Inventory Mgmt with Steady Demand

The Barcode Turns 50

The barcode’s origin story is somewhat in doubt. However, many people recognize April 3, 1973, as its birthday—making the barcode 50 years old.

On this day, the IBM version created by senior engineer George Laurer was approved as the industry standard. Shortly thereafter, the first barcoded product was scanned in Marsh’s supermarket near Troy, Ohio. The item was a 10-pack of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum for $1.39.

The use of the barcode has greatly expanded since 1973. Barcodes are everywhere. The Universal Product […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2023-05-07T05:36:34+00:00May 7, 2023|Tags: barcodes, information technology, processes, QR codes, RFID, technology|

Target Sortation Centers To Double In Capacity

Target is making a $100 million investment in its “sortation centers.”

By the end of January of 2026, the retailer aims to increase the number of these delivery hubs from nine to fifteen, approximately doubling the number of packages handled, and speeding up delivery times.

Video Spotlight:

Shipt Package Delivery Walkthrough (July 5, 2022, Eli Esch)

This post is based on the CNBC article, Target bets on e-commerce by investing in $100 million in hubs […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2023-03-22T03:43:29+00:00March 22, 2023|Tags: capacity planning, distribution, forecasting, inventory management, location planning, logistics, supply chain|

Problems with Free Returns

As the cost of returns continues to rise, retailers are looking for ways to reduce or recapture their costs. In 2021, the e-commerce returns rate hit an all-time high of 20.8%–up from 18.1% in 2020. The cost of online returns averaged 21% of order values.

In addition to the cost, there is the impact on the environment for returns (see “The Dark Side of Online Returns”). Many products are sent to the landfill, and there is the consumption […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2022-07-27T04:57:52+00:00August 2, 2022|Tags: inventory management, retail, returns, reverse logistics|

Use of RFID Tags Expand

RFID tags are increasingly being used throughout the supply chain to track material. Individual item-level tracking is now possible with RFID tags, allowing more detailed tracking information.

Walmart has just expanded its use of RFID tags in stores to track inventory. In 2019, Walmart required suppliers of apparel, footwear, sunglasses, and watches to place RFID tags on these items. Now in 2022, Walmart has added wireless devices, consumer electronics, and home goods to the list. The primary reason is tracking inventory, […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2022-03-17T06:26:51+00:00March 17, 2022|Tags: counterfeit products, fraud, inventory management, RFID, supply chain management|