Alignment or Separation of On-line and Physical Sales Channels for Physical product

In Saturn Projects we understand that companies wish to drive efficiencies via a consolidated supply chain covering different routes to market. We also understand that some companies wish to separate the on-line and physical routes in order to differentiate the markets or even create new independent businesses. It should be noted that in forming a consolidated or divergent supply chain strategy that the alignment with product marketing is vital for success. Typically the types of questions needed to be answered to create a strategy are:

• What are the business targets of my on-line and physical sales channels and are they linked?

• Does my on-line offering support my physical (retail store or warehouse) offering?

• Does my physical (retail store or warehouse) offering support my on-line offering?

• Is and should the retail store be a showroom only?

• How does IT support, report and enhance my on-line and physical sales channels and are they linked?

• At what point (if at all) should we separate the supply chain planning, operations and IT, for on-line and physical (retail store or warehouse) offering?

• Are products specifically tailored for a different route to market?

• Should on-line or physical (retail store or warehouse) take priority in a limited supply situation?

Also we help you answer questions such as: