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Tag: e-commerce

2022 “shaping up to be an exciting year”

Posted on by Keith McKinley

2021 was another year of massive growth for the warehousing industry. Online retailers became accustomed to handling yet larger volumes and clicking ‘buy it now’ the established norm for the consumer.

Despatch Cloud, the cloud-based warehousing and delivery solution specialist for e-commerce, saw its services in huge demand following the surge in online orders. Matthew Dunne (pictured), founder and CTO, believes that 2022 is shaping up to be an exciting year for fulfilment and warehousing, but he is quick to highlight the issues that are holding the sector back from colossal growth.

Fulfilment and warehousing

“Sadly, capacity issues restricted some businesses across the sector in 2021, but these should hopefully be resolved in the coming year, and with the continued likely growth of e-commerce,” comments Dunne.

When it comes to physical warehouses, he cites: “Two kinds of warehouses are emerging to cater for the growing requirement for space and different needs of the industry and the consumer. The demand for mega warehouses is still high with significant numbers of construction projects planned in 2022. Meanwhile there is an explosive growth in mini warehouses in central locations within cities, which enable the same day delivery of common items.”

He believes that due to continued e-commerce growth, 2022 will see the ongoing trend of warehouse automation, from cobots to a fully automated warehouse. He adds: “The cost savings of automated warehouses will impact the industry greatly. Whether 2022 will be the tipping point remains to be seen, but the trend is clear.”

E-commerce

“Due to the pandemic, we have witnessed 5-7 years of growth compressed into the last two years. Whilst we expect, and hope, that the world will head towards stability and normality in 2022, the move to online shopping is not one we or our clients expect to reverse,” adds Dunne.

“We are expecting to see increased sales through social media platforms in the 12 months ahead. Rumours continue to swirl around Meta (Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp) and the potential ability to monetise the huge traffic volumes on social media apps into more value-added services.

“C-commerce (chat commerce) where you can ask to be shown items which are then sent to your phone for you to browse, select and purchase, is predicted to break into Europe and the UK soon.

“Consumers are increasingly seeking to buy from smaller firms, with local and/or ethical connections. Now is the time where traditional bricks and mortar shops must go online, leveraging another fulfilment trend.

“With the rapid emergence of same-day delivery companies, same-day, or even more rapid, delivery is becoming more of an expectation within bigger cities, bringing us full-circle to today’s warehousing and fulfilment needs.

“Retailers must seize the moment or risk being left behind.”

Webinar: How To Navigate The New Logistics Landscape

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Buying habits have changed, and it’s time delivery caught up. These days, the third party you engage to drop off your products represents your company. Increasingly, we’re seeing consumers say goodbye to brands they love due to poor customer service at the last mile.

So, partnering with Honeywell, FarEye is holding a webinar entitled How to Navigate the New Logistics Landscape on 26th January at 3.00pm GMT with an expert panel who will bring you up to speed on transport and logistics in 2022. It’s free to attend, and can help you align your online and last-mile experiences.

Topics being covered include:

  • The current logistical landscape
  • Emerging transport technologies
  • How data can be leveraged to improve delivery
  • What tools you can use to enhance the last-mile experience

In 2021, eCommerce transactions increased by 30%. It’s not hard to see why – for the past two years, we’ve embraced buying everything online. Today, we expect companies to spend the same amount of investment on the back end as they do on the front. But to achieve this, their delivery must be as seamless as their website.

Up to 66% of millennials think all purchases should have a one-hour delivery option. And 55% of all consumers say that three late deliveries would prevent them from using a service provider again. The fact is, if your final stage of the customer experience is letting the side down, you’ll lose customers.

That’s why in this webinar, we’re asking industry heavyweights to comment on the challenges of transport and logistics right now. They’ll provide answers like leveraging big data, data science and data analytics to refine the delivery process.

The panel includes speakers from Honeywell and FarEye, all helping us to solve problems such as customer expectations, driver retention and poor asset utilisation.

You can watch them, and host John Bradshaw, Vertical Marketing Manager at Honeywell, set the new world to rights by following THIS LINK to sign up for free.

Attendees can ask questions and use the information provided to kick-start their ambitions for 2022. What’s more, you’ll be able to counter the change in customer expectations, and gain the tools to exceed them. Sign up today and tap into the insights of industry leaders.

FarEye is a low-code, Intelligent Delivery Management Platform, enabling enterprises to orchestrate, track, and optimise their logistics operations. FarEye’s native SaaS products provide real time visibility across transportation networks and logistics orchestration for the execution of deliveries across the first, mid and last mile.

CLICK HERE  to register for the free webinar – How To Navigate The New Logistics Landscape

Shipping costs biggest concern for online shoppers

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A poll* by intralogistics innovator Dematic has found that while shopping on the net is becoming far more popular, almost three out of five shoppers (58%) are put off buying clothes online if asked to cover the shipping costs for a delivery or return.

As many people make multiple purchases with a view to returning items that don’t fit, costs can soon mount up, undermining the apparent convenience and cost efficiency of virtual vs high street shopping.

Another key concern, the survey revealed, was that some retailers have made the returns process unnecessarily difficult to navigate. Almost a quarter of customers (23%) are dissuaded from making a purchase, fearing the challenges of logging a return online, packaging and posting it back to the retailer.

Interestingly, many people actually prefer buying a new outfit from a clothes shop as they can not only try a garment on but take it home straight away without having to wait for a delivery. In fact, 13% of respondents in the poll said they want their goods immediately and the long wait for a delivery is another reason preventing them from completing a purchase online.

Other leading concerns raised by shoppers include trying to navigate different clothing brand size variations, not knowing if an item would fit properly, and not being able to establish the authenticity of a vendor.

Although shoppers enjoy the value for money and wider choice offered by online shopping, the survey revealed that a positive customer experience remains key to securing an Internet purchase.

Steffen Thierfelder, Managing Director of Northern Europe, Dematic, commented: “As the popularity of online shopping continues to grow, it is clear from our survey results that shoppers still expect high levels of customer service and simple, yet cost-effective, deliveries and returns processes.  Previously, ordering online was just about fulfilment but now it’s an integral part of the customer journey. Fashion retailers must take advantage of available logistics and automation solutions to improve costs and efficiencies to ensure their goods get to where they are needed as fast as possible, whether that be to a customer or returned to the warehouse.”

Dematic designs, builds and implements automated system solutions for warehouses, distribution centres, and production facilities.  As part of its intralogistics solution, Dematic uses an industrial engineering approach to deliver process improvements, material flow automation and performance optimising software.

  • * The poll was conducted on Twitter between 6th and 12th October, 2021, across Dematic’s Northern Europe region [Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom] and attracted 10,514 respondents.

Furnolic picks Prologis Park Ryton for net zero DC

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Prologis, the developer and owner of logistics parks, has agreed a lease with global e-commerce business, Furnolic Co. Ltd, the UK subsidiary of Ziel Group, for the latest unit at Prologis Park Ryton in Warwickshire.

The 10-year lease for the 148,461 sq ft (13,800 sq m) unit is Furnolic’s first physical site in the UK. The Chinese e-commerce business, which also trades under the name Songmics, Vasagle and Feandrea, specialises in homeware, furniture and pet furniture and is one of the largest global retailers on Amazon, operating across the US (Ameziel), Germany (Euziel), Japan (Zieljp), France, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Mexico.

Prologis Park Ryton is one of the most sought-after industrial and logistics locations in the UK, with current occupiers including Jaguar Land Rover, DHL and LEVC. The location has six major motorways within 14 miles of the park, along with a labour force of almost 900,000 people in a 30-minute radius. Once occupied, the new building will create 20-30 new jobs for the local area.

Tom Price, capital leasing & development director, at Prologis UK, said: “This is an important milestone for Furnolic as they secure their first location in the UK, and we are delighted to be welcoming another occupier to this prime logistics site. Furnolic is a valued global Prologis customer, and we are aiming to make the move to the new site a seamless and positive experience for the business.

“The attractiveness of Prologis Park Ryton, and the Midlands in general, as a location for logistics facilities, is clear. Companies of all shapes and sizes are recognising the value that the area holds as a means of expanding or further strengthening their e-commerce and delivery operations.”

Tong Wang, director at Furnolic, said: “We are very happy to be working with Prologis to set up our first logistics site in UK, which will provide better service to our customers in the UK, as well as in Europe. It is of great significance for us to expand our business in the European and global markets.”

Like every Prologis warehouse constructed in the UK for the past 13 years, DC8 at Prologis Park Ryton is net zero carbon in construction (based on the UKGBC net zero carbon framework).

Through a partnership with Planet Mark and climate action charity, Cool Earth, Prologis has measured and reduced the building’s whole life carbon footprint and mitigated five times the unavoidable embodied carbon emissions (carbon associated with the construction of the building) by protecting vital areas of rainforest.

As a result, DC8 is protecting 107 acres of rainforest canopy in the Peruvian Amazon, locking in almost 35,000 tonnes of carbon, protecting 24,000 trees, and supporting 652 indigenous people who are empowered to protect the rainforest.

Prologis is also constructing a further 330,770 sq ft (30,700 sq m) unit at Prologis Park Ryton, which is the last remaining plot. This unit is available to let and will be completed in August 2022.

Past the parcel – Amazon vs. Independent BPO

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The fulfilment process encompasses much more than simply shipping orders to customers, writes Kamran Iqbal, Commerce Strategist at PFS. Warehouse management, overseeing inventory capabilities, building positive relationships with reliable carriers, customer service teams, personalisation services, real-time data tracking and understanding compliance updates – these are just some of the ingredients needed to ensure a seamless fulfilment operation that prioritises customer experience. Scalability is a key consideration for retailers.

As such, choosing the right business process outsourcing (BPO) is essential for any e-commerce business. As you might expect, globally recognised Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA), is one of the most popular options out there. With an active Amazon seller account, you can add FBA to get your fulfilment services up and running. Selecting products using Amazon’s built-in catalogue, you can use their inventory management tool to market accordingly, then get packing your items safely before appointing one of Amazon’s carriers to ship items to their intended destinations. Customer service agents are also on-hand 24/7.

But are you really getting value for money when you partner with Amazon FBA? Does well-known necessarily mean money well-spent? Brands who care about customer loyalty and upholding their brand values and vision need to dig a little deeper before committing.

Measure for measure

Amazon’s busy supply chains can sometimes be the victim of inventory mismanagement or mishandling as a result. FBA system lags have resulted in negative feedback from sellers directly as delays have seen a drop in their ratings and even worse, cancelled orders. During the early days of the pandemic, Amazon introduced a policy where only inventory that had been classified as “necessities” would be shipped, causing frustration amongst many long-term sellers and putting off potential new partners. Likewise, issues during peak seasons such as last-minute changes to inventory policies, despite having an established API system in place, have made many question the value of Amazon FBA.yh

Products getting lost, or extra inventory showing up after shipments are completed, doesn’t restore seller confidence in the apparent transparency and reliability on stock that Amazon claims to have. Even more upsetting, if items are lost in the Amazon supply chain, a claim must be filed with Amazon for reimbursement. However, Amazon makes a valuation of the lost merchandise as opposed to paying the exact amount originally paid for it – not an ideal setup for retailers.

Advocating the great strength of omnichannel retail and optimising inventory management is key for any appointed BPO. By diversifying fulfilment points, comparing shopping selections, and ensuring stable Distributed Order Management (DOM) technology can route orders to alternative fulfilment facilities, retailers can keep orders moving and maintain customer loyalty.

Being preventative and reactive is the winning combination and will set you up for success. By implementing a full-featured order management system (OMS), customer delivery preferences, shipping time and costs, as well as sustainability initiatives, can be brought to fruition as part of a wider system of inventory management – something which can really be explored by BPOs, other than Amazon.

Battle of the brands

Partnering with Amazon can show that you have the demand and capital to be a key player in e-commerce. Like so many brands, however, your identity can quickly be swallowed up and, to all intents and purposes, eradicated, as shipments are sent impersonally, with the contents inside being wrapped with Amazon logos and no branding or personal touches that set the e-commerce order apart. Scalability is a key consideration for retailers and brands and with customers continuing to revel in a “gifted” experience, that ability to offer the personal touch can make all the difference.

With personalisation services on hand as part of the BPO experience, providers fully deliver on brand ethos and tie the customer to that purchasing journey. Value-added services (VAS) put the brand first, not the BPO; clearly identifying the brand being purchased from directly and eliminating any confusion around the purchase. Working with branded packaging eliminates any vanity – and ensures there are no questions lost in translation further down the line.

Making a success of your fulfilment operation doesn’t end when the package reaches its destination. Being on-hand to answer questions before, during and after items have made it to the customer is essential, especially when things go wrong, or a customer is less than happy with their experience.

Less time spent holding on the phone and instead engaging with social media forums or chat windows is evidently preferable for customers. Amazon FBA has fallen down time and time again here as customers report slow response times and lack of personalised or tailored customer service responses.

The BPO difference

Setting your brand apart, by ensuring multilingual agents are on hand, can make the difference between an abandoned cart and a lifelong customer. A qualified BPO can offer a variety of channels (live chat, email, phone, video, chatbots, social listening and social media monitoring, etc.) to meet customers where they are at any stage of the transaction. Agents can respond to customer service issues quickly and satisfactorily, stopping issues escalating before customers take to forums and other mediums.

Ultimately, it comes down to brand identity. If aligning yourself with a recognised global network is the key determining factor, then Amazon may still come out on top. Companies may believe that partnering with a provider with Amazon’s scale may create legitimacy within their own brand.

But should it be down to the fulfilment provider to establish this legitimacy in the first place?

Scalability is a key consideration for retailers and brands moving from the likes of Amazon to an independent BPO – supporting operations year-round, not just at times of fluctuating demand, such as peak, is essential. Dealing with unexpected surges is crucial – you don’t want your BPO to be surprised. If they are, they cannot call themselves scalable. If recognition is vital to deliver the overall brand ethos, then employing the services of a BPO who has the infrastructure in place to meet these expectations may just push them to the top.

Inside the warehouse with retailer Sisi & Seb

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Carley Bassett, managing director of luxury children’s brand Sisi & Seb, shares how her team managed demand during the pandemic and the benefits of outsourcing fulfilment to Diamond Logistics.

What trends are you seeing in the luxury children’s products market? How do you expect the market to change in the next few years?

People really love unisex products and items that have longevity so they often buy gender neutral clothing. I find parents want items that will last, are different and good quality, but at a fair price. Now more than ever sustainability is key and I think (and hope) that this will continue in the next few years.

How have you overcome the challenges of Brexit and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic? 

I am definitely still dealing with them, a lot of stress, worry and wine in equal measures to get through both! 2020 was a tough and unpredictable year, we saw a huge demand for online shopping. It was difficult to plan 2021 off the back of that.

Has the pandemic changed how you operate? If so, how?

I was lucky to have moved into fulfilment prior to the pandemic, therefore still able to dispatch orders. We saw huge demand and had to move quickly to put new systems in place and to recruit a bigger team. The first lockdown was crazy. Thankfully I had Diamond, but I was doing the marketing, accounting, social media and customer service by myself. We have grown quickly and now have two members of staff, an amazing warehouse and a fantastic accountant for which I am so grateful.

We know how important packaging and the un-boxing experience is in 2021. How has Diamond supported you in your un-boxing ambitions?

Diamond really understands my desire to have eco-friendly packaging and where we can, no plastic. Our packaging is all cardboard/paper and recyclable. We also gift wrap, as we realised people weren’t able to do so themselves during the pandemic.

How has Diamond Logistics supported your growth and the safe delivery of your products? 

They have been amazing quite frankly. It is such a fast-paced environment with e-commerce but Mandy Watkins-Smith, managing director at Diamond Logistics Bristol, and her team are always so fast to respond to queries and process customer returns quickly and efficiently. I have been able to put faith in them and grow the areas of the business that I need to. I am able to rest in the knowledge they are dealing with the logistics efficiently and with utmost care and attention.

What should retailers think about when choosing a fulfilment partner? What have been the benefits of partnering with Diamond?

As with anything you have to get along with the team and make sure you’re a good fit. Customer experience is key, as is making sure orders are processed in a timely manner. We are all human and mistakes can happen so you have to work with a fulfilment partner which is transparent and vice versa. I really feel like Diamond has helped me grow my business in the time I have been with them, and it’s been a leap in the right direction for us.

Reflecting on the last year, what advice would you give to an emerging retailer of children’s products?

First and foremost make sure you prioritise a professional quality service over a lower price (particularly with accountants and fulfilment centres). Transparency is key in all that you do, whether that is with your customers or the professionals you partner with. eCommerce is super hard, competitive (particularly in this field) and ever changing so keep going and make sure you give yourself the credit you deserve. Sometimes it feels like you haven’t achieved anything but every little step is a move forward!

Post-pandemic delivery experience vital for differentiation

Posted on by David Priestman

The pandemic changed consumer shopping behaviour for good. With physical stores forced to close, many had to adjust to shopping online with speed and convenience key to the experience. Whilst necessity drove this rapid change, retailers had to fight to keep up. Many invested heavily in improving their websites and optimising the online experience, however failed to invest properly into the delivery experience. Perhaps it seemed of lesser importance…

Yet, with the world opening up again and a well-publicised shortage of HGV drivers leading to escalating delivery costs, will this neglect backfire on retailers’ online investment? And do customers perceive the online and home delivery experience as good enough to retain their loyalty now the options are not so limited?

Andrew Tavener, Head of Marketing at Descartes, argues that retailers should not undervalue the importance of the delivery experience. When it comes to customer expectations, the delivery service leaves a lasting impression and can make or break brand loyalty. With spiralling costs and the risk of losing customers to better performing competitors, retailers simply cannot afford not taking ownership of the full, end-to-end experience.

Growth in online sales

Descartes commissioned independent research in July 2021 to assess changes in online buying habits. It was found that 43% of all purchases are now made online, with 51% of European consumers buying online once a week (a huge increase from the 28% pre-pandemic). The growth in online purchasing is stronger in the UK and, looking to the future, UK consumers expect 50% of all purchases to be delivered to their homes in 12 months’ time.

Convenience is key and 50% stated this was the primary driver for its increase and expected continuation. However, whilst 41% believe the ease of buying online has improved, retailers cannot afford to become complacent. Problems with the overall online experience are less likely to be tolerated as economies open back up. Almost half (48%) stated that delivery concerns would affect online buying decisions, including worries that deliveries are not environmentally friendly (19%), can be unreliable (18%), bad delivery experiences (16%) and dissatisfaction with the delivery process (14%).

Retailer perception damaged by the delivery experience

Clearly, the delivery experience is vital to the overall online shopping experience and continued consumer loyalty. Over two thirds (68%) of consumers had an issue with a delivery in the last three months, which led to 24% losing trust in a delivery company and 24% losing trust in the retailer. As over a third share their perception with friends and family, this creates a ripple effect and can dramatically impact repeat purchases and brand perception.

The efficiency of the last mile model is more vital than ever as consumer demand grows at the same time as the well-publicised HGV and van driver shortage. Businesses are finding this a challenge as costs increase with pay rises for drivers, large sign-on incentives and rising fuel prices, whilst customer expectations for their delivery service increase. An inefficient and traditional reliance on managing orders in batches has damaged reputations and left the delivery process wanting. Excessive contingency has also often left drivers waiting in a lay-by to avoid arriving too early or items being left in unsecure locations (18% of UK consumers have experienced this), with neighbours or missed entirely. These lead to an increase in experiences of damaged packages (17%) and a spike in customer service calls, further increasing cost and time expenditure.

As people have become more familiar with online purchasing and the end-to-end experience, their expectations have increased to want what they want, where and when they want it. Any issues that affect this will inevitably drive them to competitors.

In order to maintain the benefits from access to a new marketplace due to the pandemic, retailers need to improve the consistency and quality of the delivery experience. Taking ownership of the delivery process and understanding the demand and delivery capacity is vital to vastly improving the entire end-to-end experience. Through continuous, real-time optimisation of all orders, delivery commitments and available delivery capacity, delivery efficiency and performance can be transformed.

Technology will help retailers make the most of their existing resources by managing drivers’ time effectively and retaining them with an improved working experience. The retailer can use this technology to monitor delivery capacity and existing commitments with new orders to enhance and update the delivery options that are passed to the customer at the point of sales in real-time, gaining the confidence of customers that promises will be met.

Competitive differentiation and environmental gains

Finding a way to make an improved delivery experience a selling point is challenging. However, when done well, retailers will increase sales, improve customer perception and gain new customers. 60% of UK adults consider the environment whilst ordering online, which rises to 88% of those aged under 25 making it an important consideration that will sway consumers, particularly the younger generation.

27% of UK consumers would be interested in bulking orders into a single weekly delivery and 26% are happy for their orders to be delivered when there are multiple deliveries in their area. An option already available to larger marketplaces, this is not so easy to implement in smaller organisations. There is an opportunity, however, for retailers to work together through fulfilment collaboration to optimise delivery models and third parties could leverage real-time capacity optimisation solutions to provide this option in the future.

Electric Vehicles are being used more by delivery companies in a bid to improve environmental credentials but the solution should go beyond the purchase of these. Intelligent route management is essential to ensure the right vehicles are deployed to reflect environmental goals and address the growing costs associated with the UK’s Clear Air Zones. Additionally, continuous background optimisation can match capacity with demand and allocate the correct vehicles to suitable routes for them.

Also, by using real-time information about the fleet, capacity and demand, a retailer has the power to influence buyer behaviour by offering differential pricing to incentivise delivery slots that would be greener or maximise density. This presents many benefits to the retailer, including aiding sustainability, as well as producing a more efficient delivery for both consumer and driver.

Conclusion

Online purchasing is not slowing down and consumers’ confidence in the end-to-end experience of shopping online has increased significantly since the pandemic began. With an increase in the frequency of online orders and deliveries received, consumers’ expectations over the past 18 months have risen as they become more familiar with the service and the quality that can be achieved. As this research shows – with only 16% of UK consumers completely satisfied with the delivery service – retailers must act fast to prevent lost sales or a negative impact on perception.

The lasting impression a customer has of a retailer is the delivery service. Online retailers have enjoyed the benefits from the COVID-19 bounce in building a larger customer base but now need to look to the future. In order to retain and satisfy these new customers, it is key for businesses to ensure a robust end-to-end experience is in place that is both efficient and considerate of the environment.

Magazino extends robot fleet at Zalando

Posted on by David Priestman

Magazino has extended the robot fleet at one of Europe’s leading fashion platforms, Zalando, representing the largest delivery in the young robotics company’s history. The existing fleet of eight robots at the Zalando logistics site in Lahr (Germany) will be expanded by 20 additional robots. Some of the additional robots will already support the picking of shoes ordered online during Cyber Week 2021.

The first 10 additional robots were delivered by Magazino in September 2021. These will support Zalando employees and the existing robot fleet in the upcoming Cyber Week at the end of November. The remaining robots will be delivered to Lahr by the end of the year and put into operation next year. The working area of the robots in the Zalando logistics centre will also increase from 4,000 to 16,000 sq m.

Carl-Friedrich zu Knyphausen, Director Logistics Development at Zalando, said: “We see the mobile picking robots from Magazino as an important support for our logistics processes. Often, automation technologies are difficult to implement in confined areas such as a picking warehouse. But the TORU robots have proven that they can relieve our colleagues of non-ergonomic tasks. They actively and reliably cooperate – and not only in daily business, but also at peak times like Cyber Week.”

Frederik Brantner, CEO and founder of Magazino, said: “The scaling of the robot fleet clearly shows the added value of TORU. Zalando’s decision to roll out our technology on a large scale is proof that mobile robots like TORU have long since left the testing and prototype phase behind and are now an integral part of modern, high-performance intralogistics.”

Zalando launched an initial project with two TORU robots from Magazino at its logistics site in Erfurt back in 2018. This was later followed by the relocation of the robots to the Lahr site and the expansion of the fleet to a total of eight robots in 2019. When all additional robots are in live operation around April 2022, Zalando will be operating the largest fleet of TORU robots.

Fashion retailer boosts shipping capability by 500%

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, says the German fashion retailer SportSpar.de has increased its ability to ship customer orders by 500% without increasing resources using Descartes’ cloud-based ecommerce warehouse management solution (WMS). The move from manual single-order-fulfilment to technology-based highly efficient and optimised multi-order-picking processes dramatically boosted the retailer’s number of shipments per day.

“We mainly sell remaining stock and previous year’s collections of well-known brands and have successfully placed ourselves in a niche with this business model,” says Aleksandr Borisenko, one of the two founders and Managing Directors of SportSpar.de. “Early on, we realised that our manual, inefficient order fulfilment processes were limiting growth. Descartes’ automated fulfilment processes work well, are simple, and can help us expand our product catalogue as much as we want. Since implementation, we’ve scaled our processes, purchased a higher number of products and shipped substantially more customer orders.”

Part of Descartes’ ecommerce shipping and fulfilment suite, the Descartes ecommerce WMS solution helps direct-to-consumer brands, ecommerce retailers, and traditional retailers rapidly scale while providing a remarkable end-customer experience. The solution helps ensure that clients can ship on time, ship the right items, do not oversell existing inventory, and have transparency into warehouse operations. The Descartes ecommerce WMS solution is pre-integrated to major ecommerce platforms to accelerate implementation and time-to-value. Order information is automatically available, and fulfilment is managed via mobile device-based workflows.

“We’re very pleased to have supported SportSpar.de in the successful expansion of their business,” said Dirk Haschke, VP & General Manager, Ecommerce at Descartes. “Our solution offers flexible and scalable processes that take retailers’ ecommerce warehouse performance to the next level. The deployment at SportSpar.de is an excellent example of how system-supported, automated order fulfilment enables ecommerce companies to gain control of their operations, improve productivity and grow successfully.

Kite adds e-commerce gift packaging range

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Kite Packaging, the one-stop destination for e-commerce packaging, has added a spectrum of shredded paper and tissue to its gift packaging repertoire. ZigZag shredded paper and straight cut varieties can be purchased from the Kite website in attractive hues of natural, white, black pillar box red, rose, cerise, cream, admiral and apple. These colours can coordinate with a brand or add extra panache to seasonal gifts around Christmas or Easter time.

Alongside aesthetic qualities, these solutions also provide protective cushioning while holding space as void fill, preventing the contents from moving about and colliding within a package. This reduces the chance of damages occurring, further ensuring that the customer is greeted with a stunningly effective gift-wrapped parcel.

The range enables companies to elevate their unboxing experience to secure a loyal customer base and appeal to a more premium audience. Tissue paper is synonymous with luxury and Kite’s range now includes a black or white variety of shredded tissue to adorn the inside of boxes with. This packaging is reusable, recyclable and domestically compostable with sustainable sourcing certifications to match. As a result, environmental consciousness is intertwined with the attractive touches that have been proven to boost sales.

The paper products similarly boast reusability, recyclability and biodegradability to remain consistent with Kite’s aims of reducing environmental impact wherever possible. Express limitless creativity with these decorative solutions without sacrificing green credentials. Visual appeal and eco-friendly assurances go hand in hand with these new products, making them ideal void fill options for retail, beauty, health, décor and gift industries.

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