In today’s world, supply chains are more important than ever. They’re a key part of any business’s operations, but they can also be one of the most vulnerable areas.
From a business perspective, it’s no longer enough to simply produce and distribute your products. You also have to make sure they get to their intended destination on time, in good condition, and ready to be sold.
That means managing employees, vendors, customers, and more on one platform. And if you’re not doing that well enough, you’ll lose money fast. In fact, 89% of businesses encountered a supplier risk event in the last five years. But not all companies are prepared for this level of risk and complexity. That’s where supply chain risk management software comes in.
Even though modern coffee machines offer an attractive variety of caffeinated drinks like cappuccino or latte macchiato, for me it is a simple cup of black coffee that helps kick-start my productivity when the clock strikes 8 am.
This “kick-start”, or boost aspect of coffee was randomly discovered between the sixth and the ninth century. A widespread tale sets the scene in the kingdom of Kaffa, in Abyssinia – which today is Ethiopia – where a shepherd one day observed that his sheep were unusually cheerful after eating white blossoms and red cherries from a previously unknown plant.
The internet can help open up your reach to billions of people around the globe. But if you are a startup running a brick and mortar business, a global reach may not be your most immediate goal, or at least not for now. What could get your business a constant flow of customers is local seach domination.
According to statistics, approximately 75% of all searches are for local businesses. Better still, dominating local searches produces the most qualified leads, as people that do these searches are almost always ready to make a purchase.
Below are tips to help you dominate local search results.
It’s that time of year. Cold and flu season. And I have started the season with a whopper of a flu. Naturally I went to get cold and flu medication. But in every store I went to the Cold medication shelves were virtually empty.
Why on earth would there be a shortage of this specific medication so early in the season? To my knowledge there was no cold or flu epidemic that was suddenly driving demand.
Was this a Supply Chain issue, a manufacturing or distribution issue, or was something else going on?
The shift from offline retail to online businesses is an unstoppable trend. The E-commerce business model arrived decades ago, and its relevance now booms in the current advancement of technology.
Now, more and more entrepreneurs are building and starting their e-commerce businesses. For your e-commerce business to have a greater chance of success, you need to think long and hard about what E-Commerce business model you’re going to pursue.
Thanks to digital technology we can carry out commercial transactions online. We can buy and sell items or services, pay bills, make orders, and so much more as we look to the future of E-Commerce.
Online enterprises are heavily relying on this commodity. This is why we have numerous online businesses nowadays.
The infographic below from Subscriptionly will inform you about the current and future tech trends that will influence the ecommerce sector. Some of the main trends are as follows.
Online shopping has become an integral part of many consumers’ lives. The increased volume of parcels shows that this new way of acquiring goods and services and the provision of tracking information is here to stay.
While a lot of packages are successfully delivered, sometimes, they can get misplaced, damaged, and in worst cases, lost. For these reasons, many customers will want to know the exact location and status of the items they ordered to ensure that it will safely arrive in their homes.
Vending machines have become an integral part of modern consumer culture, offering convenience and quick access to a wide range of products. Whether you’re an experienced vending machine operator or wondering how to start a vending machine business, one key aspect that cannot be overlooked is the efficient delivery of goods to your vending locations.
In this article, we’ll explore practical strategies and tips on how to efficiently deliver goods to your vending machine locations.
Online shopping has been around for a while now. However, the largest shift in consumer inclination towards online shopping came with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, every business seeking to survive this consumer behavior change must keep up with emerging trends in the industry. Here are some route planning trends and innovations that you may want to consider.
Unfortunately, most businesses had not adequately planned for such a scenario which resulted in massive glitches in logistics and route planning.
According to experts, the demand for last-mile delivery is expected to grow by 78 percent globally by 2030.
At Supply Chain Game Changer we believe in sharing experiences and expertise from people in every industry and from across the globe. As such we have introduced our “Seasoned Leadership in Action™” Interview series. This interview is with Grant Chapman, President at Kroeger Inc.
Kroeger is a wholesale distributor of toy, games, puzzles, gift and hobby servicing the Canadian retail and e-tail retailers. Kroeger has exclusive distribution of such brands as Rubik’s Cube, Toy State, Winning Moves Games, Endless Games, Ceaco Puzzles, WoodWick Candles, , Silly String, and other spectacular brands.
Are you using a cloud-based POS system yet? If not, then you are losing out on some distinct advantages that these systems offer.
A cloud-based POS (point of sale) system uses a remote server to operate. Your data is stored in a cloud and can be accessed remotely, as well as on-site.
Online shoppers are growing in huge numbers year after year, and so are their delivery expectations. According to a study, there were 268 million digital buyers in the United States in the year 2022 alone. This number is said to climb up to almost 285 million in 2025.
Also, 62% of online shoppers in the US say delivery speed is what makes for a good purchase experience. This has pushed retailers to double down on their delivery efforts in the last mile.
Despite all the efforts, what’s stopping your retail and e-commerce businesses from providing excellent delivery experiences to your customers?
A new survey from Brightpearl found that 42 percent of U.S. retailers say they have seen an increase in the number of returns and “serial returners” over the last 12 months.
What’s more, 61 percent of the retailers surveyed said they would ban serial returners.
This is an interesting change in an industry that has put so much emphasis on facilitating free returns and exchanges.
Launching an eCommerce business is a thrilling journey with endless potential since billions of people are now buying online across the globe. Numerous eCommerce businesses have skyrocketed thanks to well-crafted content and strategies, growing in fame while also making it easier to acquire customers.
Taking your eCommerce Business to the next level can be difficult, but with a well-executed plan to scale your eCommerce business, there is an abundance of potential for exponential growth!
E-commerce is defined as the buying and selling of products or services exclusively through electronic channels. If you’ve made an online purchase through eBay, Shopify, Amazon (through Amazon FBA), and other platforms, then you have made your purchase via an e-commerce site. More and more people spend their time browsing on the internet and the more likely they are to buy stuff online.
Admittedly, the e-commerce industry is booming. Retail e-commerce sales in the United States are projected to grow at a fast pace in the coming years, going from 322.17 billion U.S. dollars in 2016 to just over 485 billion US dollars in 2021.
Why You Need Order Fulfillment Services
If you’re looking for a business that will eventually get you out of your 9-5 job, or looking to expand your existing business, having an online presence and web-based store could fulfill this goal. For beginners in the e-commerce trade, what do you need to do to get more sales, with a lot of online businesses competing for customers’ attention?
Customers want products that will give the best bang for their buck with speedy delivery, and good after-sales support. Here’s where the different companies offering order fulfillment services come in.
What is an Order Fulfillment Service?
Order fulfillment is defined as the steps involved in receiving, processing and delivering orders to end customers. A fulfillment service is defined as a third-party company that provides these order fulfillment steps on behalf of another party, such as an online seller.
FBA, or Fulfillment By Amazon is a business model wherein e-commerce sellers on the Amazon Marketplace, big or small, can have their products stored in any of Amazon’s giant warehouses, pack and deliver them to customers, handle customer support, and returns.
FBA Pros
Expertise and Reach
Amazon has one of the most advanced e-commerce fulfillment service in the world, can help you scale-up or grow your business and as of the last measured period, the source estimated 90 million paying Amazon Prime subscribers in the United States, up from 63 million in June during the previous year.
Amazon Prime customers are eligible for 2-Day Shipping, Free Shipping and other benefits. If you sign up your products for Amazon Prime, your products are eligible for free shipping, too.
Customer Service and Returns
FBA handles customer service and returns. Listings are displayed with the Prime logo, so customers know that Amazon handles packing, delivery, customer service, and returns.
They handle the fulfillment services side of the business and saves your time, so you can focus on the other aspects of your business.
Multi-Channel Fulfillment
With Multi-Channel Fulfillment, you can fulfill orders from other sales channels using your inventory stored in Amazon order fulfillment centers. Single-source your inventory to streamline your fulfillment operations, manage your inventory through an online user interface and can direct Amazon to return your inventory in e-commerce fulfillment centers at any time.
Cons of using FBA
Customization
Little to no order customization. Sellers must comply with existing Amazon .processes.
Branding
Items are shipped in Amazon boxes. Sellers can ship in generic boxes which may cost extra.
Warehouse Pricing
Storage fees are generally higher compared to 3PLs and usually rise during holidays.
Higher order handling fees for non-Amazon orders.
Communication
Solutions are based in standard processes which may pose little opportunity for dialogue.
Conflict of interest
The fact that Amazon may actually be a competitor to the seller. Amazon is in the business of selling, they just happen to offer shipping services. For Amazon, it’s free product and market research, and they’re making money off you.
Third Party Logistics (3PL / TPL)
Third–party logistics in logistics and supply chain management is a company’s use of third party businesses to outsource elements of the company’s order fulfillment services.
Pros of Using 3PL
Customization
Boxes/bags and all internal packaging are customized to a specific brand. Processes are adapted to your business’ operation and specification.
Warehouse Costing
Attractive storage costs that is variable. Customer pays storage space on a given month. Some 3PLs even offer free warehouse storage for a limited time.
Communication
Has onboarding processes, frequent communication before and after product launch. Collaborative approach is encouraged.
B2B (Business to Business)
Certain 3PLs can handle both B2B and B2C (Business to Consumer) fulfillment, resulting in one e-commerce fulfillment partner for all sales channels.
Cons of Using 3PL
Finding a Trustworthy 3PL company takes time.
Not all 3PL providers are created equal. It takes time to find a good company to work with from the beginning. Once you find someone you can trust, you can rest assured that your goods are being properly cared for. The initial search could be stressful but it will all be worth it once you find a reliable 3PL company.
Bad Service Reflects on Your Company
An inefficient 3PL provider could make your company look bad. Your customers do not care who is in charge of getting the product to them. All they care about is the end result. It is very important to look for a good distribution center early on to avoid customer-satisfaction issues in the future.
Amazon FBA or 3PL in Conclusion
Order Fulfillment Services are a crucial part of your business and a major factor in determining its success or failure. Whether you entrust your fulfillment services to FBA or a 3PL, there is a greater chance that you will be in good hands – these are fulfillment experts, after all. The key difference is you as the owner, – what do you want for your brand and what kind of customer experience you want to give to your consumers.
If you are happy to use Amazon’s existing system and tap into their wide customer reach, FBA may be a perfect fit for your company. If, however, you would like more control over your order fulfillment services, partnering with a 3PL could be the best solution. Make sure your order fulfillment service provider is experienced with the type of operations you need before you entrust them with your reputation.
Amazon FBA article and permission to publish here provided by Dona Dimaculangan at 3p-logistics.co.uk. Originally written for Supply Chain Game Changer and published on March 8, 2018.
