Framing Antecedents of Last Mile Omni-Channel Distribution for a Retail Apparel Group

Abstract

The last mile has to deliver goods at the right time for business logistics services to enhance the seamless customer service experience. The paper examines challenges confronting retail omnichannel distribution in achieving effective last-mile fulfilment operations processes in an apparel group (organisation phase). It investigates how the last mile for demand-driven store replenishment influences the level of retailers’ order fulfilment (in full and on time) (environment phase). The paper also assesses integrated information systems’ contribution to brick-and-mortar and virtual omnichannel distribution networks to improve timeousness, order accuracy and fill rate (technology phase). A mixed method was employed, with a quantitative methodology using frequencies and binomial testing combined with subjective thematic analysis of qualitative data from interviews. A hundred and seventy-five questionnaires were administered with a response rate of 85%. The main findings are that the current order fulfilment process aligned with the last mile is effective regarding the fill rate, lead time and condition of orders delivered via store economy and store express.

Keywords

• last mile
• omni-channel distribution
• toe framework
• order fulfilment.