Bizz Lise

M ore and more companies are identifying opportunities to incorporate cross-docking – the process of receiving product and shipping it out without putting it into storage. Cross-docks are generally used for “hub-and-spoke” arrangements, consolidation, or deconsolidation  Hello, I don't know why but I am intrigued by warehousing in general and cross-docking in particular. Mayby it has to do with the growing e-commerce market and the need for higher efficiency. I see upcomming 4Pl players that are specialised and focused on specific segments of our economy (fashion, lifestyle, electronics,...).  Supply chain activities need to be organized as efficient and fast as possible. Customers are seeking products with the lowest competitive price. Companies therefore need to invest in new  state of the art technologies and network desig.  This allows the companies to accurately forecast demand, track and  predict inventory levels , create highly efficient transportat...

In order to be profitable, today’s e-commerce companies are adapting their logistics – using new optimization levers inspired by methods that have already proven to be successful in the warehouse.  The growing pressure of logistics chain flows, which are particularly noticeable in the e-commerce sector, has contributed to this change.  Direct shipping to the end customer and growing demands in terms of the service provided have led companies who were originally delivering directly to stores to reposition their logistics in order to adapt to the B2C model.  Some companies prefer to outsource their logistics, while others insource it by developing their processes.

Hello dear reader, A couple of months ago I wrote an article on pro's & contra's of outsourcing. The number of clicks exceeded the regular number of enthousiasts who tend to read my articles.:-) I want to explore again the advantages of outsourcing, today in a domaine with huge potential...

In general, outsourcing your order fulfillment offers the following advantages.

The following article gives you an insight on the pro's and con's of outsourcing ecommerce fulfillment. Strangely the arguments pro are also the arguments contra for outsourcing this activity. It's all about know- how, convenience, speed shipment and saving on cost for logistics. So basicly it's up to you and your company to determine what to do. Either which way you go make a good analysis of your situation, your business and your customers. Good luck

Many companies are behind consumers in switching to omni-channel sales while logistics can help them gain significant competitive advantages, according to a new DHL study released today. Traditional channel-based approaches are out The logistics industry has a significant role to play in the transformation to an omni-channel business model, says the in-depth DHL Omni-Channel Logistics Trend Report, published in collaboration with the data analyzer IDC Manufacturing Insights. There is growing recognition by markets and consumers that traditional channel-based approaches are now out-of-sync with the anytime, anywhere shopping behaviour and delivery expectations of modern consumers. This is driving the new omni-channel approach in which all sales channels – brick-and-mortar, online, and mobile – converge into a single seamless channel of orchestrated product flow. Population buying online is growing  “Within the next three years, most of the world’s population (90%)...

There are several reasons why traditional warehouses are not best suited to e-commerce logistics.  Firstly, the choice of online consumers is no longer limited to the products available in the shop. Consumers want to be able to order any product at any moment in any quantity. As a consequence, there is a shift in supply-chain thinking from “push” to “pull”. In a push model, suppliers “push” their products to consumers through the distribution channel. In the pull model, consumers create the demand and suppliers respond.

A successful transition to outsourcing with a 3PL is a process that depends on a variety of factors that differ from business to business. The decision to outsource will depend on the company's operation plans, goals, product lines, expansion, acquisitions, etc. Before making this decision, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive study and document the advantages, challenges and cost benefits of outsourcing.