It’s no secret that the “need-it-now” expectations of today’s online consumers have ignited a distribution and fulfillment pressure cooker for retailers. For first-hand details about this industry “disruption,” Team Dockzilla recently participated in the D3 Retail Supply Chain Summit in New York.
From Macy’s to Michael Kors, supply chain & logistics professionals representating major retailers shared their journies into the “Wild West” of Ecommerce. While the approach varies by company, they seem to be leveraging their greatest assets, analyzing customer data to make informed decisions, and getting creative in a way that is disrupting retail like never before:
- Target tapped its retail locations to provide “omnichannel” distribution with in store fulfillment operations
- Walgreen’s now offers Fedex drop/pick up services via its vast store network (75% of the U.S. population is located within 5 minutes of a Walgreen’s)
- Best Buy invested in the right people and then software for omnichannel retailing, even replacing one distribution center’s warehouse management system that was 24 yrs. old!
- The Farmer’s Dog, a rapidly growiong fresh meal delivery service for dogs, is looking for ways to scale while continuing to personalize its service
Whether they’re industry leaders like Amazon, or growing upstarts like meal delivery service Blue Apron, these retail companies share a common thread: “how to get their products into the customer’s hands as quickly as possible without sacrificing quality or service.”
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For insights into Ecommerce loading docks or retail cross dock platforms, or other portable loading docks that can help expedite last mile delivery, check out this old-school handout or contact our engineers at 800-637-3036 or [email protected].