Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
    • A-E
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
    • F-O
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
    • P-R
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
    • S-Z
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    • March 2025
    • September 2023
    • June 2023
    • March 2023
    • December 2022
    • SHOWCASE 2019
    • Archive Issues
    • Subscribe Free!
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn YouTube Twitter
  • Sign-up for Breaking News Emails
  • Meet the Editors
  • Contact Us
  • Media Pack
Subscribe
LinkedIn Facebook
Parcel and Postal Technology International
  • News
      • Automation
      • Business Diversification
      • Construction / Development
      • Cross-border
      • Delivery
      • E-commerce
      • Expo
      • Freight
      • IT & Systems
      • Last Mile
      • Lockers / PUDO
      • Logistics
      • Mail
      • Operations
      • Packets
      • Parcels
      • Peak
      • Retail
      • Returns
      • Sorting Systems
      • Staff / Personnel
      • Sustainability
      • Technology
      • Vehicles / Fleet
  • Features
  • Online Magazines
    1. December 2024
    2. September 2024
    3. June 2024
    4. March 2024
    5. SHOWCASE 2019
    6. Subscribe Free!
    Featured
    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – March 2025

    Online Magazines By Web Team
    Recent

    In this Issue – March 2025

    April 2, 2025

    In this Issue – December 2024

    December 5, 2024

    In this Issue – September 2024

    September 19, 2024
  • Opinion
  • Videos
  • Analysis
  • Awards
    • 2025 Awards
    • 2024 Award Winners
    • 2023 Award Winners
    • 2022 Award Winners
    • 2021 Award Winners
    • 2020 Award Winners
    • 2019 Award Winners
    • Previous Winners
  • Supplier Spotlight
  • Parcel + Post Expo
LinkedIn Facebook
Subscribe
Parcel and Postal Technology International
Features

Top five trends influencing e-commerce fulfillment

Johannes Panzer, head of industry solutions, e-commerce, DescartesBy Johannes Panzer, head of industry solutions, e-commerce, DescartesFebruary 3, 20204 Mins Read
Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

As e-commerce evolves, customer expectations to get what they want — when, where and how they want it — will only continue to intensify and further challenge organizations in 2020 and beyond. The times when search and price were the only criteria for purchasing decisions are gone, and retailers today need airtight e-commerce strategies that promote and sustain domestic and international growth to drive positive results.

Part of the challenge is having effective processes in place to ensure products are seamlessly, quickly and accurately delivered after consumers click to purchase, and the value of order fulfillment optimization has become one of the most important factors in achieving this. For those retailers that aren’t leveraging fulfillment as a competitive weapon and enhancing their workflows with automation technologies, the risk of losing out to the competition is a growing reality.

As companies continue to identify fulfillment operations as a differentiator to both the customer experience and the bottom line, here are the top five trends that retailers should keep front of mind to remain competitive:

1. The rise of marketplaces:The growth in e-commerce marketplace platforms has given way to new opportunities for both domestic as well as international sales, and more companies are looking to join in — with the overall market predicted to reach US$40.1bn in revenue by 2022. The UK online marketplace alone is forecast to rise by €15.2bn (US$16.8bn) over the next five years, with Amazon and eBay set to account for over 90% of these transactions. Collaboration between bricks and mortar retail outlets and online players for delivery collections and returns drop-offs directly at stores is the best approach.

2. Data, data, and more data: E-commerce ecosystems are complex, and with heightened consumer expectations around delivery options and experience, the interchange of data and the required connectivity is increasing exponentially between the different players involved, such as marketplaces, payments, logistics providers and carriers. This has and will only continue to require more real-time data than ever before, including the analytics that can help companies make meaningful sense of the data and inform decision making to drive ongoing success.

3. The opportunity for new technology like AR in warehouses: This isn’t just relevant for a marketplace front-end with image searches and virtual dressing and fitting rooms. In fact, augmented reality (AR) is growing in the warehouse and helping to support intra-logistics workflows and make work processes more productive and decision-making more intelligent. Examples of this include ‘cycle counting,’ or finding bin-locations to count quicker and identify those that are in use; ‘put away’ that helps determine empty bin-locations faster; and ‘picking’ for visual guidance that reveals opportunities to reduce search times and improve accuracy for picking the right item in the warehouse.

4. Automation and robotics: While some may fear that automation and robotics will replace humans altogether, this is not the case — at least for the near future. Rather, the application of these types of technologies in the supply chain will increasingly help companies enhance synergies and improve productivity. Even at Amazon’s fulfilment centers where robots have been introduced, the technology is meant to assist associates, drive faster shipping times, and maximize available inventory – not completely eliminate the need for human effort. In fact, the company says that fully automated, ‘lights-out warehouses’ are a decade away.

While the upfront cost of some types of these technologies might deter early adoption, the potential cost savings can benefit the bottom line. This can also be treated as an incremental journey, starting with automating single processes like packing machines and conveyor belts, and gradually moving up to more automated picking process with robotics systems.

5. Rising costs: Between increased minimum wages for employees and rising shipping, carrier, property and marketplace costs, the concern around margins will not disappear. Many will be hard-pressed to find ways to manage these expenses effectively and lower the risk of bleeding money. By focusing on two major fulfillment components — streamlining and improving logistics processes — e-commerce companies will be better positioned to mitigate extra spend. They may also find new opportunities to sell additional value-added services including more shipping options, such as time-specified or next-day delivery windows; additional set up service for bulky products; free shipping if a customer is willing to wait a few days longer; or an additional fee for two-day delivery. This cultivates greater competitive differentiation plus generates greater revenue down the line.

According to eMarketer, global e-commerce sales are projected to reach US$6.5tn by 2023 and the potential for companies to capitalize on this burgeoning market is high. That said, it’s imperative that companies consider the trends that will continue to influence the industry and the technologies that will help address them. With the right technology and approach, retailers can stay ahead of the competition, win consumer loyalty, and drive ongoing business success in 2020 and in years to come.

Share. Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Email
Previous ArticleManaging returns directly from home
Next Article Hermes to build largest distribution hub in Europe

Related Posts

Features

FEATURE: Overcoming cross-border e-commerce customs challenges

May 14, 202514 Mins Read
Features

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Egypt Post

May 1, 202511 Mins Read
Features

FEATURE: Improving reverse logistics with better data and collaboration

April 15, 202514 Mins Read

Receive breaking stories and features in your inbox each week, for free


Enter your email address:


Latest News

Royal Mail adds 7,000th electric vehicle to fleet

May 16, 2025

Australia Post warns customers about rising number of parcel scam messages

May 16, 2025

DHL adds 30,000m2 warehouse to health logistics campus in Germany

May 16, 2025
Getting in Touch
  • Contact Us / Advertiser
  • Meet the Editors
  • Download Media Pack
  • Breaking News Emails
Our Social Channels
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Supplier Spotlights
  • SwipBox
  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Notice & Takedown Policy
  • Site FAQs
© 2025 UKi Media & Events a division of UKIP Media & Events Ltd

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.

CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisement1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisement" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Analytics" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional1 yearThe GDPR Cookie Consent plugin sets the cookie to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie records the user consent for the cookies in the "Necessary" category.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores user consent for cookies in the category "Others".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance1 yearSet by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie stores the user consent for cookies in the category "Performance".
elementorneverThe website's WordPress theme uses this cookie. It allows the website owner to implement or change the website's content in real-time.
JSESSIONIDsessionNew Relic uses this cookie to store a session identifier so that New Relic can monitor session counts for an application.

Functional

Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.

CookieDurationDescription
__cf_bm30 minutesCloudflare set the cookie to support Cloudflare Bot Management.

Analytics

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

CookieDurationDescription
CONSENT2 yearsYouTube sets this cookie via embedded YouTube videos and registers anonymous statistical data.
uidsessionThis is a Google UserID cookie that tracks users across various website segments.
vuid1 year 1 month 4 daysVimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos on the website.
_ga1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to calculate visitor, session and campaign data and track site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognise unique visitors.
_ga_*1 year 1 month 4 daysGoogle Analytics sets this cookie to store and count page views.

Advertisement

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.

CookieDurationDescription
OAGEOsessionOpenX sets this cookie to avoid the repeated display of the same ad.
OAID1 yearCookie set to record whether the user has opted out of the collection of information by the AdsWizz Service Cookies.
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE5 months 27 daysYouTube sets this cookie to measure bandwidth, determining whether the user gets the new or old player interface.
YSCsessionYoutube sets this cookie to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages.
yt-remote-connected-devicesneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt-remote-device-idneverYouTube sets this cookie to store the user's video preferences using embedded YouTube videos.
yt.innertube::nextIdneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.
yt.innertube::requestsneverYouTube sets this cookie to register a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen.

Others

Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.

CookieDurationDescription
VISITOR_PRIVACY_METADATA5 months 27 daysDescription is currently not available.

SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by