coverstory
It is important to have plans in place in how your supply chain can be flexible to reduce the impact unplanned events can cause
Matt Castle , CH Robinson
6.5 % of total retail sales conducted online 11.4 % e-commerce sales growth 2012-2017 (% pa )
An estimated 30 % of U . S industrial demand is related to e-commerce
Fulfillment centers large than 500,000 sq ft are very prevalent in markets where they can have the best access to key cities and populated areas . automated stations in four major distribution centers for FedEx Ground since the peak season last year alone . We ’ ve also added more reliable and efficient aircraft to the FedEx Express fleet over the last year ,” Glenn said . FedEx Corp raised its full-year profit forecast as continued growth in e-commerce deliveries helped push earnings for the fiscal first quarter ahead of analysts ’ estimates .
And with the on-demand delivery gathering momentum for today ’ s highly demanding consumers , logistics companies are going the extra mile to combat the last mile delivery challenges . “ It ( e-commerce logistics ) is moving at ‘ warp speed ’, almost as fast as DHL ! Three major dynamics are at play . First , e-tailers now clearly recognise that the race for the customer is in the last mile . Second , customers have ever increasing expectations - they want their orders to arrive faster , cheaper , with more predictability , more convenience , more choice , more control and a great deal more visibility . Finally , nothing stays constant . What is new and exciting today is quickly becoming the norm tomorrow – so e-tailers and their supply chains had better be constantly innovating ,” shares Charles Brewer , CEO , DHL e-commerce .
According to a recently released study by Dotcom Distribution , a logistics and fulfillment firm specializing in emerging e-commerce brands , 87 percent
of online shoppers identified shipping speed as a key factor in the decision to shop with an e-commerce brand again . The new study , “ How Fast Delivery and Quality Packaging Drives Customer Loyalty ,” revealed that 67 percent of online shoppers would pay more money to get same-day delivery if they needed the package by a deadline , such as an anniversary . Comparatively , 47 percent would pay more for same-day delivery simply because they wanted their package more quickly , demonstrating that consumers distinguish between a need and a want , yet desire fast shipping when available .
“ With consumer demands rising , there is no choice but to make sure you are prepared to meet those demands . There are a variety of attributes that are becoming increasingly important to have , but a couple that should truly be top of mind are flexibility and agility . It is vital to have flexibility in your supply chain . If there is a flood or a port strike , consumers still want and need the products they ordered . It is important to have plans in place in how your supply chain can be flexible to reduce the impact unplanned events can cause ,” said Matt Castle , vice president , global forwarding products and services at CH Robinson .
Now that Amazon . com is getting into the package delivery business , the e-commerce major is looking to take further control of its own logistics operations ,
9.7 % of total retail sales conducted online 10.3 % e-commerce sales growth 2012-2017 (% pa )
As a result of the popularity of online shopping , multi-channel retailers are opening large e- fulfillment centers .
There is also growing demand for parcel hubs and delivery centers and the market will increase by 70 % between 2012-2017 to reach £ 2.2 billion .
6.3 % of total retail sales conducted online 5.2 % e-commerce sales growth 2012-2017 (% pa )
6.5 % of total retail sales conducted online 11.4 % e-commerce sales growth 2012-2017 (% pa )
Japan is the second biggest B2C e-commerce market in the world and has over 100 million internet users .
Much of the demand for warehouses is in Tokyo which accounts for over 1 / 4th of Japan ’ s total population .
Early opinion was that Australia ’ s land mass and small population would cause difficulty in creating an efficient e-commerce market .
It has been made possible by the population density on the east coast of Australia with the key logistics points located in that area .
5.1 % of total retail sales conducted online 8.6 % e-commerce sales growth 2012-2017 (% pa )
The French e-commerce market has over doubled in size in recent years .
For example , Amazon has four facilities located across France totally 250,000 sq m .
The sheer size of these sites means they are generally not located in the Paris region , but in regions beyond Paris that can manage the size .
Source : www . 2flow . ie
4 | OCTOBER 2016 www . stattimes . com