To any observer, it is abundantly evident that consumer behavior today is changing at a faster pace than ever before. We can easily see and relate to these changes since our own shopping habits mirror those of the larger market. We’re all consumers living in a fast-paced world of instant gratification who have become accustomed to the easy and frictionless shopping experience provided by Amazon.
What is the Future of Retail?
E-commerce continues to be the fastest growing area of retail this century, growing 300% from 2000 to 2018 according to the U.S. Commerce Department. While shoppers may never wholly abandon brick-and- mortar stores, this continual rise in online sales over the last 18 years shows a shift to e-commerce as the predominant shopping method for consumers.
So how is the rise in e-commerce affecting retail supply chains? At Trimble Visibility we sought out to understand the impact of e-commerce on retailers, the top final mile challenges facing industry executives today, and how companies are finding success in today's retail environment.
Topics: Final Mile
As the transportation and logistics industry continues to evolve, marketers need to evaluate opportunities to capitalize on. One of the foundational building blocks for both a business and marketing strategy is the development of an action plan that details how a company will reach target customers and achieve a competitive advantage, also known as a Go-To-Market (GTM) plan.
Society as a whole is more food conscious than ever before. The diets that exist today each claim to be the healthiest and limit what people can and cannot eat. But, even more so than these diets, people care about what they’re putting in their bodies. They want to know how the food was grown/raised, where it came from and, most importantly, is it safe to eat.
Topics: Food Safety Modernization Act
Foodborne illness is a serious cause for concern. Each year in the U.S., millions of people get sick each year from foodborne diseases. This is a significant public health burden that is largely preventable.
Topics: Food Safety Modernization Act
It’s not a secret that there’s been a disconnect between shippers and carriers in the transportation industry for years. Each looks out for their own business and tries to secure the best deal for themselves. But, with the new regulations put in place with the passing of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that took effect for the transportation industry in 2017, they need to put aside their differences to ensure that the regulations of the new law are met.
Topics: supply chain
Customer expectations have drastically changed the way the transportation and logistics industry operates. The attitude has shifted from a shipment will get there when it gets there, to wanting it delivered within seven days, to now wanting it delivered on the same day. And through it all, the customer wants to know where the order is at all times so that they can have the most accurate estimated time of arrival. This is especially crucial in the transportation of food products due to expiration dates.
Topics: Visibility, shipment tracking
When it comes to Supply Chain Visibility technology, mere shipment location tracking is no longer sufficient.
In today’s hyper-connected, hyper information-oriented landscape, shippers, carriers, freight managers, distribution centers, and consumers have become accustomed to specific, detailed, accurate, real-time information about how products gets from point A to point B.
In this context, it is no longer just about where a shipment is in transit, but when it will arrive, in what condition, and what level of risk will impact delivery times.
Topics: Visibility, shipment tracking, supply chain
La-Z-Boy has been producing the world’s most comfortable furniture for over 90 years. The company manufactures a full line of products for the living room and family room, including the company’s world-famous recliners!
La-Z-Boy understands that today's customer is information-oriented and digitally-connected. While consumers may be unfamiliar with the term last mile, they know they expect passive solutions with real-time information. La-Z-Boy was eager to find a last mile solution that matched the quality of their products.
Topics: Final Mile, case study, Customer Service
Expectations run high in today’s consumer delivery environment, especially in terms of managing last mile deliveries at the cargo, distribution, and direct-to-consumer levels. For many retail, restaurant, food distribution, consumer goods, durable goods companies, etc. final mile delivery not only affects the end customer experience, it can also contribute to losses across the board from scheduling inefficiencies to staffing issues to cost overruns to decreased morale and frustrated DC personnel.
Topics: Visibility, Final Mile