Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal published an article titled “Retailers Turn Store Clerks into Web Shippers,” which discusses the steps that brick-and-mortar based brands are taking to compete with online retail giants like Amazon.
The article highlights several national brands such as Sears, Macy’s, Wal-Mart and Office Depot and the strategies they have developed to serve their customers no matter where they are or what it takes. However, most of these strategies to help brands ship to customers largely rely on national shipping companies FedEx and UPS. Although we recognize the value of these shipping assets, it takes much more to ship packages from store locations than merely the physical transportation aspect – in order to truly compete and retain customer loyalty, brands need to consider proper packaging, consistent company branding and timely delivery. Often, and especially during the holidays, store associates taxed with the additional burden of sending merchandise to customers are already busy with their usual duties, and, as a natural consequence, customer shipments are overlooked, rushed or perhaps even missed.
The article also highlights Saks Fifth Avenue for the innovative and collaborative effort it employs in its shipping departments that result in customers receiving what they want in a timely matter. What is not mentioned is that Saks uses Wrap & Send Services’ expert packing and shipping solution to help manage the volume, cost, speed and branding standard that is required when shipping from the store.
We believe that this trend will continue to rise as traditional retailers fight to compete with the massive online outfits. Shipping out of brick-and-mortar locations is a sound strategy, but to be successful, retailers must partner with the right professionals to achieve maximum efficiency.
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