ECommerce is a booming industry with players ranging from small to large-sized companies. And as such, the competition is also becoming fierce with every new player entering the market.
Indeed, entrepreneurs need to look for innovative ways to stay afloat.
One of the key factors for almost every new eCommerce startup’s success is its supply chain.
The way, logistics are set up can make or break a startup before it even sees the daylight.
Thanks to the advancement in technology and business models, there are incredible ways to stay on top of logistics and maintain a flawless supply chain.
Keep reading to find out.
Choice Of Warehouse
The first and foremost feature of the whole logistics and supply chain is the choice of the warehouse. Typically, the warehouse must be situated close to the delivery locations, irrespective of where the business is headquartered.
For example, warehouse space Seattle can be ideal for delivery locations around Washington. Likewise, a Denver warehouse space can be perfect for deliveries in Colorado.
Entrepreneurs can even use warehouse setups that can offer more than just storage. For instance, a warehouse that can offer flexible space along with office amenities can also be great for setting up a small operations HQ.
Shipment Tracking Systems
Thanks to the internet and sophisticated GPS technologies, it is now easier more than ever to track shipments.
Not only the logistics team but the customers can also locate the position of their shipment.
Besides, shipment tracking systems can also save money for eCommerce business owners. There are no delayed shipment charges, risk of order cancellation, or even loss of goods. And, as a result, the customer experience also improves.
IoT And RFID
Business owners not only need to track shipments in transit but also the ones within the warehouse. Managing the inventory helps businesses maintain their stocks and fulfill the market demand.
As such, manually managing the inventory is time-consuming and also prone to errors.
But, thanks to technologies like IoT and RFID, the shipments can be tracked wherever they are with just a click of a button. Business owners can have a glance at their stock and order their refills before running out of it.
Autonomous Delivery Assistants
In light of the recent pandemic, customers still prefer minimal human contact. And, logistics companies are taking note of this.
Popular logistics companies like FedEx, UPS, and DHL are already exploring the possibilities of autonomous delivery assistants.
Today, autonomous trucks and drones are replacing the human workforce. The deliveries are being handled by robots and that too much faster speeds.
Thanks to autonomous AI technologies, eCommerce startups need not worry about hiring delivery partners. They can simply hire a robot for the same, which could be a lot cheaper, considering the returns on investment.
The Bottomline
ECommerce is a tough industry considering the number of players, which is still increasing. However, the logistics part for these businesses is surely sorted out.
Perhaps, the most critical pain point for eCommerce businesses is now slowly resolving. And hopefully, the other pain points will also be resolved in the coming years.