The Rise of Same-Day & Next Day Delivery (Infographic)

10/17/2018

Same-day delivery is fast becoming a must-have for online retailers. The emergence of the on-demand culture means that many of today’s consumers consider speed and convenience as one of the most important factors when making an online purchase.

In today’s highly-competitive e-commerce space, retailers offering fast and cheap (or ideally free) shipping are far more likely to win over customers. Many customers regularly abandon orders when same day-delivery isn’t an option, and many are willing to spend extra just to avoid waiting five business days for their delivery to arrive. In fact, one survey has found that 49% of customers would be more likely to shop if a same-day delivery option is offered.

At present, only 15% of global retailers offer same-day delivery so there is a huge opportunity for any company who can manage short delivery times. It is the bigger companies, such as Walmart, Amazon and Google, who are continuing to make significant strides in this area as they are the ones who can cope best with the escalating costs of providing same-day and next-day delivery.

Same-day and next-day delivery can be challenging in that it puts a lot of pressure on warehouse and logistics staff to deliver goods. Consequently, your staffing requirements may grow upon the introduction of same-day delivery. It’s also important to ensure that it is implemented properly to prevent a logistical headache and to save costs down the line.

While it may be a difficult process; the rewards are there for companies who can overcome the challenges. In many cases, the best option may be to outsource to an experienced logistics company who can provide same day delivery of inventory for your business.

Take a look at the infographic below to find out more about the rise of the same-day and next-day delivery.

The Rise of Same-Day & Next Day Delivery Infographic

The Growth of Online Retail (Infographic)

9/20/2018

The rising popularity of online shopping has transformed the way both consumers and retailers do business.

The past decade has seen a massive surge in the popularity of online retail. In 2014, online retail sales represented 5.9% of total retail sales, but in 2016 this increased to 7.4%. By the year 2021, ecommerce is expected to represent 17.5% of total retail sales - furthering the case for shippers to adopt an omnichannel strategy.

So, what is the main factor lying behind the rapid growth of the ecommerce industry? Technological developments and innovations have helped to grow the online retail industry, by making ecommerce sites more accessible and easy to use, thereby ensuring a smooth shopping experience for customers.

What’s more, customer attitudes are changing, with more and more consumers becoming comfortable conducting business online. This charge is being led by the younger “digital native” generations such as Millennials and Generation Z who conduct a large portion of their shopping online.

To discover more about the growth of online retail, read our infographic below.

The Growth of Online Retail

Solving the Out-Of-Stock Problem (Infographic)

6/7/2018

Research has shown that the average stockout rate for retailers is around eight percent. In other words, when a customer visits your store (be it online or brick and mortar) one in 13 products will not purchasable at that time. It’s evident that stockouts are a universal problem costing retailers tear-inducingly large sums of money in lost sales.

For most retailers, stockouts are one of the top contenders for “worst nightmare” situation, and for good reason. Not only does OOS affect profits, but in our digital age of instant gratification the unavailability of products can have a devastating affect on customer experience. 30% of customers feel that products being OOS hurts their shopping experience. In most cases when a product is unavailable, frustrated customers will simply switch to a competitor or buy substitute products rather than wait it out.

In today’s fast paced retail environment, real-time inventory management is commonly reported as one of the biggest headaches for retailers. There is a myriad of reasons why a stockout may occur. For example, retailers may underestimate customer demand for a particular item, their employees may lack sufficient training on the subject, or it may simply be the case that a supplier has let them down.

So what can be done to prevent stockouts? Fortunately, there are many solutions to stockout troubles. One effective way to combat OOS is to put inventory controls in place; a good rule of thumb is to always eliminate stock issues for the 20 percent of items that account for 80 percent of total sales. Another good idea is to dedicate a good amount of time to demand planning and sales forecasting or to implement an inventory management system.

Check out our infographic below to learn more about how you can prevent the out of stock problem to boost profits and satisfy customers.

Solving the Out-of-Stock Problem Infographic

How Humdrum Self-Storage Became Big Business (Infographic)

3/26/2018

Storage is often just associated with businesses, but more individuals than ever are now needing storage space as their possessions are starting to pile up. The self-storage industry has been massive in the United States for a number of years and has recently seen a rise in popularity in Europe.

So, why is the self-storage industry going from strength to strength and is it a business worth investing in?

What Is Self-Storage?

Self-storage involves the storage of goods by individuals and companies in their own self-contained and secure space. For the business client, self-storage is often seen as a cost-effective alternative to buying or renting expensive space. For the individual, self-storage frees up much-needed space at home.

The Rise Of Self-Storage Around the World

Interestingly, the United States makes up almost 90% of the global self-storage market. For every 1 million Americans, there are 163 storage units. This growth is driven by several factors, starting with the relentless accumulation of goods by American consumers. Between June 1967 and June 2017, expenditures on durable goods — things like couches, bikes, and iPhones — increased almost 20-fold.

While self-storage is hugely popular throughout the United States, it has yet to catch on in Europe. In fact, for every 1 million Europeans, there are only 3.7 storage units. However, an increasing number of entrepreneurs are waking up to the untapped opportunity that is self-storage and as a result we are now beginning to witness a surge in the availability of facilities throughout Europe.

“Storage Units Per Million Of Population”, source: Inside Self Storage

The European Opportunity

What are the factors set to drive the continued growth of the EU self-storage market?

1) Urbanisation

The United Nations estimates that 16 million people in Europe will move to cities in the next 10 years which will increase demand for both residential and commercial buildings.

2) Rising Property Prices

In addition to an increasing urban population, house prices have increased while the size of living spaces have decreased. Europeans in recent years have experienced an increased strain on space, which means that that external self-storage facilities are going to become an increasingly attractive option for city dwellers.

3) Population Growth

It is estimated that roughly 72% of Europeans live in cities and this figure is 10% higher in the UK, with an estimated 82% dwelling in cities.

Self-Storage Trends

Today’s facilities are getting a serious makeover with more architectural elements like creative lighting, sleek design, large windows or atriums. and first-class finishes. There is no skimping on amenities in the new sites and this has the potential to give them a competitive edge. Extremely clean units, round the clock surveillance and state-of-the-art climate control are becoming more common.

What’s more, the need for specialty storage is on the rise and many new storage builds now have facilities to store luxury RVs and boats. These niche markets are becoming particularly popular in self-storage facilities near lakes and affluent recreational areas.

Check out our infographic about the size of the self-storage industry now.

How humdrum self storage became big business infographic

Emerging Trends in Logistics

7/28/2016

In 2016, digital developments have provoked a transformation in what consumers expect from their product/service providers.

How The E-Commerce Boom Transformed Retail Logistics(An Infographic)

7/15/2016

In recent years, there has been a massive increase in B2C e-commerce sales. With the continued growth of e-commerce .

Shipping Advice for eCommerce Sellers

5/16/2016

Shipping can make or break your business. Even if your product is mind blowing, a bad shipping experience can affect your business.

Boston for the conclusion

4/1/2015

Our final event in Boston began with the news of a complete city lockdown. Regardless we battled through and continued ahead with our scheduled event, albeit with a slight change in speakers .

Gateway to Europe in Silicon Valley

4/1/2015

We awoke to a beautiful sunny day in San Jose and began final preparations for our second Gateway event.

Gateway to Europe - Day 1

4/1/2015

Manhattan on a sunny Monday afternoon was the location for day one of Gateway to Europe 2013.