ABOUT BLAKE Blake Coram is a seasoned supply chain professional with expertise in requirements gathering, solution design, and fostering cross-functional collaboration. In his current role as Director of Product Management at Manhattan Associates since November 2020, he has played a pivotal role in designing and implementing Manhattan's Warehouse Management software, integrating with third-party systems, and enhancing various software modules. Blake's career highlights include leading design efforts for multiple clients, mentoring consultants, and contributing to internal initiatives.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Dan Coll and Ninaad Acharya welcomes Blake Coram to share his journey from a consultant to product management at Manhattan, emphasizing the evolution of warehouse management solutions and the move towards unified supply chain solutions. They discuss topics like automation, robotics as a service, large language models, and digital twins, highlighting the exciting innovations shaping the future of supply chain and warehousing operationsHIGHLIGHTS[00:01:20] Blake Coram's journey to product management at Manhattan Associates[00:03:45] Evolution of warehouse management solutions[00:05:30] The shift towards unified supply chain solutions[00:09:15] The role of automation in modern warehousing[00:11:40] Robotics as a Service (RaaS) and its benefits[00:15:20] The potential of large language models in supply chain operations[00:17:45] Digital twins for optimizing warehouse operations[00:20:10] Balancing automation with human involvement[00:22:30] Addressing concerns about automation and job displacement[00:25:15] The importance of adaptability in supply chain technology[00:28:00] The future of supply chain and warehousingQUOTES[00:06:53] Blake Coram: "It's no longer about siloed solutions; it's about integrated, unified supply chain solutions that adapt and execute efficiently."[00:09:47] Blake Coram: "Data is the lifeblood of modern supply chains. Real-time analytics enable smarter, more agile decisions in an ever-changing market."[00:15:28] Blake Coram: "Sustainability isn't just a buzzword anymore; it's a core driver in supply chain strategy. Companies that embrace eco-friendly practices will thrive."[00:22:02] Ninaad Acharya: "I think there's a world in the not too distant future where it's robots as a service. The man-machine execution within warehouses is becoming more prevalent."Find out more about Blake in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-coram-1633b231/

ABOUT THE GUEST(S) Rick Watson, CEO and Founder of RMW Commerce Consulting, LLC., he’s an eCommerce veteran with over two decades of experience. He founded RMW Commerce Consulting and played a crucial role in creating the WHP+ platform. Rick also hosts "The Watson Weekly'' podcast and has appeared on various news programs and industry events like Shoptalk.Nate Skiver, Founder of LPF Spend Management, is a parcel transportation and eCommerce delivery expert with 20 years of experience. He previously worked for Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap Inc., managing global parcel programs. Nate is a thought leader in parcel and eCommerce delivery, contributing articles to PARCEL Magazine and being featured in publications like The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, hosts Dan Coll and Ninaad Acharya are joined by e-commerce veterans Rick Watson and Nate Skiver to provide valuable insights into the e-commerce peak season in 2023. The discussion covers various aspects, including capacity concerns in small parcel delivery, the influence of promotions and discounts on consumer spending, and the challenges of managing inventory and avoiding out-of-stocks during peak season.The guests emphasize the importance of preparation and scenario planning, sharing their own experiences and lessons learned from past peak seasons. They also discuss the evolving dynamics of peak season, with a shift towards earlier sales and the need for retailers to stay agile and responsive to changing consumer behaviors and economic conditions.Overall, this episode offers valuable advice and strategies for navigating the e-commerce peak season successfully in 2023QUOTES[00:22:51] "Capacity itself, I don't see being a constraint or challenge. But allocating the volume and managing it between carriers might be kind of the other direction." - Nate Skiver[00:28:44] "Returns cost six to eight dollars. If you want to return to them directly now, um, you can't just drop it by the UPS store anymore." - Rick Watson[00:26:12] "The decisions were made six months ago, and I remember six months ago, even thinking about our own business, there was an environment of fear." - Ninaad Acharya[00:34:34] "If less than 50 percent of your digital orders are shipped from the store, then you should probably be very careful what you're offering." - Rick WatsonFind out more about Rick and Nate in the link below:Rick’s LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercestrategyconsulting/Nate’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levelplayingfield/

Mark Lavelle has over 20 years of experience growing businesses at the intersection of commerce, payments, and internet technology. He’s Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Deep Lake Capital. Previously, Mark was SVP of Commerce at Adobe as a result of the $1.7B acquisition of Magento where he was CEO. Other senior leadership roles include eBay, PayPal and Bill Me Later.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Mark Lavelle discusses the changing landscape of e-commerce logistics and the opportunities for disruption in the market. He emphasizes the importance of meeting customer expectations for fast and transparent delivery, and how companies can optimize their shipping processes to achieve this. Mark also highlights the potential impact of Amazon entering the small parcel delivery space and the need for consolidation in the final mile segment. He shares insights on Maergo's approach to solving the shipping problem and the benefits of their end-to-end solution. Mark concludes by discussing the future of e-commerce logistics and the need for sustainable business models in the industry.HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:28] Mark's background and his involvement with PayPal Mafia[00:05:32] The changing landscape of small parcel delivery[00:06:11] Opportunities for disruption in the market[00:08:00] Tackling the end-to-end problem in shipping[00:09:00] Defining the problem of growing consumer expectations for delivery[00:10:23] Solving the logistics challenge for small to medium-sized sellers[00:15:16] New entrants like DoorDash and Instacart change the delivery equation.[00:16:26] The control over the pre-click experience is valuable.[00:17:15] Shipping transparency and costs are crucial to consumers.[00:18:49] The gap in consumer expectations needs to be addressed.[00:27:14] Need for A/B testing to show the impact of faster delivery[00:28:29] Challenges of splitting inventory and the need for cost containment[00:30:07] Advantages of operating out of a single node for efficiency[00:38:02] Frustration with slow-moving warehouse systems[00:38:35] The need for multi-carrier systems to easily add new carriers[00:39:12] Amazon's announcement of charging a 2% cut for self-fulfilled orders[00:41:01] Amazon's focus on customer expectations and delivery promise[00:44:39] Lack of dominance in the logistics industry and opportunity for strategic VCsQUOTES[00:21:44] "You have to orient your supply chain and your parcel chain, and your consumer brand strategy really to meet their needs of up leveling expected delivery date, transparency around cost, and transparency around every stage of delivery." - Mark Lavelle[00:22:55] "If you want it expedited, there's going to be a way, it's going to be this. It builds more trust than waiting until the end of the process and having the customer abandoned."Find out more about Mark Lavelle in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mklave/

SPEAKERS OF THE DAY Ninaad Acharya, Co-founder and CEO of Fulfillment IQ, is a dynamic supply chain leader with 20 years of experience in digital transformation. He's driven by simplicity and effectiveness, having spearheaded disruptive tech solutions for Fortune 50 firms, retailers, 3PLs, and eCommerce brands, including Nordstrom and FedEx. Ninaad accelerates supply chain startups to market, saving costs and enabling $500M in capital automation and 135+ warehouse tech projects. His dedicated team counters rising costs and fosters tech-enabled supply chain solutions, helping companies reach their supply chain's full potential.Dan Coll, partner and Chief Revenue Officer at Fulfillment IQ and an award-winning supply chain leader, is well-known in the industry for creating winning e-commerce strategies and solutions for global e-commerce brands, retailers, 3PLs and many emerging companies (including unicorns).He has dedicated over 20 years of his life to fixing eCommerce fulfillment problems by driving notable results through the sheer power of his knowledge, network and expertise. Currently, Dan leverages his previous experience of leading the largest 3PL’s in North America to help 3PL’s, eCommerce and retail companies grow.Harshida Acharya, Partner and Chief Marketing Officer at Fulfillment IQ. She’s a full-funnel marketer with hands-on experience in brand & performance marketing for hyper-growth tech startups, enterprise brands and supply chain and logistics companies. She’s also the creator and producer of the hit eCom Logistics Podcast. With almost 15 years of experience in the space, Harshida has led successful go-to-market campaigns for supply chain and logistics firms by flipping the industry mindset to focus on valuable content creation, demand generation, and building long term relationships. SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, hosts Dan Coll and Ninaad Acharya are joined by Harshida Acharya, the CMO and Partner of Fulfillment IQ, to reflect on their one-year journey of hosting the Ecom Logistics podcast. They discuss the growth and evolution of the supply chain tech market, the current state of affairs, and the impact of the pandemic on the industry. They also highlight the importance of proactive planning and strategic initiatives for the future. The hosts emphasize the need for brands and 3PLs to invest in supply chain software, integrate systems, and adapt to changing consumer expectations. They express optimism for the upcoming peak season and provide advice for organizations to stay ahead in the ever-evolving supply chain landscape.HIGHLIGHTS[00:01:15] Reflection on the podcast's one-year journey[00:04:15] Importance of community feedback and engagement[00:08:03] Discussion on the current state of the supply chain tech market[00:11:20] Enterprise players' increased investment in supply chain software[00:13:23] Importance of proactive planning for 2024[00:20:37] Growing focus on integrations in the supply chain space[00:23:00] Trends in supply chain software investment and automation projects[00:30:11] Importance of choosing the right technology for scaling[00:39:14] Optimistic outlook for peak season and advice for 3PLs and brandsQUOTES[00:26:44] “A lot of different systems play. But at the end of the day, the ‘why’ is because the consumer expectation continues to shift. And we thought maybe the Amazon prime two day experience was going to maybe go away or stay or stick or whatever, but it's here to stay. So consumers are still looking for their goods at a very low cost or free and fast.” - Dan Coll[00:33:30] “The tech that helped you scale up to $10 million in revenue is not the same tech that's gonna help you get to a hundred. You're gonna have to make some adjustments and you're gonna have to prepare yourself and prepare to kind of meet that kind of scale.” - Harshida Acharya[00:38:25] “Find great partners, find great tools. It's gonna help you in the long run. Don't write code for the sake of writing code.” - Ninaad AcharyaConnect and find out more about us through the links below.Dan Coll’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcoll/Ninaad’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninaad/Harshida’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harshida/

ABOUT JORRIT Jorrit Steinz is the Founder of ChanngelEngine.com, a platform that helps stores, brands, and distributors find millions of new customers by connecting them to marketplaces globally. He has been active in eCommerce for almost 20 years building expertise in areas such as B2C, B2B, and D2C eCommerce, marketplaces, SaaS, and international platform strategies. He is a public speaker at various events and an adviser on the rapid changes in the global retail landscape for brands, distributors, and large retailers.SHOW SUMMARYIn this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, Jorrit Steinz, CEO and founder of ChannelEngine, shares his insights on the state of multi-channel eCommerce and the opportunities for brands and retailers to expand into new markets. He discusses the shift from channel conflict to channel expansion, the rise of direct-to-consumer sales for brands, and the importance of connecting to marketplaces to stay competitive. Jorrit also highlights the cultural nuances and logistics challenges of expanding internationally and emphasizes the need for brands to partner with logistics providers and agencies to navigate these complexities.HIGHLIGHTS[00:02:14] Guest's journey in eCommerce and the founding of ChannelEngine[00:08:01] The current state of multi-channel eCommerce and international expansion[00:11:24] Importance of connecting to marketplaces and the concept of the buy box[00:19:44] The impact of delays in the one P model and the need for a three P contingency plan[00:24:28] Cultural nuances and advice for expanding into international markets[00:30:11] The balance between sales-driven goals and product-centric objectives[00:34:59] The importance of building a strong logistics infrastructure[00:38:14] The growth of ChannelEngine and the focus on product development[00:44:30] Where to learn more about ChannelEngine and connect with the guestQUOTES[00:10:48] "If you're not ready as a brand, you're just clearly missing out on revenue if you don't connect to these marketplaces." - Jorrit Steinz[00:17:53] "Winning the buy box is based on seller performance and price optimization. It's crucial to have the right technology and automation to compete effectively." - Jorrit Steinz[00:37:11] "Don't try to do everything yourself if you're a brand or retailer. Leverage the expertise of partners and focus on your core competencies." - Jorrit SteinzFind out more about Jorrit Steinz in the link below:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jorritsteinz/