first mile container feature

Winning the First Mile to Navigate Economic Uncertainty

| Rodney Manzo

With all the focus on winning in the last mile, companies need to pay more attention to critical first mile success, addressing the various headwinds that beset it. Brands need to strike a balance in optimizing the first mile that address efficiency, affordability and overall performance. Here are two critical areas to address in order to help you mitigate risks and assure a seamless flow of goods.

Dick’s Sporting Goods Sees Success with Ecommerce Software Insourcing

| Mike O'Brien

Dick’s Sporting Goods continues pushing to insource its ecommerce software, following a trail blazed by its CIO during his time at Home Depot, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. The company has also centralized its ecommerce fulfillment and revamped its supply chain to speed up ecommerce deliveries.

Report Finds U.S. Retailers Underperforming in Key Omnichannel Categories

| Mike O'Brien

Given all the attention paid to buy online pickup in store including its popularity with shoppers, only 28% of U.S. retailers currently offer the service, compared to 64% of British retailers providing its cousin, click and collect, according to a report from OrderDynamics. Retailers here were also found lagging in other categories.

MCM CommerceChat podcast

Abercrombie & Fitch on Omnichannel Order Sourcing Best Practices

| Mike O'Brien

In an omnichannel world where fulfillment has become an increasingly complex proposition, order sourcing is a critical success factor for any merchant organization. Alex Volakis, senior omnichannel strategy analyst with Abercrombie & Fitch, provides key insights into the tools, processes and practices that help the company optimize its sourcing strategy in the latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.

How Frictionless Inventory Flow Delights Customers

| Steve Weber

Not only does accurate visibility influence customer experience, it also drives all downstream operational decisions including fulfillment, allocation and distribution. Just like you can’t manage cash flow without an accurate bank balance, you can’t manage fulfillment without inventory accuracy – making it flow like water. Here are some ways to make it happen.