Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies

This study develops a framework that structures the operational costs of online grocery retailing in order to identify which is the most suitable e-fulfillment strategy. The cost framework was designed by applying time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) and is based on the insights of two large E...

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Main Authors: Miguel Rodríguez-García, Angel Ortiz Bas, José Carlos Prado-Prado, Andrew Lyons
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universitat Politecnica de Valencia 2023-06-01
Series:International Journal of Production Management and Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/18442
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author Miguel Rodríguez-García
Angel Ortiz Bas
José Carlos Prado-Prado
Andrew Lyons
author_facet Miguel Rodríguez-García
Angel Ortiz Bas
José Carlos Prado-Prado
Andrew Lyons
author_sort Miguel Rodríguez-García
collection DOAJ
description This study develops a framework that structures the operational costs of online grocery retailing in order to identify which is the most suitable e-fulfillment strategy. The cost framework was designed by applying time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) and is based on the insights of two large European grocery retailers, which operate retail store and warehouse e-fulfillment strategies respectively. Cost information was collected, and activity-oriented process modeling was carried out in the field to identify the most relevant e-fulfillment cost drivers. For the retail store strategy, picking costs were the highest among e-fulfillment activities and up to twice as high as for the warehouse strategy. For the warehouse strategy, delivery costs were the highest and 50% higher than for the retail store strategy. Less studied logistics activities such as unpacking and reverse logistics all together accounted for up to one third of total expenses for both strategies. In omnichannel, operations and logistics managers must still ensure the profitability of the online channel if they want to succeed in the grocery business. This framework will help managers identify and estimate the most relevant cost drivers, and to allocate them to the main operational activities.
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spelling doaj.art-f39dea5ec246486cb3fdd823224ba8552023-09-07T08:17:03ZengUniversitat Politecnica de ValenciaInternational Journal of Production Management and Engineering2340-48762023-06-0111212714510.4995/ijpme.2023.1844217632Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategiesMiguel Rodríguez-García0Angel Ortiz Bas1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5690-0807José Carlos Prado-Prado2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2189-2100Andrew Lyons3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3105-1567Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyUniversitat Politècnica de València Universidade de VigoUniversity of LiverpoolThis study develops a framework that structures the operational costs of online grocery retailing in order to identify which is the most suitable e-fulfillment strategy. The cost framework was designed by applying time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) and is based on the insights of two large European grocery retailers, which operate retail store and warehouse e-fulfillment strategies respectively. Cost information was collected, and activity-oriented process modeling was carried out in the field to identify the most relevant e-fulfillment cost drivers. For the retail store strategy, picking costs were the highest among e-fulfillment activities and up to twice as high as for the warehouse strategy. For the warehouse strategy, delivery costs were the highest and 50% higher than for the retail store strategy. Less studied logistics activities such as unpacking and reverse logistics all together accounted for up to one third of total expenses for both strategies. In omnichannel, operations and logistics managers must still ensure the profitability of the online channel if they want to succeed in the grocery business. This framework will help managers identify and estimate the most relevant cost drivers, and to allocate them to the main operational activities.https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/18442cost analysisonline fulfillmentfulfillment costsonline grocery retailingomnichannel retail
spellingShingle Miguel Rodríguez-García
Angel Ortiz Bas
José Carlos Prado-Prado
Andrew Lyons
Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
International Journal of Production Management and Engineering
cost analysis
online fulfillment
fulfillment costs
online grocery retailing
omnichannel retail
title Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
title_full Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
title_fullStr Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
title_full_unstemmed Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
title_short Fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing: comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
title_sort fulfillment costs in online grocery retailing comparing retail store and warehouse strategies
topic cost analysis
online fulfillment
fulfillment costs
online grocery retailing
omnichannel retail
url https://polipapers.upv.es/index.php/IJPME/article/view/18442
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AT angelortizbas fulfillmentcostsinonlinegroceryretailingcomparingretailstoreandwarehousestrategies
AT josecarlospradoprado fulfillmentcostsinonlinegroceryretailingcomparingretailstoreandwarehousestrategies
AT andrewlyons fulfillmentcostsinonlinegroceryretailingcomparingretailstoreandwarehousestrategies