Retailers, such as department stores, boutiques and discount stores are responsible for most sales in consumer products. Retail distribution is key for companies like Wal-Mart, Best Buy and Dollar General. With that being said, retail distribution strategies differ depending on the unique scenario of your business and the goals your company has in mind.
Today, we’ll be discussing retail distribution and the different strategies you can use to grow your retail business.
The Retail Supply Chain
The retail supply chain is complex to say the least. It has been transformed due to the growth of ecommerce, merchants and online sellers. Amazon led the revolution into omnichannel distribution and it wasn’t long after that others followed. With customer focus at the forefront, these end-to-end supply chains take a high degree of collaboration to function like a well oiled machine. When they do, great things happen.
As online sales began to pass in-store sales, the need for flexible supply chains has never been higher. Inventory management always held companies back, they had to hold on to inventory that was ordered for their end users. As ecommerce business models evolved with dropshipping and other strategies,
Order Management Software (OMS)
You need the ability to reach your customers on the platforms they prefer to use. Retailers use order management software to manage their omnichannel and multi-channel operations. We see this being offered more with order fulfillment services. OMS is a system that brokers customer orders across different channels and systems. Order management software also manages multiple party demands for your fulfillment.
Order management software is being used by more and more retailers. Even OMS itself is growing and new technology is being developed to give retailers an all-in-one solution. We’re seeing more OMS integrating with point-of-sale (POS) systems. A lot of vendors are doing this now.
Here at Thill, our order management software integrates with a wide range of ecommerce solutions to track orders and fulfillment, such as;
Electronic Data Interface
At Thill, our retail clients get access to our EDI (electronic data interface) software suite. This allows you to see vital data relating to orders, shipping and receiving, invoicing, and payments along your entire supply chain seamlessly.
Thill can transfer data with all the most popular EDI standards, including ANSI and EDIFACT. Our integration is quick and easy. Even if you need a customized interface for a specific version within an EDI standard, our expert in-house programmers can write, test and implement a fluid translator so your data can transfer without a hitch!
You can easily access your EDI information in real time using our web portal at anytime from anywhere, so you can see the information you need to run your business on your own terms.
Our technology can help you reduce cost, improve accuracy and efficiency, and enhance business relationships with your trading partners.
Learn More: Thill Retail Fulfillment Services
Warehouse Management
Technology is equally important with warehouse management. Most warehouses rely on warehouse management systems (WMS) to control the movement and storage of materials. Warehouse execution systems (WES) manage your inventory records and materials handling equipment in such facilities. Both play an important role in retail distribution and supply chain management.
Warehouse management software is vital to the retail industry. Retailers use a number of different channels to go to the market, such as ecommerce fulfillment, omni-channel, multi-channel and other strategies. The right WES gives retailers a lot of flexibility to make the right decisions in their business.
Experienced Retail Partners
For those of you that want to go to retail, you need an experienced retail partner you can trust. Thill has been partnering with companies to help with their retail fulfillment and needs for decades.
With more than 50 years of experience, there’s few companies out there that know retail like we do. When you’re looking for the right partner to help you get your products to retail, experience always matters.
Every retailer out there has their own specific set of standards for doing business. This is why a retail partner is so important. If you don’t know the specifics that retailers are looking for, you can hurt your chances of that retailer working with your brand.
Thill has partnered with some of the biggest brands in the retail world, such as Bed, Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, CVS, JC Penny, Kohl’s, Macys, Mills Fleet Farm, Target, Walgreens, Walmart and countless others.
Talk To One Of Our Retail Experts
Retail distribution can be the big ticket your business needs to see exceptional growth in the upcoming months. No one understands that better than Thill.
If you’re serious about retail, we can help. Contact one of our retail experts today, you can reach us at 1-920-967-9201 during regular business hours.
