To most retailers and manufacturers, the word omni-channel is synonymous with complex. They see their supply networks splintering as they try to provide “seamless” experiences to their customers. Instead of splintering, companies need to aggregate. Manufacturers and retailers need to use facilities that can provide a full range of services. Manufacturers and retailers also need…
ConAgra Commits to Sustainable Palm Oil
ConAgra has announced its intent to use 100% sustainably-sourced palm oil by 2015. The company uses palm oil in many of its branded, private brand, and food service products. In a statement on its website, the company said “We are committed to the responsible sourcing of this raw material, and we have made a pledge…
3D Printing is Not Just for Prototyping
Companies are reducing parts supplies and making parts as needed using 3D printers. This is not just for production facilities, it will have huge benefits for the maintenance teams in warehouses. From automation to material handling equipment, the ability to make what you need, when you need it will mean reduced costs and higher “up…
Location, location, location, in E-commerce
E-commerce opens an exciting world of new possibilites, new knowledge, and new products. Thanks to the internet, people now want (and can get) incredibly diverse and random items, reflecting their individual taste preferences. Or do they? In a recently released book by Wharton professor David Bell, titled “Why Location is (Still) Everything, e-commerce is revealed to have changed surprisingly little…
Uber Breaks Out Same-Day Delivery Service
Uber flexes its startup muscle and announces a new same-day delivery service called Uber Corner Store available only in certain parts of Washington D.C. The announcement comes just a few months after Uber launched UberRUSH, a courier delivery system in Manhattan where customers can have items be picked up and dropped off at a specific address by Uber…
The New Consumer is the “Transumer,” says Director of Convenience
We’ve been talking about the importance of convenience for a while, but Waitrose, a British retailer, has elevated that thought to the next level by employing a Director of Convenience, who promptly introduced a new store format to cater to “transumers.” What are transumers? Chances are you are one. “Transumers” refers to traveling consumers, people…
Asimov’s Predictions for 2014 & Hambleton’s Predictions for 2024
I went to the 1964 World’s Fair as a child. I remember being amazed by the GE exhibit that showcased the future. 2014 seemed very far away back then. Asimov predicted that we would have connected cars, 3D technology, and cordless electronics – things that were almost unimaginable. GE has launched a digital campaign to…
Trying to Understand Millennials
The biggest buying group, Millennials, are proving to be less predictable than their Baby Boomer parents. They change habits and preferences as new opportunities present themselves. They have conflicting interests – sustainability and convenience. This is due, in part, because they are the most diverse generation we have seen. Millennials cannot easily be described, but…
Collaborative Distribution is Coming of Age
ES3 has been doing collaborative distribution for twelve years with more than sixty manufacturer and retailer partners. It is not easy to collaborate with competitors but it is necessary to cut expenses, improve sustainability, and increase service. Manufacturers have tried it on their own but without the benefit of a neutral, third-party to handle the…
New Strategies to Build Brand Loyalty
Ever purchased something only to see it at a cheaper price in a different store? Walmart’s decided to help its shoppers get rid of that awful feeling with its new Savings Catcher service. The service analyzes the price paid for each item at Walmart, and compares it to the listed prices at local competitor stores….