Keeping Up with the Retail Consumer

Keeping Up with the Retail Consumer

Today’s retail environment is driven by a well-informed consumer with seemingly limitless buying options.

The way retailers’ products are consumed, and the landscape in which they are delivered continue to evolve at a rapid pace.

Whereas stock-outs or shipping delays used to cost retailers in terms of transactional sales - a lack of supply chain execution today can often erode a brand’s reputation.

So what do we, as stakeholders in the retail supply chain, do to keep up?

A company culture where talented people can thrive and innovate has become paramount for sustaining success.

The retailers who do it right start with people; placing priority on developing a strong team of in-house supply chain experts coupled with strategic outsourced service provider partnerships.

The relationship between retailer and service provider has become more collaborative, built on a single focus - satisfying the end consumer.

This collaborative environment requires retailers to challenge their supply chain partners to take a leading role in providing long-term business solutions rather than short-term cost-cutting relief. Five years ago, did we think same-day delivery was possible?

Today, the voice of the consumer has mandated shorter and shorter delivery windows - forcing retailers and service providers to innovate and solve problems together.

We co-wrote this eBook with Adrian Gonzalez to provide perspective on the supply chain landscape in which we all operate, and to help retailers of all sizes evaluate their own supply chain competencies.

We cover 6 supply chain disciplines that retailers must master – and those same 5 apply to service providers.

3PLs must continually invest in delivering supply chain visibility, must provide strategic supply chain insight, and must continuously develop innovative solutions to retail challenges.

Supply chain metrics that are not collaborative in nature and do not drive performance for both retailer and provider should not be utilized. We must act as partners in defining how the retail supply chain delivers product to the right place, at the right time, and for the right cost.