- It's a "hot" summer in Polish warehouses. The number of orders is growing rapidly. This is a big challenge for logistics departments, especially since the Polish e-commerce sector has the potential for further rapid development.
- Strategy& forecasts show that by 2027 the e-commerce industry in Poland will be worth as much as PLN 187 billion, and its growth will be driven most strongly by three segments: fashion, electronics and health and beauty. The trend is also confirmed by the latest data from the Polish Road Transport Institute, according to which in 2023-2027 sales revenues on the e-commerce market in Poland will increase by USD 7 billion.
– The e-commerce market, due to its global nature, remains very competitive, and the key influence on customer preferences is, among others, delivery time. In order to cope with an even two-fold increase in the number of orders shipped, appropriate preparation is crucial, based on a precise demand forecast – notes Marek Kaniera, e-commerce operations director at ID Logistics, adding that the summer sales period is a huge challenge for the logistics industry every year, especially in the e-commerce and fashion sectors.
At the same time, warehouses are increasing stocks of necessary materials, such as boxes and storage carts, to ensure smooth and efficient operations.
– According to the "E-commerce Delivery Compass 2023" report, the expected delivery time for consumers in Europe and the USA is only 3 days. For several years now, we have also been observing the q-commerce trend, which means delivery the next day or sooner. For the logistics operator, this means the need to complete the entire complex process even faster than before – explains Marek Kaniera.
Convenient returns in e-commerce are a big challenge
Returns account for 15.8 percent. orders in Polish e-commerce, which corresponds to USD 532 million (approx. PLN 2.3 billion). A particular challenge is to ensure efficient return logistics during the summer sales period. According to ID Logistics data, the number of returns almost doubles during this time.
In practice, a simple return of an order by a customer means for the logistics operator a multi-stage process that must be carried out as quickly as possible. To maintain high quality of services during summer sales, appropriate preparation is necessary: increasing the number of employees, training, motivational systems, ensuring smooth transport, stocks of consumables, additional storage space and constant process control.
