Topic:

Article review on Retail logistics by Lisa M. Ellram, Bernard J. La Londe and

Mary Margaret Weber (College of Business, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA)

This article explores the way in which retailers are using logistics to respond to these challenges. First, it examines current and future customer service expectations among retailers. Second, it explores the role of improved inventory control and the supply chain management concept on customer service and retail logistics operations. Finally, it explores the manner in which retailers are incorporating and planning to implement the explosive growth in information technology to meet competitive challenges. The article concludes by discussing how the retail logistics trends examined here are creating some exciting opportunities and challenges for retailing logistics as we enter the 1990s. The article has conducted to know the challenges faced by the retail the results from a survey of top retailing executives regarding current logistics practices and trends are described. The focus is on customer service factors, the use of a supply chain management approach in retailing channels, and the impact of information technology on retail logistics today and in the future. Information technologies discussed include electronic data interchange, point of sale and barcoding. The article concludes that based on the importance that retailers attach to customer service, supply chain management and information technology, the 1990s will likely be an exciting and challenging time in the management of the retail logistics function. Retailers are being faced with many significant changes today. Increased competition is creating greater pressure on retailers to simultaneously control cost and improve customer service. Further, retailers are faced with a growing number of complex technological options to help support their inventory and customer service goals. Based on the above changes, the objective of this article is threefold. The first objective is to investigate the current expectations and future directions for customer service among US retailers. A second objective is to examine the role of improved inventory control and supply chain management on customer service and retail logistics operations. The third objective is to understand the implications of improved customer service and inventory control on retail logistics at an operational level. The opportunities for the use of information technology as a tool to support Customer service and inventory control objectives are explored in this article. Retailing logistics is at a very exciting turning point in present suition, on the brink of many important changes and opportunities. It appears that there is tremendous potential for the role of logistics in the retail sector to expand and evolve in the future. LINK: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09600039910291993
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