Monday, September 10, 2018

Why Cross Docking Makes Sense For Your Halloween Makeup Online Supply Store

By Daniel Wood


Over the years, consumers have learnt to demand better shopping experiences from the businesses they frequent. This is particularly true when it comes to order fulfillment -- the ability to handle this speedily and accurately is key in growing your Utah Halloween makeup business. With that in mind, it's time you considered adopting cross docking as part of your supply chain strategy.

Think your business is too simple for you to start throwing around terms like 'cross-docking?' It's actually less complicated than you think. Specifically, it involves the use of inbound inventory to fulfill existing customer orders. A typical cross-dock facility is designed to allow unloading, screening, and sorting of incoming shipments under the same terminal. They're then dispatched to their relevant destinations via pre-selected means.

Of course, it does take thorough planning and a ton of effort to maintain a fast-paced supply chain. Not to mention that cross-docking isn't ideal for all scenarios as well. It has, however, proved excellent for e-commerce businesses. Now that you're hooked, take a look at the benefits it could bring your way:

Improved Order Turnarounds: As a model that links inbound and outbound logistics, cross-docking will definitely improve your turnarounds. It's worth pointing out that this doesn't make the warehouse redundant, but rather reduce the time goods spend within. Back to the main point though -- adopting the approach means orders will be fulfilled quicker, particularly if paired with the automation of your support processes.

Increasing Available Space: By speeding up the rate at which inventory is shipped, cross docking will free up room in your warehouse. Of course, there's nothing to keep you from scaling up your product line if other factors allow it. You could also opt to take advantage of the cost savings if you operate from a rented space. Whatever the case, your bottom line will improve significantly.

Minimizes Risk: Cross docking cuts out some of the steps involved in a standard warehouse operation. This in turn minimizes handling and movement, thus taking out some of the risk involved. Specifically, inventory is less likely to get damaged or lost when it passes through a minimal amount of hands. The likelihood of overstocking will also shrink substantially.

Cost-effective: Cross-docking allows products destined for a similar location to be shipped as a full load. It thus becomes viable to exploit the available capacity to the maximum, thereby paving way for economies of scale. This eventually leads to a greener supply chain in the long-term.

Added Worth For Your Customers: No prizes for guessing that your customers will appreciate the expedited order fulfillment. But how about using a fraction of the cost savings to offset the shipping expense on their part? Seldom will you ever get a better opportunity to enrich your customers' shopping experience.

Matching demand with supply will always top your priorities list for as long as you're still running a product-based business. Cross-docking doesn't just provide an answer for this -- it will also help you get your goods to your customers faster without incurring a cost penalty. Just be sure to implement it with a solid foundation in place.




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