New book coming in 2019

​Logistics Help for Online Retailers

by Andrew J Clark – The Logistics Linchpin

How to win at online retail with high performance logistics

Andrew Clark, the founder of Logistics Help is currently working on his first book on logistics for business leaders. Due out mid 2018, “Online Retail Logistics for Business Leaders” will answer the essential but unsexy questions that business owners and managers need answered after they have entered the exciting world of online retail. Once the decisions around market segments, products, digital marketing and web store experience have been worked out, the business enters a new world of online retail logistics management that is essential to support it

The reality is that you have not made a sale until your product is in the hands of your customer and your business won’t survive against the competition unless you have high performance logistics operations that consistently deliver your promise to your customers. This book walks you through the logistics practicalities of your supply chain from source to customer and back again. ​Dealing with fundamental questions like:

  • How much stock do I buy?
  • Where and how do I store my stock?
  • How do I keep these costs under control?
  • What systems do I need?
  • What’s the best way to fulfill customer orders?
  • How should I ship my products to my customers?
  • How do I handle returns?

Draft outline of the book

Part 1: How to sell online

​Why sell online?
Online retail is now an essential business strategy
Can my business sell successfully online? 
B2B
B2C
Service
Ways to fulfill online sales
Affiliate Marketing
Drop Ship
Outsourced logistics
Control your destiny and run your own logistics
What could possibly go wrong?
Top ten logistics issues for online retailers1

Part 2: How to build your supply chain

Universal model of supply chain
Primary industry & mining
Component suppliers
Manufacturing
Brand Originators
Retailing
Services and intermediaries
Establish your market and product strategy
Buy your products
Forecasting
Purchase order calculation
Purchase order management
System support
Ship your products to your warehouse
Inbound Freight
Importing
Receiving and put-away
Your warehouse or theirs?
Warehousing strategy
When should you outsource to a 3PL?
How to choose a 3PL
How do 3PLs charge?
Transitioning to a new 3PL
Systems integration
Who should manage the freight?
What about Fulfillment By Amazon?
What if it goes wrong?
Look after your products
Physical inventory management
Warehouse layout & design
Racking and storage systems
Materials handling equipment
Warehouse Management Systems
Replenish your warehouses & retail stores
Store/warehouse replenishment
Transfer order management
Omni-channel
Outbound freight
Sell your products
Webstore
Back end systems
Order Management
Pick and ship your products
Managing orders in the warehouse
Picking methods
Outbound Freight
Freight Management
Freight Management Systems
Return your products from your customers
Returns are marketing
Return order management
Return inventory management