Supply Chain

Online shoppers have come to count on not only free shipping, but free returns as well. Experts say retailers can expect, on average, about $158 billion of merchandise sold during the recent holiday shopping season to be returned. While some brands are rethinking their return policies, shortening the return window, or even charging a return or restocking fee, there's a bigger picture to consider.  There’s…

Delivery expectations have surged since the beginning of the pandemic, requiring innovative solutions to make shopping easier for the customer, regardless of what they’re buying. Delivery also plays a major role in customer purchasing decisions, especially during the holiday season. According to Oracle, 47 percent of global shoppers say the time it takes to get…

Even though it might not always seem like it, things are getting better across global industry supply chains that have been impacted since the pandemic. As shipping ports are easing up, companies are proactively investing in new technologies and building contingency plans in hopes of making their supply chains more resilient and agile. As we…

In Charles Dickens’ treasured story, "A Christmas Carol," Ebenezer Scrooge peers into his past, present and future, learning valuable lessons from his mistakes and emerging a better man. Thankfully, retailers don’t need a visit from three ghosts to make wiser choices in the new year. As retailers face down a looming recession, here’s what they…

Last year took grocery retailers for a wild ride as the industry worked to please shoppers amid turbulent times. The pandemic refused to go away. Inflation was higher than it has been in 40-plus years. Supply chain snarls continued. So, too, did the labor shortage. All these factors and more took a toll on the…

Throughout the pandemic, we witnessed a massive surge in e-commerce and acceleration in digital transformation by many companies that had been, up until then, slow adopters. Online ordering for everything from groceries to toilet paper to fitness equipment and home office furniture became the norm — and has only recently slowed down after businesses were finally…

Against a backdrop of inflation, weakened consumer spending power, and lingering supply chain disruption sparked by the pandemic, retailers continue to face growing complexity and uncertainty. Traffic routing, inventory management, omnichannel purchasing, staff scheduling — all have contributed to increased challenges for the industry. Forward-looking retailers are embracing new technologies to help navigate today’s dynamic…

Predictions for 2023 seem pretty dismal right now. As the recession and labor shortage continue to batter retailers, however, there are a few things they can do to become more efficient while setting themselves up for a more promising 2024. Supply chain efficiency will be one of the biggest challenges facing retailers and impacting consumers.…

The events of the last few years — Brexit, the pandemic, The Great Resignation, a cost-of-living crisis — have caused evolving challenges that continue to ripple through the retail industry. One of the biggest causes for concern for businesses today is a mass shortage of workers as people switch to remote or at-home working, decide…

Consumer spending accounts for nearly 70 percent of U.S. economic activity. In the first half of 2022, shoppers buoyed the economy — or at least kept it from falling deeply into recession. However, they’re starting to feel the pinch from inflation and rising interest rates. The supply chain was more stable in 2022, but retailers…