When merchants gain complete visibility over their supply chains, they believe they're inherently executing an omnichannel strategy.<\/p>\n
Don't make assumptions <\/strong> If merchandisers want to achieve this level of operability, they'll need to develop and initiate a retail inventory management<\/a> plan. Knowing how to allocate goods in response to store demand and prioritize trucking routes to expedite ecommerce deliveries doesn't come with simply implementing a real-time tracking system.<\/p>\n Be proactive <\/strong> Once these questions are adequately answered, the retailer can begin making applicable adjustments to the supply chain. While specific changes need to be made, a much-needed holistic adjustment is the dismantling of segregated processes. Any responsibilities defined by ecommerce and store fulfillment must be reconfigured to include both.<\/p>\n Be flexible <\/strong> Suppose an item is particularly popular in California, but a warehouse in Ohio has a surplus of that specific product. In order to liquidate as many items as possible, it makes more sense to fulfill California store needs with the inventory held at the Ohio distribution center.<\/p>\n That's where logistics come into play. While setting fundamental operational plans is a good measure to take, failing to make necessary adjustments simply because it's "not the way we do things" isn't conducive to implementing an omnichannel strategy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When merchants gain complete visibility over their supply chains, they believe they’re inherently executing an omnichannel strategy. Continue reading
\nJust because a clothing enterprise knows exactly where a specific ecommerce order is located and how many designer jeans are held in a Grand Rapids, Michigan warehouse, doesn't mean it's running multichannel activities.<\/p>\n
\nBefore having a clear idea of what decisions need to be made, it's important that distribution managers ask the appropriate questions. Retail Info Systems News contributor David Landau outlined several, all of which relate to improving cross-channel sales and creating an omnichannel customer experience:<\/p>\n\n
\nEven in omnichannel strategies, many merchants choose to fulfill store and ecommerce needs based on location. Initially, this approach makes sense because it reduces transit time and shipping expenses. However, Apparel Magazine posited an interesting situation<\/a>.<\/p>\n