How Today's E-commerce Requires the Evolution to NEXT

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Retailers need to adapt to next and next and then to next. As I have predicted, e-commerce has taken a huge toll on brick & mortar stores and retailers need to adjust their supply chain. A supply chain now must accommodate the need to be omnichannel retail, omnichannel logistics, and omnichannel delivery.

Some of the retailers that are being affected by e-commerce this year are:

Retailer	Brick & Mortar Store Location Closings
Abercrombie & Fitch	180
Barnes & Noble	223
Children’s Place	200
Dollar Tree/Family Dollar	340
Fresh & Easy Grocery Stores	50
JC Penney	40
Office Depot/Office Max	400
Pier One	100
Radio Shack	1,784
Sears	77
Walgreen’s	200
Wet Seal	338

These have not and will not be the only retailers affected by the changing marketplace. Some of the globe e-commerce titans include; Alibaba, Amazon, Apple, eBay, Finish Line, Google, JD.com, Lyft, Otto, Rakuten, Tesco, Uber, and Walmart. These titans have been able to adapt to the new omnichannel world of retail and have recognized the importance of moving onto Next. Because of this recognition they have been able to grow, transform, innovate, and be on the offense.

Omnichannel retail is a multichannel approach to retail that provides the customer with a seamless shopping experience whether the customer is shopping online from a computer or mobile device, or in a brick and mortar store, seamless inventory visibility and seamless continuous improvement. Omnichannel logistics is a multichannel approach to network planning, combined distribution centers/fulfillment centers/returns centers/liquidation centers and lean facilities planning. Omnichannel delivery is a multichannel approach of selecting the most efficient and effective mode and carrier for multichannel transportation while addressing the personalization expectations of each individual channel/customer.

It is clear e-commerce is changing retail, consumer products, and distribution. These changes are having huge impacts throughout the supply chain. Your evolution to omnichannel requires that you move on to Next. And, the rate of change is acceleration. HANG ON TO YOUR HATS!

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Jim Tompkins

Chairman & Founder at Tompkins Ventures

Jim Tompkins is an international authority on leadership, logistics, material handling, outsourcing, and supply chain best practices. He is Chairman and Founder of Tompkins Ventures. Previously, he built Tompkins International from a backyard startup into an international consulting and implementation firm. He has written or contributed to 31 books, including his latest, Insightful Leadership. Jim has been quoted in hundreds of business and industry magazines, including The Journal of Commerce and Fortune, and has spoken at more than 4,000 international engagements.