The rapidly changing delivery expectations of eCommerce customers, driven by trends towards click & collect and next day delivery, mean that operating an effective eCommerce supply chain and fulfilment operation presents a whole new set of challenges. To meet these new expectations, eCommerce retailers need to find new solutions at every stage, from demand forecasting, through to inventory management, warehousing, technology integration and distribution. Check out the presentation above to learn how Omni-Channel is changing the role of operations and fulfillment.

1. Martin Priest
Manager, Business Development & Operations,
eCommerce, Lowe’s Canada

2. What is Omni-Channel?

4. What is driving
Omni-Channel Fulfillment?

12. Where Lowes.ca started

13. Lowes.ca launched in late 2012
37 locations, 4 provinces

14. Platform is owned by Lowes
eCommerce-dedicated call centre

15. Store pick-up and truck delivery available
All items are shipped from store,
parcel shipping works on a hub store matrix

16. Ship-from-warehouse introduced in 2014
Customers can gain insights to product
availability with Real-Time Inventory

17. 90% of in-store SKUs available online
65,000 Extended Aisle SKUs

18. Omni-Channel is changing
the way business is done
Learnings from forming an omni-channel strategy at Lowe's

19. Organizational silos between the
online and offline divisions drive the
wrong behaviours

22. Tactical Lessons
Ops says it works one way, but the stores tell the real story.
Store inventory data is less accurate than a warehouse.

23. Tactical Lessons
Buffers, Picking, Inventory in hands - high velocity.
Extended aisle SKU’s are much less productive on average,
we’re finding 5% of SKU’s do 80% of the work, recognized
brand names have good traction.

24. Tactical Lessons
Quantity limitations for parcel shipping
Real-time inventory visibility is a must

25. Key Lesson #1
Don’t assume everyone understands
eCommerce or that it is a priority.

26. Key Lesson #2
Learn the rest of the business

27. Key Lesson #3
Training, Training, Training

28. Key Lesson #4
Supply Chain will never be the same

29. Key Lesson #5
Information is King

30. Key Take Away
The new role of Operations is of a
student and a teacher.

31. martin.priest@lowes.com