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Discover why installing an e-commerce conveyor system can revolutionise online fulfilment for your business.
In recent years, e-commerce fulfilment has experienced an exponential rise in supply and demand. Propelled by a global pandemic, during the first quarter of 2020, the world witnessed ten years of estimated e-commerce growth in just 90 days.
Two years later, the global e-commerce market will total $5.55 trillion. However, to meet such a high demand requires an innovative solution. Discover how investing in a quality e-commerce conveyor within your fulfilment centre holds the key to long-lasting online growth.
Amazon represents the world’s largest online retailer with a (TTM) revenue of $321.8 billion and a net income (TTM) of $13.2 billion. Starting as an online bookseller, the company has evolved to offer every type of household item imaginable.
Amazon’s ability to adapt to changing trends in shopping has made it the dominant e-commerce force. The ability to offer an extensive range and deliver goods fast at low costs makes Amazon the pioneer of e-commerce fulfilment.
But delivering a seamless online shopping experience on a global scale requires providing a technically advanced infrastructure. For example, some of the largest Amazon warehouses occupy nearly one million square feet, employing thousands of staff and storing millions of items. At the centre of this success is efficient and effective operations in the form of an e-commerce conveyor system. For fast delivery, companies must streamline the picking and packing service wherever possible.
Therefore, a conveyor system becomes paramount to achieving operations of this potential by automating the material handling system, reducing the need for manual movements, and speeding up each production line stage.
An e-commerce conveyor system isn’t just for the bigwigs of online shopping. It can be customised and installed within your business fulfilment centre, where it can produce a host of advantages.
1. High speed
One of the main reasons people shop at Amazon is the speed at which they receive their goods after placing an order. A vital contributor to this speed is the automated material handling ability courtesy of the conveyor belt system.
Depending on the size of the conveyor, some basic systems can transport 900 items per minute while express transport belts can reach 2,700.
Ensuring consumers receive their products quickly relies on operations at the beginning of the product journey. Once the product is picked, it requires packaging before being sent to delivery. The speed at this crucial stage is significantly improved with the installation and maintenance of an automated conveyor system.
2. Measuring throughput rate
From the high-speed performance of the conveyor system, e-commerce brands can measure a successful throughput rate. Achieving a successful throughput is also determined by the ability of the conveyor system to integrate with any other machinery and not hinder productivity.
The aim of your e-commerce brand should be to entirely streamline the product journey, from consumer order to successful delivery. Especially when 38% of online shoppers cancel their order if the delivery takes longer than a week.
As an online business, knowing your throughput rate is essential in providing an estimated delivery date for your consumer. Recent research states that nearly a quarter of online consumers abandon their shop if no delivery date is stated.
Understanding your throughput rate is much easier with a quality automated conveyor system that can track and deliver goods with informed data and improved speed.
3. Careful product handling
Alongside speeding up operations, e-commerce conveyor systems are designed to reduce any potential product damage. With manual handling prone to occasional human error, conveyor systems provide a controlled and consistent solution during operations. A conveyor also removes the risk of manual handling injuries, which is important when it’s the cause of one in three work-related accidents.
4. Item capacity
A quality conveyor system is suited to meet the demands for high volumes of products. With global e-commerce sales growing at a rate of 11.58% (annual CAGR 2022-2025), investing in the future of your online brand will prepare you to achieve the ideal e-commerce fulfilment.
Rolling out high volumes of products correctly and quickly is enabled with automated conveyor systems. Depending on the size of your business operations, a conveyor can be installed within your fulfilment centre and integrated into an existing system to cope with increased orders.
5. Integrated technology
As e-commerce has grown and Amazon has shown us, integrating new technological solutions to operations is crucial to stay a step ahead of the curve. Conveyor systems for e-commerce fulfilment services can be adapted and designed with customisable features and additional machinery.
For example, a standard floor conveyor belt can be fit with PLC programming and additional robotic machinery to help streamline productivity to a maximum. Conveyor systems can also work overhead or through a spiral and screw solution.
Whichever approach suits the productivity of your business, you can realise in full operational reality through an automated conveyor system solution.
At Hills Electrical, we’re reliable specialists in designing, installing, and maintaining advanced conveyor belt systems for the e-commerce industry. From production to sortation and delivery, we aim to streamline operations to optimal efficiency through state-of-the-art automated conveyor systems.
So, if you want to reach the next level for your online business, get in touch. In the meantime, don’t forget to follow us on LinkedIn for the latest company updates and innovative solutions.
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