The apparel and retail logistics industry is a complex and ever-changing landscape. It can be difficult for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and technologies, let alone make sure their supply chain is running smoothly. That’s where experienced 3PL partners come in. The right 3PL provider can connect you to carriers and logistics solutions across their network to help you optimize efficiency, cost, and delivery times across your distribution chains.

Especially in a post-pandemic climate, supply chains are having to adapt quickly and be more agile. We are sharing some of the struggles faced by the apparel logistics industry and how 3PL providers can help you overcome them.

What is Retail Logistics?

Apparel and retail logistics is the process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective forward flow and storage of goods, services, and related information from point of origin to point of consumption in order to meet customers’ needs.

Challenges Across the Retail Supply Chain

One of the biggest challenges is the ever-changing landscape. The apparel and retail industry is constantly changing, which means that logistics providers have to be able to adapt quickly to keep up.

Another challenge is the need for speed. Customers expect their orders to be delivered quickly and efficiently, which can be a challenge for logistics providers.

Additionally, the apparel and retail industry is highly competitive, which means that logistics providers have to be able to offer competitive rates and services.

How Can 3PL Providers Help?

Working with an experienced 3PL provider can help you overcome these challenges. 3PL providers have the knowledge and experience necessary to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the apparel and retail industry.

Additionally, 3PL providers have the resources and networks necessary to provide fast and efficient delivery times. And finally, 3PL providers can help you save money by offering competitive rates and services.

3PLs Can Create Retail Logistics Cost Savings

A great 3PL partner will align with your business goals to help save your company time and money and become more efficient. They will have the most current and updated information on changing logistics costs and trends related to loads, lanes, and deliverability.

They are also familiar with the apparel industry as a whole. This means that they can easily help you identify the solutions that will work best for your specific type of apparel company.

In addition, 3PL providers have a network of resources that they can tap into to find the best fit carriers to carry your loads and fill your trouble lanes, long term.

The apparel logistics industry is highly competitive. Reducing costs is always an opportunity for businesses to maintain a competitive edge. On the flip side, customer service is also important, and 3PL partners can excel in this area.

Customer Service Across the Retail Supply Chain

We live in an instant gratification society, which means that, for retail logistics suppliers, shorter delivery times are crucial. The end customers expect their orders to be delivered on time and without any damage and apparel businesses need to make sure that they are providing the best possible customer service in order to stay competitive. For many providers that means having 24/7 access to delivery and shipment statuses, not just for final mile shipments but also for incoming products, back-ordered items, and new merchandise releases.

3PLs Help Manage Omnichannel Retail Experiences

Omnichannel retailing is the new norm and apparel companies need to be able to provide a seamless customer experience across all channels, including in-store, online, mobile, and social media. This can be a challenge for businesses, but working with a 3PL provider can help.

A good 3PL partner will have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you develop and implement an omnichannel strategy that meets the needs of your customers. In addition, they will have the resources and networks in place to help you execute your omnichannel strategy effectively.

3PLs Minimize Risk Across Retail Supply Chains

Properly implemented logistics and supply chain strategies can help brands mitigate risks and protect profit margins. From product recalls or shifts in demand, to large scale supply chain disruptions or backlogs, an experienced 3PL partern can help you plan for and implement proactive steps to help manage and reduce risk across your logistics activities.

Paystar’s Approach to Retail Supply Chain Management

As a dedicated 3PL provider, our team has worked acorss large-scale retail distribution networks to help optimize and facilitate improved logistics solutions for international brands. Our focus on relationship building and long term solutions is at the core of our sucess.

We don’t just match lanes and loads, we strategically pair our cients with the carriers best suited for sucess and long term service. This allows our team to reduce channel turn over, optimize for longterm efficiency, and reduce resources used sourcing transportation solutions for the same lanes, over and over again.

We’d love to learn more about the unique challenges of your retail supply chain and share how our network can help improve your network.

Get in touch.