Developing A Last Mile Delivery Strategy Fit For Your Business

Physical retail stores have taken quite the toll over the course of the past year as a result of pandemic restrictions. Where these retail stores have failed, their online counterparts have surpassed expectations. However, considering the amount of online sales as a result of the pandemic, many organizations’ order fulfillment strategies have been lacking. Keeping up with the prime delivery options that Amazon offers can be hard for any organization lacking that sort of logistical prowess, but for consumers, it seems unforgivable. Smaller online retailers are continuing to struggle to keep up with the shipment expectations of their customers.

Considering these failures, it’s worth mentioning where it’s all going wrong. Order fulfillment has many different steps, but what’s causing the most trouble for smaller online retailers it the last mile delivery stage of their order fulfillment strategies. This is the step in which products being stored in fulfillment facilities are then shipped out to the final point of sale, otherwise known as the customer. Again, this can be difficult for smaller online retailers struggling to keep up with their online orders as they lack the logistical resources necessary to maintain speedy delivery. No doubt, cross-border and inter-state trucking companies like CSA Transportation (https://www.csatransportation.com/contact/trucking-toronto) can provide ample logistic support, including same day pickup of shipments in some cases, to ensure that the products get delivered on time to waiting customers. While these trucking companies are doing a great job of helping retailers out, meeting customer expectations all the time can get a bit taxing.

It wasn’t always this way, though. In the past, when online shopping was taking its first steps in the industry, customers didn’t have such rigid expectations of the companies they were purchasing from. They would place an online order and trust in the organization they ordered from to deliver their item(s) in a timely manner. There was little to no shipment tracking available, and thus the expectations of these customers weren’t nearly as established as they are today. As companies like Amazon began taking over the space, though, this all changed. A variety of retailers in different sectors need to make sure that they are providing the right experiences for their customers. For example, a cannabis retail business will need a secure POS system with dispensary payments technology that will ensure positive and proactive output.

Flash back to today and these smaller retailers are struggling with more than just delivery. Order volume is through the roof as a result of the pandemic, so meeting shipment expectations has become that much harder for these organizations. How can these organizations adapt, though? One of the most sound ways to adapt is through an inventory management system and an increased amount of warehouse space throughout the states. The more facilities available, the more these inventory management systems can benefit your organization. Some examples of this are customized delivery options and considerations, tracking numbers, increased fleet safety measures (consider looking up for Lytx if you are interested) for the cars and for each of their orders.

If you feel as though your organization’s online sales have seen a dip throughout this pandemic, it might be worth taking a minute to reconsider your current last mile delivery strategy. Losing your customers as a result of a less than polished order fulfillment strategy is the last thing you want. Trying to battle it out with the titans of the space at a competitive disadvantage is an up-hill battle, that will often leave you profitless. Taking control over your profits is accomplished through a redefined order fulfillment strategy. For more information regarding Last Mile Delivery and its impact on your online business, be sure to check out the resource accompanying this post. Courtesy of WAREHOWZ