.
E-commerce, Demand Planning, Retail
Vertical Focus: Pet Industry
Read about the latest supply chain updates in the pet industry as COVID-19 continues to affect the way consumers shop online, people choosing to foster cats and dogs, and what they're buying for their pets.
Demand Planning, Trucking, Supply Chain Management
Replenishing the Fuel Supply Chain During COVID-19
With the demand for fuel changing so quickly, how can organizations manage their fuel supply chain in the wake of a crisis like the COVID-19 outbreak?
E-commerce, Last Mile Delivery, Demand Planning
Last Mile Delivery Strategies During COVID-19 and Other Supply Chain Disruptions
How do supply chain disruptions like COVID-19 impact the final mile, and how can retailers adjust their strategy? Some solutions include contactless delivery, offering accessible pickup points, and easing capacity constraints.
Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain
When Worlds Combine
Inbound Logistics continues to provide actionable content to help drive supply chain change.
Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain
Back-to-School Supply Chain
The second-busiest shopping season (after the holidays) gets ports bustling, retailers scrambling, and consumers wallet-busting.
Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain
Preparing for the Digitization of Logistics
By 2019 there could be 224 million digital shoppers in the U.S., and according to research by McKinsey, about 70 percent of those shoppers will choose the cheapest form of home delivery. Why? Because of increased consumer preferences and the evolution of warehouse-to-home delivery systems.
Last Mile Delivery, Demand Planning, Trucking, Technology
Optimizing the Last Mile
Businesses can address the challenges of the last mile with technology, along with these directives.
Cross-Docking, Demand Planning, Retail, Transportation Management
5 Tips for Finding the Right Retail Consolidation Solution
Using multiple vendors can leave you vulnerable to higher transportation spend, undependable delivery, and compromised customer relationships. Here’s how to find the right consolidator for your business.
Demand Planning, Logistics, Supply Chain, Warehousing
Managing Warehousing Requirements During Peak Periods (Without Committing to Long-term Contracts) - Capacity, LLC
Warehouses should use these techniques to maintain service level agreements—the guaranteed turnaround time for an order to go out—during peak demand periods.
E-commerce, China, Retail Logistics, Finance, Demand Planning, Supply Chain
Vertical Focus: Exercise Equipment
Planet Fitness is one fitness club company that has thrived in recent years, growing from 918 locations in 2014 to more than 2,200 in 2021. Here's a sampling of statistics about the fitness equipment industry, compiled by RunRepeat and other sources, that helps to illustrate its status today.
Lean Logistics, Demand Planning, Inventory Management, Logistics I.T., Supply Chain Management
Lean Isn't Mean and Agile Isn't Cheap
Back in 2014, I wrote a column extolling the benefits of a lean and agile supply chain, also known as a hybrid strategy. Depending on your product or service, your supply chain may tilt more one way or the other, or it might be segmented but still exhibit characteristics of both. For example, if you sell commodities, you would focus more on efficiency. If you were in fashion, you’d tend to be more responsive.
E-commerce, Global Economy, Asia, Demand Planning, Technology
E-commerce Growth: Slower but Hefty
Even as growth slowed from 2020's pandemic-fueled explosion in activity, the global e-commerce market still grew a robust 19.9% in 2021, according to Transport Intelligence (Ti). Indications are growth will slow but remain hefty.
Big Data, Fulfillment, Demand Planning, Logistics I.T., Risk Management, Supply Chain Management
Out of Stock? Hoarding is Not a Solution
Investing time and money in making products available is more important today than ever before, thanks to the ripple effects of COVID-19. Capacity constraints and delivery agents have been upended, and product availability is at risk. Rising digital trends and changing consumer behavior and spending habits have also led to an urgency to respond to market conditions quickly.
Demand Planning, Global Trade Management, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), Specialized Logistics, Technology , Supply Chain Management
Artificial and Human Intelligence: An Unbeatable Combination
Investment in logistics technology—$26 billion in the past seven years—is white hot right now. Here’s a small sampling of the types of solutions that venture capitalists are financing.
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