Social distancing, sheltering-in-place, and closures of non-essential businesses have transformed the lives of millions of Americans amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
This “new reality” is reshaping the way we live, the way we work, and the way we shop. Moreover, consumer behavior is quickly evolving to embrace online shopping purchases—even with lengthened delivery times for non- essential items.
Ecommerce purchases and revenue have steadily climbed over the past few years. As we previously reported, 165 billion packages were shipped in the United States in 2019, raising environmental concerns as consumers continue to buy more online. Not surprisingly, ecommerce order growth is up 54% compared to this time last year, heavily stimulated by consumer buying shifts driven by stay at home orders
With buying habits continuing to evolve, the logistics community must prepare to meet consumer demands. This is especially true for warehouses who want to take advantage of accelerating digital engagement for online shopping.
With these trends becoming permanent fixtures, new technology, best practice workflows, and partnerships will be integral for supply chain industry key players.
This new normal only confirms the necessity for 3PLs to adopt ecommerce best practices to drive customer growth and satisfaction.