How Fastcoo Has Evolved in Logistics Systems and the Advantages of the New V4 Inventory Management System

Fastcoo is a leading company in providing comprehensive logistics solutions, and its continuous development in this field is evident through the release of its new V4 inventory and order management system. This new version represents a significant leap in warehouse management, offering a range of features that enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity.

Features of Fastcoo’s V4 Inventory Management System

Comprehensive and Analytical Customer Dashboard: Fastcoo’s new version provides a dedicated dashboard for customers, allowing them to monitor all their operations with analytical precision. This dashboard offers a comprehensive view of operational performance, helping customers make data-driven decisions.

Extensive Integration with Shipping Companies: The system supports integration with over 40 shipping companies, offering customers a variety of shipping options based on their needs. This integration helps streamline and expedite the shipping process, ensuring timely delivery of products to customers.

Support for E-Commerce Platforms: The system integrates with more than 8 e-commerce platforms, making it easier for companies to manage orders from various channels in one place. This integration helps unify and simplify operations, enhancing order management efficiency.

Fast Order Preparation, Handling, and Delivery: One of the key advantages of the V4 system is its ability to prepare, handle, and deliver orders to shipping companies within minutes. This improves customer experience and increases satisfaction by delivering orders quickly and without delay.

Advanced Automated Reporting: The system provides automated reports that help customers monitor all aspects of their operations regularly. These reports offer accurate information about inventory, sales, shipping company performance, and other critical data to improve logistics operations.

Returns and Damage Management: The system supports professional management of returns and damaged goods, facilitating companies’ handling of these issues without affecting daily operations. This feature helps reduce waste and increase operational efficiency.

Multi-Warehouse Management from a Single Dashboard: The system allows management of all warehouses through a single dashboard, making it easy for companies to track their inventory across different geographic locations efficiently. This feature enhances companies’ ability to expand and meet various market needs.

Fastcoo’s Evolution in Logistics Systems

Fastcoo has significantly evolved in providing integrated logistics solutions by focusing on enhancing inventory management systems to meet the growing market demands. Through continuous innovation and rapid response to changes in e-commerce and logistics fields, Fastcoo has become a leading company offering advanced solutions that align with global best practices in inventory and logistics management.

The release of Fastcoo’s V4 Inventory Management System represents a major step towards enhancing logistics operations efficiency, offering integrated solutions that simplify processes, reduce costs, and increase productivity. This makes Fastcoo the ideal partner for companies aiming to excel in supply chain management.

Which Large Companies Need These Systems and Why They Should Use Fastcoo’s Systems

Companies That Need Inventory and Logistics Systems from Fastcoo

Large E-Commerce Companies: Large e-commerce companies dealing with thousands of orders daily need a comprehensive system for inventory and logistics management. Fastcoo’s system helps optimize inventory management, accelerate order processing, and ensure accurate shipping operations, reducing errors and increasing customer satisfaction.

Retail and Wholesale Companies: These companies need a system to manage large quantities of products across multiple warehouses. Fastcoo’s system allows accurate inventory tracking, sales analysis, and rapid adaptation to market changes, helping increase efficiency and reduce operational costs.

Logistics and Delivery Service Companies: These companies rely heavily on an efficient system to manage their daily operations, including order preparation, shipping, and shipment tracking. Fastcoo’s system provides complete integration with numerous shipping companies and facilitates smooth delivery operations, enhancing competitiveness and ensuring reliable and fast service.

Multi-Branch and Multi-Warehouse Companies: Companies with multiple branches or warehouses need a system capable of managing all these locations from a single dashboard. Fastcoo’s system enables efficient management of each warehouse with data analysis and reporting to assist in strategic decision-making.

Why Large Companies Should Use Fastcoo’s Systems

Improving Operational Efficiency: Fastcoo’s systems are designed to enhance all aspects of inventory and logistics management, helping large companies speed up their operations, reduce waste and costs. With real-time updates and an intuitive interface, teams can easily monitor everything and make timely decisions.

Reducing Errors and Increasing Accuracy: Using Fastcoo’s systems, companies can significantly reduce errors in order preparation and shipping processes. The system automatically rejects incorrect orders and provides warning notifications for any preparation errors, helping maintain the company’s reputation and service quality.

Comprehensive Integration with Shipping and E-Commerce Platforms: Fastcoo’s systems’ integration with over 50 shipping companies and 8 e-commerce platforms allows companies to manage their operations from a single place easily. This integration simplifies processes and reduces the time spent managing shipments and orders.

Seamless Business Expansion: Fastcoo’s systems enable companies to expand into new markets easily, thanks to multi-warehouse management and comprehensive data analysis that helps identify the best locations and markets for expansion.

Advanced Reporting and Analytics: The system provides detailed analytical reports on performance, sales, and inventory, helping companies optimize their operations and maximize resource utilization. These reports assist managers in making strategic decisions based on accurate data.

Conclusion

Fastcoo’s systems are the ideal choice for large companies looking to enhance operational efficiency, reduce errors, and expand their business. With comprehensive integration and high flexibility, these systems allow companies to manage their operations smoothly and achieve sustainable growth in a competitive business environment.

Origin Cargo Management is one of the modern methods that helps reduce excess inventory in your warehouse, improve local transportation, improve stock availability and lead times, freight management is concerned with a variety of operations, as selection and agreement with logistics service providers, in addition to services for route planning, Planning, controlling truck travel times, scheduling and managing freight, in addition to coordinating empty return containers, and additional freight charges can significantly affect basic shipping costs, and this is what we will cover today in this article on LOGSTIAT logistics solutions.

What Is the Origin Management?

It’s one of the strategies that helps reduce excess inventory in your warehouse, improve local transportation and improve stock availability and lead times. These services ensure comprehensive and cost-effective logistical management, as they help provide less congestion with improved local transportation. , Along with an increase in lead time with the availability of the enhanced stock.

What are cargo management services?

It is one of the effective services that help in controlling the production, shipping and distribution processes in a centralized manner. Through the supply chain management companies can reduce the surplus expenses and provide products to the consumer faster, but this requires strict control over the internal stores, production processes, and distribution channels. , Sales movement, as well as on the company’s showroom stores.

What is cargo management services provide?

There are many distinct services that can be provided by the process of managing goods, and the most prominent services of cargo management are:

• Provide a single point of contact.
• Optimizing transportation costs and transit times.
• Provide superior visibility with a single web-based platform.
• The ability to benefit from best transportation practices.
• Prepare customized supply chain reports.
• Developing and tracking key performance indicators.
• Bus performance management.
• Set up market intelligence and assist with freight purchases and negotiations.
• Reducing cost and risk in the supply chain.
• What does cargo management services include?
• Goods management services include a number of other elements, the most prominent of which are:
• Track and develop key performance indicators.
• Managing the processes related to purchase orders.
• Production and vendor management.
• Management and reservation of the facility.
• Container re-delivery management.
• Documentation Department.
• Manage the delivery at the destination.
• Create custom automated reports.
• Managing reservation and delay penalties.

What cargo management services can include?

cargo management services include a number of other elements, the most prominent of which are:

• Track and develop key performance indicators.
• Managing the processes related to purchase orders.
• Production and vendor management.
• Management and reservation of the facility.
• Container re-delivery management.
• Documentation Department.
• Manage the delivery at the destination.
• Create custom automated reports.
• Managing reservation and delay penalties.

Freight costs

It refers to the price that is incurred by the person in order for your goods to be shipped, and the cost of shipping is determined by a number of variables, such as the distance that your shipment needs, its density or volume, as well as the fuel costs and the capacity of the truck that will transport your goods.

What are surcharges?

The additional fee is an additional cost that is added to the basic cost of transporting the goods, such as service fees and handling fees, and these fees leave merchants in a state of confusion in their inability to assess the basic costs of transportation.

How surcharges affect your freight costs

Fright costs keep rising continuously, which makes merchants struggle to maintain their profit margins.

One of the most common reasons and primary sources for the continuous rise in fright costs is the additional fees imposed by shipping companies, which have a huge impact on fright costs and thus your profits as a merchant.

The process of imposing additional freight charges on shipments is one of the things that contribute to increasing shipping costs for individual goods locally and internationally, which affects the trade and exchange process in general.

How can LOGSTIAT serve you help you with Origin Cargo Management

LOGSTIAT is considered one of the best companies that provide various technical solutions for logistics services, and there is LOGSTIAT Plus, which is linked with more than 40 local shipping companies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as well as the LOGSTIAT Plus system that allows you to link with any company required in the local or international market. .

LOGSTIAT provides you with a special technology to control the size of the number of shipments for each company and for each city you choose and work through your choice of capacity, after which the bills of lading will be created automatically according to the equation that was entered, so it ensures through its full technical solutions the rapid and effective flow of goods in warehouses and centers Your distribution.

Whether in partially or fully automated features and through a single source, including all axes of supply management from warehousing, order picking, packaging and issuance of goods to supply, making it one of the best service providers that can help you in cargo management.

What is LCL Shipping? Sea transportation has been the main mode of international trade for centuries and is still a popular mode of transportation due to many factors, such as high load capacity, low cost and reliability in bad weather, and sea freight is also a preferred solution for long-distance shipments, and there are several types of sea freight, And speaking of sea freight, you need to know the difference between FCL and LCL, and in this article we will discuss together All you need to know about LCL Shipping ,then introduce what is meant by FCL Shipping, and then we will show the most prominent differences between FCF and LCL Shipping.

What’s the meaning of LCL Shipping?

It is less than the container load, it is more convenient and manageable for small cargo volumes, by which moderate quantities of cargo belonging to several shippers are accumulated until the container is filled.

Although using an LCL container may be a somewhat slower alternative for ocean shipments, it is cheaper because you share costs with a number of other shippers, so you will not be able to bear the cost of the container alone.you may need to know cost of goods sold

Types of LCL Shipments

Speaking of the types of LCL shipments, we find that there are two types:

1. LCL Shipment in Boxes

In which goods or shipped items are packed in boxes, some accept stacking and others do not, depending on the nature of the shipment itself.

This type is the most economical compared to the other type of LCL shipments, but its main drawback is that in this type of shipment, the shipment is highly prone to damage, due to the accumulation that sometimes occurs.

2. LCL Shipments in Pallets

In which the goods are packed in pallets, the level of safety is higher than the previous type, where all the items are secured by rubber bands or coils as well.

Also, shipping in this type provides ease of handling and therefore the goods are not damaged, especially since of course LCL shipments go through many passes.

Is LCL Shipping the right choice for you?

You may be wondering what the best option for you is.Are LCL shipments right for you or not? Simply, the answer to that question depends on a number of factors that you must consider before deciding whether LCL shipments are the most appropriate fit for your needs, as:

1. The size of your shipment

LCL shipment is most suitable when your shipment volume is from 33 cubic meters or 1200 cubic feet.

2. Shipping time

LCL shipment takes longer than FCL shipment, and this process takes an average of 5 to 7 days, due to a number of factors, the most important of which are:

• Initially your LCL shipment is combined with other LCL shipments that are assigned to the same container.
• The container with all LCL shipments is transported from the consolidation warehouse to the port. you may need to know optimize Warehouse Layout
• After arriving at the port, the container is loaded onto the ship, and once it reaches the destination, the container is moved to another warehouse, where all LCL shipments are separated from the rest of the shipments.
• Finally, your LCL shipment is assigned, released, and transported to its destination.

3. Your shipment passes through more than one point

LCL shipments are known to have more traffic at touch points than FCL shipments, and this is because LCL shipments need to be handled, loaded and unloaded more than once before they reach their final destination, since they contain more than one shipment in one container.

How Does LCL Shipment Work?

As we mentioned, LCL shipping involves the integration of more than one shipment into one container, and the following are the steps that LCL shipping works with starting from packing and preparing the LCL container, all the way to the arrival and receipt of your goods at the port:

First | Transportation to the port

After completing the process of preparing and packing the LCL container, it is transferred directly to the previously agreed port of departure, and after its arrival at the port, it is transferred again to the hand of the shipping line, and then shipped to the destination port.

Second | Recharge the shipment

If you are shipping to a secondary port, your LCL shipment is re-shipped to another container, and sometimes the same container waits some time for more goods to fill the container, before proceeding to its final destination.

Third | Reach the destination

After the LCL container arrives at the destination port, the shipping agent takes the order, assembles the container and transports it to the deconsolidation warehouse, where the goods are individually disassembled.

Fourth | Receive your goods

It is the last step in which the consignee goes to the warehouse to receive his goods, and then the goods will have already been transferred from the deconsolidation warehouse to the final destination warehouse, which is the same from which you will receive your goods.

What is FCL Shipping?

Before viewing the difference between LCL Shipping and FCL shipments, we first need to know what FCL shipment is, It is the full container load i.e. the use of a full container for a single shipment,

Meaning that the container can be loaded and closed safely knowing that everything inside belongs to the same owner.

This type of container is suitable in the event that a large amount of goods has to be exported, and one of its advantages is greater profitability for goods with a volume equal to or greater than 15 cubic meters.

It also provides additional security for the goods thanks to its airtightness and delivery service since the container will make its way directly from its origin to its destination without stopping at ports along the way.

What is the Difference between LCL and FCL?

After we learned what is meant by both LCL Shipping and FCL shipping, there are a number of differences between FCL and LCL, the following are a number of points that illustrate the most prominent differences between them:

• The main difference between FCL and LCL Shipping is that the buyer shares space in a container for an LCL shipment, compared to a full container space rental under an FCL agreement.
• LCL Shipping is a method that combines multiple shipments into one common container, meaning that companies that want to import smaller amounts of inventory can pay for the amount of space they use inside the container instead of having to rent out the entire container.
• FCL shipping is where you pay to use a whole container instead of paying to use a part of it, and when shipping with FCL, there is a fixed price for the container and you have access to all the space available in it unlike LCL Shipping where you only use and pay for a specific space.
• Shipping with LCL Shipping is somewhat economical if you are only shipping small quantities (more than 0.5m³ and 100kg) because you only pay for that small amount of space.
• If you are looking to ship more than about 20m3, FCL is generally the best choice.

Just in Time Inventory Management, No one disagrees on the extent of the importance of inventory as one of the most important pillars of the production process within the company, in addition to being one of the most important elements of the financial position, but it should be noted that the methods of inventory management are always in constant development and updating because of this element of great importance for companies.

So all companies always harness modern technology in order to improve the methods of inventory management in order to manage the stores as accurately as possible and in the fastest time and with the least effort.

And this is the difficult equation that all companies seek to achieve, and in this article on LOGSTIAT logistics solutions we will show you one of the modern methods of inventory management, which is Just in Time Inventory Management.

What is inventory management?

Before talking about Just in time meaning, we will first need to know what is meant by inventory management. Inventory management refers to the process of ordering, storing, and using a company’s inventory.

This includes managing raw materials, components, and finished products, as well as storing and processing these items.

Just in time meaning (JIT)

The company uses different methods of inventory management, depending on the type of business or product being analyzed, and one of the best inventory management methods is the just in time (JIT) method.

As for the meaning of just in time (JIT), it is one of the methods of inventory management, which is the process of ordering and receiving inventory for production as required.

This means that the company does not have safety inventory and operates with low inventory levels, this strategy helps companies reduce their carrying costs by increasing efficiency and reducing unnecessary costs.

Importance of just-in-time

The Just-in-Time (JIT) method was introduced by Taichi Ono, the founder of the Toyota Global Group, Ono created this method when he noticed the increase in the number of production lines,

That depends on the manufacture of a large amount of one product before moving to the production of another product and the increasing focus of demand on the degree of product diversity rather than the quantity produced.

The just in time (JIT) method is very important as it is one of the best inventory management strategies, as it:

1. Reduces inventory waste

As the just in time (JIT) method reduces the damaged products, through the procurement department requesting the appropriate quantities of raw materials that you need in the production process.

Thus, there is no surplus or deficit in the stock, it allows companies to save significant amounts of money and reduce waste by keeping only the inventory they need to produce and sell products.

2. Decreases warehouse holding cost

As the just in time (JIT) method provides the right items to the production department at the right time and with the required quality, making the stock quantity reach zero.

The Just in Time Inventory management approach reduces storage and insurance costs, as well as the cost of liquidating or disposing of excess inventory.

Advantages of JIT Inventory

Just-in-time inventory management has many advantages that distinguish it from other inventory management methods, as:

• Its production processes are short; which means manufacturers can move from one product to the next quickly
• Reduce costs by reducing the need for warehouses.
• Promote continuous improvement in the production process.
• Increase efficiency.
• Reduce money spent on raw materials, as it allows companies to spend less money on raw materials; because it only buys the resources you need to fulfill confirmed orders and nothing more.

Disadvantages of JIT Inventory

In addition to the many advantages that distinguish just-in-time inventory management from other inventory management methods, there are a number of disadvantages as:

• Possible disruptions in the supply chain, if a raw material supplier encounters a problem and cannot deliver goods on time; this may disrupt the entire production process.
• Sudden unexpected demand for goods may delay delivery of finished products to customers. You can organize all this through Delivery Management System.

JIT system

Just in Time (JIT) system is a management strategy that reduces inventory and increases efficiency, and the success of a “just in time” production process depends on stable production, quality craftsmanship, zero machine downtime, and reliable suppliers.

Just-in-time inventory management systems reduce production costs; because manufacturers don’t have to pay for inventory storage, they don’t have unwanted stock left if an order is canceled or not met.

artificial intelligence and online retail have imposed a new and unimaginable reality a few years ago as our needs are one click away, and today there is the digital supply chain, on-demand consumption has shaped the nature of our lives for a long time, but the outbreak of the Corona virus has turned the nature of consumption upside down Getting food, medicine and even tissue paper the traditional way has become difficult, and in this article we will talk about the digital supply chain and its concept, as well as how the transition to digital supply chain can help you, and what is the impact of supply chain 4.0.

What is the Digital Supply Chain?

The concept of digital supply chain has become one of the most important and popular concepts at the moment. By combining traditional supply chains with new technology, digital supply chain has emerged.

We can define the digital supply chain as the key to the successful operation of all companies or organizations that manufacture or distribute products.

The introduction of new technology into supply chains helps to connect the business with all those involved, from suppliers of raw materials, to distributors of finished products, as well as storage suppliers themselves, and ultimately to the customer.

The digital supply chain can provide many advantages to users, the most important of which are:

• Understand all network connections, suppliers, inventory control, complex relationships, and potential impacts.
• Identify opportunities to enhance performance, to be more flexible, and to improve communications with customers or suppliers.
• Gain a clear vision to ensure sustainable sources of supply.
• Access and analyze Internet of Things (IoT) data for continuous improvement.
• Receive alerts when disruptions occur or when service level agreements are at risk.

Impact of Supply Chain 4.0

Speaking about the impact of Supply Chain 4.0, we will find that the introduction of digitization has helped significantly in increasing the operational efficiency of supply chains, and it is expected that this effect will increase to:

• Increased operational efficiency by approximately 30%.
• Operating costs reduced by up to 40%.
• Reduce lost sales by up to 75%.
• Visibly increased agility in supply chains.
• Inventories decreased by up to 75%.

We can clarify each of the points that we presented in the previous part in some detail, as:

Lost sales

This problem occurs when customer service is low and poor, giving customers false promises, or providing customers with false information about the availability of the desired product.

This makes customers very annoyed with this poor service, and they avoid that brand and turn to other companies that offer the same product.

But through Supply Chain 4.0, this problem can be avoided, and the ways of interacting and communicating with customers are improved, as all market information is collected and thus better forecasting.

And all of this will work effectively and help increase the level of service significantly and clearly, and thus reduce the problem of lost sales.

Supply chain costs

Supply chain costs include many elements, primarily transportation, warehousing, and network setup, but with Supply Chain 4.0, supply chain costs can be reduced by up to 30%.

This can be done by applying the latest methods for calculating transportation and storage costs, while trying to meet the required level of service for the customer.

Combined with trying to pair up with the implementation of smart automation and improving productivity in warehousing, all of this will eventually pay off and lower supply chain costs.

Supply chain planning

With the use of Supply Chain 4.0, 90% of supply chain planning tasks can be automated, ensuring better quality compared to tasks performed manually, thus accurately discovering and identifying what the planner needs and thus making appropriate decisions.

Inventory

Keeping track of your inventory is essential to knowing the difference between your supply and demand, and with Supply Chain 4.0 you will be able to reduce the uncertainty about your supply or demand, thus reducing the proportion of unnecessary inventory, and focus on the required inventory. Through inventory management system.

Transformation into a digital supply chain

A large number of people wonder about the possibility of switching into the digital supply chain, and in fact the transformation into the digital supply chain requires the availability of two main factors, namely:

• Capacity, as you must build all the capabilities related to digitalization in your organization.
• Right environment, as you need to provide an innovative environment that matches the new technology.

Therefore, you need to provide a high degree of organization and flexibility, along with one of the technologies and technological systems, based on information technology, which must have a two-speed architecture independent of the old and current systems.

All with the goal of facilitating the transition to the digital supply chain, and thus the ability to work with Supply Chain 4.0 in your organization.

Increasing operational efficiency leveraging Supply Chain 4.0

Supply Chain 4.0 will effectively help increase operational efficiency, through its apparent impact on all areas of supply chain management, as Supply Chain 4.0 has been developed to help make improvements in services provided as well as cost and capital along with greater agility.

Robots have always played a prominent role in movies, television, and children’s games, but now they are moving into a new arena, warehouses. Warehouse robots market appeared, which will change the way companies deal, and in the past, robots were used in warehouses already, but only in repetitive tasks such as assembling products, but with technological progress there has become a warehouse robots market, in which robots will cooperate with humans and in Some cases work completely independently of them, and in this article we will show you Warehouse Robots Market – Growth, Trends, Forecasts (2020 – 2030).

What is Warehouse Robots Market?

Warehouse Robots Market is that market in which robots in warehouses are used to automate various warehouse functions, such as transportation, picking, assembling, packaging, palletizing and removing pallets.

Also, will operate efficiently by reducing the need for human intervention and increasing the efficiency of warehouse operations. through an  inventory management system that has its own.

Warehouse Robots Market was first adopted by Amazon, which used Kiva systems and acquired a number of warehouse robots.

This enabled them to quickly complete warehouse tasks, helping to select items two or three times faster than filling orders manually.

Warehouse Robots Market Overview

Also, the warehouse robots market is expected to grow exponentially, and the market is expected to reach over US$9 billion by 2026.

This means that the global warehouse robots market size is expected to have a compound annual growth rate of 14%.

and we find that if the warehouse robots market system were to be implemented and implemented on a larger scale, this would lead to retailers reducing implementation costs by $450 million to $900 million.

Robot technology also allows the ability to shorten the workforce required to process 12,000 electronic requests with 50 workers, compared to more than 450 workers needed by a traditional center or warehouse that does not use robots.

Warehouse Robots Market Challenges

As for the challenges faced by warehouse robots market, most of them are related to cyber security, as Industry 4.0 links all production processes to the outside world, and those related processes are exposed to many cyber security risks that are increasing in the recent period.

Thus, bots will become clearly vulnerable if they are not paired with updated software, and inadequate network management can cause industrial espionage or install malware that causes automated attacks that harm bots.

All of this will negatively impact security, data privacy, technology, infrastructure, process upgrades and interoperability.

Another challenge facing Warehouse Robots Market is the high initial financial investment, along with a shortage of skilled labor that can make the best use of these robots.

Warehouse Automation Market

Speaking of Warehouse Automation Market, by 2027 it is expected to reach more than $6 billion in revenue, which equates to a compound annual growth rate of more than 11%, according to the Market Research Future (MRFR) report.

There will also be an increased need for a warehouse labor Market due to the spread of automation technologies in warehouses, which will consequently enhance market growth during that period.

Robots will significantly reduce manual labor, and with the increased use of customers for online shopping, e-commerce owners need to manage their inventory control more effectively, and this is what warehouse robots can provide.

The world is currently facing a severe supply chain crisis, and in general, supply chains mean the arrival of the product to the consumer, through the process of transportation from the place of production to the port, then transportation to the port in any country or even within the same country, then transportation to consumers around the world, and cause problems associated with chains The global supply of products is in short supply during the Corona pandemic, which led to a significant increase in prices, as a result of lack of supply and increased demand, and in this article we will discuss the supply chain crisis and how it occurred, as well as how countries will confront it.

Supply Chain Crisis Risks

There are huge risks to the supply chain crisis, which has left store shelves empty with long shipping delays.

Countries are working hard to try to solve this crisis that negatively affects global and local economies as well.

Last year the global economy stopped working, but this year the wheel has turned again and is caught in one of the largest supply chain crises in history.

The new indicators confirm the severity of the problem, the failure of the world to find a quick solution, and how the great crisis of 2021 is still getting worse in some regions.

One of the most important risks of the supply chain crisis is that it will cause companies to lose materials used in manufacturing and production,

And the other scenario is that companies produce finished products and there is no buyer for them.

So companies need to put in a huge effort to properly manage their supply chains, along with the need for sales forecasts and operations to make sure demand is known.

Especially since the supply chain crisis threatens with more massive changes that will clearly negatively affect companies and production processes.

Discover new opportunities in the next-generation digital supply chain

The supply chain didn’t recover from COVID-19

Since the early 1990s, global supply chains have been maximizing efficiency, and companies have sought to enhance their degree of specialization and focus on particular tasks in places that offer economies of scale.

But now there are growing concerns about the various repercussions on supply chains, as supply chains have not yet recovered from the Corona crisis,

Especially since there are a large number of sectors around the world that have been significantly affected by the pandemic.

Global supply chain crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a major shock to supply chains around the world, with markets at one point facing a huge and sudden surge in demand that was immediately followed by a severe drop in demand.

This is in addition to disruption in production cycles in most companies due to the continuous closures that occurred due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Therefore, the supply chain crisis is a global crisis that will make companies need to know the change in market demand for their products and how they will manage their cash flows appropriately during that crisis so as not to collapse and lose their own market.

Why the supply chain is in crisis

The reason why the supply chain is in a major crisis is the Corona crisis and the repercussions it has imposed on the economies of the world clearly.

Currently, it has made the economy suffer from a large gap, so the store shelves have become empty,

And this happened due to the shortage of raw materials in companies, and the frequent closings of factories.

This is in addition to the lack of sufficient drivers and consequent disruption of cargo operations,

In addition to the high demand for sea and air freight, and the insufficient infrastructure.

Generally speaking, supply chains depend on people and equipment, and if there are any disruptions to them, the supply chain will face a huge problem in return.

This was clearly evident in the United States of America, which has clearly become out of products.

Getting serious about solving the supply chain crisis

A large number of countries around the world are trying to think of a way to help them seriously solve the supply chain crisis,

Especially as it has greatly affected, as we mentioned, the economies of a large number of countries.

Although the supply chain crisis is complex but solvable, all countries need to be serious about delivering the right mix of targeted policies along with capital investment in their infrastructure.

One of the most important things for retailers is assortment planning, as one of the biggest challenges most retailers face is figuring out what products shoppers are going to buy, and the other biggest challenge is estimating the correct amount of inventory they will need.

These things may push them to sacrifice a large profit margin due to the occurrence of capital restriction in their surplus perpetual inventory, so they always need a plan to meet these challenges, and this is the assortment planning that helps them avoid losing sales opportunities, and in this article we will present You have all the details about the assistance planning.

What is Assortment Planning? 

Assortment planning is the strategy by which a group of products required in a particular region is selected during a period.

Assortment planning can be of great use during seasonal fluctuations, by which the right products during the season can be selected correctly and accurately.

During the selection of the products through the assortment planning, the focus is on the characteristics of the products themselves, in order to meet the needs of customers to the fullest extent.

And the following are the most important features of the products:

• Size.
• Brand.
• Color.
• Price.

Why is assortment planning important?

Assortment planning plays a big role in choosing the right inventory size, which greatly helps the retailers, thus avoiding any possible losses.

This type of layout also helps in optimizing product management selection as well as appropriately allocating shelving space, all of which effectively contribute to enhancing customer satisfaction.

Thus increasing the financial performance of the company by offering diversified products suitable to the needs and requirements of clients, so assortment planning is the best approach to improving and fulfilling clients’ needs.

Also, with retail channels unclear, this type of planning is more needed than ever. As it responds well to local preferences, enabling retailers to deliver the right products to shoppers at the right time.

Key factors to consider when developing an assortment plan

While developing an assortment planning strategy, there are a number of things to consider, so that retailers can reach the desired results, the most important of which are:

• Category Weight
• Brand identity
• Market trends
• Price range.

All of these factors together will provide useful information to retailers, especially since retailers cannot know the type and quantity of products that shoppers prefer on their own.

Therefore, these factors contribute to clarifying multiple data sources from different channels that enable them to accurately determine the type and quantity of products required.

How to build an assortment plan

If you want to have a proper assortment planning, there are a number of basic steps that you need to follow in order to make a plan that works for you, and here are those steps:

1. Research and analyze historical sales performance

The first step you need when designing an assessment planning is to analyze historical sales performance to update trends, in addition to researching and studying a number of elements, such as:

• Cost.
• Average selling price.
• Shelf life of the products.

With that information you will be able to start creating your own plan according to the information you have.

2. Store clustering

It is a process in which stores that are similar in characteristics are grouped together, in terms of location, sales volume, customer demographics and product features.

Through this step, you will be able to apply assessment planning to similar stores, and through this step, you will be able to meet the demand of customers in different regions.

3. Decide the breadth and depth of assortments

The third step you need is to determine the quantity of items that are sold in each group, in addition to determining the depth of the items in each category,

While achieving a kind of balance between quantity and depth in order to meet the requirements of the largest possible number of customers.

4. Create a visual merchandising plan

The penultimate step when designing assortment planning is to use visual merchandising, in which products are presented in the most attractive way.

Thus, motivating your customers to consume by highlighting the benefits of each product, and you can do this by relying on the information you have about each store you own.

5. Check back and then carry out the plan

The last step you need to be able to carry out your assessment planning is to check the previous steps closely to make sure everything is going correctly.

Also in that plan you will need to check that the plan is in line with your financial budget, and then you can apply the plan directly.

Assortment planning tools and software

Good assortment planning tools help provide comprehensive analytics that enable retailers to make informed decisions about the quantity and volume of products required, which will best meet customer needs.

Here are a number of key features that you should focus on when choosing the best assessment planning tools:

• Real-time analysis of competitors’ catalogs.
• Design comprehensive and dynamic pricing strategies.
• Having a simple yet effective interface that doesn’t need a lot of integration.
• The ability to analyze the product life cycle counts for making promotions and pricing those products.
• Providing specialized dashboards as well as charts for measurements and parameters, if any.

With the assistance planning tools combined with these features, you will be able to automate your planning process and thus generate new sales very quickly.

These tools will also contribute effectively and efficiently in determining the amount of inventory that your customers expect from you.

As well as making the appropriate adjustments in the event of any urgent changes to the market or from your competitors.

Supply chain designations is the right way for those who are looking for a suitable opportunity to differentiate themselves and get a competitive business, and it is especially suitable for those who want to get a distinguished position in the supply chain.

Supply chain designations also help greatly in individuals who are starting their career in the field of logistics and they seek to continue it with a desire for excellence, and there are a set of basic certificates that these individuals need to obtain.

In this article we will talk about all the details of supply chain designations, as well as the basic certificates and what scmp designation is, as well as its costs.

What is Supply Chain Designation?

Supply chain designations are a professional designation that individuals who wish to be leaders in the supply chain apply to, after entering the supply chain profession.

And there are a number of core certifications that are required in the field of supply chain designations.

Supply chain management certifications

As we have indicated, there are a set of basic certifications that you will need to provide to elevate your skills in supply chain designations in relation to SCM.

Especially in light of the rapid development and growth facing the field of supply chain management, you always need to raise your skills and prepare to keep pace with changes on an ongoing basis.

Here are the most important supply chain management certifications you will need in order to gain a competitive advantage and complete your resume:

1. Certified Supply Chain Professional certification (CSCP)

It is one of the important certifications awarded by the American Production and Inventory Control Association (APICS).

Which signifies your complete knowledge of current core strategies, concepts and technology in supply chain management.

2. Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM)

It is the second most important supply chain designations certification, awarded by ASCM, that demonstrates your experience in operations and a deep understanding of production planning, forecasting and master scheduling.

It also indicates your familiarity with materials management and how each of these components relate to the extended supply chain.

3. APICS Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR-P)

It is one of the important certifications in supply chain designations and digital supply chain management, which are awarded by the APICS, which helps people develop their skills.

Thus giving them a better understanding of performance metrics and business process practices.

It’s a comprehensive certification that indicates your expertise in managing, measuring and improving every aspect of supply chain performance.

4. Certified Professional Logistician (CPL)

It is one of the best certifications you will need which is provided by the International Logistics Association (SOLE) which is one of the most famous non-profit associations.

Which will give you experience in supply chain management in a number of different industries, including:

• Education.
• Government.
• Defense and commerce.

And you can apply and get it in one of those areas. It is one of the important certifications in the field of supply chain designations.

5. Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM)

It is one of the most important and useful supply chain management certifications, as it includes a lot of experience needed in the field of supply chain designations, which is provided to you by the National Contract Management Association (NCMA).

Possession of this certification helps you demonstrate that you have mastered the standards and skills needed to manage contracts, thus enhancing your position with the employer.

There are other important certifications, but we show you some of the most important certifications for those interested in supply chain designations and supply chain management.

SCMA designation

SCMA stands for Supply Chain Management Association, which is Canada’s largest consortium representing a group of supply chain professionals.

The Supply Chain Management professional designation is the most sought after career designation in Canada.

And there are many organizations that support individuals to be at the forefront of the supply chain throughout their career. Which will help you greatly in the field of supply chain designations

The supply chain management professional designation also requires a number of basic certifications that enable individuals to start and continue in the field.

SCMA designation cost

As for the SCMA designation cost, it varies depending on the type of applicant, i.e. whether or not he is a member of Supply Chain Canada.

Overall, the SCMA designation cost for Supply Chain Canada members is $500. For non-members of Supply Chain Canada, Supply Chain Canada costs $750.

And it includes one year membership only. You can also easily apply for SCMA designation and pay for it electronically online.

We would like to point out to you at the end of our article on supply chain designations, that in spite of these costs the field of supply chain designations is highly profitable and beneficial.