Red Sea impact on UK retailers – Who foots the bill?
Ongoing attacks by Houthi rebels on cargo ships in the Red Sea are continuing to cause supply disruptions for retailers, as stock deliveries have been delayed and many vessels have been forced to reroute around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. The route can add an extra 10 to 14 days to cargo ships’ journey […]
Warehouse Efficiency: Is cost per pick impacting your bottom line?
A penny saved is a penny earned, but in the highly competitive business landscape, cutting costs isn’t always met with applause. What if businesses could not only save money but also enhance the customer experience through a revamped cost-cutting strategy? In today’s ever-changing economic climate, savvy businesses nationwide are diving into warehouse efficiencies to slash […]
Combatting growing pains within small retailers
Starting up as a retailer is easy – it’s managing growth that’s tricky. Entrepreneurial individuals can leverage any one of over 400 marketplaces to build up a brand and access global customers. Stock can be stored in a single location and orders quickly fulfilled by hand. But that’s just the start. Successful business expansion depends […]
ORDER FULFILMENT MONTH: Selecting the right partner for retail and e-commerce brands
The choice of order fulfilment partner is a critical decision for supply chain managers working in retail and e-commerce. This decision not only impacts operational efficiency, but also influences customer satisfaction and brand reputation. As such, there are several key considerations that supply chain managers must evaluate when selecting a fulfilment partner, as outlined here […]
82% of shoppers experience out-of-stocks as supply chain issues persist
With retailers facing continued supply chain disruption – from the long shadow of covid-19 to Russia’s war on Ukraine and climate change – shoppers are reporting increased levels of out-of-stock products. That’s according to the latest data from Retail Insight, which polled over 1,000 UK shoppers revealing that 82% have experienced out-of-stock products in-store in […]
Consumers want retailers to have sustainable home delivery services
43% of consumers feel retailers are doing a good job of using sustainable delivery practices, while more than 60% indicate they are quite/very interested in environmentally friendly delivery methods. That’s according to Descartes’ 2023 Home Delivery Sustainability Report: Consumers Expect More! survey, which examined consumer sentiment of retailers’ sustainability practices around their delivery operations. Additionally, […]
Managing the perennial problem of returns
The challenge of managing returns is not new. Traditionally this service and option has been free for many online shoppers to take advantage of. However, many retailers are planning to charge for returns as they strive to curtail the impact of this problem on their revenue. 25% of the UK’s leading brands are now charging […]
Planning a Nordic Market entry or already have established Nordic e-commerce customers?
Buying products online is a long-established habit of most of the population in the Nordic countries. All of them, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway were out early when it came to building an internet infrastructure, also in thinly populated areas. So, Nordic consumers have been relatively mature in their behavior when it comes to e-commerce […]
How retailers can improve sustainability and profitability in home delivery
Today, home delivery and sustainability are coming together in consumers’ minds. Descartes recently conducted a comprehensive study to help retailers understand not only how this convergence is changing consumer home delivery preferences; but also how retailers can take advantage of these evolving preferences to help themselves and the environment. The good news is that consumers […]
The top six eCommerce trends for 2023 and why businesses shouldn’t ignore them
There are over 60 million eCommerce users in the UK alone (Source: Statista), meaning the vast majority of UK residents now shop online. When a new generation of tech-savvy kids start shopping, the industry will only expand further, so it’s crucial that online retailers continue to innovate if they want to keep growing too. James […]
