Continuing with its training cycle 2021, the Chamber of Digital Economy of Uruguay (CEDU) presented a videoconference on the use of new technologies for logistics in the delivery of products and the implementation of the Dark Store, a new mode of purchase 100% virtual.
In this opportunity, the talk was in charge of Diego Etcheverry, Sales Manager of Moova, a company specialized in providing technology for logistics; and Gerardo Estramil, Technology Director of GoyPick, a company that provides the robotic system for Dark Store.
Both agreed that consumers are increasingly looking for more speed when shopping and that is why they turn to digital commerce or to those new trends that allow them to save time.
"Speed is fundamental," Etcheverry said, but he remarked that care must be taken to meet consumer expectations and that the eagerness to prepare orders quickly does not generate other inconveniences.
Therefore, he explained, it is essential to have knowledge of the available stock, be accurate in delivery and not give damaged products or products that are not what the customer ordered. "There are more and more marketplaces that offer same-day delivery and that has generated complications in the logistics of companies. It is better that the product goes through as few hands as possible, because that way you can have more speed and control over it," said the expert.
Another aspect he considers important is that customers should be informed about the status of the item they purchase, but such data "must be fair and necessary. He said that offering real-time tracking of the shipment can be counterproductive, as it will generate greater control by the user and can provide more information.
Etcheverry also indicated that it is important to have specialized personnel for e-Commerce logistics, who are in charge of preparing the packages and dispatching them properly. "Dispatching is not delivering. It is necessary to have a follow-up of the shipment to corroborate that the client received it in time and form, besides considering any possible change of the product or claim," he said.
For his part, Estramil said that the reality of retail has changed and that increasingly the customer has stopped "working" at the time of shopping and now waits at home. This reality has worsened with the pandemic, but he said he is convinced that it is a modality that "is here to stay.
While speed is still the most attractive feature for online shopping, Estramil mentioned that there are other aspects that make digital commerce attractive, such as easy access through digital devices, the possibility of avoiding waiting times in physical places and finding better prices.
The expert said that this brought benefits to companies, such as the possibility of expanding beyond the area where it is located, higher sales and more facilities to offer products. However, he also said that "this generates some obstacles, such as higher costs due to the need to have more people, the acquisition of technological tools, difficulties in controlling the stock and the existence of demand peaks.
In this context, he emphasized that Dark Stores have come up with solutions to these problems. These are 100% virtual stores, where customers make their purchases through electronic devices, the order is prepared and shipped or delivered to the store. The products are available in storage places, similar to supermarkets but smaller, and the staff is in charge of making the pickeo.
"These virtual stores can be installed in small spaces and it is not necessary to have the staff that makes the pickeo, which further reduces costs, allows control of stock and provides the ability to work 24 hours seven days a week, being a differential for customers," he said.
This meeting, as well as all those held during 2020 and 2021, can be relived in the Youtube channel "CEDU Uruguay" https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnAmlBELH0REWgf-TwdXriA
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