ABSTRACT
Omni-channel retail creates a range of customer touchpoints stores, outlets, e-commerce sites, catalogs, and seasonal pop-up locations. Fulfillment requirements, due to the rapid growth of e-commerce as well as a greater focus on leaning out the supply chain, have had a great impact on warehouse operations with far fewer full pallets and cases being picked and more individual items. "Fulfillment adaptability" has also risen in importance, even more than "fulfillment throughput", as the impact of omni-channel retail has increased overall order variability, making adaptability more important. Pick/put-to-light was a top automation hardware technology requiring investment, reflecting a desire to gain efficiencies in e-commerce fulfillment operations. E-commerce has complicated the last mile of delivery at the consumer's home or business, making it much more challenging for retailers. Traditional last-mile delivery involves many challenges including cost minimization, transparency, and efficiency.
