In the supply chain, if all participants can share information, that is, e-commerce companies share information such as production plans and inventory status with suppliers, and suppliers share information such as supply status and buyer demand with e-commerce companies, they can make plans in advance and greatly shorten the time it takes to deliver products to buyers. This is an ideal state of complete information transparency.
However, many e-commerce companies’ supply chains cannot achieve complete information transparency. Therefore, the linkage of manufacturing, retail and logistics will be the blueprint for the real realization of the supply chain.
(1) Planning is the prerequisite for improving efficiency
To improve efficiency and achieve true linkage of the three industries, e-commerce companies must do one thing well – planning. In the production stage, e-commerce companies need to formulate production plans. With the continuous refinement of social division of labor, production is transitioning from “big and complete” to “small and fine”. The core of this lean production is to achieve zero inventory. In this case, e-commerce companies need to determine when they should replenish their stocks and what raw materials they need to purchase.
(2) The linkage of the three industries requires the support of an information platform
Today, many e-commerce companies have heavy and demanding logistics tasks, and need to monitor the status of goods at all times, such as where they have been shipped to and whether they have been delivered on time. In addition, e-commerce companies must know whether a vehicle can be dispatched, where the vehicle is after being dispatched, and when it can be delivered as soon as an order arrives. These tasks cannot be completed independently by humans without the assistance of an information system. Moreover, the information system must be network-based so that the normal operation of logistics can be guaranteed.
(3) Establish a logistics information platform
To achieve the linkage of the three industries, e-commerce companies must shift their focus from the business itself to resource integration. Therefore, building a logistics information platform will be the next development trend. A true logistics information platform should be able to integrate resources and reduce waste.
For example, the process of shipping goods from Shanghai to Paris is very cumbersome: first, pick up the goods, that is, pick up the goods at the designated location according to the order. If a container is needed, it is necessary to rent a container; second, choose the mode of transportation. If the container is not full, it is necessary to consolidate the containers; third, customs declaration for export, it is necessary to choose the mode of transportation again, whether it is air or sea transportation. If air transportation is chosen, it is necessary to clarify the route, flight and freight from Shanghai to Paris; fourth, after the goods arrive in Paris, they need to go through a series of links such as customs clearance and transportation. The logistics information platform can provide this process for e-commerce companies to refer to.
Tips
The logistics information platform is actually a “connector” connecting the three industries of manufacturing, retail and logistics. If e-commerce companies want to make it operate normally, they need a strong information system as a support.