Trend vision Arvato: E-commerce is the most impactful trend

The coronavirus crisis has accelerated the pace of advancement in the already dynamic e-commerce sector. All kinds of businesses, and especially B-to-C companies, have little choice but to adapt their activities in line with a rapidly changing environment.

The trends affecting companies vary from one sector to another, according to Marcus Karten, Vice President Business Development at Arvato Supply Chain Solutions, but the inexorable growth of e-commerce can be seen across the board. “That had started well before the coronavirus outbreak, of course,” says Karten. The fashion sector has long been driven by e-commerce. Now, the bigger companies in particular are finding it hard to recruit the right people. And if we look ahead to 2030, demographic shifts mean that ever-fewer people will be working in that market, while more people will actually be needed as e-commerce continues to drive volume.”

Growth

E-commerce growth is clearly a far-reaching trend that’s here to stay. Marketplaces are growing particularly rapidly because consumers like the convenience of one-stop shopping. “So you need to work with the marketplaces, but you have to be able to handle your own order fulfilment. That’s where where we come in, helping to ensure that companies are ‘B-to-C ready’. Brick-and-mortar stores have reopened in the meantime, but the shift to online B-to-C is still continuing. Business have fulfilment-related questions and ask us to help them grow.”
There is a close link with automation. “Because of the changing population demographics and increasing volumes, there won’t be enough workers to go round. This means that automation will become more important and we will see an increased demand for it, especially due to the labour shortage.”
“Automation is becoming ever-more affordable, but technology is also very complex with a large number of suppliers to choose from, which makes it difficult to select the right solution. That’s another way we help companies, by advising which technology will help their business. We’re not consultants, but our operational background enables us to ensure that they use the right technology to improve their productivity.”