Major grocery retailers serving dense urban areas such as New York, London and Paris are under increasing pressure to get product to consumers in the shortest possible time, as little as 15 minutes, and often for free. But there are downsides to the trend.

Ben Ruddell, director and professor in the School of Informatics, Computing and Cyber Systems at Northern Arizona University, offers a perspective on whether we can expect another wave of shortages of essential products on store shelves this year.

As e-commerce and direct-to-consumer deliveries have skyrocketed during the pandemic, so have orders for large and bulky items, says Brenda Stoner, founder of Pickup. And so have the accompanying supply chain challenges.

The only certainty in logistics is that uncertainty will grow, opening the door to innovative and adaptable companies to emerge as industry leaders.

Speed and accuracy of delivery enhance the customer experience, says Kushal Nahata, chief executive officer and founder of FarEye. Visibility is what ties it all together.

JP Wiggins, vice president of logistics for 3Gtms, describes how shippers and brokers can meet and overcome transportation obstacles and driver shortages.
 

No question about it: E-commerce consumers are spoiled. Raj Patel, senior director of 3PL global industry strategy with Blue Yonder, explains how retailers and third-party logistics providers are meeting demands for rapid delivery of orders, despite the pandemic.

When it comes to fulfilling e-commerce orders, the shortest distance between two points is often the toughest to traverse.