E-commerce

A comprehensive look at the innovative systems that are changing the face of retail warehouse and DC operations.

In e-grocery, automated micro-fulfillment centers are catching on, but for general retailers and e-commerce sellers, other approaches are part of the picture. Providers are focused on helping online brands or other retail merchants quickly establish the network reach they need for next-day or two-day fulfillment.

Automated palletizing systems are proven solutions, and they are becoming more flexible in accommodating different SKUs and tasks. Vendors are giving operations plenty of choice, putting more emphasis on software capabilities and ease of use.

As e-commerce exploded over the past year, so too did the need for narrow-aisle layouts and the trucks that can accommodate them.

While Modern readers are feeling the strains that the astonishing growth of e-commerce have placed on operations, a summary of statistics recently shared with me by Ian Hobkirk, founder and managing director of Commonwealth Supply Chain Advisors, put that explosiveness into context.

In its “Q1 Industrial Outlook,” JLL Director of U.S. Industrial Research Mehtab Randhawa wrote that e-commerce continues to be a trending topic of discussion, with demand from this industry driving the bulk of industrial leasing, with the caveat that leasing volumes are starting to normalize following an anomaly year.

In this year’s annual survey, the disruption of the past year certainly influenced some short-term trends, but respondents are optimistic going forward. Results reflect more than a bump in the road, however. Companies are deeply concerned about issues like labor availability, workload planning and tighter cycle times, prompting interest in technology and software solutions, better metrics and further automation.

E-commerce sales are booming and warehouse space is expensive and hard to find. Here’s how creative companies can make the most out of their unused overhead space.

Learn how Vertical Lift Modules, Vertical Buffer Modules and Horizontal Carousels stack up when it comes to e-commerce operations.

Traditional retailers are turning to their brick-and-mortar stores to compete in e-fulfillment. It could be the future of retail.

Apex Will Call Smart Locker Solution helps contractors stay productive and avoid showroom lines.

Are the demands of e-commerce outpacing your fulfillment capabilities? Are labor shortages, wage increases and poor utilization cutting into your profit margins? If so, Honeywell Intelligrated is here to help.

From advanced picking strategies to basic storage and picking applications, Kardex Remstar offers a range of solutions designed to reduce floor space, increase productivity and improve worker ergonomics.

Insight into the challenges e-commerce operations are facing head on as the end of Q1 2021 approaches and how automation and technology can help solve them

If we learned anything in 2020, it’s that distribution and fulfillment (D&F) companies will need to utilize all available tools, technologies and fulfillment strategies to prepare for a new era of omnichannel fulfillment