October 8, 2020, Paris, FRANCE: Leading logistics operator GEODIS and Accenture Interactive, part of Accenture (NYSE: ACN), today unveiled a new study which found that while there are key logistics capabilities required to build and maintain successful ecommerce operations, few brands excel at any of them.

Findings highlight:

• Acceleration of online sales

• Aims to reduce dependence on online marketplaces
• Pivotal nature of customer experience in growing sales
• Weaknesses in key logistics capabilities
• A lack of real-time supply chain visibility

“This study takes stock of the ambitions and concerns of European and American companies facing the rapid increase in ecommerce. If they want to take advantage of the rise in online sales, they must develop omnichannel logistics strategies tailored to their maturity levels,” says Marie-Christine Lombard, chief executive officer of GEODIS.

200 European and American companies that operate multiple channel logistics were interviewed about their ecommerce-related expectations for growing their brands’ sales.

2020: The Acceleration of Ecommerce

First and foremost, the study confirms that the pandemic greatly accelerated online commerce growth. Brands estimate that ecommerce in 2020 will represent nearly half of their sales (compared to a third before COVID-19).

Before the crisis, companies were making 34% of their sales online (28% on average in marketplaces and 6% on their own websites).

During lockdown, 65% of sales were made online: 38% via marketplaces and 27% on brands’ online stores. The increase is even more marked in Europe than in the United States. European companies without online sales solutions were heavily penalized, with 40% of the brands surveyed estimating that sales lost due to COVID-19 will exceed 15% of their earnings on average.

A Desire for Greater Ecommerce Ownership

A second finding indicated that most companies (52%) felt that their ecommerce potential is limited by their logistical capabilities.

“Many brands use marketplaces as a one-stop shop for selling their products online. This allows them to reach a wide audience and compensate for a lack of resources and logistical infrastructures, all while providing an expected customer experience,” said Sohel Aziz, managing director, Accenture Interactive.

59% of European companies rely on marketplaces for their online sales, a number even higher than for American companies (46%). Marketplaces held a 28% market share in the pre-COVID-19 period, a number that has risen to 38% during the pandemic.

However, most of the brands surveyed believe that over-reliance on marketplaces is not sustainable and wish to shift more of that balance toward owned ecommerce channels. Nearly two-thirds (64%) state that reducing their dependence on marketplaces is their first or second priority for the next six months.

Within 3 years, 76% of American companies and 56% of European companies surveyed wish to sell directly to consumers via their own websites, aiming to make 20% of their total sales there. (Infographic A)

“Direct sales from brands’ retail websites currently represent 5% to 8% of online sales. Brands would like to increase that to 20% or 30% in the next three to five years. The survey shows that brands are aware of the fact that improving their omnichannel logistics capabilities, such as customer experience – through customization of delivery options and tracking or customers’ ability to modify orders, for example, is essential and urgent if they are to reach this goal,” concludes Aziz.

Improving the Customer Experience, a Priority for Brands

76% of the companies surveyed state that improving the customer experience is their greatest long-term challenge. (Infographic C)

“The customer experience includes the purchasing experience and the delivery experience,” notes Ashwani Nath, vice president and global head of e-channel solutions, GEODIS. “Brands strive to provide a delivery experience that equals the act of purchasing. Among other things, this means providing improved e-fulfillment, a range of flexible delivery options, more practical tracking visibility and simple returns,” explains Nath.

Currently, 38% of American brands offer two-to-three-day shipping nationwide, and 56% plan to do so within three years (25% and 57% for European brands).

For international (intercontinental) shipping, no American brands currently offer two-to-three-day shipping, although 17% plan to do so within the next three years; 15% offer four-to-five-day shipping, with 66% planning to do so within the next three years. As for European brands, none of them currently offer two-to-three-day international shipping, although 7% plan to do so within the next three years; 4% offer four-to-five-day shipping, with 76% hoping to do so within the next three years.

The study reveals the ambitious objectives of the brands to reduce shipping times to three-day shipping within a maximum of three years for the domestic market and four-to-five for intercontinental shipping.

Among the Challenges: The Lack of Real-Time Visibility

Other challenges are emerging. Although they differ between the United States and Europe, the actions taken are comparable: Brands have worked on offering greater shipping flexibility and simplifying returns (80% of the brands surveyed had recently made efforts to provide a more practical product return process).

However, the survey points to the fact that just 16% of the companies questioned are able to get real-time key performance indicators for their supply chain (only 25% of American brands and 10% of European brands say they have access to this information). In addition, 40% of European brands say that their analytical capabilities are too rudimentary, generating data in a fragmented way, often manually and without clear governance.

“Only a minority of them have real-time supply chain inventory visibility. However, this visibility is essential to ensuring product availability, offering a variety of shipping choices and informing the customer of the product’s shipping status. In short — satisfying the customer,” says Nath. “Behind the scenes, this means optimizing the logistics cost for each order and overcoming many logistical challenges: reconciling the physical with the digital, maintaining a real-time inventory, optimizing stock, managing transportation, orchestrating orders while dealing with a variety of processes and partners. This will help brands to better utilize their physical assets and gain a competitive advantage.”

“This calls for integrating stores with ecommerce networks to serve as order processing centers, collection points, shipping facilities and fulfillment centers. One thing is for certain: inventory will have to be closer to the end customer, no matter where they may be, to ensure agility and availability,” concludes Nath.

Whitepaper available for download on the GEODIS site

Available upon request from the press department.

Methodology

• Accenture Research surveyed 200 companies (60% in Europe and 40% in the United States) with an online presence and a network of stores.
• Sales revenue between $100 million and $20 billion.
• Nine lines of business: consumer electronics, fashion & sport, luxury, furnishings, body care, non-perishable food, home care, games & toys.
• Report is the result of in-depth telephone interviews in the United States and in Europe at the end of 2019, coupled with a study conducted online in the United States and Europe between May and June of 2020.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a top-rated, global supply chain operator recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport) coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a direct presence in 67 countries, and a global network spanning 120 countries, translates in top business rankings, #1 in France, #6 in Europe and #7 worldwide. In 2019, GEODIS accounted for over 41,000 employees globally and generated €8.2 billion in sales.

About Accenture 
Accenture (NYSE: ACN) is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services in strategy and consulting, interactive, technology and operations, with digital capabilities across all of these services. We combine unmatched experience and specialized capabilities across more than 40 industries — powered by the world’s largest network of Advanced Technology and Intelligent Operations centers. With 506,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture brings continuous innovation to help clients improve their performance and create lasting value across their enterprises. Visit us at www.accenture.com. 

Copyright © 2020 Accenture.

All rights reserved. Accenture and its logo are registered trademarks

Accenture Interactive is reimagining business through experience. We drive sustainable growth by creating meaningful experiences that live at the intersection of purpose and innovation. By connecting deep human and business insights with the possibilities of technology, we design, build, communicate and run experiences that make lives easier, more productive and rewarding. Accenture Interactive is ranked the world’s largest digital agency by Ad Age and has been named a Most Innovative Company by Fast Company. To learn more, follow us @AccentureACTIVE and visit www.accentureinteractive.com. 

As part of its AirDirect service, which is an own controlled network (OCN), leading global logistics provider GEODIS has confirmed a two-way schedule of flights from China to Europe and back, through to early 2021, guaranteeing its customers a regular & reliable service.

GEODIS originally instigated its full aircraft charter arrangements on this route in March with ad hoc flights and introduced a weekly timetable in June to meet the urgent need for air cargo capacity which had diminished due to the effects of the pandemic. Now, with both freighter and passenger belly-hold space still in short supply, the logistics provider has announced a permanent schedule reaching into next year.  Weekly direct flights will depart from Shanghai (PVG) every Monday and from Amsterdam (AMS) each Sunday to service what is expected to be a post-COVID resurgence in demand during what is traditionally a fourth quarter peak season.

The advent of the China-Europe-China service brings the company’s total investment in GEODIS’ OCN to over €70 million. More than 400 flights have been successfully completed across Asia, Europe, North and Latin America to date. Full details are available here: https://geodis.com/customer-advisory-bulletin

Among the customers requiring such a service are, in particular, a European auto manufacturer equipping its plant in China with sub-assembly parts.

In addition, Lenovo, a global leader in the manufacturing of personal computers, smartphones, workstations, computer servers and smart IoT devices, is one of GEODIS’ customers of its AirDirect Mexico service (Hong Kong/ Guadalajara) as well as its weekly direct flights from Shanghai-Amsterdam. GEODIS ensures the transportation of Lenovo’s products are safely and securely handled, helping Lenovo to deliver its components to factories and finished goods to customers in a timely manner.

“It is vital for our customers in China to be not only assured of regular capacity but also that their freight partner is controlling the transport service network, including flight operations,” says Onno Boots, GEODIS’ Regional President and CEO for Asia Pacific.  “As a growth partner for our customers, GEODIS understands this need well. The “Own Controlled Network” initiative is a prime example of how we are extending control of our multi-modal network. In addition, we are exploring options to establish a connection between China and India, as well as linking Hong Kong and Singapore in the network. These efforts aim to provide a hub that will seamlessly link with our GEODIS Asia Road Network.”

“Both the Amsterdam and Shanghai hubs are ideal for coordinating multi-origin and destination cargoes.  Our network of operations in Europe, as well as Asia is designed to maximize connectivity, giving our customers full flexibility in terms of pick-up and delivery points,” says Stanislas Brun, SVP Global Air Freight.  “The regularity and reliability of this newly-established service, coupled with the visibility provided by our IRIS systems technology*, will help manufacturers and retailers rejuvenate their business as the global economy recovers post-COVID.  We hope to help them prevent further supply chain disruption and reduce the inevitable temptation to increase buffer stock, with its consequent costs.”

*Editor’s Note:  IRIS gives GEODIS customers information on the real-time status of their shipments in addition to access to relevant documentation; label printing when appropriate; exception management through ‘mile-stone’ alerts and KPI reporting. The automated booking system ensures data accuracy and saves time.  It also enables customers to review local charges and full end-to-end costs; arrange pick-ups and final mile deliveries and details of all port-to-port rates are available through the pricing engine.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com 

GEODIS is a top-rated, global supply chain operator recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport) coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a direct presence in 67 countries, and a global network spanning 120 countries, translates in top business rankings, #1 in France, #6 in Europe and #7 worldwide. In 2019, GEODIS accounted for over 41,000 employees globally and generated €8.2 billion in sales.

[INTERNATIONAL E-COMMERCE]

To provide European consumers with reliable delivery at an affordable price from North America, GEODIS is launching a new, guaranteed 4-to-6-day B2C delivery service from the United States to 27 European countries for companies seeking to develop their international online sales.

Although more and more web users are now visiting commercial websites located abroad, they often abandon their purchase halfway through the process due to high shipping costs, delivery times seen as too long, customs fees and taxes that are not revealed until after payment or even the lack of a clear return policy.

To overcome these hurdles, GEODIS is launching “GEODIS MyParcel”, a direct-to-customer intercontinental delivery service with guaranteed delivery times at a lower cost.  “With the explosive growth of international e-Commerce, our customers want to offer consumers a premium service at a completely transparent price,” explains Manoj Pankaj, Vice President Cross-Border e-Commerce of GEODIS.

This new end-to-end service, called “GEODIS MyParcel”, will initially ship small packages from the United States to the end consumer in 27 European countries within 4 to 6 days. The service is to be progressively expanded globally. It includes validation of delivery addresses and merchandise HS codes[1], a tax and customs duty calculator (displayed throughout the payment process), as well as an option to reschedule delivery, and shipment tracking at all key stages.

With GEODIS MyParcel, GEODIS provides brands with a simple, innovative way to launch or increase their E-commerce sales on a global scale. “We are helping them to develop to their full potential in new markets by strengthening their international field of action” says Ashwani Nath, Global Head of e-Channel Solutions of GEODIS. “In the coming months we will be adding new geographical areas, both in terms of destinations and countries of origin as part of our global e-Commerce strategy”.

GEODIS – www.geodis.com

GEODIS is a top-rated, global supply chain operator recognized for its commitment to helping clients overcome their logistical constraints. GEODIS’ growth-focused offerings (Supply Chain Optimization, Freight Forwarding, Contract Logistics, Distribution & Express, and Road Transport) coupled with the company’s truly global reach thanks to a direct presence in 67 countries, and a global network spanning 120 countries, translates in top business rankings, #1 in France, #6 in Europe and #7 worldwide.

In 2019, GEODIS accounted for over 41,000 employees globally and generated €8.2 billion in sales.

[1] HS code: Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System. The Harmonized System is an international nomenclature for the classification of products. It allows participating countries to classify traded goods on a common basis for customs purposes.