IT Investment Intelligence
Pondering an investment in technology? First consider these eight questions.
Curt Barry
Curt Barry is chairman of F. Curtis Barry & Company, a consulting firm specializing in multichannel operations and fulfillment. The firm provides services in system selection and implementation in OMS, WMS, ERP and Inventory systems, 3PL logistics, distribution center design, improvement in facility capacity, workflow and cost reduction and benchmarking. Curt is the author of “Best Practices in Multichannel Operations and Fulfillment.”
Keeping DC costs at bay
Need to cut costs? Who doesn’t these days. While there’s not much you can do about postage or paper prices, your DC is a prime area for reducing costs.
Clear It Out
Faced with a boatload of inventory after a lackluster holiday? You’re not alone. Many retailers fell well short of sales plans that were fairly conservative
Liquidation Tactics for the Holiday Hangover
Many retailers fell well short of holiday sales plans that were fairly conservative to begin with. What does that mean? Challenges from 2007 are extending into this year during the final phase of the product life cycle: markdown and liquidation of unsold merchandise.
Post-Season Audits, Part 2: Reducing Costs in the DC
With the peak volume of the holiday season over, you should have just about finished your post-season audit of your operation.
Give me the Goods
Inventory is most likely the largest balance sheet asset in your company. How well you plan, purchase, and manage your inventory largely determines your
Conducting a Post Season Audit, Part I
Although the 2007 holiday season hasn
15 Tips to Combat Parcel Rate Increases
All the parcel carriers will complete their 2008 pricing announcements in the next few weeks. Given the size of the increases announced so far, multichannel companies need to look at all options open to them and develop short and long-term strategies to reduce the impact.
Rising Transportation Costs –and What To Do About Them
For most multichannel merchants, transportation of goods is the highest operational expense. Inbound freight costs for domestically sourced product typically range from 2%-4% of gross sales, while for imported product, inbound freight costs 6% to 12% of gross sales.
Fulfillment Doctor: The Real Cost of Employee Turnover
Turnover costs range from $3,000 to $10,000 in people time, training, testing, and the ramp-up to full production. This does not include expenses for agencies, ads, etc. which must be added on.
As you research your turnover rate, here are some points to consider.