Ecommerce Fulfillment Options

Sustainability Unboxed. Fragile doesn't just mean delicate. It means expensive to get wrong. Not just everyday breakables. We're talking museum pieces. Blown glass worth five figures. One-off ceramics. I've lived it. From £200 teacups to £35,000 vases. £70,000+ Waterford crystal golf trophies that needed their own personal panic alarms every time they shipped. (easily one of the most stressful gigs in my career!) These aren't just objects. They're investments. And when things go wrong, they don't just chip. They take budgets, reputations, and carbon targets down with them. The usual fix tends to be over-engineered boxes, foam blocks, layers of wrap, and a footprint that dwarfs the product inside. Protect well. But heavy on waste, weight, and emissions. And in global shipping, that trade-off's looking outdated. The industry is finally catching up. Polystyrene out. Good design in. Custom-moulded pulp that locks each piece in place. Inflatable multi-use formats that absorb shock and deflate flat. Engineered paper wraps that flex and hold. Outer boxes that can take a beating. And then there's ''Fragile.'' A reusable packaging system for shipping delicate items. Collectibles. Ceramics. Artwork. Designed for sustainability. Built for real-world supply chains. Modular, collapsible, and ready to drop into existing systems. Starts with stretchable membranes. Elastic textiles and soft silicone, tensioned inside rigid frames to create a drum-tight cradle. No dead space. No filler. Suspended protection that adapts to the object. Combine the frames to fit any shape or size. Slip into standard crates or tubes for discreet shipping. Harder to spot. Harder to steal. Not just a concept. A working solution. The V&A Museum in London needed a better way to transport valuable, oddly-shaped items sustainably. Fragile delivered. Not just for the archive. Works for bottles, vases, glassware. Anything valuable, breakable, and hard to replace. No waste. No foam. No problem. When the product is irreplaceable, the packaging can't be guesswork. This is where sustainability meets precision. And the cost of failure isn't just breakage. It's everything that comes after. Still bubble-wrapping like it's 1999? What's breaking first. Your margins or your ethics? 📷Mireia Gordi i Vila/Anna Queralt Mamo. ---------------------- If you enjoyed this post, why not join me at the Sustainable Packaging Summit in Utrecht this November. Use LISAC20 for 20% off tickets. Details in the comments. #SPS2025 #SustainablePackagingSummit

Understanding the SAP MM Procure to Pay Process! The procure-to-pay (P2P) process in SAP MM is integral to efficient procurement and payment management. It seamlessly integrates multiple critical business functions, from requisitioning to payment processing, ensuring streamlined operations and smooth transactions. Here's an in-depth look at the P2P process: Requisitioning: The process begins with a requisition, a formal request for goods or services. This document details the specific items or services needed, their quantities, and the required delivery date. Requisitions can be created manually or automatically based on MRP (Material Requirements Planning) outputs, making it easier to keep track of requirements across the organization. Sourcing: Once a requisition is approved, the sourcing process begins. This involves identifying and evaluating potential suppliers. Supplier selection is critical and can be supported by SAP's vendor evaluation functionalities, which help in comparing supplier performance and reliability. Effective sourcing ensures that the best suppliers are chosen based on quality, cost, and delivery performance. Purchase Order Creation: After selecting a supplier, a purchase order (PO) is created. The PO is a formal document sent to the supplier, detailing the agreed terms and conditions, such as quantities, prices, and delivery dates. SAP MM allows for the easy creation and management of POs, ensuring that all necessary information is accurately captured and communicated. Goods Receipt: When the ordered goods arrive, the goods receipt process involves checking the received items against the purchase order. This step ensures that the correct items in the correct quantities have been delivered. Any discrepancies are recorded and managed, ensuring accurate inventory records and preventing payment for incorrect deliveries. Invoice Verification: The supplier sends an invoice based on the delivered goods or services. The invoice verification process involves matching the invoice with the purchase order and goods receipt. This three-way match is crucial for ensuring that payments are only made for received and correctly invoiced goods and services. Payment Processing: After successful invoice verification, the payment process is initiated according to the agreed payment terms. This final step completes the procurement cycle, ensuring timely and accurate payments to suppliers, which helps maintain good supplier relationships and credit terms. #SAPMM #ProcureToPay #SupplyChain #Procurement #BusinessProcess Follow NagaSindhuja Methuku

Flipkart needed 12 new fulfillment hubs fast. So they found a regional operator who already knew the ground and handed it over. On March 10, 2026, Pranik Logistics Limited signed a 2-year agreement with Flipkart to launch and operate 12 Hub-In-Hub facilities across North and East India. By the next afternoon, Pranik's stock had moved up 9.62%. Hub-In-Hub is a specific fulfillment model where a smaller hub operates within or alongside a larger one, feeding last-mile delivery without requiring an entirely separate facility. It reduces capital expenditure, cuts transit time between sort centers, and keeps operations lean in geographies where demand is still growing. North and East India have always been the harder markets for e-commerce logistics. Patchy road infrastructure, dispersed demand, and fewer large-format fulfillment centers have kept delivery timelines longer compared to the West and South. Flipkart's move to add 12 HIH nodes across these regions tells you exactly where the next volume push is coming from. The Pranik partnership reveals something important about how large e-commerce players are choosing to scale right now. Rather than owning every square foot of infrastructure, they're signing structured yearly contracts with regional logistics operators who already understand the terrain. Asset-light on paper. Deep-rooted in the ground. That is what smart fulfillment expansion looks like in 2026. Which logistics model do you think the big platforms will bet on next?

A 𝐒𝐐𝐋 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞 is a precompiled collection of 𝐒𝐐𝐋 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 stored in the database server. It allows for the execution of multiple SQL commands as a single unit, enhancing performance and reducing network traffic. In this article, we'll explore the practical application of 𝐒𝐐𝐋 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 in processing online orders for an e-commerce platform. As we get started, let's outline the steps involved and how a 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞 can 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: ➡ 𝐈𝐧𝐩𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: The stored procedure can take input parameters such as order ID, customer ID, product ID, quantity, etc. ➡ 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Validate the input parameters to ensure they are within acceptable ranges and that the order can be processed. ➡ 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤: Check the inventory to ensure that the requested quantity of the product is available. If not, handle the situation appropriately, such as notifying the customer or updating the order status. ➡ 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: Begin a transaction to ensure that all steps are completed successfully or rolled back if an error occurs. ➡ 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲: If the inventory check passes, update the inventory levels to reflect the quantity of the product sold. ➡ 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐭𝐚𝐥: Calculate the total cost of the order based on the quantity and price of the products. ➡ 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐬: Update the order status to indicate that it has been processed successfully. ➡ 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞: Optionally, generate an invoice for the order and store it in the database or send it to the customer via email. ➡ 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: If all steps are completed successfully, commit the transaction to make the changes permanent. ➡ 𝐄𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: Include error handling to handle any exceptions that may occur during the processing of the order, such as database errors or network failures. By encapsulating these steps within a 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐞, the e-commerce platform can ensure 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲, 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 in processing orders. Additionally, it simplifies the codebase, improves maintainability, and reduces the risk of errors. Keep the conversation going, below in the comments section 👇 Follow Sneha Vijaykumar for more... 😊 #sql #storedprocedures #datanalytics #datascience #personalgrowth

Swiggy Instamart has opened its 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲. At first glance, this might sound ironic. A digital-first, 10-minute delivery brand… opening a brick-and-mortar outlet? But if you look closely, this isn’t a contradiction. It’s confirmation. This move quietly validates what many of us have been saying 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹-> 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 + 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹, 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿. 𝗔 𝗽𝗵𝘆𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁: - Better inventory visibility - Lower last-mile inefficiencies - Walk-in discovery & impulse buying - Brand trust that only physical presence builds And a digital layer gives the store: - Demand forecasting - Faster inventory rotation - Data-driven pricing & assortment - Seamless convenience for customers This is the same hybrid model that smart kiranas are already experimenting with, just at scale. What excites me most isn’t Instamart opening a store. It’s what it signals for the ecosystem: Physical retail is not dead Digital retail is not enough on its own The winning model blends speed, trust, data, and human presence Quick commerce may still be figuring out profitability. Kirana stores may still be figuring out tech. But both are slowly moving toward the same middle ground. And that middle ground is where 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒍 will be built. The question is no longer: “Will online kill offline?” The real question is: 𝗪𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝘆𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹? Curious to hear your thoughts. Is phygital the inevitable future, or just a temporary experiment before the next shift? #Swiggyinstamart #Phygital #QuickCommerce #FutureOfRetail #RetailInnovation

Most companies still treat logistics as a back-office function. A cost center. A line item to squeeze. That mindset? It’s outdated. The good news is that we’re seeing a shift in 2025: Logistics is becoming a growth lever. Forward-thinking brands aren’t just moving goods more efficiently—they’re using logistics to move the revenue needle. Here’s how leading brands are making that happen 👇 👉 Volatile demand? Logistics should flex—not break. - SKU counts are exploding, channels are multiplying, and customers want products yesterday. - Legacy logistics networks can’t keep up. Static models = missed sales, bloated costs. - Instead, we’re seeing brands build adaptive ecosystems—ones that respond to real-time demand signals, shift inventory placement, and enable dynamic routing. Flexibility isn’t a luxury. It’s survival. 👉 Digitization ≠ Just Cost Savings. It’s a CX play. - AI, automation, predictive analytics—yes, they streamline ops. But they also open new doors for revenue. - From predicting order surges to personalizing delivery experiences, tech is turning logistics into a competitive differentiator. - The smartest brands are turning fulfillment into a CX advantage—and seeing it pay off in retention and LTV. 👉 Org design matters more than you think. - When logistics is buried in ops, it stays reactive. - When it’s tied to strategy, IT, customer experience? It drives growth. - This requires breaking silos, aligning cross-functional teams, and making logistics part of strategic planning—not just post-sales execution. 👉 Profitability lives in the promise. - Customers don’t just buy the product. They buy speed, convenience, reliability. - Fail to deliver on that promise—and you don’t just lose a sale, you lose trust. - Winning brands are designing logistics around margin-aware promises—localized inventory, smart delivery windows, real-time updates. The result? Higher conversion, better margins, and loyal customers. 📝 Want to dive deeper into these strategies? 📖 We unpack all of this (and more) in our latest blog: https://hubs.la/Q03dsxFX0 #SupplyChain #LogisticsStrategy #RevenueGrowth #eCommerceLogistics #SupplyChainLeadership #RetailInnovation #FulfillmentIQ #DigitalTransformation

120 logistics sites. One control layer. And suddenly the robots stop bumping into each other. That is the quiet move Otto Group made this week. It barely trended. It should have. Here is the twist. This is not about adding more robots. It is about telling all robots to finally behave like adults. A short scene from the warehouse floor. Different vendors. Different fleets. Different software. Peak hits. Everything technically works. Nothing actually flows. Now the change. Otto Group plugs NVIDIA simulation tech into a single orchestration layer built with Reply. Every robot sees the same map. Every system speaks the same language. Before a shelf moves in real life, it moves in a digital twin. Most marketplace operators still argue with their 3PL about why promised delivery dates feel optimistic. This is the gap. A small but sharp detail that matters. The pilot runs at Hermes Fulfilment in Löhne. The stated ambition goes far beyond one site. This is designed to scale across the network. What this unlocks for operators and sellers watching closely: 📦 Peak planning stops being guesswork and becomes simulation first 🧭 Vendor lock in weakens when orchestration sits above the robots 🧠 Delivery promises get grounded in live warehouse reality 💸 Cost pressure shifts from labor debates to software leverage 🛠️ Automation decisions become reversible instead of permanent bets A sideways observation. Marketplaces love talking about faster delivery. The real winners quietly invest in fewer surprises. Single sentence that matters. Coordination is now more valuable than hardware. When fulfillment becomes software defined, scale belongs to whoever controls the operating layer. Not the fastest picker. Not the cheapest robot. The conductor wins. Sharp signal to end on. The next competitive edge in marketplaces will not roll in on wheels. It will load as an update. #ecommerce #marketplaces #logistics #fulfillment #supplychain

SAP Sales and Distribution (SD) process. Part-1 The standard end-to-end process in SAP SD is known as the Order-to-Cash (O2C) cycle. It covers all business steps from receiving a customer's order to collecting the payment for the delivered goods. Here is the step-by-step flow of the O2C process: 1. Pre-Sales Activities (Optional) This phase involves managing initial customer contacts and tracking potential sales. Inquiry: A customer's request for information about products or services, such as price and delivery dates. It does not have any legal or financial obligation. Quotation: A legally binding offer sent to a customer, valid for a specific time, which includes defined prices, quantities, and terms. 2. Sales Order Processing This is the core step that triggers the entire sales process. What happens: A sales order is created (e.g., using transaction VA01) when a customer agrees to the quotation or places a new order. Key Actions: Customer and material details are recorded. Pricing is automatically determined. An Availability Check (ATP) is performed to see if the material is in stock and can be delivered on the requested date. Credit Check: The system verifies the customer's credit. 3. Shipping & Transportation This phase covers all logistic activities, from preparing the goods to sending them to the customer. It is triggered by the sales order. a. Create Outbound Delivery: What happens: A shipping document (Outbound Delivery) is created (e.g., VL01N), which authorizes the warehouse to prepare the shipment. It contains details about the shipping point, quantities, and delivery date. b. Picking: What happens: Warehouse staff physically pick the goods from their storage locations based on the delivery document. c. Packing (Optional): What happens: The picked goods are packed into appropriate shipping containers (boxes, pallets), and handling units are created. d. Post Goods Issue (PGI): What happens: This is the most critical step in logistics. By posting the goods issue (e.g., VL02N), the company legally transfers ownership of the goods to the customer. System Impact (Key Integrations): SD: The status of the delivery document is updated to "completed." MM (Inventory): The stock quantity of the material is reduced. FI/CO (Finance): The system posts the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), which is an expense, and updates the inventory asset account.

Too many metrics ruin supply planners. This infographic shows 7 metrics that supply planners should actually defend: # 1 - OTIF (On Time In Full) ↳ Whether customer orders were delivered both on time AND in full. ↳ OTIF = (Orders delivered on time AND in full / Total orders) × 100 ↳ Below 95% OTIF is typically a red flag in most industries ↳ Always break OTIF down: is the miss driven by timing, quantity, or both? # 2 - Fill Rate ↳ The percentage of customer demand fulfilled from available stock. F ↳ Fill Rate = (Units shipped / Units ordered) × 100 ↳ Declining fill rate is the first signal of inventory positioning problems ↳ Track fill rate by SKU and product family to pinpoint the root cause # 3 - On-Time Delivery (OTD) ↳ Whether orders, from suppliers or to customers, arrived when they were supposed to ↳ OTD = (Orders delivered on or before agreed date / Total orders) × 100 ↳ Track OTD by supplier; three consecutive misses is a signal to escalate ↳ Use OTD to identify fragile supplier relationships before they become stockouts # 4 - Weeks of Supply (WOS) ↳ How many weeks your current inventory will last at the current rate of demand ↳ WOS = Current Inventory / Average Weekly Demand ↳ Too high = cash tied up on the shelf ↳ Too low = risk of stockout ↳ Compare WOS against your target range by product category, not just in total # 5 - Attainment ↳ How much of the production plan was actually executed. ↳ Attainment = (Actual production output / Planned production output) × 100 ↳ Low attainment driven by material shortages → escalate to procurement ↳ Low attainment driven by capacity → review production scheduling # 6 - Plan Adherence ↳ How closely the production or procurement team followed the supply plan. ↳ Plan Adherence = (Planned orders executed as scheduled / Total planned orders) × 100 ↳ Poor plan adherence is often a communication problem, not just a planning problem ↳ Set up a weekly check-in with production # 7 - Capacity Utilization ↳ How much of your available production or warehouse capacity you are actually using ↳ Capacity Utilization = (Actual output / Maximum possible output) × 100 ↳ Above 85–90% consistently = time to discuss demand smoothing or additional shifts ↳ Use capacity utilization as an early warning system Any others to add? 📌 Subscribe to my free newsletter and get an infographic bundle: https://lnkd.in/edx9WhG9

𝗙𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗱 𝗶𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿. 𝗦𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. We’ve all come across those bizarre news stories—someone orders an iPhone, but ends up receiving a box of apples instead. Sounds funny at first, but it highlights a serious gap in trust within e-commerce. In fact, incidents like these have become so common that even pop culture has picked up on them. It always made me wonder— Who actually bears the loss in such cases? The seller? The platform? Or the customer? Recently, I came across an interesting initiative by Amazon that aims to tackle exactly this problem using 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿-𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. Here’s how it works: Layer 1: 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗜𝗻𝗸 𝗗𝗼𝘁𝘀 Four dots on the package seal change color (to pink) if exposed to heat—indicating possible tampering. Layer 2: 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿-𝗘𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗖𝘂𝘁𝘀 Micro-cut patterns in the seal break irreversibly when opened. No chance of resealing without detection. Layer 3: 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝟯𝗗 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 + 𝗕𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗲 Each package carries a distinct pattern and barcode for authentication and traceability.  If all three layers are intact → 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁  If not → 𝗥𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝘁 Simple. Practical. Effective. It’s innovations like these that reinforce a simple idea: 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. Now the real question is— Will other e-commerce and logistics players like Flipkart, Meesho, and Myntra adopt similar innovations? Because in today’s world, it’s not just about delivering products… it’s about delivering trust. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗲 for more content on technology, innovation, and practical solutions shaping the future. #LastMileDelivery #SecurePackaging #FraudPrevention #RetailTech #SmartLogistics #ProductSafety #TechInnovation