In 2014, American consumers spent more than 78 billion dollars online. Traditional brick and mortar stores have become only one of the multiple ways for businesses to get their goods into the hands of consumers. In an age where e-commerce makes up 6.6 percent of the US economy, it is now essential for businesses to find ways to improve their fulfillment processes in order to keep up with the evolving logistics industry.

There are many ways in which the modern consumer can purchase a product, including any of the following methods:

• Buying products off the shelves at brick and mortar stores
• Buying online and shipping directly to the customer’s home
• Buying online and shipping to the store for pickup
• Ordering in store and shipping directly to the customer’s home
• Ordering in store and shipping to the store for customer pickup

This has created a need for a supply chain that has multiple options for fulfillment, each of which is designed to cater to the particular methods of purchase as well as the specific means in which products are shipped. There is no longer a single method for getting goods into the hands of customers.

What omni-channel fulfillment can do for your business
As a business owner, you have to ensure on time delivery no matter what method of purchase you offer your customers. You have to step up to the plate and fulfill orders with efficiency and speed, all the while keeping your operating costs down and shipping costs to the customer low.

Kevin O’Marah of SCM World said in an interview that “[companies] are investing millions in e-commerce innovation because they want to enable themselves to be able to handle a wide variety of service expectations of consumers.” He goes to talk about the necessity of companies to move toward the middle of cost and service.

This is precisely what omni-channel fulfillment has the capability to do.

It sounds like a tricky endeavor, and it may seem like a lot of work needs to go into maintaining an omni-channel fulfillment strategy, but doing so will provide you with the best odds of staying ahead of the competition and meeting the ever-changing demands of the modern consumer.

Tips and tools to help you along the way
Maintaining an omni-channel fulfillment system requires you to have an easy-to-use freight management system. Without it, there is no conceivable way for you to make improvements to your supply chain processes.

In addition to a freight management system, you can also ensure that you are ready implement an omni-channel fulfillment strategy by choosing the right partner, one that can help you with fulfillment, warehousing, project management, and more.

Is omni-channel fulfillment right for you?
As the logistics industry continues to evolve and consumer buying patterns shift, you may be wondering if omni-channel fulfillment is right for your business. The answer is yes: with the right tools, you can implement this strategy, and King Solutions is here to help.