Store and distribute groceries, e-commerce-ready

A major benefit of e-commerce in grocery retail is the convenience of shopping online, followed by a fast delivery of the package. 

You can cater to consumer needs with automation technology, provide your customers with a wide selection of products, optimize material flow during highs and lows of the year, and solve any other challenges that arise in your storage facility and distribution center. Providing quick distribution and optimizing your space and operations.

Unfortunately, 2020 and 2021 made deliveries difficult both for consumers and distribution centers. In the last two years, Resolver’s Annual Complaints Data 2020/21 reported 138% more complaints about online shopping. A total of over 200,000 complaints were lodged regarding package delivery services between 2020 and 2021, making them the runner-up in terms of complaint volume. The successful integration of an automated warehouse system could have helped increase the efficiency of these warehouses and distribution centers to better serve the company’s customers. 

Automated fulfillment centers are key

To meet consumer expectations, retailers and shippers have to embrace automated solutions in times of a struggling supply chain coupled with warehouse labor shortages. 

By eliminating returns and negative customer feedback from your operation, you neutralize two of the biggest problems that online retailers face. In the event that consumers are dissatisfied with a slow delivery pace caused by manual or slow processing, it is likely that they will shop elsewhere, causing distribution centers to lose profit. Retailers who use automated solutions and fulfillment centers can lessen mistakes and bottlenecks, allowing them to meet customer demands.

You can use this eBook to find out how you can expedite order fulfillment and intralogistics operations with storage and distribution automation that meets the need for speed. 

Traceability used to be a cumbersome, but is now made simple

In a market that is highly competitive, the ‘Amazon Effect’ forces producers to offer more flexible pricing and encourages them to look toward automation as a solution for better customer satisfaction.

Even Amazon, the king of expedited delivery, experienced supply chain issues and shortages during Prime Day, the largest sales day of the year. Using advanced material handling systems combined with robot technologies, automation helps simplify the challenges of intralogistics so that customers can receive their orders more rapidly.

Consumer expectations of the “Amazon model” are likely here to stay. The 2-day delivery at a flat rate with guaranteed on-time delivery has evolved from a selling point to an industry standard.

Online shoppers can monitor what products are available and provide a timely alert when a product is running low. Keeping warehouses and distribution centers informed about processing and supply chain gaps cuts down on as well as costs.

Cimcorp’s software tracks and stores all product movements within Olvi’s warehouse, meeting the company’s traceability requirements and supporting regulatory compliance. Download Case Olvi.

Does it feel like the time has come to future-proof your business? Consider automation

Staying competitive will require retailers to take advantage of innovative automated solutions in their distribution centers. By working with an automation expert who has experience across several industries, you will be able to discover innovative ways to implement digitalization and automation in your own warehouse and to learn how it has been executed elsewhere.

A fully automated system enhances the speed and accuracy of virtually any shipping operation while giving retailers access to cutting-edge technology. Besides improving the customer experience, automation can also help retailers manage their stock and ensure that they have what they need on hand.

Author Derek Rickard