Omni-Channel Retail and the Supply Chain Working Together for a Competitive Advantage

• Main Author: Myerson, Paul
• Format: eBook Book
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Routledge 2021; Taylor and Francis; Productivity Press
• Edition: 1
• Subjects: bullwhip effect; Business logistics; customer service; Digital Marketing; e-commerce; e-Marketing; Einzelhandel; Electronic commerce; global supply chain; Internet; Leadership; Lean Manufacturing; Lieferkette; Marketing; Marketing Management; Multilevel marketing; omni-channel retail; Online-Handel; Physical distribution of goods; Retail trade; Strategic Management; Supply Chain Management; Transportation Services; ERP; E-commerce Orders; Multi-channel Retail; QR Code; BORIS; Leveraging Big Data; 3PL Service Provider; Business Processes; CRM System; Omni-channel Experience; Face To Face; Retail Supply Chain; Fulfillment Centers; RFID; Supply Chain Collaboration; Supply Chain Network; Warehouse Management System; Supply Chain; Wo; Up; Supply Chain Strategy; Order Fulfillment; Agile Supply Chains; CRM
• ISBN: 0367641984; 9780367641979; 0367641976; 9780367641986
• DOI: 10.4324/9781003123415

The days of going to the local department store to buy a television, viewing the options available, and making a purchase now seem “quaint”. The emergence of the Internet, smartphones, social media, and other technologies has opened a world of new options for consumers (and businesses) to review, research, and buy online with an ever-increasing array of delivery options. The emergence of e-commerce has resulted in what is commonly known today as “omni-channel” marketing, in which customers engage with companies in a variety of ways, including in a physical store, and online via websites and mobile apps. This process puts the supply chain “front and center”, as consumers are increasingly demanding, and browse, buy, and return goods through various channels and not just in the traditional “brick-and-mortar” way. Accomplishing this with high levels of service, while remaining profitable, requires real-time visibility of inventory across the supply chain and a single view of the consumer as they continuously move from one channel to another. While this is a boon to consumers, it has made the already complex global supply chain even more challenging to manage. On top of that, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated this omni-channel retail trend as consumers need even more ways to order and additional options for last-mile delivery such as curbside pickup. COVID-19 has exposed the lack of flexibility and readiness, resulting in shortages of everything from toilet paper and meats to personal protective equipment (PPE) and ventilators due to a variety of capacity and inventory allocation issues. It has been a real-life example of the “bullwhip effect” in action, where variability at the consumer end of the supply chain results in increased variability as you go upstream towards distributors, manufacturers, and suppliers, creating shortages, mis-allocation, and increased costs. No longer can a manufacturer, distributor, or retailer of consumer products just “fill the pipeline” and wait for orders to come in. Now they must anticipate the various purchase and delivery items, while at the same time minimizing costs. To do this is no easy task, requiring a Lean, agile, and responsive supply chain. Until now, there was no existing “playbook” for organizations to navigate their way through this new world. This book describes the impact of omni-channel marketing on the supply chain and logistics functions and is intended to help management not only meet the needs of today’s ever-changing world but to anticipate what may be required in the future to achieve superior customer service, profitability, and a competitive advantage.