A new festival test for the supply chain
This week, Walmart and JD.com announced plans to launch a new omnichannel shopping festival on August 8. The event will see the further expansion of the integration of the two companies’ domestic supply chains, operating platforms and customer resources. The two companies created a ‘strategic alliance’ just over a year ago to produce new, highly beneficial e-commerce and retail initiatives. Customers have already been offered the chance to earn coupons for the festival, scanning QR codes at more than 400 Walmart stores in China. The event is expected to aid Walmart in its intentions to reach 99% of the country’s population that is serviced by JD.com’s delivery network.
The companies will launch their jointly developed supply chain and back-end systems just in time for the event, allowing customers to experience a faster and more convenient service through the expansion of all available delivery channels. Walmart is focused on increasing its service in China using JD.com’s strengths in logistics, big data, technology and customer service.
Read more on the expansion and shopping festival here.
Roll up, roll up, it is a job fair!
On Wednesday, Amazon announced its job fair event scheduled for August 2 in 12 locations around the U.S., including 10 of its warehouses. The company aims to hire 50,000 new workers, and plans on making offers to attendees’ right on the spot. This coincides with Amazon’s pledge to hire 130,000 full and part time employees by mid-2018, meaning its U.S. workforce will expand to 300,000 from the few 30,000 in 2011.
Amazon hopes to attract workers with new improved pay schemes and benefits. Some positions will allow workers to start immediately, whereas others may have to wait for the new warehouses, which will be opening in the next couple of months. The event will also be targeted at hiring workers in time for the holiday rush, starting earlier than in recent years due to the current tight logistics labor market. Retailers and logistics companies are finding it harder to find new workers to add to their ever-growing supply chain operations. Amazon believes holding the event will attract more applicants through introducing them to current workers and allowing them to tour the different warehouses.
More information on Amazon’s plans can be found here.
Ordered before 1pm, delivered after 7pm
On Monday, UK based supermarket chain Tesco launched its nationwide same-day delivery service. It was initially brought into action in 2014, focusing only in London and the South East of the UK. However, after a successful three-year period, the company now feels it is ready to serve nationwide. The service will be available in more than 300 stores across the UK, targeting up to 99% of UK households. Customers ordering before 1pm will have their shopping delivered from 7pm onwards, with no limit on the amount of items chosen. For a limited period, the service will be free to members already subscribed to Tesco’s online delivery membership scheme, Delivery Saver. However, for normal retail customers the delivery service will be priced between £3 and £8.
Tesco has seen growing popularity of the service since its initial launch in 2014. It has spoken with its customers and reacted to their needs, favoring towards quick and convenient delivery where ordering shopping before lunch means they have less stress for preparing their evening meal. The new nationwide service shows Tesco has reacted to the increased competition from Amazon, after it entered with its Amazon Fresh service just last year.
To find out more information click here.
This will mark my final wrap-up, so for the last time- Have a great weekend!
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