Old-fashioned logistics can't meet new customer expectations --  it's time to up your warehousing and delivery game.

With the advent of e-commerce, mobile commerce, and omnichannel experiences, we find ourselves at an inflection point where traditional retail logistics must adapt or be left behind. A recent article in Forbes says consumers will buy nearly $11 trillion in goods and services online this year alone.

The emergence of innovative shopping technologies is leading us down a path of convenience, speed, and personalization. Let’s break down some key trends and how they’re transforming retail logistics.

Why the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show is a great way to kick off the new year.

If you search for logistics exhibitors at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, you'll get back a list of 28 companies promoting innovations like AI-powered robotics, smart safeboxes, and all-electric urban delivery vehicles. 

Meanwhile, a search for "High-tech Retailing/ E-Commerce" returns 324 results — for everything from software platforms, barcode scanners, and low-light indoor solar cells to "technology-enabled made-to-measure shoes".

That's a lot of logistics to cover. After a one-year hiatus, our friend and colleague Casey Wakula is heading back to CES this year to see what's what.

2023 has been a year of growth and expansion for Cura Group, and we're grateful for everyone who helped make it happen.

2023 has been a highly successful transitional year for Cura Group. We have been working hard to transform our business from a local distribution specialist to a global just-in-time logistics partner for businesses that require reliable round-the-clock access to fast-moving inventory. Fortunately, we haven't had to do it alone.

Technology can help any size business move products almost anywhere.

In the sprawling world of international commerce, the logistics industry is the unsung hero that quietly ensures goods flow seamlessly across borders, oceans, and continents. Picture the last item you bought online — maybe it was a smartphone, a pair of sneakers, or even a book. Chances are, it traveled thousands of miles to reach your doorstep. 

Behind this impressive feat lies an intricate web of systems and processes that make global trade possible. And as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the logistics industry must evolve along with it. Enter automation—a game-changer with the potential to redefine global logistics as we know it.

How to Be a Global Direct Sales Company When You Don't Have Global Distribution

Think about the last time you visited a foreign country where you didn't know the language or the customs of day-to-day life. International travel can be intimidating and stressful until you figure out the lay of the land. Fortunately, tools like Google Maps and Siri Translate can make the experience of going to new places more rewarding.

Unfortunately, there are no electronic guides available if you’re a direct sales executive thinking about selling products outside your home market. You can't just Google "help me grow my business overseas" to get the help you need. Instead, success will depend on how quickly you can establish partner agreements, launch marketing and sales initiatives, and set up local fulfillment and customer service operations.

Why You Need to Consider Design and Logistics to Create Effective Product Displays

A great in-store experience is essential to attract customers and drive sales. Product display, a critical component of that experience, is often overlooked and yet a thoughtful, well-designed retail display can be the difference between someone who makes a purchase and a shopper who walks out the door empty-handed.

When Visual Merchandising Meets Logistics, Good Things Happen

Visual merchandising is the process of planning how to design and display products in a way that highlights their features and benefits and entices customers to buy. Logistics is the process of managing inventory using warehousing, distribution, and customer service. Both are important for manufacturers and retailers trying to get popular products to customers as efficiently as possible.

If your 3PL still uses a traditional warehouse management system, you could spend less on logistics.

Are you thinking it might be time to improve your warehouse and distribution game? Curious about various warehouse management systems (WMS) and wondering which one is right for you?

Diverse consumers of every age have come to love omnichannel shopping.

This month we celebrated the Chinese lunar new year, which reminds us of that ancient Chinese proverb: "may you live in interesting times." 

Frankly, it's hard to imagine how times could be any more "interesting" than what we've endured for the past two years. The reality is that we've had enough excitement for a while, thank you very much. We're all ready for the pandemic to be over so we can go back to our ordinary (a.k.a. less stressful) lives. 

For many retailers, the big question now becomes, what happens next?

What if this year is just like last year?

Much as we wish the pandemic was over, the beginning of this year feels a lot like the end of last year. Many of us are still wearing masks, still working from home, and still trying to remember what it felt like to buy something on a whim without thinking about the supply chain. 

So it's possible that we already know what to expect in 2022. But what if we're wrong? What if this turns out to be another year of continuous disruption for the logistics industry? Our best approach to the year ahead is to stay flexible and keep building on what we've already learned.