Are Robots the Future of eCommerce Logistics?

The rise of online retail has increased the need for efficiency in eCommerce logistics and distribution. As the need for 3rd party fulfillment services continues to grow, so does the competition in the industry.

This has led to a type of “arms race” among 3PL (third party logistics) and fulfillment providers to gain the edge in the speed and accuracy in which eCommerce orders are fulfilled.

Automating the picking system with software such as “pick to light” has been one trend. But how about going to the next level – actually having robots pick the orders? There are some obvious challenges that come with such technology. Mostly, how to ensure that the robots are picking the right orders and preventing system errors that could cause hundreds or thousands of orders to be wrongly-shipped?

Benefits of Robots in eCommerce Logistics & Fulfillment

• Speed – Robots work quickly, using the least number of movements required to execute a task. This frees up human resources to focus on customer satisfact
• Easy to Scale – Once robot integration has been implemented on a modular system, it is a very simple process to scale up and meet growing demands.
• Improve Productivity – with robots handling the repetitive, time-consuming tasks, human resources can attend to quality control, and other high-value activities that directly influence customer satisfaction and retention.

Example: The courier firm DTDC out of Mumbai uses a 25 arm robot to pick orders at a rapid speed. DTDC claims it sorts over 3500 orders per hour. While we do not know the accuracy and reliability of these picks, there is no doubt that the ability to pick orders at this speed will lead the future of the eCommerce logistics world.

Shipfusion sets your business on autopilot and combines flexible, reliable fulfillment with powerful, real-time technology. Shipfusion has multiple fulfillment centers across the US and Canada– making it easy to manage your eCommerce business. For more information on how to set your business on autopilot, contact one of our fulfillment specialists today.