With the growth of online commerce, e-commerce logistics has become a strategic lever. It has a direct impact on the customer experience, business competitiveness and profitability. In this article, we look at the major challenges facing e-commerce logistics and the solutions for optimising your logistics flows using new technologies and best practices in the sector.
Why are e-commerce logistics so important?
A pillar of the customer experience
According to Capgemini (2022), 73 of customers say that delivery speed influences their loyalty to a brand. Optimised logistics make it possible to:
📉 Reduce delivery times.
❌ Avoid order errors.
🔄 Offer customers greater flexibility.
A logistics system specific to e-commerce
Unlike traditional commerce, e-commerce logistics is distinguished by:
📦 Individualised order management (small units, high frequency).
⏳ A need for speed and flexibility to meet customer expectations.
🏢 Fragmented stocks between several warehouses and relay points.
To meet these challenges, Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) are essential.
How can you optimise your e-commerce logistics?
Manage activity peaks
Black Friday and the festive season can account for 30 of annual sales (McKinsey, 2022). Anticipate these periods by:
📈 Temporarily increasing your storage capacity.
🔄 Automating order preparation to avoid delays.
Optimise reverse logistics
Customer returns account for up to 30% of orders in some sectors (e.g. the fashion industry). Efficient reverse logistics makes it possible to:
📦 Manage returns quickly.
💰 Reduce operating costs.
😀 Improve the customer experience.
🔗 Find out more about reverse logistics
Optimise last-mile delivery
The last-mile accounts for up to 53% of logistics costs according to Acteos. To optimise this crucial stage:
🚏 Give preference to relay points and lockers to reduce delivery costs.
🚗 Use low-emission vehicles to limit your carbon footprint.
⚙️ Adopt route optimisation tools thanks to AI.
Equip yourself with a high-performance WMS
A WMS like Satelix Logistics helps you to:
📊 Track your stocks in real time.
🚀 Optimise order preparation.
📉 Reduce your error rate.
🔄 Automate your inventories.
Innovations that are revolutionising e-commerce logistics
Warehouse automation and robotisation
The integration of robots and automated systems reduces lead times and improves productivity.
👉🏻 This is the case with Amazon, which has deployed 3,000 robots in its Metz warehouse to speed up order preparation.
Artificial intelligence and data
Thanks to AI, companies can:
📊 Anticipate order peaks.
🚛 Optimise delivery routes.
🌱 Reduce costs and carbon footprint.
The development of micro-warehouses and quick commerce
These local infrastructures make it possible to:
⏳ Deliver in less than 2 hours.
📦 Improve stock management.
💰 Reduce logistics costs.
Towards more sustainable e-commerce logistics?
In response to the growing environmental impact of e-commerce, companies are adopting more responsible solutions:
🌱 Optimisation of rounds to reduce CO² emissions.
♻️ Use of eco-responsible packaging.
🚲 Development of urban logistics hubs to limit the number of journeys.
Optimise your e-commerce logistics!
Effective e-commerce depends on efficient logistics. By adopting the right technologies and optimising every stage of the supply chain, you can improve your competitiveness and customer satisfaction.
I want to optimise my logistics