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Making Omnichannel Order Management More Efficient

| Mike O'Brien

While many retailers have seen record ecommerce sales in the pandemic era, the execution hasn’t always been pretty. That’s because many were caught with an omnichannel order management process that was less than optimized. This report will detail how you can create a more unified process across all channels.

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Storage and Inventory Control Best Practices

| Kate Vitasek

Best-practice companies have designed their storage and inventory control processes and systems to meet the needs of the current and planned mix of storage types, including optimization of storage locations and layouts. Here are some tips to help you optimize location, tracking, retrieval and timely processing of customer orders.

How Intelligent Fulfillment Helps Meet Consumer Demands

| Michael Johnson

Increasing demand for next-day and same-day delivery is forcing companies to adopt new strategies and restructure traditional methods to compete. How can you evolve from surviving to thriving in a disrupted economy? Intelligent fulfillment is one way, a multi-layered strategy powered by data and analytics.

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MCM Outlook 2021: Past the Pivots to Ecommerce Operations Efficiency

| Mike O'Brien

Now that the challenges of the lockdown era are behind, and disruptions have solidified into new consumer behaviors and business practices, what’s next for ecommerce operations? In our annual MCM Outlook report, we talk to retail leaders and industry experts to drill down into how companies are faring and what’s working.

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Pickle, Robotic Arm for Fast Trailer Unloads, Picks Up Funding

| Mike O'Brien

Pickle, a startup that grew out of a lab at MIT and created a robotic arm that can unload up to 1,800 boxes an hour from a trailer, has raised $5.75 million to date and picked up 3PL and parcel shipping clients who have a need for speed. Dill can handle the 1,800 items per hour to a sorter, or 1,000 an hour directly to a putwall.

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Inventory Management: Follow the Metrics

| Brian Barry

Inventory is the largest balance sheet asset in most companies. Optimizing it has a huge impact on profitability and customer service. Here are 6 key metrics every ecommerce company should measure, how to calculate each and how a partnership between fulfillment and merchandising will benefit profitability and efficiency.

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Walmart, Target Stepping Up Last-Mile Fulfillment

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart and Target both announced plans Thursday to improve last-mile fulfillment and delivery from their stores, taking alternate routes via an investment in self-driving car project Cruise, and a new sortation facility powered by acquired technologies from Grand Junction and Deliv, respectively.

8 Things DTC Brands Should Look for in a 3PL Partner

| Esther Kestenbaum Prozan

For any DTC brand, choosing a 3PL is a huge decision. Order fulfillment is your single biggest cost line item. More importantly, your fulfillment provider will be entrusted with all of your inventory. The consequences of a poor choice can be catastrophic, while those of a good choice could be life-changing. Here are 8 key things to look for.

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Amazon FC Vote Challenged By Union

| Mike O'Brien

The union that was unsuccessful in its effort to organize workers at an Amazon fulfillment center in Alabama immediately challenged the April 9 outcome as expected, claiming the ecommerce giant illegally interfered with the election. The complaint was filed with the NLRB, asking it to investigate Amazon’s tactics.

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Amazon Wrongly Fired Workers For Speaking Out, NLRB Says

| Mike O'Brien

The National Labor Relations Board has accused Amazon of illegally firing two tech workers last year who spoke out publicly about its treatment of fulfillment workers and its sustainability policies, and upheld a complaint by a worker who led a Queens, NY walkout in 2020. Amazon also apologized for a tweet attacking a political critic.