Even the most efficient multichannel merchant often struggles with managing excess inventory. Common practices such as discounting or liquidation devalue products and undermine sales. And ecommerce makes it easier for shoppers to find cut-rate products. Here are 8 steps to help you avoid the biggest inventory management mistakes and come out on top.
As the volume of online sales continues to rise, companies are struggling to manage the difference in B2B and D2C operations. If you’re searching for an omnichannel fulfillment partner, here are the top 5 things to consider in finding the right one.
Guess is expanding by more than 50% its operations in Louisville, KY, with plans to build a second distribution center next to its existing facility there. The company purchased the 32-acre parcel earlier this year for $32, and currently employs 400 at its existing 505,000-square-foot DC.
The need for speed in ecommerce distribution, driven largely by Amazon Prime’s two-day promise, is behind increased investments in distribution center technology as well as a trend toward more smaller, forward-based facilities closer to the customer, according to a new report. Find out what other topline results came from the survey of 1,400 IT and warehouse professionals around the globe.
Visits to leading subscription box sites like Birchbox, Blue Apron and Loot are up nearly 3,000% during the last three years, according to Hitwise data. This has not gone unnoticed by traditional brands and some are now adding subscription services to their traditional product lines. Here are some of the advantages to going the subscription route.
I go to lots of conferences, but for me the Operations Summit is the most helpful to our clients and our consulting practice because it’s dedicated exclusively to improving direct-to-customer and omnichannel operations, presenting a broad range of operations experiences and solutions. It’s not too late to join us, April 12-14 at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati.
American Apparel has begun offering one-hour delivery through a partnership with Postmates, leveraging RFID technology to provide real-time inventory availability via the Postmates Order app. The program is in place at 79 stores in 31 U.S. markets, making 50 “on-demand basics” items like hoodies, t-shirts and socks available to consumers who desire the items right now.
Third-party logistics companies or 3PL providers can help ecommerce and direct-to-customer merchants expand internal fulfillment operations without large outlays. In the past five years some large companies have entered the market with extremely competitive services and costs.To help in the decision process, here are 10 ways that 3PLs have helped companies do just that.
J.C. Penney posted strong Q4 and 2015 numbers, citing omnichannel tactics as a big part of its continuing turnaround, in a period when competitors stumbled. The return of popular private-label brands and the recent addition of appliances by customer demand are evidence that the company has been responsive to what shoppers want. Learn more about the retailer’s recent performance.
When embarking on a replatforming project, a critical element that cannot be overlooked is the incorporation of a dedicated Order Management System (OMS). This is a vital step that must be taken at the outset of the process to ensure that a retailer has a strong understanding of inventory, availability and fulfillment optimization to maximize revenue and deliver a superior customer experience.