Top 10 SPS blog posts in 2018

by | Dec 27, 2018 | Retailers, Suppliers, TeamSPS

It’s that time again when lists and lookbacks are prevalent as on year ends, and another begins. Though we’re not the types to follow along with the crowd, this is one thing where we make an exception because it’s so much fun to see where we’ve been as we look forward to the future.

This year has been an incredible one for SPS Commerce, and some of it (though not all of it) is reflected in the blog. In the marketing department, we’ve been busy redesigning the SPS website to better reflect our company and what makes us different. A building was named after our company (more on that later). We launched our very first SPS roadshow series, and it was a smashing success. And just a few weeks ago, CovalentWorks became part of the #TeamSPS family.

So what exactly were the top SPS blog posts and topics that gained the most traction? Once again, Amazon was a popular subject and now grocery has made a big appearance, too – no doubt in large part due to the retail giant’s purchase of Whole Foods and subsequent transformation. But I don’t want to give too much away – without further ado, here were the ten most well-read posts at the SPS blog in 2018.

1. Evolution of Buy Online Pickup Instore (BOPIS or BOPUS). The BOPUS concept is only a few years old, and yet it’s been in a constant state of evolution. Check out some of the ways BOPIS is changing.

2. SPS Tower has a nice ring to it. The building previously named 333 South Seventh Street was renamed SPS Tower, a change that comes as a result of our company’s continued growth.

3. How to get certified for Amazon’s Seller Fulfilled Prime. Sellers that get Amazon Prime Certified could potentially make more sales because their products qualify for that two-day free shipping shoppers love. We break down the steps to get there.

4. Learning from Amazon’s embrace of personalization. Amazon has an entire team dedicated to refining their personalization and recommendations engines, and you can bet that it pays off in the additional purchases their customers make.

5. Difficulties of managing the grocery supply chain. Shoppers are switching from consumer-packaged goods to fresh foods. Combined with numerous recalls, and the stakes are getting higher and higher when it comes to offering the produce customers crave.

6. Millennial shopping habits and the impact on retail. At the SPS blog, we talk about what’s impacting the retail industry, and though Amazon gets a lot of credit, it wouldn’t be what it’s become now if it weren’t for Millennial shoppers reshaping the way we all do business.

7. EDI 214: Transportation Carrier Shipment Status Message. This EDI document essentially serves as a transportation tracking number for a shipment making it’s way from a supplier (or vendor or distributor) to a retailer (or directly to the retailer’s customer).

8. Order-to-shelf inventory management. OTS is an inventory management strategy embraced by more and more retailers, particularly grocers, to reduce backroom storage and labor costs.

9. Reverse logistics planning for the retail supply chain. It’s not enough to make returns easy for the customer – returned and recalled products should have a process to follow that is efficient, guarantees the item makes it back to the right place, and costs the least amount of money.

10. Grocery store formats for the future. Interest in buying more fresh produce is only one change forcing grocers to re-evaluate their approach. Traditional supermarkets were safe for a while, but now new business models and shopping habits are sending tremors through the food retail sector.

We can’t wait to see what 2019 will bring. Have a safe New Year’s Eve and a prosperous 2019 from your friends at SPS Commerce!

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