Boosting supply chain capacity and speed are top priorities for toys and games retailers and manufacturers. Shoppers are demanding faster deliveries and greater product choice, meaning focus is shifting to pre-retail logistics to slash lead times and get products to market faster.
Stuart Greenfield from Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) looks at how to minimise delays and errors, when products are being made ‘retail ready’ for sale.
“We’ve helped businesses halve the processing time it takes to prepare products for sale. Lead time has been cut from six to three days, and delivery vehicle dwell time has been reduced by 48 hours.
“These gains come even as retailers handle higher product volumes and, in some cases, more complex inventories. Automation and digitisation make this possible.
“Many warehouses and fulfilment centres still rely on paper-based stock logs and hand-written labels, which slows processes and disrupts data flow. Illegible handwriting also risks mistakes, meaning processes have to be corrected and repeated.
“Digitalising and automating labelling speeds up workflows and reduces errors. Labels can be printed on demand and configured to contain the correct information. Compliance with retailers’ standards is strengthened, avoiding products moving needlessly backwards and forwards in supply chains, as non-compliance issues are fixed.
“Mobile, touchscreen kiosks can be used during pre-retail logistics and connected to a web-based supply chain management system. As soon as data is entered and labels are printed, information can be shared to enhance carton tracking and stock inventory visibility. Connections can also be made with transport management systems to optimise transportation capacity and streamline vehicle movements.
“Many pre-retail delays, errors and inefficiencies are caused by poor organisation and a lack of connectivity between systems. Automated and digitalised solutions can quickly fix this to make the movement of goods faster and leaner.”
Click to find out more about optimising pre-retail logistics to get products ‘retail ready’ or email: enquiries@advancedsupplychain.com