零售分销的未来 分布式订单管理，自动机器人，区块链和仓储软件都 在协同工作，以帮助零售商更有效地管理他们的端到端供应链。  

 零售供应链是一个复杂的事情，受到从电子商务的增长，到全渠道分销以及所谓的“亚马逊效应”等一切影响。这些端到端的供应链高度动态和以客户为中心，需要高度的同步和协作 - 这两项技术都因此而变得更加容易。“随着越来越多的人在网上进行购物而不是去商店，需要高度灵活供应链呈指数增长，“ Softeon战略副总裁Dinesh Dongre 说。无不再局限于持有存货意味着他们的最终用户，例如，零售商采购的商品从多个全球资源，往往求助于他们的供应商砸船订单为他们的客户。这一战略有助于企业更好地适应客户不断变化的需求。“消费者是ckle。他们希望他们的订单在下一个小时内到达，如果可能的话，“东亚说。“因此，传统方法不再有效地为那些想要维持或提高其市场份额的零售商效力。”  代替这种“传统方法”，越来越多的零售商正在转向诸如分布式订单管理（DOM） ），仓库管理软件，机器人甚至区块链，以更有效和高效地运营其供应链。以下是将在2018年及之后形成零售分销格局的技术。  

1分布式订单管理（DOM） 面对挑战，例如客户选择的激增，对当日和次日交付的需求，以及亚马逊的影响，更多零售商正在使用DOM来管理他们的全渠道和多渠道运营。 根据 Gartner 研究副总裁Dwight Klappich的说法，作为跨多个系统和流程进行订单交易的系统，DOM系统的使用量“持续增长” ，而这些系统现在已经与 商店 - 销售（POS）系统。  Klappich 说：“曼哈顿当然一直在讨论这种搭配，其他供应商正在试图将POS 转移到DOM层。” 将DOM定义为“编排 订单生命周期的能力”，Dongre说：这些解决方案历来都 集中在跨多个配送 中心的订单上。快进到2018年，零售商 正在使用商店，供应商和 DC实现的组合 - 所有这些共同构成 一个大型，多节点设施。 为了支持这一发展，Dongre表示，DOM 必须发展成为一个更全面的解决方案， 其整合整个 网络的高度可视性，包括将 订单下发给最终用户的各种供应商的活动。解决方案 还需要处理库存再平衡，或 库存移动到正确的地点和根据 需求; 动态协调（回答 这个问题：我们完成的最佳地点在哪里 ？）; 跨供应商协作; 并优化 入站货运。“下一代DOM将 纳入这些不同的元素，并积极影响 零售商的总体交付成本，”Dongre说。   2仓库管理和执行系统  仓库管理 系统（WMS） 是典型的直流电或仓库的主力，控制 这些设施内物料 的移动和存储。仓库执行 系统（WES）管理 设施内的库存记录和物料处理设备。 这两个软件平台一起 在典型的零售供应链中继续发挥重要作用。 “对于零售业来说，WMS非常重要，该公司 正在通过各种不同的方式与 电子政务，全渠道，多渠道 或其他方式进行市场合作，” 东瑞说。“每个企业都需要不同 类型的市场覆盖和不同的行为 预期。”虽然WMS历史 上无法管理混合库存，但Dongre 表示，下一代解决方案可以执行 诸如库存动态重新定位等功能（例如，物料 可用性对于每个渠道以及 在实际网络的每个点有多少库存可用）。 Fortuna的新兴技术专家Luke Nuber 指出WES是将分销 技术联系在一起的“子系统”，并认为这些解决方案将 在未来一年在零售供应链中发挥重要作用 。“ 通过捆绑和充分整合，可以获得很多高效率和生产力整个设施在一起，“努比尔说。“  通过将人员，流程，技术和资产集中到一个单一的控制系统中，WES确实可以实现这一点，该控制系统在整个设施中具有端到端的可视性。这使得零售商可以优先考虑任务并优化这些任务。“ 对于零售商来说，WES还为从供应商购买的技术提供保险，这些供应商要么被另一家公司收购，要么停业。“好的WES 系统提供了很大的灵活性，可以将不同的系统或组件 -  换成不再可用的系统 - ”Nuber补充道。“这为零售商提供了一个特别的好处，它正在寻找长期解决他们的关键分销难题。”

3 自主机器人  随着越来越多的硬件 和软件制造商 开发创新技术，自治仓库的形象越来越清晰 ， 来自发布流程的“人” 组件。根据 Peerless Research Group最新的自动化 调查，有45％的受访公司希望投资 机器人（码垛，采摘或其他解决方案）， 43％的公司对输送和分拣系统， 自动仓储和自动导引车感兴趣。 公司 感兴趣的其他仓库和直流自动化设备包括穿梭系统，货到人 拣选解决方案以及称重/立方/尺寸 设备。 从他在Gartner的观点来看，Klappich说 他看到 想要投资各种形式的自动化的零售商数量“显着增加” 。 目前许多“必备”清单 是自主移动机器人。例如，德国 邮政股份公司的DHL正在 其一家工厂测试“swarming”机器人，Quiet Logistics 公司 在其一家 仓库中使用相同类型的移动机器人，这些公司在Bonobos和Inditex SA公司的Zara等零售商的网上订单中使用相同类型的移动机器人。，根据华尔街日报。 Klappich说， 像Fetch，Otto，IAM Robotics和Locus这样的供应商 寻找能够满足 中小零售商需求的价格合理的机器人的方法， 预计2018 年将有更多的零售商在自主机器人大潮中跃跃欲试。“这些公司可能 无法负担5000万美元或1亿美元的 自动化仓库，”Klappich说，“但他们可以 购买机器人来补充他们的劳动力。随着该 技术的不断发展，我认为我们将会看到 机器人对这种用例更感兴趣，当然 还有更多大规模部署此技术的应用。“  

4，实际 应用 范围从简单的文本信息 到如何应用 执行危及生命的手术 过程 - 而 增强现实（AR）之间的一切都在 零售供应链中成为焦点。使用现有的 自然环境，AR基本上覆盖 了该环境之上的虚拟信息，以帮助用户 体验一个新的和改进的世界，其中使用虚拟 信息作为 日常活动中的辅助工具。 “在分销方面，AR基本上被翻译成 专门的耳机或眼镜，将眼镜放在 佩戴者眼前，以便在 他或她正在看什么的基础上投影数据，”Nuber说，他指出 ，在大多数情况下，AR可以是分为两类： 将某些类型的数据投射到 耳机或眼镜的角落的智能玻璃，以及在 整个用户的 视野范围内投射全景视图的AR 类型。 Nuber说：“ 我们在短期内会看到 一些有趣的应用 ，包括那些将促进 DC采摘的应用，这往往会消耗手术中的大部分劳力。 使用AR，例如，监事将 能够投射视觉线索和指示， 因为他们正在执行他们的采摘工人 的任务，如一个箭头指向下一个 位置或未来选秀权，或者一个特定的c量 回暖在一定位置。 “这些技术中的一些甚至可以显示验证 图像，以便用户可以 对他们在案件中的 物品与这些物品应该是什么进行比较，”Nuber说，注意到 相同的概念可以延伸到DC中接收和 放置操作。“这是一种用户友好的技术 ，可以让零售商快速获得季节性工作人员的 速度，在 设施的很多角落进行故障排除，甚至可以进行远程维护。” 5 区块 链区块链上的欢迎 并不仅限于 希望得到他们的 比特币派。区块链是 维持比特币交易 分类账 的基础技术，可能在 不久的将来在零售供应链中发挥关键作用。SensorThink首席执行官Eric Peters认为 ，未来三年到四年 内这种趋势会发展。“特别是在零售杂货方面， 彼得斯说，区块链 将从 九个月前没有人知道的事情加速到2018年底之前关于供应链的每一次谈话。 例如，一家 从智利农民那里购买蓝莓然后卖给 美国批发商或经销商的国内公司可能会将水果 从圣地亚哥运到亚特兰大。从那里，蓝莓 将被送到特区，最终出售给像 沃尔玛这样的杂货商。在采摘水果和 消费者把它放回家并放入 冰箱的时间之间，蓝莓将通过 多个国家，将所有权改变了七八 次，并由各种 供应链处理。 想要了解 该产品从 开始到结束（包括处理时间， 运输日期等）的冷链完整性的零售商可以使用区块链作为 发生 在这些蓝莓之间的每一件事情的活动的单独分类帐原来的 农夫和沃尔玛的销售点。 “作为 每个人都同意的牢不可破的共享账本，区块链提供 了所有人都可以 访问和使用的安全地点的所有信息，”彼得斯说，他预计更多零售商 将区块链纳入他们 未来的供应链战略。“沃尔玛已经 在食品安全方面进行测试; 在不久的将来，它绝对是零售供应链中最令人兴奋的 转型事件之一。    Distributed order  management, autonomous robots, blockchain and warehousing software are all working together to help retailers more effectively manage their end-to-end supply chains.    The retail supply chain is a complex animal that has been affected by everything from the uptick in e-commerce to the move to omni-channel distribution to the so-called “Amazon effect,” to name a few. Highly dynamic and customer-focused, these end-to-end supply chains require a high degree of synchronization and collaboration—both of which are being made easier by technology. “As more people made their purchases online versus going to a store, the need for highly ¬ exible supply chains has grown exponentially,” says Dinesh Dongre, vice president of strategy at Softeon. No longer restricted to holding inventory meant for their end users, for example, retailers are procuring goods from multiple global sources and often turning to their suppliers to drop ship orders to their customers. This strategy helps companies better accommodate their customers’ changing wants and needs. “Consumers are   ckle. They want their orders to arrive within the next hour, if possible,” says Dongre. “Because of this, the traditional approach no longer works effectively for retailers that either want to sustain or improve their market share.” In lieu of that “traditional approach,” a growing number of retailers are turning to technologies like distributed order management (DOM), warehouse management software, robots and even blockchain to run their supply chains more effectively and ef ciently. Here are ve technologies that will shape the retail distribution landscape in 2018 and beyond.   1 Distributed order management (DOM) Facing challenges like the proliferation of customer choice, to demands for same-day and next-day delivery, to the Amazon effect, more retailers are using DOM to manage their omni- and multi-channel operations. As a system that brokers orders across various systems and processes that multiple parties use to ful ll demand, DOM usage “continues to grow,” according to Dwight Klappich, research vice president at Gartner, with such systems now being tied into store point-of-sale (POS) systems. “Manhattan has certainly been talking about this tie-in,” says  Klappich, “and other vendors are trying to take POS and move it up into the DOM layer.” Defining DOM as the “ability to orchestrate an order lifecycle,” Dongre says these solutions have historically focused on filling orders across multiple distribution centers. Fast-forward to 2018 and retailers are using a combination of store, vendor-based and DC fulfillment—all of which come together to create one big, multi-node facility. To support this evolution, Dongre says DOM must evolve into a more comprehensive solution that incorporates high levels of visibility across the entire network, including the activities of the various vendors that drop-ship orders to end users. The solutions will also need to handle inventory rebalancing, or the movement of inventory to the right locations and according to demand; dynamic orchestration (which answers the question: Where is the best place for us to fulfill from?); collaborate across suppliers; and optimize inbound freight. “The next generation of DOM will incorporate these various elements and positively affect total delivered cost for retailers,” says Dongre.   2Warehouse management and execution systems A workhorse of the typical DC or warehouse, a warehouse management system (WMS) controls the movement and storage of materials within those facilities. Warehouse execution systems (WES) manage inventory records and materials handling equipment within the facility. Together, these two software platforms continue to play a signi - cant role in the typical retail supply chain. “WMS is important to the retail sector, which is working with myriad different ways with going to market with e-ful llment, omni-channel, multi-channel, or another method,” says Dongre. “Each requires different types of market reach and different behavioral expectations.” And while WMS hasn’t historically been able to manage co-mingled inventory, Dongre says next-generation solutions can perform functions like the dynamic repositioning of inventory (e.g., item availability for each channel and how much inventory is available at each point of the ful llment network). Luke Nuber, Fortna’s emerging technology specialist, points to WES as the “subsystem” that ties distribution technology together and sees these solutions playing an important role in the retail supply chain during the year ahead. “There are a lot of ef ciencies and productivity that can be gained by tying and fully integrating an entire facility together,” Nuber says. “WES really enables that by putting people, processes, technology and assets into a single control system that has end-to-end visibility throughout an entire facility. This allows retailers to prioritize tasks and optimize those tasks on the y.” For retailers, WES also provides insurance for technology purchased from vendors that either get acquired by another company or go out of business. “A good WES system provides a lot of exibility to swap out different systems—or the components—should they become no longer available,” Nuber adds. “This provides a de nite plus for the retailer that’s looking for long-term solutions to their key distribution challenges.”     3Autonomous robots The image of the autonomous warehouse is coming into clearer focus as more hardware and software manufacturers develop innovations that remove much of the “human” component from the distribution process. According to Peerless Research Group’s most recent automation survey, 45% of companies surveyed want to invest in robotics (palletizing, picking or other solutions) and 43% are interested in conveyor and sortation systems, automated storage, and automatic guided vehicles. Other warehouse and DC automation that companies are interested in includes shuttle systems, goods-toperson picking solutions, and weighing/cubing/dimensioning equipment. From his vantage point at Gartner, Klappich says he’s seeing a “marked increase” in the number of retailers that want to invest in various forms of automation. On many of those “must-have” lists right now are autonomous mobile robots. For example, Deutsche Post AG’s DHL is testing “swarming” robots at one of its facilities, and Quiet Logistics, which ful lls online orders for retailers like Bonobos and Inditex SA’s Zara, is using the same type of mobile robots in one of its warehouses, according to The Wall Street Journal. Expect to see more retailers jumping on the autonomous robot bandwagon in 2018, says Klappich, as vendors like Fetch, Otto, IAM Robotics and Locus nd ways to build affordable robots that meet the needs of small to mid-sized retailers. “These rms may not be able to afford a $50 million or $100 million automated warehouse,” Klappich says, “but they can buy robots to supplement their labor forces. As that technology continues to evolve, I think we’ll see even more interest in robots for this use case and certainly more large-scale deployments of this technology.”   4Augmented reality With applications that range from simple text noti cations to instructions on how to perform a life-threatening surgical procedure—and everything in between—augmented reality (AR) is coming into focus in the retail supply chain. Using an existing, natural environment, AR basically overlays virtual information on top of that environment to help users experience a new and improved world where virtual information is used as a tool to provide assistance in everyday activities. “In distribution, AR basically translated into the specialized headsets or glasses that place a glass in front of the wearer’s eyes to project data on top of what he or she is looking at,” says Nuber, who notes that in most cases AR can be divided into two categories: smart glass, which projects some type of data into the corner of the headset or glasses, and the type of AR that projects a full-view display across the user’s full eld of vision. “There are a couple of interesting applications for this that we see on the near-term horizon, including those that will facilitate DC picking, which tends to consume the most labor in an operation,” says Nuber. Using AR, for example, supervisors will be able to project visual cues and instructions to workers as they are performing their picking tasks, such as an arrow pointing to the next location or the next pick, or a speci c quantity to pick at a certain location. “Some of these technologies can even show a veri- cation image so that users can do comparisons to the item they have in their cases versus what those items are supposed to be,” says Nuber, noting that the same concept can extend into a DC’s receiving and put-away operations. “This is a user-friendly technology that allows retailers to get seasonal workers up to speed quickly, troubleshoot in far- ung corners of the facility and even perform remote maintenance.”     5Blockchain The hoopla over blockchain isn’t limited to investors that want to get their piece of the Bitcoin pie. Blockchain, which is the underpinning technology that maintains the Bitcoin transaction ledger, could play a key role in the retail supply chain in the near future. Eric Peters, CEO at SensorThink, sees this trend developing over the next three years to four years. “Particularly on the retail grocery side, blockchain is going to accelerate from something nobody knew about nine months ago to being in every conversation you have about supply chain by late 2018,” says Peters. For example, a domestic company that buys blueberries from a farmer in Chile, and then sells them to a U.S. wholesaler or distributor, will likely ship the fruit from Santiago to Atlanta. From there, the blueberries will be sent to a DC for eventual sale to a grocer like Walmart. Between the time that the fruit is picked and when a consumer takes it home and puts it in their refrigerator, the blueberries will have passed through multiple countries, changed ownership seven or eight times and have been handled by a variety of supply chains. The retailer that wants to understand what the cold chain integrity of that product was from start to nish (including handling times, days in transit, etc.) can use blockchain as a single ledger of activity for every single thing that happened to those blueberries between the original farmer and the point of sale at Walmart. “As an unbreakable, shared ledger that everyone agrees to, blockchain provides all of the information in one, secure place that everyone can access and utilize,” says Peters, who expects more retailers to incorporate blockchain into their supply chain strategies in the future. “Walmart is already testing it with food safety; it’s de nitely one of the most exciting transformational things that’s going to happen in the retail supply chain in the near future.” •