E-commerce

IBM’s latest study on consumer behavior highlights the importance of best-in-class processes in the DC in the age of e-commerce

Respondents anticipate technology will result in energy efficiency, domestic robots and life-extending health apps; children to drive the connected future.

With an eye on further expansion of its e-commerce business and related reverse logistics processes, transportation and logistics bellwether FedEx last night announced it has inked an agreement to acquire Pittsburgh-based GENCO, a third-party logistics (3PL) services provider specializing in product lifecycle and reverse logistics.

The yoga wear retailer’s new multichannel DC is speeding up time to market, streamlining e-commerce processes and reducing freight costs. Flexible automation is the key.

WMS, lights, voice and conveyors bring a new level of efficiency to lululemon athletica’s Ohio distribution center.

Four companies share how they successfully connected the data points to streamline their operations.

As we’ve been covering the last few years, the ability to design and implement a dynamic, flexible, automated distribution facility—one able to bend and respond to demand and cut freight costs—is a critical element to success in meeting the multichannel fulfillment challenge brought on by the evolution of e-commerce.

Early reports fall short of projections, but the final verdict is yet to come.

While it comes as no surprise that Thanksgiving weekend is commonly viewed as the true beginning of the holiday shopping season, it appears that, perhaps, the booming shopping volumes that come along with time spent with family and friends, too much turkey and football may take a bit longer to materialize than originally anticipated.

Express delivery and logistics services provider DHL recently announced it has rebranded the name of its DHL Global Mail group to DHL eCommerce as part of a move geared towards providing customers with new services and solutions for new markets as e-commerce continues its rapid expansion within supply chain and logistics.

While brick and mortar retailers that were hopeful Congress would pass the Marketplace Fairness Act, they are not likely to be pleased, as House Speaker John Boehner indicated he would block the measure, with the WSJ explaining that House Republicans “never warmed to the bill, worrying that voters could view it as an indirect tax increase.”

The Sealed Air 2014 Packaging for e-Commerce Success survey examines the role of packaging across the growing e-commerce market and how product presentation impacts both consumers’ overall online retail experience and perception of the brands and businesses they purchase from.

According to our annual survey, cost efficiency is still king. However, respondents tell us that the multi-channel fulfillment challenge is pushing them to make more economical moves focused on process improvement and layout changes—steps our analysts say are very encouraging.

To help manage the demands of e-commerce fulfillment, consider creating right-sized secondary packaging on-demand.

MHI and our industry are in transition as materials handling’s profile is raised in the supply chain. The challenge is learning to speak the language of supply chain managers.