Saturday, September 8, 2018

Cross-docking Might Just Be What Your Halloween Makeup Store Needs To Thrive

By Daniel Wood


The better informed that consumers become, the more the pressure they put on retailers when it comes to fulfillment. Specifically, the former expect their orders to be delivered quickly, precisely, and for free. Chances are that you've been looking for a way to do this without affecting other areas of your online Utah Halloween makeup store. With that being the case, it's the high time you switched to cross dock operations.

You're probably wondering what cross-docking is all about, and whether you actually need it in the first place. It's essentially a supply chain model under which inbound inventory is used to fulfill outbound orders. Upon arrival, goods are usually unloaded, screened, and segmented based on current orders. What follows is their dispatch to various destinations, often via pre-selected channels.

Of course, it does take thorough planning and a ton of effort to maintain a fast-paced supply chain. Not to mention that cross-docking isn't ideal for all scenarios as well. It has, however, proved excellent for e-commerce businesses. Now that you're hooked, take a look at the benefits it could bring your way:

Better Turnaround Times: This comes from the ability to link up both ends of your supply chain, thus bypassing the warehousing phase . Keep in mind, though, that this won't do away with the need for the said facility. In actual sense, what cross-docking does is reduce the amount of time inventory spends in storage. This creates room for quicker order fulfillment, more so when combined with automated processes.

Free up Room: The lower the amount of inventory needing long-term storage, the less space it will take up in the warehouse. This may very well be that opportunity you've long been seeking to free up room for expansion. It could also be a prospect to lower the square footage you rent. Ultimately, it's all up to you to decide what will best suit your business's bottom line.

Less Risk: A cross-dock facility will do away with most of the processes involved in your warehouse setup. This will in turn reduce the amount of handling your inventory experiences, thereby lowering the risk of damage and/or loss. The lean operation will also minimize instances of overstocking as well.

Cost Effective: A cross-docked facility allows shipments headed for a similar end point to be hauled together. This creates fuller loads for each trip, which in turn increases the economy of scale. Each unit product's carbon footprint also shrinks as a result.

Added Value for Shoppers: The ability to match market demand with fast, reliable deliveries will never go out of fashion. And if that sounds obvious, so too should it be to offer free shipping to your customers. The cost savings realized thanks to cross-docking will more than make up for the sacrifice.

Matching demand with supply will always top your priorities list for as long as you're still running a product-based business. Cross-docking doesn't just provide an answer for this -- it will also help you get your goods to your customers faster without incurring a cost penalty. Just be sure to implement it with a solid foundation in place.




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