Category: Retail

Disruption, Electric Vehicles, Embedded networks, Retail, U S Postal Service, Uncategorized, Walmart

CEP Group – ‘BACK TO THE FUTURE REDUX’

Further to the disruption by commercial electric vehicles, CEVs, #CEVs, today’s news about GM’s pullback from Nikola is apocalyptic. The legacy automotive industry cannot disengage its DNA, it cannot turn off the combustion engine.

Change is coming, as the petrol-powered automobile rendered horse drawn carriage and drayage to the knackers of history, EV/alternative fuel, AF, transport is doing the same, and the curve is accelerating.

Lest you distrust our vision, our over the horizon history goes back to 1984 when our Principal consultant first formally documented a prototype EMS self-service kiosk, through 2002 when he pioneered ‘Customer Value Chain Analysis’ (USPTO application) and devised the concept of “embedded networks” #EmbeddedNetworks, for last mile delivery for emerging ‘big box’ merchants; e.g., Walmart, years later as publicly presented at World Mail & Express Americas in 2017, and in practice today – Walmart free delivery from store.

For a discussion of what is coming tomorrow in the CEP sector, and especially for the national postal operators, #NPOs, please feel free to contact us  — theCEPGroup.com; “Transforming Disruption Into Opportunity”

#EmbeddedNetworks

Amazon, Retail

Kohl’s stores are now accepting Amazon returns

The latest news on Amazon’s retail projects concerns it’s deepening relationship with Kohl’s, via an enhanced customer experience (CX) for returns.  Returns Management is one of the critical factors in consumer choice of merchant as noted in current research.

“Have an Amazon return to send back? Kohl’s stores are now accepting Amazon returns”  The story is reported at – https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/07/08/kohls-stores-now-accepting-amazon-returns-no-box-required/1629966001/

Coming soon – the CEP Group is currently working on “eCommerce Retail Footprint Study – The Rise of Alliances”, covering Amazon, DHL, FedEx, US Postal Service and UPS, scheduled tentatively for late Summer 2019

Networks, Retail

Embedded Networks 101 Part 2

The recent article “The Best Place for a New Warehouse? An Old Mall”, in the Wall Street Journal, Real Estate Markets section echoes our earlier piece on “embedded networks”, #EmbeddedNetworks, discussed at World Mail & Express (WM&E) Americas 2017.

In this segment, we look at how Shopping Malls can develop integrated delivery networks for brick and mortar retailers, before the malls go dead.

Shopping Malls were originally built to locate in key demographic markets; i.e. within driving distance of consumers primed to shop. As the article points out, they are also prime locations to accomplish last mile delivery to these consumers. Combine strategic location,  with the resurgence of experiential shopping, the touch and feel that only brick and mortar stores can deliver, retail distribution networks designed to supply and restock the stores, and Shopping Malls reassert their presence in the B2C marketplace. “You Shop, We Deliver!” may soon become the new retail tagline.

The convergence of delivery channels will continue because of the new impetus of “Demand Driven Delivery”, a concept we are currently working on. For further information, and to discuss how we can assist your organization, please contact us.

WM&E Americas 2017 Presentation Embedded Networks segment Part 2