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Retail logistics in South Africa has been undergoing significant changes in recent years, driven by the evolving preferences of consumers and the growing competition in the retail sector.
Here are some of the industry trends City Logistics noted that have had the biggest impact on retail logistics and will continue to transform the industry in the coming years:
The Growth of E-Commerce Delivery in South Africa
We live in a time where time and service matters. Retailers are investing in their online platforms to meet the growing demand. The increase in online shopping behaviour in South Africa presents an exciting growth opportunity for retailers, wholesalers and manufacturers.
City Logistics is a leading retail logistics company who specialise in delivering bulkier products, such as appliances, furniture and sporting equipment, we are also associated with Fastway Couriers for small parcel deliveries.
Effective communication is key with E-commerce deliveries to save time and money, we offer In Person Delivery Arrangements where our dedicated team personally make contact with your customers to arrange a delivery time that best suits them. We also go the extra mile for our Retail Customer’s customer where our highly trained assembly team will ensure that your products get delivered on time and assembled correctly.
In-store planning and ecommerce:
Planning is crucial for retail, it is important to stay informed with deliveries to save costs. Retail customers receive a pre-notification message of next-day delivery which integrates planning at store level.
Sustainable Logistics aka Green Logistics
Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases, retailers are responding by offering more sustainable products and implementing environmentally friendly practices. At City Logistics, we care for the environment, by doing so we are also able to cut costs for our retail customers.
We are optimizing our retail distribution with more efficient and larger vehicles. This has made a significant impact on our carbon footprint by reducing vehicles and fuel consumption for our last mile kilometers.Â
Our state-of-the-art Onroute app offers sign on glass features reducing our paper footprint.
Here are more of the steps taken by City Logistics to lead the way through environmental change.
Last-Mile Delivery Solutions
The final stage of the delivery process, known as last-mile delivery, has become an essential aspect of the retail supply chain, as it directly impacts end-users or customers.
At City Logistics we offer an effective Last Mile service that enables our valued retail customers to get goods delivered timeously. Our state of the art last mile visibility tool, OnRoute offers a digital platform focusing on the ‘Last Mile’ of the supply chain. The app provides customers with real-time delivery updates, including live ETAs, and electronic proof of delivery (POD).
The app can direct drivers to their pick-up and delivery locations, and the estimated time of arrival is calculated based on live traffic updates.The app also has sign-on glass capabilities which allow for real-time delivery updates. This digitized approach has streamlined the trip management process, which in turn drives cost efficiency.Â
Automation- The future of Logistics
The demand for faster delivery has created a need to increase the efficiency and speed of logistics operations. City Logistics’ automated mall delivery facility in Gauteng enables deliveries to high volume stores with minimal handling, improving efficiencies and saving costs.
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Collaboration and partnership
Choosing a reliable logistics partner is crucial for Retail. A partnership helps retailers streamline their operations, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction.
Navigating the omnichannel logistics revolution for our valued Retail customers is a crucial component of our logistic service. To provide a service in an ever-changing retail market, City Logistics offers e-commerce large and small parcel support, synchronise logistics and distribution across varied channels, in-store, IBT’s, cost-effective movement of goods, hold stock for new store deliveries, reverse logistics, and warehousing an extension of the omni channel instore.
Disruptions in the supply chain, such as natural disasters can have significant impacts on retailers’ operations and revenue. At City Logistics, we employ an effective supply chain management approach that includes contingency planning and risk mitigation strategies aimed at minimizing disruptions.
We tailor our retail logistics services to suit customer’s unique needs and allow flexible delivery frequency for each retail partner to adapt with the economic environment and high demand periods.
City Logistics offers a complete cost analysis with a breakdown where you can save time and money on Retail logistics. These insights keep costs down and provide valuable information for an ever-changing retail environment and competitive market.