From the Hype to the How: Building Digital Prowess in the Retail Supply Chain

The omnichannel retail supply chain ecosystem has traditionally consisted of boxes, cartons, pallets, and totes. However, the expectations of omnichannel customers—speed and flexibility, transparency, authenticity, and ethical standards—is challenging the ‘physical’ supply chain to evolve into a ‘phygital’ front runner.

While digital technologies such as IoT, AGVs, blockchain, and automation are emerging as key drivers of customer experience and operational efficiencies, they also open up discussions such as:

• What are the parameters for maintaining the freshness of strawberries vs. meat while building IoT solutions?
• Do drones require docking stations en route for charging?
• Should blockchain be adopted for selective SKUs or for multiple products?
• Must we revisit labor standards to include robots in retail facilities?

This paper discusses the key considerations for building digital prowess in the retail supply chain.