Is it time for supply chains to go local? This is a question that is being asked across all industries that make use of a supply chain. With increased globalization, supply chains have been put at risk due to small interruptions that may have large repercussions. The cheap mass production supply chains of the past…
Archives for Industry News
Tesco Pilots “Shop and Go”
Hate carrying your groceries home? Or don’t want to be stuck carting your groceries around while you complete more errands or meet a friend? You’re not alone. Shoppers in London can now swing through the grocery store on their way home, pick out their produce and other items, checkout, and have their groceries delivered to…
#AmazonCart is the new candy display
Do you ever grab a candy bar at the checkout display in the store? Those impulse purchases drive lots of volume for manufacturers. There was a fear that the digital world would eliminate those quick (and often poor) decisions. Fear not, new ways of buying before thinking are appearing. The latest is #AmazonCart, a joint…
Does your supply chain work on Sunday?
We are moving into a 7 by 24 hour world. Sundays are no longer a day of rest, they are a day for home delivery. Amazon announced Sunday delivery in 15 markets. Consumer expectations are being set and supply chains are going to need to meet new demands for operation times and speed. Amazon expands…
Helicopters, drones, beam me up Scotty?
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…
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…