_____________________________________________________________________________________________ Social Commerce
management systems, real-time data and automation can give retailers greater visibility and help them identify changes in demand more quickly. But I would be wary of assuming every problem can be solved by adding more technology. For many smaller businesses who cannot afford huge upfront investments, the answer might mean rethinking the warehouse layout, making better use of available space, cross-training employees or ensuring existing equipment can cope with a sudden increase in activity.
Planning for peaks, not averages
A business may have equipment that is perfectly adequate for its normal requirements, but social commerce can create periods when it is being used much more intensively. If it cannot keep pace, small delays quickly become larger backlogs. That is why I believe flexibility needs to become a bigger part of warehouse planning. Historically, businesses have understandably looked at averages: how many orders arrive on a typical day, how many people are needed to process them, and how much stock normally moves through the warehouse. Those figures are still useful, but social media trends do not care about the average. One product can sell steadily for weeks and then suddenly generate thousands of orders. Just as quickly, the trend might disappear. Retailers need to think about how their operations respond to peaks, not just how they perform under normal conditions. That does not mean every SME should invest in huge amounts of spare capacity in anticipation of a viral hit: it means building enough resilience into the operation so that an unexpected surge does not bring everything else to a halt.
The warehouse as part of the customer experience
I don’ t think the answer is to try to predict every trend. That is, quite simply, impossible. The better approach is to accept that demand will be less predictable and build operations that can respond to it. Social commerce is not going away, even if the platforms and trends driving it continue to evolve. The next big retail trend might start with somebody filming a 30-second TikTok video, but the consequences will be felt much further down the supply chain. The warehouse may be a long way from the customer’ s screen, but it is now an increasingly important part of the social commerce experience. When a product goes viral, the clock starts ticking. The retailers best placed to benefit will be those that have thought about what happens next, and made sure their warehouses are ready to move just as quickly as their customers are willing to buy. ■
Phil Chesworth www. midlandpallettrucks. com
Phil Chesworth is Managing Director at Midland Pallet Trucks, a pallet truck specialist with a diverse range of models and specifications held in stock for immediate shipping. The company provides excellent customer service and top-quality pallet trucks at the best possible prices. All trucks are produced under ISO9002 certification and carry the CE, GS and TUV quality ratings and a full guarantee.
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