DHL announced the use of helicopters to deliver packages in LA. Ground traffic is getting really bad to make that a reasonable solution. Amazon got a lot of buzz on their drone concept. It is clear that we need a better solution than lots of UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS drivers all covering the same…
Archives for May 2014
Replace your deli number with your smartphone
Retailers are finding new ways to make shopping in the store easier. Publix is giving customers the opportunity to replace the deli numbers with pre-ordering on their smartphones. How long before store layouts start to evolve to support smartphone ordering? Publix completes rollout of online deli ordering system By Margaret Cashill Publix Super Markets Inc….
Walmart To Go Takes the Hills of San Francisco
My calves were feeling the burn as I walked the hills of San Francisco yesterday while out visiting our West Coast customers. Being the supply chain geek that I am, the view of the Bay was eclipsed by a sighting of a Walmart home delivery truck. These new services always seem to be tested on…
Last-Mile Delivery: New Challenges Ahead
What percentage of your total shopping is online? This past holiday season, almost 40% of seasonal shopping was through online channels. Late order cutoffs, and the ensuing last minute rush resulted in logistical nightmares for online retailers and logistics providers, who were overwhelmed with demand and paralyzed when bad weather struck. Expedient delivery is growing…
Happy National Transportation Week!
National Transportation Week provides an opportunity to thank the men and women of the transportation industry who make sure we have our products and food when we need them. The theme of this year’s week, “Transportation- Moving the World Into Tomorrow,” illustrates how advances in technology are making transportation more important than ever. Online shopping,…
On the Road: Supply Chain Challenges Can Be Uphill Battles
When you see what has to be done to deliver products to the town of Guadelest, outside of Alicante, Spain, it puts your supply chain challenges in perspective. This ancient mountaintop village is only accessible by foot. All products consumed in homes, shops, and restaurants have to be pushed up the hill in carts provided…
Clash of the Titans: Alibaba v. Amazon
Think Amazon is the world’s largest online retailer? Think again. Alibaba, the leading online wholesale marketplace for domestic China trade among small businesses, has officially claimed the #1 spot with its IPO filing. Last year, the giant did $248 billion of Gross Merchandise Volume (GMV) in its China retail marketplace, more than Amazon and eBay…
On the Road: Out-of-Stocks are a Global Challenge
On a recent trip to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, I stopped by a Mercadona (I am definitely a grocery geek) one Saturday morning. This particular store was experiencing the same out-of-stock challenges we face in the US. The much-challenged yogurt aisle had a number of missing items, with gaping holes. Luckily, store personnel had product…
Walmart Expanding Pick-up Locations
Americans were the first to establish the “drive-thru” culture, so it’s only fitting that this model is finally expanding to the US grocery industry. Thus far, most retailers have attached pick-up locations to actual stores (except in the case of drive-thru only retailers), or built them in convenient locations. Walmart has begun testing this concept…
Create Mothers’ Day Success with ES3 Partners
Need the perfect meal for the mothers in your life? ES3, with the help of some of our partners, has you covered! Roasted Vegetable Omelet Ingredients: Measure: Olive oil 2 tbsp Shallots, 12 small, minced 1 cup Egg Beaters® Liquid Eggs, thawed 18 cups Water 4 cups Roasted carrots (1/2″) 3 cups Frozen ORE-IDA fried…