ergebnisse supply chain e commerce studie 2021

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2021 ECOMMERCE FULFILLMENT BENCHMARK SURVEY

Strategies and Tactics of Hyper-Growth & Top-Performing Companies

About the Survey

• identifies key economic, industry and market
developments making the greatest impact

In late 2020 and early 2021, Descartes conducted a
benchmark survey of companies with ecommerce
fulfillment operations to identify the strategies,
tactics and technology thinking of top performers.

Survey participants represented a wide range of
industry leaders including Descartes customers and
followers, trade association members and industry
publications readers to provide a balanced view of
ecommerce fulfillment.

This benchmark survey:
• examines challenges and strategic changes
related to COVID-19
• explores how companies view the strategic role
of ecommerce fulfillment
• uncovers which logistics strategies provide the
most competitive differentiation
• provides the outlook for future IT investment

Who We Surveyed

The 235 survey respondents represent a wide variety of industries with operations in Europe (54%), North America (42%) and Australia/New Zealand (4%).
Here’s a quick snapshot of the participant demographics based on target groups, industries served, transportation modes and shipment volume.

A mix of target groups represented

• The largest group of respondents (46%) cited a focus on B2C/Direct to Consumer fulfillment, over twice the number reporting a B2B focus (20%).
• A mix of B2C and B2B targets was the #2 response with 34%.

Distribution/Wholesale and Manufacturing lead industries served

• Distribution/wholesale was the top industry served (27%), followed closely by manufacturing (25%).
• Fashion and accessories (21%) was the only other single industry cited by more than 20% of respondents.
• Only 4% separated the next six industries: consumer electronics, automotive, sports & hobbies, home & garden, food & beverage and wellness, health & beauty.

Parcel dominates ecommerce transportation

• Parcel captured the #1 spot with 78% of survey respondents, giving it a significant lead over other transportation modes. • LTL/Truckload was a distant second with 44%.

Range of daily volumes reported

• A majority of participants (60%) report daily volumes of 500 or less shipments. • The remaining 40% of respondents cited between 500 and 999 shipments (18%) and more than 1,000 shipments (22%) daily.

Performance Analysis

We asked respondents to rate how well their companies are doing financially and what they expect the company’s growth rate to be over the next two years.

Financial Performance Company Growth

Financial Performance & Growth Correlation

Survey results indicate a definite correlation between how well a company performs financially and its expected growth rate.

Survey Findings

• Overall, survey results reflect high market growth rates, likely accelerated by COVID-19.
• Even 70% of Poorer Performers are expecting to grow.
• Based on responses, Hyper Growth correlates with performance, with 27% of Top Performers expecting Hyper-Growth rates vs. 15% of Poorer Performers.

Key Trends & Practices: Changes Impacting the Future of Ecommerce

We asked respondents several questions regarding how economic and market developments will impact the industry and their ecommerce business over the next two years, as well as which logistics strategies are making a difference.
The growing operational challenges related to COVID-19 were also explored.

Macroeconomic • Overall, COVID-19 (68%), global economic performance (44%) and domestic instability (35%) ranked as the top three developments expected to have the greatest impact over the next two years.

Top 3 industry developments
• Overall, 52% of respondents predicted that Amazon and large channel ecommerce providers will have the biggest impact on their ecommerce business.
• However, 50% of Hyper Growth respondents ranked both delivery capacity & performance and marketplace providers as having the largest future impact.
• Poorer Performers foresee greater impact from marketplace providers (61%) and the direct-to-consumer (DTC) trend (43%) than all other respondent groups.

Key Trends & Practices: Market Differentiators and Challenges

Logistics make a difference • Free shipping (46%) ranked as the top overall logistics strategy making the most market difference, with real-time tracking capabilities securing the #2 spot.
• Free shipping was significantly more important to Poorer Performers (54%) and No Growth businesses (58%) versus Top Performers (40%).
• Top Performers (39%) see greater impacts from more efficient pick-pack-ship capabilities than Poorer Performers (28%).

Growing COVID-19 challenges • Overall, the biggest two challenges are seen in demand planning (51%) and carrier service disruptions (47%), which are likely related to very high shipping volumes.
• Top Performers (41%) and Hyper-Growth firms (47%) are experiencing greater challenges keeping pace with extreme shipping volumes.
• In contrast, Poorer Performers (29%) and No-Growth firms (26%) are more challenged with fulfillment costs.

Strategies & Tactics

Survey respondents were asked a set of questions regarding strategies for adapting to COVID-19 and addressing future market changes.
They also weighed in on the strategic importance their management places on ecommerce shipping and fulfillment processes.

A strategic view of ecommerce

• Over 37% of Top Performers and Hyper-Growth businesses view ecommerce shipping and fulfillment as a competitive weapon, more than doubling the number of Poorer Performers (18%) and No-Growth companies (17%) in this category.
• More than 30% of Poorer Performers and No-Growth businesses stated their management views ecommerce fulfillment as a basic service.
• 21% of No-Growth firms consider shipping & fulfillment as a necessary evil.

Addressing change

• Overall, 45% of respondents cited staying the course as their #1 strategy for the future.
• More than 50% of Top Performers and Hyper-Growth businesses are investing in scalable technology.
• Poorer Performers (43%) and No-Growth companies (49%) are more focused on cutting costs.

COVID-19 adaption strategies

• In relation to COVID-19, 58% of respondents reported that staying the course had been their primary strategy.
• Top Performers (41%) and Hyper-Growth brands (44%) adapted by investing in scalable technology during the pandemic, ranking it as their second highest strategy.

Technology Implications

This benchmark survey posed questions designed to learn how respondents view their ecommerce technology strategy and to ascertain IT investment plans including projected spend and future areas of focus.

Technology adoption strategy

• Overall, 55% of respondents identify their companies as Early Adopters and Fast Followers.
• 70% of Hyper-Growth firms self-identified as Early Adopters and Fast Followers and reported planning their largest investments in scalable technology.

IT investment strategy

• Overall, 76% of respondents plan to invest more in their technology stack.

IT spend outlook

• Overall, 68% of respondents plan to spend more over the next two years.

Future IT investments

• Overall, 57% of respondents plan to make their greatest future IT investments in warehouse operations.

Key Trends & Practices: Changes

• Overall high-market ecommerce growth rates accelerated due to COVID-19, which created challenges handling extremely high volumes, especially for Hyper-Growth and Top Performing companies.