1. Quick Response (QR)
Quick Response (QR) means that when a cross-border e-commerce enterprise faces a buyer’s market with multiple varieties and small batches, it does not reserve “products” but prepares various “elements”. When users make requests, it can extract “elements” at the fastest speed, “assemble” them in time, and provide the required services or products. QR is a supply chain management method developed by the textile and apparel industry in the United States.
2. Effective Customer Response (ECR)
Efficient Consumer Response (ECR) is a supply chain management strategy developed from the grocery industry in the United States in 1992. It is also a supply chain management solution composed of supply chain members such as manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers. All parties coordinate and cooperate with each other to meet consumer needs better, faster and at a lower cost. Effective customer response is a supply chain management strategy that is based on the principle of meeting customer requirements and minimizing logistics process costs, and can make accurate responses in a timely manner to optimize the supply of goods or service processes.
3. Comparison between ECR and QR 1) Differences between QR and ECR
In cross-border e-commerce, ECR mainly targets industries with relatively fast replacement, and its main goal is to reduce costs in all links of the supply chain and improve efficiency.
QR is mainly concentrated in general commodities and textile industries, and its main goal is to respond quickly to customer needs and replenish stocks quickly.
This is because the characteristics of the products sold by the grocery industry and the textile and clothing industry are different: most of the products sold by the grocery industry are functional products, and the life of each product is relatively long. Therefore, the loss caused by ordering too much (or too little) is relatively small.
The products sold by the textile and clothing industry are mostly innovative products, and the life of each product is relatively short. Therefore, the loss caused by ordering too much (or too little) is relatively large.
① Different focus. QR focuses on shortening the delivery lead time and responding to customer needs quickly; ECR focuses on reducing and eliminating waste in the supply chain and improving the effectiveness of supply chain operations.
② Differences in management methods. QR mainly uses information technology to achieve rapid reissue and shortens product launch time through joint product development; ECR not only introduces new products quickly and effectively, but also implements effective commodity management and effective promotion of rolling.
③ Different applicable industries. QR is applicable to industries with high unit value, strong seasonality, poor substitutability and low purchase frequency; ECR is applicable to industries with low unit value, high inventory turnover, low gross profit, strong substitutability and high purchase frequency.
④ Different reform focuses. The focus of QR reform is the speed of replenishment and ordering, with the aim of eliminating out-of-stock situations to the greatest extent possible and only purchasing when goods are in demand. The focus of ECR reform is efficiency and cost.
2) Common characteristics
It is manifested in transcending the boundaries between cross-border e-commerce companies and pursuing logistics efficiency through cooperation. It is specifically manifested in the following three aspects:
(1) Sharing of business information between cross-border e-commerce partners.
(2) Commodity suppliers further enter the retail industry and provide high-quality logistics services.
(3) All ordering and delivery operations between enterprises are conducted through EDI, realizing paperless transmission of delivery data.