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Seasonal Supply Chain

In the dynamic realm of logistics and supply chain management, navigating the rhythmic ebb and flow of seasonal supply chain shifts is both an art and a science. The ability to harmonize your operations with seasonal fluctuations can spell the difference between triumph and turbulence for your business. Whether you’re peddling sunscreen in summer or crafting holiday magic in winter, understanding and conquering these seasonal shifts is paramount. In this blog post, we will delve into the intricacies of seasonal supply chains and unveil ingenious strategies to help your business not just survive but thrive amidst these shifts.

Decoding Seasonal Supply Chain Shifts

Seasonal supply chain shifts are the balletic movements of commerce, choreographed by the calendar and consumer whims. They materialize when consumer demand for particular products or services experiences pronounced variations throughout the year. These variations are often orchestrated by a symphony of factors, including weather patterns, cultural events, holidays, and economic triggers. Here are some illustrative examples:

Weather-Driven Seasonality: Companies dealing in weather-sensitive wares, such as swimsuits and ski gear, sway with the seasons, adapting their supply chains to these meteorological rhythms.

Festive Frenzy: Retailers, whether physical or online, witness a surge in demand during the festive season, necessitating a flawless fusion of augmented inventory, nimble distribution, and top-notch customer support.

Agricultural Rhapsody: The agricultural sector performs its seasonal sonata as crops are harvested at specific times of the year, affecting not only growers but also the entire supply chain downstream.

Back-to-School Ballet: Businesses peddling school supplies and uniforms orchestrate their operations for the back-to-school season, a crescendo of demand.

Key Strategies for Synchronizing with Seasonal Shifts

Demand Anticipation: Accurate demand forecasting acts as the conductor of your seasonal supply chain orchestra. Harness historical sales data, market intelligence, and predictive analytics to anticipate the crescendos and diminuendos of demand. This enables you to fine-tune inventory levels and production schedules.

Flexibility in Supply Chain Design: Inject adaptability into your supply chain’s DNA to harmonize with changing demand. Embrace flexible staffing arrangements, dynamic warehousing solutions, and versatile transportation options. Temporary personnel and rented storage spaces can be instrumental in hitting the right notes during peak seasons.

Supplier Synergy: Cultivate strong partnerships with suppliers, sharing your seasonal symphony well in advance. Collaborate closely to ensure a steady supply of materials and products when the demand crescendos.

Inventory Virtuosity: Mastery of inventory management is paramount. Employ techniques such as just-in-time inventory, safety stock, and ABC analysis to fine-tune inventory levels. This prevents surplus during lulls and staves off shortages during high-demand periods.

Technological Crescendo: Invest in cutting-edge supply chain technology and automation to streamline processes and elevate efficiency. These tools enhance visibility, orchestrate real-time inventory tracking, and facilitate agile responses to demand fluctuations.

Logistics Choreography: Ensure your transportation and logistics networks possess the grace to handle peak-season volumes. Consider alternative routes and transportation methods to sidestep potential bottlenecks.

Customer Engagement: Keep your audience informed about product availability and delivery schedules during peak seasons. Implement responsive customer support channels to address inquiries and concerns with finesse.

Post-Season Encore: After each peak season performance, conduct a thorough post-season analysis. Uncover areas for refinement, fine-tuning your seasonal supply chain symphony for a stellar encore.

Seasonal supply chain shifts are the verses and choruses of many businesses’ financial songs, and conducting them with mastery is the key to sustained success. By immersing yourself in the rhythm of seasonal demand variations and orchestrating astute strategies, your company can not only meet customer expectations but also transform seasonal challenges into opportunities.

In this harmonious journey, Taylor Logistics stands as your trusted partner, ready to help you hit all the right notes. With their extensive experience and expertise in supply chain management, Taylor Logistics can provide tailored solutions that synchronize your operations with seasonal shifts. Their innovative approach, backed by cutting-edge technology, ensures that your supply chain performs like a well-rehearsed symphony, delivering efficiency and precision.

In a competitive landscape, adaptability and agility during seasonal supply chain shifts are the notes that harmonize with long-term prosperity. So, step onto the stage, embrace the music of the seasons, and let Taylor Logistics choreograph your supply chain for a standing ovation in the world of seamless success.

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In the fiercely competitive world of modern business, brands need to leverage advanced technologies to streamline their operations and gain a competitive edge. One such technology that is transforming inventory management for brands is real-time inventory tracking through a Warehouse Management System (WMS) customer portal. In this blog post, we’ll explore how partnering with a 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) provider like Taylor, who offers a cutting-edge WMS customer portal with real-time tracking capabilities at no extra cost, can revolutionize inventory management and drive unprecedented benefits for your business.

1. Real-Time Inventory Visibility

When it comes to inventory management, knowledge is power. Real-time visibility into your inventory levels across multiple locations is essential for optimizing operations and promptly meeting customer demands. With Taylor’s WMS customer portal, you gain instant access to accurate, up-to-the-minute information about your inventory. This includes stock levels, order status, inbound and outbound shipments, and more, empowering you to make well-informed decisions at every step of the supply chain.

2. Seamless Order Fulfillment

Efficient order fulfillment is the lifeblood of any brand striving to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Taylor’s WMS customer portal facilitates seamless order processing by providing real-time insights into available inventory. With this comprehensive view, you can efficiently allocate stock to fulfill orders from the nearest distribution center or warehouse, ensuring faster delivery times and reduced shipping costs. The result? Satisfied customers and increased loyalty to your brand.

3. Proactive Inventory Management

Proactive inventory management is crucial for avoiding costly stockouts or overstocking situations. Taylor’s WMS customer portal allows you to set up automated alerts for low inventory levels, enabling you to replenish stock in a timely manner. By staying one step ahead of demand fluctuations, you can optimize inventory turnover, reduce holding costs, and free up working capital for other strategic investments.

4. Data-Driven Decision Making

In the age of big data, businesses that leverage actionable insights gain a significant advantage over their competitors. Taylor’s WMS customer portal collects and analyzes real-time inventory data, presenting you with easy-to-understand dashboards and reports. This data-driven approach empowers you to identify trends, spot inefficiencies, and make informed adjustments to your supply chain strategy, further enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

5. Enhanced Collaboration

Effective collaboration between brands and their 3PL partners is essential for mutual success. Taylor’s WMS customer portal fosters seamless communication by providing a shared platform for real-time inventory updates and order tracking. This transparency ensures that both parties are on the same page, leading to better coordination, fewer errors, and improved overall performance.

In conclusion, real-time inventory tracking through Taylor’s WMS customer portal is a game-changer for brands seeking to optimize their supply chain and deliver exceptional customer experiences. By partnering with a 3PL that offers this technology at no extra cost, you gain access to invaluable tools for inventory management, order fulfillment, and data-driven decision-making. Embrace the power of real-time inventory tracking and elevate your brand to new heights of efficiency and customer satisfaction.

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3PL Provider Taylor Logistics Cincinnati Ohio

Companies always look for ways to reduce costs and increase efficiency in today’s highly competitive global economy. To handle their supply chain needs, many companies outsource to third-party logistics providers (3PL).In addition to warehousing, order fulfillment, and transportation, 3PLs offer various services. The benefits of these services can be significant for companies, but they need to be appropriately considered before deciding to use any 3PL. To evaluate a 3PL provider, you should follow these ten steps.

Compare Costs

It is essential to compare the costs of their services to in-house operations as a first step. By doing this, you can determine whether 3PL’s services are cost-effective and if they provide value for money. Don’t forget to factor in additional costs such as setup, technology, and transportation fees.

Analyze On-Time Delivery Rates

An essential aspect of 3PL management is measuring on-time delivery rates. If the 3PL meets customer expectations, this will give you an idea of its reliability. On-time delivery rates are vital for companies that operate in industries where timeliness is critical.

Inventory Accuracy

Inventory accuracy is another important metric to look for in a 3PL provider. This will let you know how well the third-party logistics provider is managing your inventory and whether they can monitor stock levels. Since this can significantly contribute to errors and delays, measuring the 3PL’s capacity to track inventory in transit is also critical.

Customer Satisfaction

Numerous methods, including customer surveys, reviews, and feedback, can be used to gauge customer happiness. You can determine how well the 3PL is meeting consumer expectations by asking for a customer promoter score and referrals.

Return on Investment

Keeping track of your costs will provide insight into the amount of extra revenue your business obtains from the 3PL. In addition, analyzing the revenue generated by the 3PL and comparing it to the costs associated with their services will enable you to gain a more comprehensive understanding of your overall return on investment.

Results

Following the steps outlined above can help you evaluate a 3PL provider and see if they are providing value for the money. With the right metrics in place, you can make an informed decision about whether or not to continue working with them.

Bottom Line

?Selecting the right 3PL provider is an important decision that can significantly impact your company’s success. Evaluating a 3PL provider’s industry experience, technology and tools, services offered, customer service, pricing and agreements, security and compliance, scalability and flexibility, and reputation will help organizations meet their logistics needs and gain a competitive edge. As a result, you can make more informed decisions.

It’s essential to thoroughly research any 3PL provider before making a decision. This includes asking the right questions and conducting due diligence to verify vendor credentials and capabilities. By selecting a 3PL provider that best suits their needs, companies can improve the efficiency of their supply chain, reduce costs, and improve the customer experience. Questions or need to speak with an expert? Talk with Taylor!

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This week, our Monroe team underwent a Safe Quality Foods (SQF) audit scoring an outstanding 98%. This is an exceptional accomplishment, as we continually strive for the highest standard in food safety for our business partners. A special kudos to the entire Monroe team. We will be adding yet another championship banner!

What is SQF?

The Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program is a rigorous and credible food safety and quality program recognized by retailers, brand owners, and food service providers worldwide. Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the SQF family of food safety and quality codes are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements for all food supply chain sectors – from the farm to retail stores. This rigorous farm-to-fork food safety and quality certification also help food producers assure their buyers that their food products meet the highest possible global food safety standards.

Why is SQF important for your brand?

This farm-to-fork food safety and quality certification helps food producers assure their buyers that food products have been grown, processed, prepared, and handled according to the highest possible global food safety standards. It can immediately improve your standing in the eyes of new partners and deals. For everyone at Taylor, this achievement is an excellent validation of our hard work and our team’s commitment to safe food operations. For you, it means increased protection in the event of recalls, improved operational efficiencies in our work together, managed risks, and peace of mind with certified due diligence.

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Four Functions of 3PL Providers

As a business expands and you need to get products in new markets to more customers, there comes a time when it must determine whether to outsource its supply chain operations.

To meet customer demand, shippers turn to a third-party logistics (3PL) provider to do just that.

But not all 3PLs offer the same services and capabilities. For example, some just focus on transportation, and some just on fulfillment. But what about a full-service logistics provider that can do it all? Learn more about the functions of a full-service 3PL like Taylor.

1. Shipping and Receiving

Taylor helps companies with shipping and receiving; our brokerage team manages the shipping process from start to finish. As a technology-driven organization, our transportation management system (TMS) allows for managing carrier relations, freight data, and matrix reports for real-time visibility and increased transparency throughout the shipping process.

2. Transportation

As a multi-service 3PL that also handles transportation, we are responsible for transporting goods between locations, from manufacturer to fulfillment to any brick-and-mortar store, and even direct parcels to your doorstep. Because we have our in-house brokerage and local Cincinnati fleet, there’s no need to leverage another partner to complete any shipping needs.

3. Warehousing

Warehousing is typically the most common function of a third-party logistics provider. To no surprise, warehousing is a large portion of our service portfolio; from multi-client public warehouses to dedicated client contract facilities, we’ve altered our warehouse services to meet the needs of our business partners. Taylor provides customizable ways to handle storage, distribution, and transportation.

4. Value-Added Services

In addition to transportation, warehousing, and distribution, several 3PLs like Taylor also provide a wide variety of value-added services, including eCommerce, pick & pack, kitting, custom labeling, manufacturing, Amazon prep services, and design. By outsourcing these services, business partners can focus on their core business. 

Need a full-service 3PL partner?

Fill out the form below and a member of our team will reach out asap. Questions? Inbox us at info@taylorlog.com or call 513-771-1850

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It takes a lot of bandwidth to operate a retail business. Whether you are an online retailer or run a brick-and-mortar business, you depend on the efficient movement of freight to maintain your operations. Logistics is the main component of any retail operation, from receiving inventory to shipping orders directly to customers. The amount of resources a retailer spends on operating its supply chain is unknown to most casual shoppers. This is an area where working with an experienced 3PL can be incredibly beneficial for any retailer.

What’s the Role of a 3PL?

There are multiple roles that today’s third-party logistics providers take on for their clients. For retailers specifically, they are essentially outsourced agent that takes care of numerous supply chain functions. Partnering with a 3PL allows a retailer to focus on driving sales, improving customer service, and other daily operations that help them increase sales and, thus, make more profits. Specifically, a 3PL can handle several specific logistics functions, including:

Scalable Services

A 3PL allows you to analyze your labor, transportation, and spacing needs depending on your business parameters. Businesses that focus more heavily on seasonal sales can benefit from this practice. You can always ramp up deliveries, warehouse space, and any other logistics a 3PL can provide when consumer demand dictates.

Cost-efficiency

Many companies assume that outsourcing to a third party by default means spending more on service fees. However, all the efforts of a 3PL will eventually save you money. Ultimately, the overall cost will be less than an in-house supply chain management. A 3PL is a one-stop shop for most of your supply chain needs. You do not have to invest in warehousing, technology, or a logistics team.

Bulk Shipping Rates

Shipping rates, especially spot rates, can fluctuate weekly depending on several outside sources, even daily in some cases. As a result, retail companies need stability in the market to ship their products. Bulk shipping rates help that happen. This is where 3PLs can help, especially since many retail companies need the negotiating power of a 3PL.

Distribution Network

3PLs have contacts throughout the country. If your business grows, a 3PL can offer additional resources from those within its network to assist that growth. At Taylor, we have a carrier network of 60,000+. With a carrier size that large, we can find you lanes and capacity to move your freight.

Ready to partner with a 3PL? Talk with Taylor

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Each year, Robert Handfield, Ph.D. of North Carolina State University, predicts what’s in store for global commerce and supply chains for the next 365 days. While these predictions are perhaps not completely original, his takeaways and supporting evidence are worth considering. Please see the full article from NCSU here.

Inflation will persist.  Jason Miller from Michigan State is an expert at navigating the many different publicly available government database, and interpreting the tea leaves.  He writes a weekly blog on Linked In which I follow religiously.  He is the most accurate forecaster I know, because unlike many speculators and economists, his observations are based on actual data!    He believes that inflation isn’t going to go down going into 2023 – but will persist.  He writes that“While it is good news that we are starting to see the inflation of goods slow down, I would caution anyone who expects goods to go through a deflationary cycle that the data (to me) isn’t pointing in this direction to a meaningful degree. Data below from three series from the BLS PPI program obtained from FRED (with call codes after the labels), all set such that 100 = January 2019.  Implication:  the best-case scenario I see for the price of finished goods is that their prices stay relatively unchanged from the 3rd quarter of 2022….we are going to see meaningful deflation in finished goods prices as we move into 2023, which will in turn impact PCE price index that the Fed monitors for consumer inflation.”   Unfortunately, this also means that the Fed will likely keep interest rates high through much of 2023 – and will likely increase rates again in February and June.  Inflation is indeed going down slowly– but not as fast as the markets would like.

Inventory will remain bloated for the first half of 2023, – and supplier relationships will be tested.  Here again, my prior blog notes how much inventory we have in supply chains today – and how certain parties are pushing back their excessive demand forecasts, and punishing their suppliers.   For instance, a large apparel brand requested about 20 of their largest textile mills (many in Pakistan, Singapore, China, and other regions) to travel all the way to San Francisco for a “Vendor Summit”.  They then sequestered each individual in a room, and two individuals came in and told them that they needed to reduce their prices by 20%.  Walmart  is moving their vendors from FOB (Free on Board) to domestic buying, and the shift is happening fast.  Walmart will pay more for domestic sources, but will not be burdened with the inventory and purchasing FOB.  They are also canceling orders, decreasing quantities, and deducting off invoices, which they claim as “chargebacks” for “late deliveries”, from shipments which were received as late as last year.  These kinds of behaviors by buyers will come back to bite them in the future…

Despite having more inventory – we won’t stop having shortages. Unfortunately, a lot of the bloated inventory is stuff that consumers don’t want – or can’t afford.  But that doesn’t mean we will stop having shortages of critical materials.  One reason for this is that the COVID crisis in China is escalating to incredible levels, and that is shutting down a lot of manufacturing hubs.  In particular, a lot of maintenance parts for equipment, replacement parts for appliances, automobiles, and larger (>48 nm) chips are still produced in Asia – and we will continue to see shortages of these component parts.  That means that repair may take longer than you think.  Labor and material shortages for factories are going down – but still are at a much higher rate than they were in 2019.

Mexico will become a destination hub for many companies in the US – but within reason. As I noted in a prior blog, and as discussed in the New York Times today – Mexico is a great option – but the capacity isn’t there yet.  More importantly, the supply chain isn’t there yet!  I spoke to a CPO who mentioned that his CEO was a big proponent of bringing all supply to Mexico – but despite this fact, we are still largely dependent on China for raw materials!  As pointed out in the NY Times – even apparel manufacturing in Mexico is largely dependent on fabric produced entirely in China!  As such, it is unlikely we are going to lose our dependence on Chinese products.  Price is still the determining factor here.  Chinese manufacturing is of such scale, that moving it to the US or Mexico is unlikely.

The US Government will play more of a role in promoting domestic supply chains. Not only did the US government, pass the CHIPS Act – but they are actively promoting the domestic production of semiconductors.  As noted in one of my blogs, however, producing a fab plant is a good step – but the supply chain for chips is still largely in Taiwan.  There is massive flux in the chip industry – which seems to be on a different cycle than most demand cycles.  What was once a one year backlog has shrunk and chips are now readily available – to the point where semiconductor companies are cutting back on capital investment!  This will continue to be a real problem – and I believe we will see “capacity as a service” models begin to emerge in the chip sector – where buyers will reserve capacity based on actual forecasts, not guesses or bets on what they think they will need next year.  This will stabilize production – and lead to improved availability and assurance of supply.

Healthcare supply chains will remain strained. Despite having a lot more PPE in warehouses, hospitals are still struggling with a lot of shortages.  Jim Wilson, an expert in medical intelligence, advocates that hospital monitoring programs is a critical area of government investment.  One area is generic drugs – such as amoxycillin.  We wll have shortages of baby formula as well.  For this reason, I believe the government should be creating incentives to increasingly healthcare supply chain.  To address this issue, one recommendation I am advocating would be to create government industrial policies that are targeted at supporting a domestic “stop gap” manufacturing capability. Secondly, partnerships should be developed with distributors to enable visibility into their inventory systems, and ensure they enter contracts which set aside inventory for government allocation under different conditions of duress.  This will require a set of common data standards and a common architecture to create a dashboard and control tower.  In addition, a multi-agency materials inventory portfolio based on in-depth supply market analysis is needed.  At a minimum, this should include specialists in the following categories:  semiconductors, precious metals, electric vehicle batteries, medical supplies (PPE, gowns, gloves), medical devices, pharmaceuticals, plastics and resins, medical equipment, biologics, healthcare personnel, and respiratory products. This will require team of supply market analysts with special knowledge of these categories, that track the condition of critical supply markets for medical supplies, the supply risks within those markets, and acquisition strategies to manage the risks.  Multi-tier supply chain mapping can provide clues as to critical points of risk that can “shut down” the US healthcare sector, based on multiple forms of risk assessment.

Growth in 2023 will be positive – but lean. As noted in a lecture by the Economist which I attended, the greatest risks looming ahead are concentrated in 2023.  Next year will see some positive growth but only 1.7%, reflecting slowing growth in the US in China and recession in Europe.  Global monetary tightening will take some time to kick in – likely in the second half of 2023.  The US will likely see only 0.5% growth in 2023, the EU 0.4%, which in turn will impact other regions of the world.  China will likely see a modest rebound after the 2022 slump, moving to only 5% growth.  However, there are always risks that will move the needle, including the escalation of the Ukraine war, more COVID-19 variants, spikes in energy prices, and sovereign debt pile-ups.

Government regulation of Artificial Intelligence will increase. As I noted in a blog of a recent SAS INNOVATE conference, Henry Kissinger described AI as the new frontier of arms control during a forum at Washington National Cathedral on Nov. 16. If leading powers don’t find ways to limit AI’s reach, he said, “it is simply a mad race for some catastrophe.”  The former secretary of state cautioned that AI systems could transform warfare just as they have chess or other games of strategy — because they are capable of making moves that no human would consider but that have devastatingly effective consequences.  This is true not just in warfare, but also in supply chains.  As we move towards a digital future where we increasingly will be ceding control to machines who call the shots, not humans, what are the risks of doing so?  Increasingly, more and more data is being stuffed into the cloud, which certainly allows us access to more readily access reams of data which can be processed by algorithms for decision-making.  We have to be able to trust these algorithms to make the right decisions.  But driving towards AI standards to increase trustworthiness is easier said than done.  The UK has also begun pursuing this goal, as has the EU, who are likely to explicitly define AI and how to use it.  The government will begin to mandate a more  comprehensive approach, which spans the entire organization.  Three primary elements determine the fiduciary responsibility for trustworthy AI:  Duty of Care, the Business Judgement rule, and Duty of Compliance Oversight.   These pillars are required to understand the historical biases that so often find their way into AI algorithms, which have created historical injustices and inequities, meaning that the government is surely going to step in.

Electric vehicle parts will remain in short supply. In a recent blog, I noted how there is still a massive shortage of the so-called “green metals” required to meet the burgeoning demand for EV’s. Environmentalists and automotive companies have committed to converting all of their vehicles to electric power.  GM has committed to 30 new electric vehicles by 2025.  Ford is committing to an all-electric vehicle platform with zero emissions by 2035.  But nobody is talking about the supply chain for these vehicles, and the capacity required to build them.  Converting an entire supply base of automotive suppliers, who are all focused on building of combustion engine-powered vehicles, and moving them all to electric vehicles, will be a superhuman feat.  What will happen to those manufacturers that can’t or won’t convert?  They go out of business?  And is there enough capacity to produce the new types of vehicles?  And what raw materials are required to convert to EV in the future?  I don’t think executives have really given any meaningful thought to the answers to these questions yet… I predict a rough road ahead for EV’s.  Perhaps I’m a voice in the wilderness – except maybe for Toyota – they have the same doubts as I do.

Demand for supply chain graduates will go through the roof in the next two years. To summarize – global supply chains remain fragile – and we are in a period where things are starting to change.  Supply chains will look very different in two or three years from what they are today. 

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Seasonal Demand Warehouse

What is seasonal demand? 

Seasonal inventory refers to products that sell at a higher velocity during particular times of the year. For example, most companies experience an influx in seasonal demand during the holiday season, and many may stock holiday-specific SKUs that they don’t sell year-round. Other brands may experience seasonal spikes according to changes in weather, sports seasons, or secondary holidays such as Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day.

Take advantage of peaks in demand

Forecasting for seasonal variances will ensure you have sufficient levels of stock available to take advantage of increases in product demand at peak times of the year. If you rely on your busy seasons to make the most of your money, you must be on top of your game and ensure optimum product availability.

Prevent excess stock levels

Equally, it’s important that you don’t want to over-forecast for seasonal demand fluctuations. Investing too much money in inventory can lead to cash flow problems and an unhealthy balance sheet. If you have excess stock at the end of a season, you face the dilemma of selling it off at a discounted rate or taking on the burden of inflated carrying costs until demand picks up again.

Seasonal methods for managing inventory 

There are five primary methods for managing inventory, and any of them could be appropriate for managing seasonal inventory, depending on SKU profile, sales velocity, and current business operations.

First in First Out (FIFO): The FIFO inventory method works by using the oldest inventory (first in) to fulfill orders first (first out). The FIFO method is appropriate for perishable and highly seasonal products and can increase margins on items that experience price hikes during times of high seasonal demand.

Last in First Out (LIFO): The LIFO inventory method uses the newest inventory (last in) to fulfill orders first (first out). The LIFO method can be used to quickly recoup expenses on products acquired at a premium seasonal price, either at the raw materials level or as finished goods.

Just in Time (JIT): The JIT inventory method is the method most commonly used by SMB’s because it requires the least intensive demand forecasting. JIT supply chains are replenished on an as needed basis. They are a high-risk supply chain management strategy and can reward merchants with increased capital on hand. Still, as we’ve seen with recent supply chain disruptions, they can also leave merchants with empty shelves when seasonal demand hits.

Economic Order Quantity (EOQ): The EOQ method determines ideal inventory levels using three metrics: customer demand, acquisition cost, and holding cost. The EOQ method can drastically cut inventory carry costs but requires advanced demand forecasting models supported by a lengthy sales history.

ABC Analysis:  An ABC analysis prioritizes SKUs by lumping them into three categories: A — high-value products with a low contribution margin, B — mid-value products selling at a mid-range velocity, C — high-velocity products with a low margin. An ABC analysis helps merchants prioritize the SKUs that ultimately drive their business’s profitability and may prompt them to reconsider their product profile entirely.

How are You Managing Seasonal Demand Forecasting?

Are you looking for a strategy that can help you improve your seasonal demand forecasting? #TeamTaylor can help. Contact us today to learn more about our data-driven warehousing and fulfillment services.

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It’s that time of the year again when shoppers decide what gifts to buy, and merchants prepare for the busiest time of the year. However, to have a successful holiday season, consumers and eCommerce businesses must be aware of the 2022 holiday shipping deadlines.

Holiday shipping deadlines are a vital tool to help merchants manage customer expectations and minimize poor customer experiences resulting from late delivery. In this post, you’ll find the 2022 holiday shipping deadlines for USPS, FedEx, and UPS – along with some other pearls of wisdom for managing holiday shipping.

USPS Shipping Deadlines

USPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

UPS Shipping Deadlines

UPS Holiday Shipping Deadlines

FedEx Shipping Deadlines

FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines

What Merchants Need to Keep in Mind for the 2022 Holiday Shipping Season

Holiday shopping will begin earlier

Thanks to worries about more price increases and the need to spread out holiday spending, consumers are starting their gift-buying earlier than ever before.

According to 4Over’s recent survey, 73% of consumers are expecting additional price hikes during the holiday season. As a result, 31% say they plan to start their holiday shopping in early November, while 23% plan to buy gifts as soon as possible.

Naturally, this has a big impact on what proportion of orders are going to be placed at what time. So while earlier shopping means fewer orders will come close to shipping cutoff dates, there are still the laggards to watch out for.

Questions? Talk With Taylor Today!

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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Food Grade, Fulfillment, Operations, SQF, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Taylor Information, Team Taylor, Third Party Logistics, Value-Added Services, Warehousing
Taylor Logistics Ambient Warehouse

Numerous industries rely on warehousing for long-term storage. However, different items require different conditions to preserve integrity and quality. Therefore, when choosing a storage facility, you should consider your company’s and inventory’s specific needs. One option is ambient storage. You can use an ambient warehouse to store a wide range of goods, making this option viable for many businesses.

What Does Ambient Storage Mean?

Ambient storage warehouses are defined as “buildings that are specifically designed for items that require a dry environment, where the temperature needs to be around room temperature.” However, this isn’t to say that these ambient storage warehouses don’t require industrial HVAC. Instead, it means that the internal area of the warehouse needs to be around 60 degrees all year. With this in mind, many ambient warehouse owners install temperature control forms to ensure the internal air stays dry and moisture-free.

Types of Products That Need Ambient Storage

Compared to shipping frozen items, items kept in ambient storage warehouses are far easier to ship. For products that can quickly melt at high temperatures or products that can be ruined from cold temperatures, ambient storage is an effective way to keep goods from going bad.

Some everyday products stored in ambient warehouses are:

Several CPG products


Food & beverage 

  • canned and bottled foods 
  • finished shelf-stable goods 

Ingredients 

  • spices
  • oils 
  • flours
  • sugars

Packaging & paper products 


Toys 


Cosmetics 


Clothing 


Electronics 

Handling Ambient Product 

When installing an ambient warehouse, you must think about what you are storing and how the items are handled. For example, if you are storing many items, you will want a tall storage building where you can install high racking, utilizing the air space. However, with taller racking, you will require a method to get the items onto the higher shelves, such as a traditional counterbalance forklift. With this in mind, your ambient warehouse will need floor space for the warehouse equipment handling vehicle to move. There are alternative forklifts for tighter warehouses, such as articulated forklifts, but more specialized equipment tends to cost more. 

Cross Docking 

While warehouses are traditionally used for storage, opting to use cross-docking in your operation will offer a competitive edge. This is where items are transported to your warehouse and either loaded onto another trailer for immediate transport or stored for a brief period. With this in mind, it is always best to have space in your warehouse for such operations, especially in ambient warehousing, as this is a practice being used more often. 

Quality Control

All ambient warehouses require quality control. Ensuring quality control is completed in warehouses that store perishable goods are imperative. Regular audits should be completed to ensure that items are being stored in the best possible conditions.

Choose an Ambient Warehousing Partner 

Taylor has several ambient warehouses in the Cincinnati area ready to handle your products. Contact our expert team to secure your space today. 

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Shopify, the leading provider of essential internet infrastructure for commerce, offering trusted tools to start, grow, market, and manage a retail business of any size, has featured Taylor in its blog on warehouse management. This blog showcases how to make warehouse operations run smoothly for scaling brands. Since Taylor has tremendous experience helping brands from various industries scale, we spoke about the integral part a 3PL can play in helping your business. 

From the Blog:

Read the full Shopify article here

Research shows that 32% of brands will fulfill orders in a new country in 2022. Lean on a 3PL’s existing horde of international warehouses to reach global shoppers in less time, rather than opening up your own in popular warehousing locations with expensive leases. 

Take it from Noelle Taylor, senior marketing manager at Taylor Logistics, who says, “Partnering with a 3PL to handle warehouse management allows brands to focus more on what’s important—growing their business and delivering the best possible customer experience. 

“Committed 3PLs see their relationship with brands as a long-term partnership. As a result, they may be willing to invest in space, technology, and equipment to take your business to the next level.” 

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Cincinnati Distribution

The home of the greatest quarterback ever, Joe Burrow, is also the ideal place to store and distribute your products – that’s right, Cincinnati, Ohio. Why? Great question here’s a few key selling points:

Cincinnati is 24 hours from 70% of the United States population, so getting your products quickly and efficiently to the consumer will never be an issue. If you are doing a lot of eCommerce, look no further, as transit times for parcels are the best in the country in Cincinnati.

The Cincinnati region boasts the largest inland port in the country and the 14th largest in the country by cargo volume. Products coming into the Cincinnati rails? If so, we have a dedicated Cincinnati drayage team ready to assist.

So now, with the ideal location for warehousing, distribution, eCommerce, and transportation, you need a team. That’s where we come in; not only are we positioned in the most marvelous city ever, but we have the solutions for your business. Talk with our team today. Fill out the form below and a member of #TeamTaylor will reach out in no time.

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With pumpkin spice season creeping upon us, many shippers and retailers are already deep into holiday logistical planning. Unfortunately, supply chain disruptions have felt like the movie “Groundhog Day” with the main character’s alarm clock representing the latest unexpected challenge. Since early 2020, many companies have struggled to keep products in stock and fulfill orders promptly. As forward-thinking brands look toward the fast-approaching 2022 holiday shopping season, it appears disruptions will again take a starring role.

Preparing for the Holiday Rush 

Stock up on Holiday Inventory


According to Adobe Analytics, out-of-stock messages have increased by 172% since January 2020. Lack of stock is a surefire way to turn off customers and make them look elsewhere. Throughout the holidays, ensure that you have adequate supplies of your best-sellers and coordinate often with your partners. Additionally, logistics operations may experience delays during this period, due to the influx of many moving orders. When the shopping surge starts, it’s better to replenish your inventory early, so you can get those orders moving as soon as possible. Avoid long wait times and prevent customers from getting frustrated when they learn their preferred gift is out-of-stock.

Create a Redundancy Plan 


There’s nothing worse than a package not reaching its final destination on time, especially during the holidays. So create a backup shipping plan to ensure your products are delivered on time. Like last year, some carriers will have trouble getting your packages out quickly and to your customers on time during this holiday season. To ensure packages get to customers during a surge, it’s advisable to have a relationship with a backup carrier. You never know where or when issues will arise. If you can quickly shift from one carrier to another in the event of any problems, you and your customers will be happy. 

Increase Real-Time Network Visibility and Predictability


In today’s dynamic retail supply chain, visibility and predictability are crucial. The most advanced customer portals for shippers can process thousands of data points within seconds, allowing them to offer business intelligence and predictive analytics to help avoid delays. As a result, shippers can gain a rapid understanding of changing transit times that are imperative in calculating dynamic lead times to be used in near-term order cycle management. Taylor provides their customers with a custom portal for real-time visibility for proactive decision-making. 

The Time to Plan is Now – Partner with a 3PL Today 

The best way to prepare is to start early and proactively address any shortcomings that could impact consumers. Some brands have already started placing orders to build up inventory in anticipation of the holiday rush. By prioritizing a holiday logistics strategy and dedicating time and energy to optimize related processes, brands can break out of the “Groundhog Day” loop to achieve sales goals and exceed customer expectations this holiday season. Leave the logistics to us and focus on your core business – partner with #TeamTaylor today.

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2022 Prime Day

Amazon recently announced that Prime Day 2022 will be July 12th -13th. Being among the most popular shopping days of the year, Amazon Prime Day is like experiencing Christmas in July for Amazon retailers.

Here are some valuable tips to help product brands prepare for Prime Day 2022.

Look for a partner to handle all Amazon prep services

Amazon’s FBA prep services have extensive receiving requirements that increase your expenses before even sending products to the marketplace. Some examples include:

Apparel on a hanger must have the hanger removed and be placed in a transparent poly bag to protect from damage or dust.

Baby products must be placed in a transparent poly bag, have a suffocation warning, be in a secured bag (if not self-adhesive), and include a scannable barcode.

Fragile/glass items must be placed in bubble wrap or a bubble bag with the box secured or taped, pass a drop test on a hard surface without breaking, and include a scannable barcode.

Keeping up with a laundry list of prep to-do’s is time-consuming and expensive when done on your own. And ensuring products are properly prepared ahead of Prime Day to avoid rejected inventory due to non-compliance can feel overwhelming. Work with a provider like Taylor (cough, cough).

Taylor offers a wide variety of prep solutions, including FBA carton labeling, palletizing and pallet labeling, inventory, applying SKU labeling, and more.

Partner with a 3PL that can do it all!

Want an all-in-one solution that’s a true extension of your team? In addition to our fulfillment, storage, freight, prep, and returns services, #TeamTaylor can also fulfill your Prime Day orders.

With a vast network of warehouses and best-in-class logistics technology, Taylor helps you meet customer expectations. In addition, to maximize visibility, we directly integrate with popular eCommerce marketplaces like Shopify/WooCommerce/Amazon to manage the entire fulfillment process.

Talk With Taylor – Fill out the form below and we will reach out ASAP!


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Startup CPG has curated the first list of warehouse and 3PL fulfillment providers just for CPG companies (created and crowdsourced by Startup CPG members). Startup CPG previously released a list of 3PLs focused on DTC fulfillment in August 2020, and this new list replaces that resource with expanded options for B2B fulfillment and storage-only options. We are honored to be included in this incredible resource for growing + emerging brands!

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Well, Q1 2022 had no shortage of curveballs, from record-high gas and oil prices to the war in Ukraine and supply chain blockades lasting days on end, on top of record-high inflation. With the unpredictability of Q1, our team is taking a look at the trends and events as we dive into the start of Q2.

Key items to note:

Omnicron 2.0: Surprise, a new Covid variant, is making its course throughout the globe. This new BA.2 subvariant of Omicron could account for a surge in cases impacting consumer behavior. According to data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week (04/04) BA.2 spreads 80% faster than the earlier Omicron, has more than doubled in the U.S. over two weeks and will become the dominant variant.

Inflation, Inflation, Inflation: Consumer demand remained strong throughout the quarter. But March has been unusually soft in the truckload freight market. Consumers just aren’t spending like they were in 2021. New research reveals that supply chain issues are exacerbating inflation. A recent study found that during 2022 trade is expected to expand further, due to a 16% increase in exports during 2021 and imports by 12%. Production levels have been unable to keep pace with demand leading to supply shortages and will limit import growth in 2022.

Ocean Freight: Container shipping costs are higher than ever and will stay high for the foreseeable future as importers continue to battle for space in the face of record demand for consumer goods from Asia. Covid resurgence in China disrupted productivity and the supply chain in March. Next potential disruption on-deck: West Coast Longshore Union contract expiration and negotiation.

Drivers: making headlines and making late-night television. Last Week Tonight with John Oliver had an entire 24-minute segment on, you guessed it, drivers (aired just last week). Now a 24-minute spot in any programming late night or news is pretty significant, and the transportation and trucking crisis in America is of the utmost importance. 70% of the US cargo is transported by truck; nearly everything you purchase comes to you by truck. That box of Mac & Cheese that’s been sitting in the pantry for a hot second – truck. Headphones – truck. Your dogs squeaky toy that has seen better days – truck. You get the point. 3.5 million truckers supply our goods in this country. But the entire industry is facing a crisis; there’s a lack of drivers, a pretty massive lack of drivers, and it’s only increasing year over year. Not just long-haul drivers but final-mile delivery drivers. Leading to an overall shortage on shelves, congestion, the domino effect.

Domestic Shipping: Consumer goods demand remains high, filling truck capacities on tight routes due to driver and equipment scarcities. Diesel fuel spiked when Russia invaded Ukraine. As a result, unprecedented ground freight cost is the norm across North America.

Leave the logistics to us. Talk with Taylor!


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SQF-warehousing-Cincinnati

This week, our Monroe team underwent a Safe Quality Foods (SQF) audit scoring an outstanding 97%. This is an exceptional accomplishment, as we continually strive for the highest standard in food safety for our business partners. A special kudos to the entire Monroe team. We will be adding yet another championship banner!

What is SQF?

The Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program is a rigorous and credible food safety and quality program recognized by retailers, brand owners, and food service providers worldwide. Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the SQF family of food safety and quality codes are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements for all food supply chain sectors – from the farm to retail stores. This rigorous farm-to-fork food safety and quality certification also help food producers assure their buyers that their food products meet the highest possible global food safety standards.

Why is SQF important for your brand?

This farm-to-fork food safety and quality certification helps food producers assure their buyers that food products have been grown, processed, prepared, and handled according to the highest possible global food safety standards. It can immediately improve your standing in the eyes of new partners and deals. For everyone at Taylor, this achievement is an excellent validation of our hard work and our team’s commitment to safe food operations. For you, it means increased protection in the event of recalls, improved operational efficiencies in our work together, managed risks, and peace of mind with certified due diligence.

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Our team in Monroe, Ohio is looking for an In-Store Design Team (ISDT) Supervisor. The ISDT Supervisor is responsible for driving improvements to existing processes as well as new process development. The ISDT Supervisor will collaborate with the Management team to develop process road maps, establish project priorities, guide direct reports in the timely completion of these projects, and fulfilling our efficiency model of speed to market, cost, and innovation.

Questions? Chat with us!

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CINCINNATI — Taylor Logistics Inc. (TLI), a Cincinnati-based third-party logistics company, announced plans to open a new 415,000 sqft fulfillment center outside Cincinnati in February. At 9287 Meridian Way in West Chester, Ohio, the new location will be the companies fourth public multi-client warehouse in Cincinnati. The other three locations are located just down the road on International Boulevard. The new facility will contribute to Taylor’s 800,000 sqft of public warehouse space in the  Cincinnati region. 

“This location will serve as a new multi-client distribution center, enabling Taylor to support customers’ supply chains through the latest solutions, technology, and services. In addition, its proximity to the consumer and scalable size made the facility ideal for driving significant growth,” said AJ Raaker, Director of Warehouse Operations, Taylor Logistics Inc. “The Greater Cincinnati region has a robust logistics sector, and its location advantages are unparalleled.”

The brand new 415,000 square foot warehouse located on Meridian Way boasts several enticing factors, including a gated yard, fully racked, and being true to their business partners in the food, beverage, flavoring, and pet food spaces, the new fulfillment center will be certified by the Safe Quality Foods Institute (SQF) as food-grade.

In addition, World Park Four is conveniently positioned next to two major interstates, rail ports, and cargo hubs. The Cincinnati/N. Kentucky International Airport is located 30 miles south via I-75/I-275, CVG, DHL, Amazon Prime Air. The new facility will house Taylor’s full suite of value-added services, including pick & pack solutions, kitting, eCommerce fulfillment, packaging, product staging, and special projects.

About Taylor Logistics, Inc. 

Taylor Logistics Inc. is the Nation’s Most Progressive Family Owned logistics company. From their founding in 1850 to today, Taylor is currently in sixth and seventh-generation ownership. Taylor’s passion is finding solutions for their customers through their various services. From warehousing both contract and public, freight brokerage, eCommerce, packaging, kitting, drayage, and trucking. All of which are customizable and technology-driven. Their 170 years of logistics experience have proven that they are not merely a vendor for your company – they are an extension of your team with a clear understanding of our responsibility to replicate your organization’s strategic business goals. 

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CINCINNATI — Taylor Logistics Inc. (TLI), a Cincinnati-based third-party logistics company, announced plans to open another public fulfillment center outside Cincinnati later this month. At 5257 E Provident Dr. in Cincinnati, Ohio, the new location will be the companies third public multi-client warehouse in Cincinnati. Their headquarters (World Park 1) is positioned just down the street at 9756 International Blvd and World Park 2 on the same road at 10095 International Blvd.

Taylor Logistics Warehouse Locations
Taylor Logistics | Public Warehouse Locations

“Our customized solutions, time-sensitive scalability, and technology have proven we are not merely a vendor for our customers but a partner, a team,” said Director of Warehouse Operations AJ Raaker. “This new addition for team Taylor is perfectly positioned for any business’s supply chain; Cincinnati’s ever-changing industry landscape and proximity to the consumer makes 5257 the perfect spot; here we grow, again!”

The brand new 130,000 square foot warehouse located on Provident Dr. is conveniently positioned next to two major interstates, rail ports, and cargo hubs. The Cincinnati/N. Kentucky International Airport is located 30 miles south via I-75/I-275, CVG, DHL, Amazon Prime Air. Being true to our food, beverage, flavoring, and pet food partners, this new building will be in Taylor standard as food grade. 

Brand New Building | 5257 E Provident Dr. Cincinnati, Ohio 45246

About Taylor Logistics, Inc. 

Taylor Logistics Inc. is the Nation’s Most Progressive Family Owned logistics company. From their founding in 1850 to today, Taylor is currently in sixth and seventh-generation ownership. Taylor’s passion is finding solutions for their customers through their various services. From warehousing both contract and public, freight brokerage, packaging, kitting, drayage, and trucking. All of which are customizable and technology-driven. Their 170 years of logistics experience have proven that they are not merely a vendor for your company – they are an extension of your team with a clear understanding of our responsibility to replicate your organization’s strategic business goals. 

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Team-Taylor-Safety-Warehouse-Awards

Congrats to our July 2021 monthly warehouse award winners from our team in Bellevue, NE. These awards are given based on productivity and QA points. One Team – One Mission!

Most Improved- Hosea Byrd


Shipping award- Anthony Watts Jr.



Putaway award- Mike Berry



Picking award- David Williams & Brandon Smith



Replenish award- Hosea Byrd



Safety Award- David Williams

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Amazon Fulfillment Cincinnati Ohio

Raise your hand if you have an Amazon Prime account? Oh wow, 150 million+ hands raised? In the 25 years since Amazon was launched, it has become a household name, and is the biggest eCommerce site in the world. Having your products sold on Amazon immensely increases your audience. Amazon allows sellers to fulfill orders themselves or let Amazon handle fulfillment. Let’s dive into your options as an Amazon seller.

Lot’s of Acronyms to Digest When Talking Amazon Shipping; Let’s Break it Down:

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)


Self-fulfilled order processing route, like Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)


Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)

What is Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)?

FBA means Fulfilled by Amazon, you sell it and Amazon ships it.


The seller sends bulk products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers for Amazon to pick, pack, and ship products once sold.

What is Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)?

Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant is a fulfillment method in which an Amazon seller is responsible for fulfilling its products purchased on Amazon.


FBM can be managed through a seller directly or by partnering with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider.


FBM can be more cost-effective if you can ship orders for a more sensible price compared to what FBA will charge by using your delivery partners and network, or your 3PL’s network.


FBM is a great Amazon seller shipping option it allows you the freedom to run your business as you like in terms of scalability, fulfillment methods, and inventory level control.

What is Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)?

Similar to FBM, you store, pick, pack, and ship your products to the customers yourself and handle all communications with the customer.


However, this shipping option also allows you access to prime customers, competing with businesses that pay the enormous fees for FBA.


SFP is ideal for sellers who have warehouse space and staff that can handle the order fulfillment or companies with a 3PL that can offer scalability and flexibility. To be successful as an SFP seller, you need to make sure that it would be more profitable for you than FBA or FBM.


Becoming an SFP seller streamlines your fulfillment process as you only need to manage inventory in your warehouses, instead of managing that inventory as well as additional inventory in Amazon’s warehouses.

Taylor Logistics Amazon Fulfillment

Partnering With A 3PL | Amazon Fulfillment

Have experience with the program. Dealing with SFP requirements can be difficult.


Your 3PL should have advanced software that integrates directly with Amazon and gives you real-time visibility into order status and metrics.


You need a 3PL who is focused on customer service. Putting your SFP reputation into someone else’s hands is a leap of faith. Make sure you pick a partner who’s on your side, 100%.

Amazon Solutions Experts

Our team knows that all of the Amazon seller shipping options can be complicated and overwhelming. It can be challenging to decide which option is best for your business, especially when one option doesn’t fit all. It depends on the product you are selling, fulfillment capabilities, profit margins, and more. Our team knows how to meet Amazon’s stringent requirements for whichever option you choose. We have the solutions to help you scale your business, and we have the technology to execute the specifications for any Amazon shipment.

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Remember, the holiday season is around the corner. If you don’t have your fulfillment partner in place soon, you could be left out in the cold. Contact us today, and leave Black Friday and Cyber Monday to us. Fill out the form below and we will be in touch ASAP!


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There’s a great deal to talk about on this episode of #TaylorTalk, from organizational shifts to preparing and forecasting for the upcoming Amazon Prime Day to shifting away from “low hanging fruit” and even going to space. Tune into Taylor Talk wherever you listen to podcasts, or you can listen here.

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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Cincinnati, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Food Grade, Food Safety, Fulfillment, SQF, Taylor Information, Team Taylor, Third Party Logistics, Uncategorized, Warehousing

Food safety has a demanding role in confirming that our food inventory stays secure at every level of the food supply chain. With a business dedicated to food warehousing and distribution, Taylor Logistics has a culture of continuous improvement regarding food safety. We are committed to upholding the highest certifications from the SQF for practices in the handling, storage, and delivery of food products.

What is SQF?


In early 2016, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized the Safe Quality Food (SQF) rule as part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The rule was created to help prevent both intentional and unintentional contamination of the food supply chain from farm to fork.

The Safe Quality Food (SQF) Program is a rigorous and credible food safety and quality program that is recognized by retailers, brand owners, and food service providers world-wide. Recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), the SQF family of food safety and quality codes are designed to meet industry, customer, and regulatory requirements for all sectors of the food supply chain – from the farm all the way to the retail stores.

SQF Food Safety Taylor Logistics Cincinnati

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Noelle and Chris are chit-chatting on a bunch of different topics on this episode of Taylor Talk. Amazon prep services for FBA, the future of eCommerce, and helping feed the Cincinnati community with an excellent local nonprofit Last Mile Food Rescue. There’s also a new segment called “Corporate Chris,” where Chris breaks down his least favorite corporate email phrases. Want to be on an episode or have a topic you want our team to cover? Email us info@taylorlog.com. Listen now here!

Last Mile Food Rescue!



If you’re in the Cincinnati area, please look at the fantastic work Last Mile Food Rescue is doing to help out the community. Have 90 minutes, a car and a drive to make a change? Download our app and sign up to rescue perfectly good food from ending up in landfills and transport it to one of our nonprofit partners that fight food insecurity in our Greater Cincinnati community. Download the Last Mile app on iOS or Android and discover what happens when you go the mile. Last Mile Food Rescue Website.

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Before any big race, you’ve got to prepare, right? From mile training, getting the perfect shoes, hydration, setting up a fire playlist, to resting preparation is critical! While we aren’t a team of runners (some of us do run the occasional marathon) ready to race, we’re a team of Amazon FBA prep experts. We are here to ensure your brand meets all FBA requirements before shipping to an Amazon fulfillment center. There’s a lot that goes into making sure your products, pallets, labeling, etc., are all up to Amazon standards. That’s why teaming up with a partner like Taylor that lives, breathes, and practices Amazon requirements so that your orders will be correct every time.

Taylor’d Prep Services


Labeling (FNSKU, expiration, etc.)


Bundling single items into Amazon “sold as set” multipacks


Literature inserts


Drop testing requirements 


Time studies 


Branded packaging and corrugated cardboard


Kitting & packaging


Quality control


Poly bagging & boxing


Fragile preparation

Questions on Amazon Prep? Talk with Taylor!


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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food Safety, Fulfillment, Safety, Taylor Information, Team Taylor, Teamwork, Warehouse Awards
Team-Taylor-Safety-Warehouse-Awards

Congrats to our March 2021 monthly warehouse award winners from our team in Bellevue, NE. These awards are given based on productivity and QA points. One Team – One Mission

Most Improved- Anwar Smith



Receiving award- Carolina Gallegos



Shipping award- Jr. Watts



Putaway award- Mike Berry



Picking award- Bryan Tesch & Jeremy Maki


Replenish award- Roger Salinas



Safety Award- Bryan Tesch

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Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Customer Experience, D2C, Drayage, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Essential Workers, Food & Beverage, Food Grade, Freight, Freight Brokerage, Fulfillment, Internet of Things, ISDT, Key Performing Indicators, Leadership, Ominchannel, Operations, Packaging, People, Retail, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Team Taylor, Teamwork, Third Party Logistics
People Products Taylor Logistics  Inc

At Taylor, we know your products have important places to be, like a child’s 5th birthday, signing the papers for a new car, running a marathon, or happy hour. We’re here to help make sure they get there, from getting your products to Whole Foods or Ralphs to creating multipacks so people can enjoy more of your brand. We help brands explode & we go where you need us. We are your supply chain management experts.

Watch Video!


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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Customer Experience, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Food Grade, Food Safety, Fulfillment, ISDT, Operations, Packaging, Processes, Retail, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Taylor Information, Third Party Logistics
CPG Brand eCommerce

Noelle and Chris are back on the pod talking all things grocery and CPG trends. From which pandemic-related consumer behaviors are temporary vs. here to stay to the future of national grocery chains. Not to mention they talk groundhogs (yep), Kim Kardashian, and the NY Mets. Want to be on the next episode or have a topic you like us to cover? Inbox us at info@taylorlog.com

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Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Cincinnati, Customer Experience, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Food Safety, Freight Brokerage, Fulfillment, Internet of Things, ISDT, Operations, People, Port Services, Processes, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management, Team Taylor, Third Party Logistics

Are you a west coast based brand? Maybe you’re in California soaking up the sun or Portland, Seattle even? San Fransisco, we see you! While the west coast may be the best, and we aren’t even on a coast there is one thing the midwest has over the west coast. No, it’s not an abundance of corn. It’s actually the perfect place for your brand’s supply chain. Crazy right? Don’t believe us or need more convincing? Watch the below video!

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Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, Customer Experience, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Sustainability, Technology, Third Party Logistics

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has radically shifted consumer shopping habits to online marketplaces we’ve been purchasing everything from dog food to potting soil to TikTok Amazon trends and outdoor heaters. Retailers have altered inventory as a response to these shifts, and they’ve taken note COVID-19 buying patterns are here to stay. Here are the three industry trends impacting this shift.

Sustainable / Eco Purchasing Habits


Over two-thirds (65%) of consumers want to impact the environment through their everyday actions positively. This is a key reason why brands are shifting their products from plastic to eco. As temporary custodians of this planet, we understand that we have a job to make it as clean as possible for generations to come. We’ve said absolutely not to all bubble wrap in every part of our business; that word isn’t even in our vocabulary. We’ve got a couple of brands we partner with to look into bubble wrap alternatives that are sustainable. Not only is it great for our planet, but it’s also fantastic for your brand, and it’s what your customer wants! The growing awareness of our collective impact on the environment has elicited increasing demand for companies to demonstrate their sustainability commitment beyond just the end product to responsible sourcing and operating standards. 

The Need for Efficiency


The hurdle we see is maintaining information accuracy in every stage of the supply chain, which can be difficult when dealing with information overload. Another risk attached to information overload is inventory overload. Research suggests that inventories are essential when creating the optimal pricing strategy for food and beverage products. At a point in your company’s lifecycle, it comes time to partner with a 3PL to optimize your business efficiencies. Focus on your core business, expanding your brand, getting into Erewhon, new products, etc. We will fulfill orders, store your product, and get it to your customers. Scaling as you scale with multiple services under one roof, like customized packaging to an eCommerce task force that can de-bug any inventory or eCart issue

eCommerce-Fulfillment-Cincinnati

Regulatory Requirements


The food supply chain requires all players to adhere to strict operational practices to ensure food safety and quality from the fulfillment center to the wheels that bring it to the consumer. Food safety is our middle name, Taylor food safety Logistics. Jokes aside, food safety is essential to us and has been our business’s foundation for the last 171 years. Each year all of our food handling fulfillment centers undergo a Safe Quality Foods audit to obtain the highest level of food safety by the Safe Quality Foods Institute and are all FDA certified. 


Our team will work with you to build scalable fulfillment, eCommerce, packaging, kitting, transportation, and shipping solutions for your food and beverage brand.

We have an entire team ready to assist. Fill out the form below and a member of our team will be in touch asap. If you’d rather email us that works too! info@taylorlog.com

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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Customer Experience, eCommerce Fulfillment, Fulfillment, Third Party Logistics
Taylor Logistics Inc Questionnaire Fulfillment guide

Are you looking for a potential fulfillment partner? Choosing a 3PL is like finding a new business partner. The company you pick can make – or break – your business. It’s critical to find a fulfillment company that offers the services you need. Click the guide below for questions to ask when searching for a new partner so that all of your needs are met.

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Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, Cincinnati, Supply Chain, Taylor Information, Third Party Logistics

Is your goal to read more in 2021? Ours too. Crush your goals by reading and subscribing to our blog. We launch new a new blog every single week, so you’ll never run out of material! Head over to the resource center to catch up on our over 130+ blog posts ranging in various topics of interest!

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Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, ISDT, Packaging
Taylor Logistics Production Team

Our production, kitting, and packaging team at our public warehouse World Park One operated at over 100% efficiency optimization last week. How is running at 160% yes 160% efficiency even possible? Especially during the busy holiday shipping season? Well, let’s break it down. 

Our Operations Business Manager, Liz runs time studies on various customer kitting and packaging projects using general cycle time formulas, which can be used to calculate the time needed from receiving the product from the bins to having it “ship ready.” In addition to performing time formulas, here are some other ways our team stays productive: 


Our production team has optimized the floor to make it simpler for employees to locate all parts in one place, which ultimately boosts worker efficiency and productivity. 


We print shipping labels beforehand, which cuts out the need to weigh and label individual items at the time of shipping. 


There are particular techniques and sequences we use to ensure that profitability is not consumed by poor planning. First, pick each case and pallet in separate zones by separate individuals for fast parallel picks. Second, combine a set of picks into one wave set with options to auto-ship or move to packaging with secondary quality assurance checks. Third, license plates are automatically assigned during picks for optimal staging, kitting, packaging, shipping, and site transfer receipts. Fourth, institute a short pick, unpick canceled orders or partially staged picks with a hold status. Fifth, order picks with routes are automatically distributed in the reverse stop order. Seventh, we review FIFO (First In, First Out), FEFO (First Expired, First Out), primary pick, or hybrid models.


The pandemic has accelerated eCommerce growth in the US this year, with online sales reaching a level not previously expected until 2022. Not to mention the shipping delays, this eCommerce volume is producing. That’s why it’s critical for our teams to be operating at the highest efficiency levels, to ensure our customers’ products are getting to the consumer on-time and mistake-free. 

Warehouse kitting is a simple but effective order fulfillment strategy that can save your business time and money! Please contact our fulfillment experts with any questions. We are happy to consult with you on how to provide a kitting solution to meet your specific needs.

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2020 Holidays, Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Operations

Black Friday & Cyber Monday (#BFCM) are here, make sure you know your shipping deadlines for FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Questions? Inbox us at info@taylorlog.com 

FedEx 

Dec. 9 | Smartpost

Dec. 16 | Ground 

Dec. 21 | Express Saver 

Dec. 23 | Overnight 

UPS 

Dec. 13 | Ground 

Dec. 18 | Next Day Air & 2nd Day Air 

Dec. 19 | 3 Day Select 

Dec. 23 | Next Day Air 

USPS 

Dec. 14 | Ground 

Dec. 18 | APO/FPO,DPO

Dec. 20 | First-Class Mail 

Dec. 20 | Frist-Class Packages 

Dec. 21 | Priority Mail 

Dec. 23 | Priority Mail 

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2020 Holidays, Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Supply Chain, Supply Chain Management
Taylor Logistics Holiday Shipping 2020

No need to panic. Our team has been prepping for the online shopping boom. Need warehouse space? Our fulfillment centers are ready with solutions to scale to meet your needs. Let’s chat! Email us info@taylorlog.com.

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2020 Holidays, Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2B Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, Carriers, Supply Chain Management
 Holiday Shipping Guide Taylor Logistics

The holiday season should be the most wonderful time of family, food, and festivities; we love it all. But it’s also the most hectic time of the year for a retail or consumer goods supply chain; some even call it ‘Shipageddon.’ However, with the pandemic altering shopping habits, predicting what Q4 2020 has in store for retailers is anyone’s guess. Consequently, retailers must deploy creative tactics to remain competitive, increase customer loyalty, and get a piece of that holiday pie! We’re sharing some strategies to help prepare your business to be as prepared as possible during this unpredictable season.

4 Ways to Prepare Your Retail Supply Chain for the Holidays

Encourage Your Customers to Buy Early


This will not be the season for last-minute shoppers; we know many customers participated in Prime day in early October. The earlier, the better. However, a combination of physical restrictions in stores and capacity issues for carriers (due to historic levels of online orders) will extend the time shoppers can get in and out of stores and extend delivery times on shipments.

Optimize All Inventory


According to IHL Group, out-of-stocks account for $634 billion in lost sales worldwide each year due to poor inventory management. For a handful of huge shippers and retailers, it makes sense to divide the inventory into one stream for traditional replenishment and another for eCommerce fulfillment. But for most other companies, it would be wise to tear down the walls separating types of inventory. You could be placing undue stress on the distribution center when the same product is divided into different segments.

Get a Handle on Shipping Costs


Demand for express delivery exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic and is likely to continue to increase as the holidays creep closer. But with common carriers adding surcharges on parcel deliveries, offering fast delivery at little or no cost this holiday season can quickly wipe the profit off ship-to-home orders. To reduce last-mile delivery costs and compete with same-day shipping, here are some strategies a 3Pl will leverage:

Crowdsourced Fulfillment: Leverage crowdsourced delivery networks to connect with local couriers and reduce your last-mile delivery costs.

Diverse Carrier Mix: Include regional carriers in your carrier mix to handle increased volume and lessen your overall transportation costs. Rates for local parcel carriers are often lower than national carriers, and they have fewer surcharges and freight accessorial services charges.

Seek Out Support


A third-party logistics provider can be a valuable partner for seasonal fulfillment, thanks to scalable space, superior technology, flexible staffing, established relationships with carriers, and knowledge with best practices. We happen to know a fabulous 3PL that can be a valuable asset for your company. They are pretty great; learn more here.

Prepare Your Retail Supply Chain for the Holidays and Beyond

The upcoming holiday season will be anything but ordinary. It’s hard to envision exactly how the season will pan out for retailers, much as it’s hard to predict any aspect of 2020. If you’ve realized you need supply chain management support to prepare for the unpredictable holiday season, we can help. Team Taylor has years of experience in the supply chain industry and has adapted to the government’s safety and health requirements at each of its fulfillment centers. From eCommerce fulfillment support to delivery options, we can help you get your customers’ orders to them right on time, safely and cost-effectively. Fill out the form below to talk to a Taylor rep! We hope it helps you have a holiday season that’s merry and bright!


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Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment, B2C Fulfillment, eCommerce, eCommerce Fulfillment, Food & Beverage, Food Grade, Fulfillment, Key Performing Indicators, Warehousing, WMS
Amazon Fulfillment Cincinnati Ohio

Raise your hand if you have an Amazon Prime account? Oh wow, 150 million hands raised? In the 25 years since Amazon was launched, it has become a household name, and is the biggest eCommerce site in the world. Having your products sold on Amazon immensely increases your audience. Amazon allows sellers to fulfill orders themselves or let Amazon handle fulfillment. Let’s dive into your options as an Amazon seller.

Lot’s of Acronyms to Digest When Talking Amazon Shipping; Let’s Break it Down:

Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)


Self-fulfilled order processing route, like Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)


Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)

What is Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA)?

FBA means Fulfilled by Amazon, you sell it and Amazon ships it.


The seller sends bulk products in Amazon’s fulfillment centers for Amazon to pick, pack, and ship products once sold.

What is Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM)?

Amazon Fulfilled by Merchant is a fulfillment method in which an Amazon seller is responsible for fulfilling its products purchased on Amazon.


FBM can be managed through a seller directly or by partnering with a third-party logistics (3PL) provider.


FBM can be more cost-effective if you can ship orders for a more sensible price compared to what FBA will charge by using your delivery partners and network, or your 3PL’s network.


FBM is a great Amazon seller shipping option it allows you the freedom to run your business as you like in terms of scalability, fulfillment methods, and inventory level control.

What is Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP)?

Similar to FBM, you store, pick, pack, and ship your products to the customers yourself and handle all communications with the customer.


However, this shipping option also allows you access to prime customers, competing with businesses that pay the enormous fees for FBA.


SFP is ideal for sellers who have warehouse space and staff that can handle the order fulfillment or companies with a 3PL that can offer scalability and flexibility. To be successful as an SFP seller, you need to make sure that it would be more profitable for you than FBA or FBM.


Becoming an SFP seller streamlines your fulfillment process as you only need to manage inventory in your warehouses, instead of managing that inventory as well as additional inventory in Amazon’s warehouses.

Taylor Logistics Amazon Fulfillment

Partnering With A 3PL | Amazon Fulfillment

Have experience with the program. Dealing with SFP requirements can be difficult.


Your 3PL should have advanced software that integrates directly with Amazon and gives you real-time visibility into order status and metrics.


You need a 3PL who is focused on customer service. Putting your SFP reputation into someone else’s hands is a leap of faith. Make sure you pick a partner who’s on your side, 100%.

Amazon Solutions Experts

Our team knows that all of the Amazon seller shipping options can be complicated and overwhelming. It can be challenging to decide which option is best for your business, especially when one option doesn’t fit all. It depends on the product you are selling, fulfillment capabilities, profit margins, and more. Our team knows how to meet Amazon’s stringent requirements for whichever option you choose. We have the solutions to help you scale your business, and we have the technology to execute the specifications for any Amazon shipment.

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Remember, the holiday season is around the corner. If you don’t have your fulfillment partner in place soon, you could be left out in the cold. Contact us today, and leave Black Friday and Cyber Monday to us. Fill out the form below and we will be in touch ASAP!


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