The Promise of E-commerce: Impacts on Retail and Industrial Real Estate

On April 7, 2015, NAIOP hosted a webinar presented by co-author Steve Schellenberg, Vice President of IMS Worldwide. The webinar featured case studies from companies currently developing their e-commerce strategies, including marketing, order processing, packaging, inventory tracking, merchandise deliveries, returns and more. Download the recording.

About the White Paper

As e-commerce sales continue their robust growth, manufacturers, transportation providers, distribution and fulfillment center operators and retailers all are being pressured to modify the retail logistics chain. To meet customer expectations, retailers must have merchandise on shelves for instant purchases as well as in distribution centers for delivery directly to customers. Additionally, retailers need to ensure that their deliveries—both to stores and directly to customers—are predictable and remain cost effective.

This white paper examines the many ways that retailers are attempting to meet evolving customer expectations. Some are directly developing and operating their own technology platforms, logistics and distribution facilities. Others are outsourcing all of these functions. Still others are taking a hybrid approach, keeping some tasks in house and outsourcing others.