Omnichannel Supply Chain & E-Commerce Fulfillment

Course overview

Course outline

1. 1Day 1: Omnichannel Supply Chain Strategy and Fulfillment Network Design

   • Understanding the differences between single-channel, multichannel, cross-channel, and omnichannel supply chain operating models

   • Mapping customer journeys and fulfillment requirements across online stores, marketplaces, mobile commerce, physical retail, and business-to-business channels

   • Evaluating centralized distribution centers, regional fulfillment facilities, micro-fulfillment centers, and store-based fulfillment models

   • Comparing ship-from-warehouse, ship-from-store, click-and-collect, buy-online-pick-up-in-store (BOPIS), and direct-to-customer delivery strategies

   • Assessing fulfillment network design using service coverage, delivery speed, operating costs, inventory positioning, and capacity constraints

   • Practical workshop: Designing an omnichannel fulfillment network for a retailer operating physical stores and multiple digital sales channels

2. 2Day 2: Inventory Management, Demand Planning and Order Orchestration

   • Establishing unified inventory visibility across warehouses, retail stores, marketplaces, and third-party logistics providers

   • Applying demand forecasting, inventory segmentation, safety stock, and replenishment planning across multiple fulfillment channels

   • Designing inventory allocation rules that balance online demand, store availability, service priorities, and profitability

   • Understanding order management systems (OMS) and their role in order capture, inventory availability, allocation, routing, and exception handling

   • Developing order routing logic based on inventory location, delivery commitments, fulfillment capacity, transportation costs, and customer preferences

   • Practical exercise: Optimizing inventory allocation and order routing decisions across a network of stores and distribution centers

3. 3Day 3: E-Commerce Warehousing and Fulfillment Operations

   • Designing fulfillment workflows covering order release, picking, packing, quality checks, labeling, dispatch, and shipment confirmation

   • Comparing discrete picking, batch picking, zone picking, and wave picking for different order volumes and product characteristics

   • Improving warehouse slotting, storage strategies, picking routes, labor productivity, and order accuracy

   • Evaluating automation technologies including barcode scanning, RFID, sortation systems, goods-to-person solutions, and autonomous mobile robots

   • Integrating warehouse management systems (WMS) with e-commerce platforms, ERP systems, and order management applications

   • Case study: Redesigning an e-commerce fulfillment center to improve throughput, reduce picking errors, and support seasonal demand peaks

4. 4Day 4: Last-Mile Delivery, Customer Experience and Reverse Logistics

   • Evaluating parcel carriers, delivery service providers, third-party logistics partners, and alternative last-mile delivery models

   • Designing delivery service options covering standard delivery, express delivery, scheduled delivery, pickup points, and store collection

   • Analyzing transportation costs, delivery density, failed deliveries, route efficiency, and service-level trade-offs

   • Improving customer communication through shipment visibility, tracking information, proactive notifications, and exception management

   • Developing reverse logistics processes covering return requests, collection, inspection, restocking, refurbishment, and product disposition

   • Practical workshop: Evaluating last-mile delivery and returns scenarios to improve customer satisfaction while reducing fulfillment cost-to-serve

5. 5Day 5: Fulfillment Technology, Performance Analytics and Continuous Improvement

   • Understanding the integration of OMS, WMS, TMS, ERP, inventory platforms, and e-commerce applications within an omnichannel technology architecture

   • Applying supply chain analytics to monitor order processing, fulfillment lead times, inventory availability, delivery performance, and returns

   • Developing performance indicators including perfect order rate, on-time-in-full delivery, order accuracy, inventory turnover, cost per order, and return processing time

   • Assessing the use of artificial intelligence, predictive analytics, and automation in demand planning, inventory optimization, order routing, and fulfillment operations

   • Establishing fulfillment governance, supplier performance management, service-level agreements, operational risk controls, and continuous improvement priorities

   • Capstone exercise: Developing an Omnichannel Supply Chain and E-Commerce Fulfillment Improvement Plan covering network design, inventory strategy, order orchestration, warehouse operations, last-mile delivery, technology integration, and performance KPIs