When it comes to e-commerce logistics , large corporations like Google and Amazon have been experimenting more and more frequently with robots and drones, devices that still face many obstacles to establishing themselves in the sector.
Below, I present some of these projects. Few of them are in full use and others are still in the testing phase. Check out:
– Year 2014
Amazon has installed more than 15 Kiva robots weighing 145 kilograms each in ten of its US warehouses, which move on wheels, are more agile in picking orders and thus reduce operating costs.
– Year 2015
The Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba has tested the distribution of goods using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), better known as a drone . Currently, Google and Walmart are also conducting similar tests.
– Year 2016
Starship Technologies exhibits (at Arena 02, in Greenwich) a robot that travels along the sidewalks in order to deliver orders placed in physical stores and/or virtual stores directly to consumers.
Initiatives like these are undoubtedly work for large organizations, which have a lot of capital to invest. But while these innovations do not propagate, medium and small virtual stores like yours cannot stop in time. They need to reduce costs and increase profits to survive. So that you can do this, I recommend these two tools:
Business Model Optimization
Value Chain Optimization
As you can see, even though you can't rely on drones and robots to help with e-commerce logistics right now , there's always a way to improve your business, make a profit, and grow.
