Tariffs and economic uncertainty rattle Best Buy going into peak season

"We don’t exactly have a precedence for the quantity of moving pieces that we have in place right now," CEO Corie Barry said on the retailer's second-quarter earnings call.  

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 30, 2019

Kroger heads to Texas for 5th Ocado automated warehouse

The Dallas city council approved $5.7 million in incentives for the Cincinnati-based grocer to build its next AI-powered fulfillment center. 

By Krishna Thakker • Aug. 29, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Retail Supply Chains

Retailers are making operational investments and adjustments to maintain supply chain resilience. Here’s how.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Florida ports prepare as Dorian moves past Puerto Rico

The latest forecast from the National Hurricane Center predicts winds up to 80 mph and between four and eight inches of rain for Puerto Rico.

By Emma Cosgrove • Updated Aug. 28, 2019

Is it prime time for predictive technology in MRO?

The past few years have seen growing adoption of predictive analytics within the supply chain, but maintenance, repair and operations may not be the right place just yet.

By Amanda Loudin • Aug. 27, 2019

With predictive maintenance, operators seek improved uptime

An additional benefit of predictive maintenance is the ability to lower spare parts inventory and rely more on vendors for inventory management.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 26, 2019

Lowe's looks to improve in-stock status with more efficient supply chain

Improving in-stock status in stores has been CEO Marvin Ellison's number one goal since he took the helm at the home improvement retailer in June 2018. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 22, 2019

Target's same-day fulfillment growing at twice the rate of last year

Target's varied fulfillment services, which include in-store pickup, drive-up and Shipt same-day delivery, accounted for 1.5% of the retailer's sales growth in the second quarter.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 22, 2019

Kohl's 12-quarter inventory reduction streak ends

As new tariffs encourage inventory pull-forward and fulfillment commitments for e-commerce orders speed up, retailers have had to rethink where to store inventory and what healthy stock levels look like. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 21, 2019

Del Monte to lay off 844 workers, close plants in major supply chain shift

The company said its new "asset-light strategy will lead to more efficient and lower cost operations."

By Jessi Devenyns • Aug. 21, 2019

Robotic kiosk opens door to automated online grocery fulfillment

Cleveron, the company behind Walmart's pickup towers, has developed a robotic pickup kiosk that features two temperature zones and can retrieve an order within 20 seconds.

By Lauren Manning • Aug. 21, 2019

Amazon Robotics funds app measuring warehouse worker health risks

The app uses an AI algorithm to generate a "risk score" to help workers and warehouse managers better allocate activities to the growing ranks of robots joining the workforce.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 20, 2019

From kicks to cars: 3D printing is upending supply chains

As additive manufacturing goes mainstream, supply chains are presented with tough decisions. Are the speed and flexibility worth the cost? 

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Aug. 20, 2019

Nestlé cuts 360 workers — 4,000 layoffs expected in logistics shift

Nestlé is on a mission to streamline its operations, and changing how it distributes frozen foods is one way it's looking to simplify and save.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 20, 2019

3D printing can reduce lead times and inventory, but it's not for everything

More than 40% of 1,300 3D printing users cited lower lead times as a benefit of 3D printing in a recent survey.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 19, 2019

Kroger expands Express store pilot with Walgreens

The grocer will put mini stores inside 35 Walgreens in Knoxville, Tennessee while the drug retailer’s health and beauty brands will hit select Kroger locations in the same market.

By Jeff Wells • Aug. 19, 2019

Walmart's omnichannel investments pay off in Q2

The quarter vindicated Walmart's investments in omnichannel capabilities and digital sales as U.S. comps rose 2.8% during a trying period for other retailers.

By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 15, 2019

Macy's draws on Google Cloud data management, analytics for warehouse optimization

Developed in-house, Macy's warehouse management software will initially roll out to distribution centers supporting its off-price Backstage stores.

By Naomi Eide • Aug. 15, 2019

Advance Auto Parts mitigates tariff impact through supplier collaboration, price hikes

The auto parts retailer's CFO highlighted how, even though gross profit margin declined in Q2, advanced preparation and reliance of in-house inventory will help it weather the storm. 

By Andy Burt • Aug. 14, 2019

Technology permeates the cold chain warehouse — but it has its limits

At DHL's cold storage facility in Chicago, technologies such as RFID and dimensionalizer machines are designed to withstand cold temperatures and reduce the chill-factor for human labor. 

By Jen A. Miller • Aug. 13, 2019

Tyson shifts production after plant fire to 'keep supply chain full'

A dip in processing capacity will likely manifest in a depleted and pricier spot market for beef, according to consultants. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 13, 2019

4 ways to monitor the cold chain inside the warehouse

The grocery and food sectors are leading in the adoption of cold chain monitoring, but companies must balance the cost of new technology with ROI, especially for low margin products like produce. 

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 9, 2019

Tyson looks to robotics for the future of meatpacking

As meat packers struggle to keep production on pace with demand, engineers at Tyson are working to create robots that will ease staff shortages and do jobs that may be dangerous or highly repetitive.

By Jessi Devenyns • Aug. 9, 2019

Kraft Heinz new CEO: Less cost-cutting, more supply chain visibility

Miguel Patricio called the company's earnings results "unacceptable" and named operational efficiencies and accurate forecasting as the first steps to improving the bottom line. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 8, 2019

8 ways warehouse construction has evolved

21st century warehouses require specialized construction techniques, precise scheduling and highly experienced teams to meet industries' expectations.

By Jennifer Goodman • Aug. 8, 2019

Price, delivery options drive consumer online shopping decisions

Ninety percent of consumers research products before making online purchases, with 58% citing Amazon as the top resource, per a recent UPS report.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 8, 2019