This paper aims to identify the challenges for the fulfillment process of online retailers due to the COVID 19 pandemic. No other topic dominates the current public perception more than COVID-19. National, federal and local authorities require their citizens to stay at home and avoid social contact during the pandemic. The result is an e-commerce boom, with online retail orders increasing for example in the US by 146% in comparison to the previous year. However, customers experience that many well-known benefits, such as a seemingly endless selection of affordable products or shipping in two days, are no longer guaranteed. The reason lies in the process of order fulfillment. This process encompasses all the activities a company undertakes from the moment an order is received until the items are delivered, including all customer services. It comprises back-office activities such as packaging, delivery, accounting, inventory management, and shipping as well as front-office activities such as advertising and order acceptance.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Challenges to the order fulfillment process
- Changed, unpredictable buying behavior
- Procurement and Warehousing
- Fulfillment centers
- Transportation and Delivery
- Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper aims to identify the challenges for the fulfillment process of online retailers due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
- The impact of changed and unpredictable buying behavior on online retailers.
- Challenges related to procurement and warehousing due to supply chain disruptions.
- The challenges faced by fulfillment centers due to reduced workforce and social distancing measures.
- The impact of COVID-19 on transportation and delivery processes.
- The effect of the pandemic on customer service and satisfaction.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
The introduction discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the e-commerce industry and highlights the challenges faced by online retailers in fulfilling orders.
Chapter 2 explores the various challenges faced by online retailers in the order fulfillment process due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Section 2.1 examines the changed and unpredictable buying behavior of consumers, which has put immense pressure on online retailers. Section 2.2 focuses on the challenges related to procurement and warehousing, including supply chain disruptions and storage space constraints. Section 2.3 discusses the impact of the pandemic on fulfillment centers, highlighting the reduced workforce and social distancing measures. Section 2.4 briefly touches upon the challenges related to transportation and delivery processes.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
The paper focuses on the challenges to the order fulfillment process of online retailers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, encompassing themes like changed buying behavior, supply chain disruptions, workforce limitations, fulfillment center operations, and customer service impact.
- Quote paper
- Paul Heck (Author), 2020, Challenges for the order fulfillment process of online retailers due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/912512
