Warehouse Management

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 But in 2026, that instinct is increasingly outdated.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…

The International Longshoremen Association's (ILA) strikes may be paused until January 2025, but the disruptions are far from over. For retail warehouses, in particular, the impact is being felt at a critical time during the peak holiday season. With key issues still up for debate and supply chain disruptions continuing to impact warehouses across the…

From October to December, peak retail traffic creates transitory headaches for warehousing and logistics managers — and those headaches are getting peskier by the year. In 2023, shoppers spent 3.8 percent more than during the previous peak season. Meanwhile, peak-era spending has increased by 63 percent in the past decade, aided by the rising trend…

2023 was a challenging year for retail logistics. The industry was still recovering from a pandemic-fueled supply chain crisis, as well as a crippling labor shortage. Technology changed, HR strategies shifted, and retail logistics providers evolved to move past the challenges of 2023 and towards the opportunities of 2024. What could the new year bring?…

While holiday shopping sprees are still months away, it’s prime time for brands to evaluate their fulfillment needs. Whether a brand is in the market for a new third-party logistics (3PL) partner or plans to bring on additional fulfillment support to manage peak season, it’s critical they conduct their due diligence now. Before diving head…