The holidays bring joy for many but could lead to shipping and production anxieties for manufacturers and retailers. The warehouse professionals at Lutheran Brothers offer holiday 2023 warehousing and shipping tips for retailers to make their holidays run smoothly and help ensure a profitable season.

The main components retailers and manufacturers need to consider are efficient and streamlined logistics for their goods. With the holiday season comes increased customer demand and the need to meet that demand with a goal of optimizing shipping and warehousing logistics, to give the manufacturer, shipper and retail sector a competitive and profitable advantage.

We’re going to offer strategies to:

  1. Improve retail logistics.
  2. Implement strategies for resiliency.
  3. Search trusted third-party providers and shippers.
  4. Leverage tools and technologies.

What are some challenges that face retailers this 2023 holiday season?

  1. They need to be able to pivot to meet changing conditions and retailer demands.
  2. Retailers are always looking for ways to retain a competitive edge, grow their customer base and seek out operational efficiencies and savings.
  3. The need to compete in a global marketplace.

Retailers – especially during the holidays – need to find trusted third-party providers to whom they can outsource elements of the production to store-shelf process. Retailers and manufacturers research and locate a warehouse provider that offers secure, heated and convenient space. Lutheran Brothers’ warehouses in Michigan are conveniently located near water-shipping access, rail and over-the-road shippers. Retailers need to look for warehouse providers that offer technology and have the infrastructure to support the safe storage of their goods as a waypoint in the plant-to-retailer journey – Lutheran Brothers provides those services.  

Retailers and manufacturers need to determine whether just-in-time (JIT) or just-in-case (JIC) fits their business and shipping models and demand and decide how they will face the retail season.

Other strategies that we want to offer retailers as we head into the holiday season to help enhance their retail operations and logistics include:

  • Making an investment in both inventory and warehouse management solutions.
  • Ensuring the backend administration management systems are in place and strong before the retail season.
  • Adopting a sustainable practice for the “last mile” delivery of goods.
  • Incorporating automation technologies and implementing artificial intelligence (AI) where it makes sense.

Retailers and manufacturers need to look beyond the 2023 retail shopping season to ensure that manufacturer and customer sales channels remain sustainable and profitable.

When you’re looking for secure, easy-to-access, quality, experienced storage professionals, contact Lutheran Brothers.

If you are looking for clean, secure and economical warehouse space to lease and operate your business in with your own personnel, look no further than Lutheran Brothers in Detroit, Michigan.