Growing e-commerce fulfillment demands and costs have collided to bring about an uptick in average 3PL fulfillment prices within the outsourced fulfillment industry, as was evidenced by FulfillmentCompanies.net’s annual poll of 500+ warehouses across the US.
Each year, the online fulfillment match-making service surveys their network of 3PL companies to gauge the industry’s average costs of doing business, as well as what prices they charge users of fulfillment services.
It’s easy to visualize your supply chain as a river, flowing from one point to another. Along the way, it can branch out into various tributaries and meet various bottlenecks — but like running water, any item in the supply chain will find its way to its destination eventually.
Yet just as a dam can hold back the flow and slow it down, your processes can be encumbered by bottlenecks.
There are many reasons why a bottleneck may develop in your logistics, but the effects it can have are all negative. If left unaddressed, they can cause delays, hurt productivity and waste resources.
None of these is good for your business’s bottom line, which means it’s crucial to know what causes them and how to address them.
There’s another unfortunate entry in the annals of Supply Chain failures that burst into the wider world of business and pop culture: More than half of the UK’s Kentucky Fried Chicken stores recently closed because KFC ran out of chicken!
We’ve written on the Argentus’ blog many times about Supply Chain misadventures, and how they can harm a brand’s reputation as well as profits – for example, maybe most memorably, in the case of Target, which had to retreat from the Canadian market after Supply Chain snafus led to empty shelves and disappointed customers.
Supply chains are unsung heroes in most businesses. Customers rarely interact with them since supply chain processes take place in the background, away from the spotlight. However, they directly impact customer experience and business growth.
Everything from procurement to last-mile delivery comes under the supply chain umbrella, and boosting efficiency here drives better business results. Given the digital nature of modern supply chains, cybersecurity can make or break a business.
Supply chain security is critical to business growth since a breach can potentially derail different parts of a business, all at once. Here are three supply chain security processes that not only secure but boost business growth.
The logistics industry is worth over $8.1 trillion. Not only it is an incomprehensibly big market, there are countless factors shaping it.
Globalization introduced a new level of complexity. International shipping has become a norm and customer expectations are higher than ever: we want our shipments on time, delivered as soon as possible and for this complex service we are willing to pay less and less.
In order to meet these high expectations and keep their customers satisfied, logistics service providers have to reach a never-before-seen level of efficiency.
Logistics is only seldom mentioned when we talk about innovation: industries like IT, telecommunications and automotive are the ones that first come to mind. Yet logistics, which represents an enormous opportunity given its size and its potential growth, has undergone a major transformation as well and the process is not close to an end.
The following infographic shows us how two multi-billion dollar companies, Uber and Amazon are revolutionizing the industry. Will a taxi app and an online retailer be the ones setting the new standards?
Amazon and Uber are the two giants in the industry. And the E-Commerce marketplace requires companies to provide a fast, free (or inexpensive to the customer), and reliable last mile delivery solution. This tremendous article provides a great characterization of Amazon and Uber in the Last Mile marketplace.
Amazon and Uber article and permission to publish here provided by Sam White at Argentus. Created by trademachines.com. Originally published on Supply Chain Game Changer on December 6, 2017.
With the increase in the popularity of e-shops and delivery companies, the e-commerce logistics business keeps growing. It faces more and more challenges, as customers need companies to be quick and increase their logistics performance more than ever before.
What does it mean for your business? This article explains why understanding and following the key trends in logistics e-commerce are crucial for organizations that want to save their place in the supply chain and get better results with less effort.
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 at Supply Chain Game Changer. This interview is with Glen Munholland, President of Circular Supply Chains.
We’re going to take a look at cloud computing and how it integrates all supply chain technologies. Cloud computing has been around for a while but growing in popularity and integration.
All data will eventually reside in the cloud. Let’s be sure we understand what the cloud is. The cloud refers to software and services that run on the Internet, instead of locally on your computer.
In the multifaceted world of supply chain management, there are numerous variables that can cause unexpected disruptions. From natural disasters and IT issues to fluctuations in global politics, these challenges require strategic planning.
We’ve laid out six common causes of such Supply Chain disruptions along with potential solutions for each one, giving you the means to put your own contingencies in place.
The spectre of inflation reared its ugly head in 2022, just as the world was climbing out of the pandemic and looking forward to getting back to normal.
The interest rate increases by banks around the world, designed to reduce the rate of inflation, will continue to have impacts on Supply Chain across several dimensions.
Let’s discuss the various implications of these increase rate increases on Supply Chains everywhere.
Supply chain management has witnessed a growing blockchain application in recent times. Zion Market Research says that by 2028, the market for blockchain technology in supply chain management will be worth more than $3.1 trillion, growing at a rate of 51.3% per year.
This technology could make it easier for retailers, wholesalers, and financial institutions to work together by speeding up product delivery, lowering costs, and making it easier to track products.
Blockchain is thought to have a revolutionary effect and could change how supply chain management systems work.
If your supply chain is more visible, you can halt minor issues like order mistakes or project delays and react to problems more quickly. If you want to increase the efficiency, reliability, and robustness of your firm’s whole supply chain, having rapid and easy accessibility to that sort of knowledge is essential.
This is the future as Supply Chain and Procurement enter the Digital Age.
One of my favourite artists is the Renaissance man, Michelangelo. Having seen some of his work in person, looked at numerous books on his work, and read his story in’The Agony and the Ecstasy“, I marvel at the incredible talent and the legacy he has left for the ages.
Two of my favourite Michelangelo sculptures are “David” and “La Pieta“. As I considered these I started to wonder about the marble Supply Chain.
To thrive as a successful eCommerce business, you need to manage your supply chain effectively. In practice, this accurately monitors stock levels and ensures the smooth transfer of products and supplies. Combined, these factors keep customers coming back and generate revenue for your company.
Understanding the unique demands of an eCommerce supply chain can be complex. We’ve outlined a few things you should know about managing one effectively in our quick guide below.
The Digital Supply Chain is the future. The Digital Supply Chain involves the real time awareness of everything going in throughout the end-to-end Supply Chain, enabled by electronic connectivity and the automated presentation of information and analytics to inform and make the best possible decisions.
The real time awareness and linkage that enables the Digital Supply Chain journey is based upon the electronic connectivity of every node, every process, every entity, every movement and every aspect of that end-to-end Supply Chain.
Electronic connectivity is THE backbone that makes the Digital Supply Chain a reality. It is the next step on this incredible journey.
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