The Power of Ship from Store
Transforming local stores into micro-fulfillment centers
Srivani Amrutavakkula, Director, Product Management
July 31, 2024 | 3 Min. Read | Blog
The shift towards online shopping shows no signs of slowing down, with 41% of global retail sales projected to come from online channels by 2027.1
Retailers have responded by heavily investing in ecommerce infrastructure and redesigning front-end ecommerce experiences for customers. According to a recent Bain and Company study 2, 99% of retailers believe a well-executed unified commerce strategy has an impact on overall profitability. While these investments are important, retailers have an opportunity to better integrate their local store inventory to ensure that the right items get to the right customers quickly and cost effectively.
Store Assist, powered by Walmart Commerce Technologies, enables retailers to unlock Ship from Store capabilities and transform their physical stores into fulfillment hubs. With Ship from Store, retailers can empower their associates with an easy-to-use workflow that enables pick, pack, label printing and shipping directly from a local store. This allows retailers to complement their ecommerce fulfillment center network with their local store network allowing for optimized inventory leverage and efficient shipping.
This streamlined process ensures consistency across all associates and stores, allowing retailers to reach a broader customer base and maximize in-store inventory through online reach. With Ship from Store, retailers can meet the growing demand for fast and efficient deliveries while enhancing their overall fulfillment strategy.
Maximize online order fulfillment with Ship from Store
Store Assist provides retailers with multiple modes of white-label fulfillment including pickup and delivery. With Ship from Store now included as an integrated feature, retail associates can effortlessly manage all types of online orders through a single, user-friendly workflow.
Additionally, retailers will be able to monitor and track orders across various fulfillment modes, ensuring orders are fulfilled quickly and accurately.
Here’s how Ship from Store within Store Assist can help improve your fulfillment operations:
1. Faster Online Order Fulfillment
By leveraging inventory from nearby stores, retailers can fulfill orders quickly, reducing delivery times and meeting customer expectations for fast delivery. This localized approach ensures that the right items get to the right customers promptly and efficiently.
2. Expanded Inventory Utilization
Ship from Store maximizes the availability of in-store inventory to online customers. Retailers can offer a wider range of products regardless of location, minimizing the need for markdowns or clearance sales and effectively managing seasonal inventory across different regions.
3. Cost Effective Shipping
The advanced shipping API optimizes carrier selection, not just for the least expensive rates, but for the best options available. This automated process reduces human error and ensures packages are shipped efficiently, lowering overall shipping costs. On average, rate shopping results in 18-22% reduction in annual shipping cost3.
4. Reach New Customer
Using stores as fulfillment nodes expands your reach. Orders can be fulfilled from various locations, allowing products to be delivered to a broader customer base. This flexibility opens new sales opportunities and enhances market penetration.
5. Improved Customer Satisfaction
Broader product selection reduces the likelihood of out-of-stock items, giving retailers a competitive edge by ensuring customers can find and receive the products in a timely manner.
6. Unified Employee Interface
Store Assist offers a simple, intuitive UI for store employees, streamlining the pick, pack, and ship process. Associates can manage orders, track shipments, and resolve issues efficiently, boosting productivity and minimizing errors.
In an era where online shopping continues to grow, retailers must adapt and embrace innovative solutions like Ship from Store to thrive. By leveraging tailored solutions that can scale with business growth retailers can optimize their inventory utilization, improve fulfillment speed, reduce costs, and ultimately deliver an exceptional customer experience. Ready to access the necessary tools to succeed in the ever-changing retail landscape?
Start your shipping journey with Walmart Commerce Technologies today!
1. BCG. “E-Commerce Poised to Capture 41% of Global Retail Sales by 2027 – Up from Just 18% in 2017” October 2023
2. Parameshwaran, B., Mulvey, S., Venuto, N. D., Baird, N., & Hughes, M. “The state of Unified Commerce: A Bain and Aptos Study” November 2023
3. Una. “Sample Shipping Cost Analysis and Shipping Calculator” October 2022
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