Warehouses nowadays are more than open industrial spaces with workers stocking shelves and forklifts. As a result of the technologies made possible by warehouse digitization, the classic warehouse is now a digital warehouse. Smart eCommerce warehousing facilities, which offer speed, visibility, transparency, and automation, are essential for fast-growing online businesses, allowing logistics companies to increase their capabilities and allowing you to monitor your supply chain and enhance customer experience.
What is eCommerce Warehousing Digitalization?
Distribution and warehouse services that employ the latest technology and automation to streamline procedures are known as digital warehousing. In addition to enhancing efficiency and accuracy, it offers complete transparency throughout the supply chain.
You may outsource your operations to a technologically advanced warehouse to get greater scalability and flexibility through digital warehousing. Investing in your warehouse and infrastructure automation is not necessary when you outsource your supply chain.
For eCommerce, Warehouse Digitization is a Boon.
You can better manage your supply chain using warehouse digitization, and it allows you to get greater visibility into your supply chain, boost speed, and maintain high order accuracy. Here are some advantages of warehouse digitalization and how it affects the bottom lines of today’s fastest-growing firms.
1. Improved Warehouse Efficiency
eCommerce warehousing digitization removes tedious operations by automating them, saving hours in the process. Technology may also be used to optimize storage and speed order fulfillment workflows by tracking the inventory by SKU at each location in the warehouse.
2. Increases the Warehouse Visibility
To effectively manage the supply chain, it is essential to know how many units of a given product are housed at each distribution facility. Using digital warehousing systems, you can manage inventories and see orders by status more quickly. By keeping track of inventory turnover and carrying costs over time, visibility helps to cut logistical expenses.
3. Siloed Systems are Eliminated
Supply chains expand in tandem with an eCommerce company’s growth. The supply chain has many moving components, from product production and product receipt to order picking and shipment at the warehouse and even the management of returns.
By integrating a WMS with inventory management software, you can get precise and real-time data to ensure the integrity of your supply chain information.
Is Digital Warehousing Going to Change the Face of Supply Chains Forever?
Outbound logistics must be suitably tracked and monitored using the correct technology and methods that digitize warehouse management. Digitization technologies such as those listed below will be more essential in the years after 2021 and well into the future.
1. Transfer of Data in Real-time
While expanding into new distribution networks and sales channel sites, a digital warehousing system should gather and record real-time data and simplify it through a single dashboard.
2. Management System for Warehouses (WMS)
One or more warehouse activities are monitored and controlled by a WMS, which monitors and tracks all inventory received, picked, stored, packed, restocked, and shipped efficiently.
Using a reliable WMS, you can keep tabs on every aspect of your inventory flow, from what is being received to how much stock is ready to be fulfilled and dispatched at each location.
3. Forecasting Demand
A dynamic retail market makes it difficult to estimate demand accurately, but some supply chain forecasting approaches can help.
Cutting out the guesswork and looking at inventory performance using data is the greatest method to predict demand. Forecasting demand using the newest technology-enabled methods to capture and gather data will enable you to remain nimble in the face of seasonality, intense competition, and geographic demand swings.
4. Wearable Technology
Wearable technology can help you rethink your warehousing operations and increase efficiency. It will be widely used in warehouses by 2021 and beyond to make warehouse procedures more interactive.
Smart glasses, portable scanners, activity-tracking wristbands, and portable printers allow eCommerce warehousing workers to access a wide range of information while on the move. Warehouse management systems and intelligent sensors sync with these devices to speed up warehouse operations.
5. Automation in the Warehouse
Your inventory is automatically tracked from receiving to fulfillment, eliminating the need for human tracking of stock.
6. Inventory Control in Real-time
To increase supply chain resilience, merchants realize the importance of better real-time visibility and inventory control, which is among the primary drivers of warehouse conversion to digital systems.
Every fast-growing company requires access to real-time information, especially regarding inventory, because many aspects are involved. Automating inventory management duties like tracking, reordering, and optimizing storage are easier using an inventory management system.
It also makes tax season easier because you do not have to do frequent, time-consuming inventory audits.
7. Vehicles that are Self-guided and Autonomous
In light of the warehouse industry’s workforce difficulties, autonomous guided vehicles are becoming increasingly popular. Markers, cables, or lasers are some of the methods these intelligent vehicles use to find their way through your fulfillment center.
Streamline your Warehouse Operations by Implementing Digital Technology
Supply chain eCommerce warehousing relies on automation and technology to match consumer expectations in a fast-paced business because of the advent of on-demand logistics. Competing with Amazon and different marketplaces might be a struggle for direct-to-consumer firms if they do not invest in logistics.
Because supply chain efficiency does not necessitate technology and automation, a 3PL partner that provides access to the best-in-class digital fulfillment network is the better choice for investors.
