Managing returns from online purchases is becoming onerous and expensive. Even though the fast rate of growth of e-commerce sales is slowing, the rate at which customers are returning purchases is rising. This is a new experience for some newer online retailers and an inconvenience. There is no way to avoid returns completely as this is a cost of doing business. In the UK, revenue in the e-commerce market is projected to reach £80million in 2021 according to Statista, showing an annual growth rate of 3.5%, resulting in a projected market volume of over £92million by 2025. Some leading commentators estimate that returns logistics costs can account for about 5% of turnover. KPMG suggests that “it can cost double the amount for a product to be returned into the supply chain as it does to deliver it”. I.T. is a critical ally of the logistics supply chain, especially in omnichannel fulfilment and reverse logistics. Effective returns management in e-commerce requires an efficient warehouse management system (WMS) to handle inventory and order management.
This article was first published in the July 15th 2021 issue of Warehouse & Logistics News, subscribe to the magazine by clicking here.
The benefits and savings enabled by voice-controlled warehouse operations are now open to all budgets with the launch of EPG’s flexible rental service, giving customers access to Lydia Voice technology. Easy to operate and implement, Lydia Voice requires no user training, issuing simple voice commands to warehouse staff via ergonomic headsets or a wearable vest. Including all necessary voice and connector licences and an optional hardware bundle, Lydia Voice can be integrated into any existing WMS or ERP.
Well done to Vanderlande for designing and deploying market leading warehouse automation solutions, specifically in the fields of retail and e-commerce. The company’s solutions for ASRS include its ADAPTO shuttle which is truly a game changer as its modular so customers can add to the system as they need to. Vanderlande’s AIRPICK Pocket sorter is leading with its innovative design and ability to handle a variety of products.
For retail and e-commerce the challenge on resources is more challenging than ever, labour scarcity is becoming even more challenging combined with the demand for later picking times and the OPEX cost reduction achieved through a Vanderlande automated solution can help drive improvements in efficiency of storage and picking accuracy.
Most ERPs were designed for manufacturers and focus on finance, not service, according to Gary Jones, Head of Sales at Service Geeni. “What people need to realise is that the tech is out there and you can get the best of both worlds by integrating your ERP with a service management system,” says Jones. Jitterbit, an API Integration platform, helps companies connect SaaS, on-premise and cloud applications and instantly infuse artificial intelligence into any business process.
It is encouraging to see I.T. companies constantly innovating, helping the logistics industry overcome whatever hurdles it faces and deliver the best service for consumers.
George Simpson
Features Editor
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