Warehouse Management

Peak season may be behind us, but for many warehouses and third-party logistics (3PLs) providers, the real test begins after the holidays. The returns wave has a way of exposing operational friction that steady volumes can mask: crowded receiving areas, delayed restocking, inconsistent inspection steps, and limited visibility into what’s actually moving through the building.…

With another holiday shopping season behind us, the retail community has a brief moment to pause and reflect on what lies ahead. In this spirit, now is the time for predictions. Granted, no one has a crystal ball and geopolitical events can upend even the steadiest of markets, however, there is value in taking stock…

During the 2025 holiday season, fulfillment became far more visible than many retailers expected. Economic uncertainty shaped conservative planning assumptions heading into peak season, however, once the season was underway, execution mattered more than forecasts. Why? Because consumer demand didn’t soften. In fact, Adobe Analytics reported more than $10 million in online spend every minute…

Nike is cutting 775 employees as the company looks to boost its bottom line and accelerate its use of “automation,” CNBC has learned. The layoffs, which are in addition to the 1,000 corporate job cuts the company announced last summer, primarily impact distribution center roles in Tennessee and Mississippi, where the sneaker giant operates large warehouses,…

Industrial real estate is back in the spotlight. Prologis and other large landlords are reporting renewed demand as retailers and brands stabilize volumes and prepare for the next phase of growth. After several volatile years, the instinct to lock in more warehouse space feels rational. But in 2026, that instinct is increasingly outdated. The most…

Inbound freight is where efficiency is won or lost, and automation is rewriting the rules. Robotics and advanced orchestration software are helping operators move goods faster, safer and with fewer errors than ever before. Automated systems unload containers in minutes instead of hours, mobile robots shuttle inventory between docks with precision, and vision-guided palletizers minimize…

As the price of power climbs across much of the U.S., you can view your business's energy spend as an operational headache or as a competitive advantage. As retailers gear up for the critical end-of-year shopping season, a perfect storm of energy market volatility is brewing. Recent PJM capacity auctions hit record highs at $329.17/MW-day…

Peak season is the time of year when retailers see their revenues surge, making it the focal point of their annual operations. While efforts to spread out consumer demand have reduced the focus on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the holiday shopping rush remains a pivotal make-or-break event for fulfillment operations and the brands they…

As supply chain-focused businesses look to address concerns around challenges such as inflation and sustainability costs, they’re betting big on technology. One in four have an innovation budget of at least $500,000, while 39 percent have seen an increase in budget for 2025, according to Kenco’s State of Supply Chain Innovation Transformation Report. That’s great…

While at the 2025 National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City from Jan. 12-14, Total Retail's Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan had the opportunity to interview Julian Van Erlach, senior vice president of global supply chain at FabFitFun, a lifestyle membership best known for its FabFitFun Box flagship product. In this video interview, Van Erlach…