Supply Chain

New Supply Chain Due Diligence Laws Necessitate Greater Traceability
February 27, 2024 at 3:06 pm

The call for brands and retailers to fortify their supply chains with robust traceability solutions has never been more urgent. Countries across the globe have enacted tighter due diligence laws to prevent child labor, poor working conditions, and environmental abuses, ranging from the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, to the German Supply Chain…

How Alibaba is Powering Sustainable Supply Chains for B2B Sellers
February 26, 2024 at 10:29 am

In episode 441 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Yikun Shao, head of supply chain, North America at Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global B2B e-commerce. Listen in as Shao discusses his professional background and current role at Alibaba.com (0:55), leveraging the organization's supply chain capabilities to empower small businesses (3:45), the adoption…

Demand Planning is Key for E-Commerce Success
February 22, 2024 at 4:11 pm

Demand planning uses available data and analytics into past market behavior in and around a business to predict the future. Without these insights, business owners could make inventory misreads, marketing mistakes, shipping blunders, and hiring miscues, all eating into profit margins. By assessing your current business performance and past order histories, you can anticipate the…

How Analytics Empower Retail Fleets to Confront Operational Expenses
February 21, 2024 at 2:39 pm

While inflation has been kept in check for much of the broader economy over the last few months and diesel prices have declined, the cost of diesel fuel may have negative ripple effects across the economy, particularly for retail fleets. Demand for domestic transportation of goods is expected to increase in the coming months as…

How Traceability Technology is Helping Luxury Retailers Stay in the Game
February 14, 2024 at 11:40 am

In an age where everyday goods cost more than ever, is our appetite for the finer things subsiding? According to Bank of America card data, credit card spending for luxury fashion is down 16 percent year-over-year, the product of a six-quarter-long decline. In October, one of the world’s top luxury retailers saw its stock drop…

The Retail Reckoning: Navigating 2024's Transformative Trends
January 23, 2024 at 10:22 am

A perfect storm is brewing in retail, sparking a critical reckoning for industry leaders. Social commerce has exploded, digital brands have resurrected brick-and-mortar, delivery demands have intensified, and artificial intelligence is promising operational overhaul. Legacy retailers and e-commerce disruptors face an imperative: either rapidly transform business models, supply chain strategies and technological capabilities OR risk…

The Evolution of Same-Day Delivery: How E-Commerce Brands Are Meeting Instant Gratification Needs
January 22, 2024 at 2:32 pm

Traditional delivery methods, once the norm in e-commerce, are rapidly being replaced by a standard that prioritizes immediacy. Retail giants and small businesses alike have recognized that today's consumers expect their online purchases to arrive not in days, but hours. This seismic shift is redefining logistics, compelling companies to innovate and adapt at breakneck speeds…

Time is Running Out for Fashion Retailers to Commit to Sustainable Sourcing
January 16, 2024 at 2:47 pm

The fashion industry is still struggling to meet the expectations of a consumer base that has become increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impact of their clothing choices. In the U.S., 80 percent of consumers indicate that sustainability is a crucial factor when selecting a fashion brand. Younger shoppers in particular have shown that…

How Streamlining Operations Can Generate a Competitive Edge
January 9, 2024 at 7:10 pm

Competition plays a huge factor in the retail industry. Operating in a highly saturated market, retailers must constantly work towards meeting their customers’ expectations quickly while providing a high-quality experience. With price and convenience being the two biggest factors affecting consumer purchase decisions, retailers must find ways to keep costs down while continuing to streamline…

Revolutionizing Retail: AI at the Helm of Mobile Commerce
January 8, 2024 at 1:55 pm

Artificial intelligence allows retailers to gain a far deeper understanding of customer preferences and behaviors by analyzing information like browsing and purchase histories. Using sophisticated AI algorithms, retailers can build comprehensive profiles that reveal what individual shoppers like and need over time. This empowers retailers to provide hyperpersonalized product recommendations that closely match each customer's…