Adapting Fulfillment to the Customer

For supply chain professionals, the last few years have brought uncertainty and opportunity. The steady transition of consumer buying behaviors toward eCommerce suddenly accelerated with the pandemic, putting global supply chains to the test.

Consumers are returning to in person shopping, but with new expectations. They expect to have the flexibility to make their purchases online and pick them up in the store or curbside or have them delivered within hours. Distribution networks have had to adapt in response.

Increased level of velocity, agility, and resiliency are necessary to satisfy customers and maintain a competitive advantage.

A variety of micro-fulfillment centers focused on rapid, local customer delivery are growing rapidly. They can vary in size but include the traditional flow of a warehouse — in many cases less automated than traditional distribution centers. For retailers, micro-fulfillment may include fulfilling orders from the shop floor or making use of the backroom.

The goal is getting the right item into the hands of your customer at their preferred time and method, while driving down fulfillment time and cost. The introduction of micro-fulfillment centers create new challenges that require adaptive technologies.

Read the eBook, “Adapting Fulfillment to the Customer” to learn about the challenges and opportunities being created as fulfillment moves closer to the customer and the role technology plays to delivering real-time visibility and adaptability in these supply chain nodes.