In-house supply chain management seems like a good idea - until it's not.

By definition, successful companies are those that continuously find new ways to streamline operations, reduce costs, and increase efficiency. Many businesses will consider handling warehousing and distribution operations in-house if they think they can save money by eliminating an extra link in their supply chain. However, this isn't always the best option and can even have the opposite effect from what was intended. 

Here are a few reasons why companies should think twice before attempting to implement their own warehousing and distribution logistics solutions when they could partner with an alternative third-party logistics (3PL) service provider instead.

Picking up where we left off in December, this month we're talking about supply chain resiliency.

Last month we talked about the growing complexity and interconnectedness of global supply chains. We explained that businesses of every size have new opportunities to serve ever-larger markets, but they're also finding it harder to compete without innovative warehousing, inventory management, and distribution systems and strategies.

Nearly 9-out-of-10 supply chain professionals say they plan to invest in making supply chains more agile within the next two years." - Gartner Research

This month we're focused on why logistics is still a weak link when it comes to building a business that can survive through turbulent times, and why 89% of respondents to a recent industry survey say they plan to invest in making their supply chain more resilient. 

Small and medium businesses are adapting to changes in the global supply chain, and so is Cura Group.

If we had to come up with one positive thing to say about experiencing a global pandemic in our lifetimes, it would have to be our newfound appreciation of industry's ability to continuously find new and better ways to get things done. And if 2020 was the year we all first experienced COVID quarantines and remote everything, then 2022 was the year when we shook it off and moved on.

Holiday returns can add up to big losses. But big data can give retailers a competitive advantage and reduce shrinkage and fraud.

Holiday sales are the lifeblood of many retailers. But holiday returns can put a damper on end-of-year celebrations. Reportedly, 17.8% of holiday gifts were returned last year according to the National Retail Foundation.

With more people shopping online than ever before, more gifts arrive without try-ons or inspection. So... the shirt is the wrong size. The speaker isn’t compatible with the computer. Or he already has a socket wrench. That’s why rates for holiday returns are typically higher than the rest of the year, according to the National Retail Federation.

Air pollution, overflowing landfills, and greenhouse gasses are all by-products of environmental damage created by manufacturing products and delivering those products into the hands of consumers.  

What — if anything — does watching a Paris runway show on your iPhone or buying a new dress online have to do with the global climate crisis?  

A last-mile distribution center can save you shipping costs, improve order fulfillment and transit time, and help your distributors balance inventory.

It’s a common misconception: A last-mile distribution centers is only for the biggest of retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Home Depot. This simply isn’t the case. If your business does significant amounts of e-commerce, a distribution/sales center where customers can pick-up products could be the right move.

The growth of online shopping has caused retailers, rightly, to make real estate investments with an abundance of caution. But in Manhattan, the softening retail market is finding new friends in the pop-up-store concept.

Let’s examine this phenomenon and how it’s helped retailers looking to meet buyer demands for a physical location without a traditional real estate investment.

Here are 6 ways retail is using big data to keep operation costs low, increase customer satisfication, and increase profits.

When it comes to retail, the smallest gains can count the most. With such small margins, every bit helps to keep the bottom line in the black. This goes into keeping track of overhead as well as delivery costs. Now analysts are able to use data to keep operation costs low, increase customer satisfaction, and increase profits. So how are retailers using big data to bolster their sales and marketing efforts?

Package theft is particularly problematic around the holidays. But will that make consumers more open to delivery people entering their homes with Amazon Key?

Nearly 11 million U.S. homeowners had a delivered package stolen within the past year. This unfortunate side effect of the e-retail boom has many consumers searching for secure measures to keep their packages safe. Amazon, the company who is responsible for more e-retail than anyone else in this country, thinks they may have the solution in Amazon Key.

We intend this blog to be a resource for direct selling and e-commerce businesses trying to overcome last-mile delivery and shipping challenges. We want to keep you informed about the latest news and trends in your industries, particularly when it comes to last-mile challenges and customer pick-up centers. This is the second part of a two-part series recounting our most popular blog posts covering these topics. See part one here.