GSCW chat recap: Walmart on global omnichannel delivery

‘Each market has a little bit of a different reality’

(Photo: FreightWaves)

This fireside chat recap is from Day 2 of FreightWaves’ Global Supply Chain Week. Day 2 focuses on retail, building and construction.

FIRESIDE CHAT TOPIC: Last-mile delivery in omnichannel global market

DETAILS: Nicholas Cogan and Matt Waller, dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas, discuss last-mile delivery and omnichannel retailing from a global perspective. They examine how customer relationships vary across global markets and how important customer relationships are, regardless of the market. They also explore the importance of carrier reliability and sustainability.

SPEAKER: Cogan, director of international e-commerce at Walmart International

BIO: Cogan has been with Walmart since 2017, starting in the U.S. division. He joined Walmart International in 2018 and now is responsible for the oversight and strategy of e-commerce and best practice collaboration, as well as digital operations, omnichannel and data. 

KEY QUOTES FROM COGAN

“The relationship with the customer has never been more important and understanding that data, those habits really allow us to leverage our knowledge to benefit our customer in ways that maybe an online retailer couldn’t.”

“If I am going to predict the future, I would say, in the future, there will be a movement for regular brick-and-mortar retailers to find a reliable partner for last mile.”

“We started metering [grocery] delivery slots or pickup slots throughout the day. Instead of 100% of our capacity opening in the morning, we would do maybe 25% in the morning and then, throughout the day, open new slots so that we could capture more of those shoppers who have different habits.”

Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Alyssa Sporrer.

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Alyssa Sporrer

Alyssa is a staff writer at FreightWaves, covering sustainability news in the freight and supply chain industry, from low-carbon fuels to social sustainability, emissions & more. She graduated from Iowa State University with a double major in Marketing and Environmental Studies. She is passionate about all things environmental and enjoys outdoor activities such as skiing, ultimate frisbee, hiking, and soccer.