Shifting consumer expectations have reshaped the retail and apparel industry. Product availability and delivery speed are now critical differentiators for capturing sales and earning long-term customer trust. Additionally, the increase in SKUs, faster cycle times, inventory management, and returns all add complexity to the supply chain. DLN addresses these challenges with cutting-edge systems that boost your competitive edge while driving down fulfillment costs.
Retail & Apparel
Industry Dynamics
Common Industry Challenges
Competitive Pressures
- Competing based on product availability, delivery speed, and cost of shipping is essential to capture sales and retain customers.
- Shifts in sales channels—from stores to e-commerce to omnichannel—add further complexity to distribution.
Supply Chain Complexity
- Managing more SKUs and faster cycle times increases the complexity of inventory management and returns processes.
- Ensuring accurate, efficient order fulfillment is challenging but essential for maintaining customer satisfaction.
Department stores face unique challenges, including omnichannel pressures and the need to manage a wide variety of merchandise, from lingerie to furniture. DLN partners with you to ensure customer satisfaction through precise order accuracy and efficient delivery, despite the complexities of modern retail.
- Cross-Docking Expertise: Our systems efficiently manage cross-docking, handling a broad range of merchandise with ease
- Adapting to Shifting Channels: As retail landscapes evolve, such as mall closures or conversions, strategic adaptation is key. These changes present significant opportunities, and our tailored solutions help you capitalize on them.
In the discount retail sector, where profitability depends on thin margins and economies of scale, streamlined and cost-effective systems are essential. We understand that keeping costs down while managing large inventories is the backbone of your business, and we create systems that support these demands.
DLN leverages its extensive experience to design systems that meet the unique needs of discount retailers, helping you maintain competitiveness through efficiency and flexibility.
- Commodity-Oriented Retailers:These stores focus on selling large volumes of popular household items at low prices. We design cost-efficient, high-throughput systems with ample storage capacity to handle bulk purchases and ensure smooth operations.
- Closeout-Oriented Retailers: These retailers deal with constantly changing inventory, buying remaining stock when items are discontinued. Our solutions offer the flexibility needed to adapt to fluctuating inventory levels and SKU mixes, ensuring that your system can handle the dynamic nature of your business.
Selling specialty products, whether it’s luxury goods or large sporting equipment, requires a customized approach. DLN listens first, using a data-driven method to understand your business’s unique challenges and opportunities.
- Wide Supploer Network: We work with a broad range of equipment manufacturers to find and source the best solutions for your needs.
- Experienced Team: Our team has experience across many industries, allowing us to creatively solve problems and apply the right technology to your specific situation.
The footwear industry has undergone a significant transformation over the past several decades, driven by innovation, sustainability, and shifting consumer preferences. From the rise of athleisure and the blending of fashion with functionality to the surge in eco-friendly materials, brands have adapted swiftly to meet the demands of a more conscious and style-savvy audience. The advent of digital platforms has also revolutionized the way shoes are marketed and sold, enabling personalized experiences and global reach like never before.
This dynamic environment has also placed unprecedented challenges on the distribution networks of footwear brands and retailers. Keeping pace with the rapid expansion of footwear categories, styles and channels continues to challenge footwear distribution centers to deliver on the expectations of customers and internal stakeholders while maintaining cost and efficiency. DLN is well-versed in the unique challenges of footwear distribution as well as the best-fit technologies to support performance.
The apparel industry has been reshaped by rapid innovation and shifting consumer values. Fast fashion exploded, bringing trends to the masses at lightning speed, while the rise of e-commerce and social media has revolutionized how people shop, connect with brands, and express their style, leading to a more personalized and inclusive fashion landscape. This industry has become more dynamic, diverse, and responsive to the ever-evolving demands of fashion-forward consumers.
This dynamic environment has also placed unprecedented challenges on the distribution networks of apparel brands and retailers. Keeping pace with the rapid shifts in styles and sales channels continues to challenge apparel distribution centers to deliver on the expectations of customers and internal stakeholders while maintaining cost and efficiency. DLN is well-versed in the unique challenges of apparel distribution as well as the best-fit technologies to support performance.
