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How are Warehouses Facilitating Faster Order Picking?

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Research shows e-commerce brought in roughly $768 billion in sales back in 2021, with around half of U.S. consumers reporting to have received at least one delivery per week. That translates to over 110 million orders processed per week nationwide. Since e-commerce shoppers show no signs of relenting purchases, warehouses remain in a continuous struggle to accelerate fulfillment rates without compromising order accuracy. Zebra’s Warehousing Vision Study revealed that 73% of participating warehouses expect partial automation to solve this issue; however, automation may take different forms depending on a warehouse’s order volume.

What Can “Partial Automation” Look Like?

Micro-fulfillment warehouses and cold storage facilities clearly have different challenges and needs compared to traditional distribution centers. As a result, partial automation may look different between facilities. Below are a few adaptable automation solutions currently accelerating order picking within challenging and traditional environments alike:

  • Start with digital data capture to eliminate manual recording.

Digitization is the most basic yet scalable way to prevent costly mistakes from entering the supply chain. At its core, an automated data capture solution is composed of a handheld scanner connected to your WMS and legible barcodes, yet Avalon empowers you to take your system a step farther by deploying pre-tested labels that retain barcode legibility in harsh and/or high-demand environments. For example, Zebra’s Certified Consumables can be tailored to integrate waterproof and scratch resistant surfaces for a longer lifespan within cold storage. By removing manual inventory updates, warehouse teams can get real-time insight to stock levels and location, optimizing picking paths and preventing out-of-stocks through one intelligent solution. 

  • Integrate power carts to minimize worker travel time and bottlenecks.

If your warehouse is already leveraging automated data capture, power carts expand functionality by increasing receiving volume by 63% in less travel time. By mobilizing industrial printers, scanning, and inventory visibility, power carts remove bottlenecks around static centralized label printing stations, allowing workers to stay focused and productive at all times. Zebra’s intelligent industrial printers further accelerate processes with faster printing speeds and easier media loading, ultimately resulting in 75% less overtime when paired with Newcastle’s mobile workstations.  

  • Move inventory with AMRs to alleviate workers.

Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) are currently being used in large-scale high-demand warehouses to lessen the pressures of today’s current labor shortage. Previous studies have shown that AMRs and co-bots can triple picking rates by moving entire pallets to the shipping dock, delivering a noticeable ROI within as little as 3 months. With Zebra’s acquisition of Fetch Robotics, Avalon now brings the latest insights into simplifying AMR integration for future warehouse adaptability and faster order picking. 

Simply put, the definitions of “partial automation” are adaptable to your warehouse’s needs and constraints. That’s why it is recommended that warehouses meet with a modernization team to build a customized plan. Successful solutions can empower warehouses to meet current customer demands while preparing them for eventual challenges ahead.

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What does your warehouse need to meet that 3-day delivery window?

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As more omnichannel businesses compete to surpass customer demands, an expectation for faster and cheaper shipping has risen in today’s online shoppers. Over half of consumers expect both fast and trackable shipping from the warehouse to their doorstep. Evolving warehouses and distribution centers have now cited the following four top issues they face when attempting to shorten delivery times:

  1. Implementing direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping – Last year’s spike in online orders resulted in a 70% increase in DTC shipping, further establishing expectations for faster delivery. Larger-scale warehouses have struggled with DTC as they must now open pallets to complete multiple smaller, yet unique orders as opposed to multiple identical orders. If done improperly, DTC order fulfillment can result in misplaced inventory and wrong shipments, ultimately impairing customer satisfaction and retention rates.  
  2. Connecting delivery and loading dock teams – Order verification is one of the last touchpoints that can cause delays within the warehouse, yet it is crucial for accuracy. Delays in verification can result in missed delivery timeframes, which is why loading dock and T&L teams must proactively coordinate truck loading with order data readily available.
  3. Accelerating order picking without risking inaccuracies – Order picking accounts for nearly 50% of total operational expenses, which is why inefficient processes not only cause delays but also significant financial loss. Implementing optimized picking technologies has often been seen as a risk since even a slight decrease in productivity or downtime can halt operations.  
  4. Maintaining real-time inventory updates for the whole supply chain – The more updated an inventory management system is, the less likely out-of-stocks will appear. However, for warehouses still relying on manual data entry, real-time visibility is a struggle since it would slow down fulfillment.

Overcoming the challenge with Zebra’s purpose-built solutions

Simply put, to operate within smaller delivery timeframes, warehouses must maximize both accuracy and speed simultaneously. Although there are many mobility solutions currently available for this, simplistic workflow changes and applications can also help eliminate unnecessary steps in the fulfillment process such as:

  • Multiple barcode scanning – Going beyond traditional data capture, new applications like Zebra’s SimulScan and DataWedge allow workers to populate entire reports and forms with one trigger-pull by capturing multiple codes at one. This eliminates the need for individual scans and manual data entry, thus also preventing manual errors.  
  • Integrated push-to-talk and secured text messaging – Communication breakdowns prevent T&L teams from gaining the vital insight they need for efficient routing and delivery. That’s why push-to-talk applications like Zebra Workforce Connect continue to benefit modern delivery teams by streamlining communication channels and mobile computing through one device, giving both warehouse and T&L teams access to the critical data they need.
  • Hands-free data capture – As mentioned before, manual data entry is time consuming and error-prone, which is why long-range and omnidirectional scanners have become so popular in today’s order fulfillment operations. Hands-free data capture takes these benefits a step farther by eliminating extensive training times since it merely builds on natural muscle movement, securing higher ergonomics for faster order processing.
  • Visibility applications installed on your handheld device – Lastly, to keep inventory status visibility for everyone, tracking solutions like Zebra MotionWorks allows warehouses to monitor in-motion inventory, eliminating guesswork when it comes time to locate products in the warehouse. Furthermore, data can be shared between departments and steps within the supply chain to maximize visibility during inbound and outbound operations.  

As technologies continue to mature, new demands are sure to take center stage. Consequently, Avalon continues to encourage warehouses and distribution centers to stay ahead of demands with a scalable modernization solution. To learn about how you can accelerate order fulfillment, contact Avalon’s modernization experts for more information.    

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What is micro fulfillment and why are big businesses flocking to it?

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Among the myriad of changes brought on by last year’s health crisis, the increase in e-commerce transactions has continued to reshape supply chains throughout the post-pandemic landscape. Accounting for over a fifth of sales in the grocery industry alone, e-commerce remains as one of the top preferred transactions due to its convenience and speed. However, between workforce shortages and snowballing last-mile costs, supply chains have yet to successfully meet high customer demands continuously. As a matter of fact, researchers from the National Retail Federation show that over 40% of businesses still cite fast fulfillment as their top concern. To meet demands without overspending, businesses are now combining warehouse technologies in the retail landscape through micro fulfillment centers (MFC’s).

Leveraging maximized automation solutions, MFC’s concentrate high-demand inventory within one section of the storefront for quick seamless picking. Leading warehouse devices such as long-range scanners and ultra-rugged handheld computers are then employed to safeguard fulfillment efficiency as orders are received. This ultimately results in:

  • Higher order accuracy – Modernized scanning capabilities similar to Zebra’s intelligent PRZM scanning engines eliminate the need to manually verify orders by ensuring more successful first-time scans. Applications like SimulScan can further enhance this process by capturing multiple barcodes at once in one trigger pull.
  • Lower labor costs – Automated solutions have been proven to diminish operational costs since they streamline vital workflows through one platform. For example, Zebra’s enterprise tablets secure unbroken communication channels, enterprise data capture, and user-friendly visibility into cycle counts and incoming orders all on one touchscreen interface.
  • Faster contactless services – Services like click-and collect, curbside pickup, and buy-online-pickup-in-store are only expected to keep thriving. That means store associates may now share in the same challenges that often plague warehouses struggling to stay ahead of incoming orders without compromising accuracy. To further protect communication channels within the workforce, Zebra’s Workforce Connect transforms handheld devices into 2-way radios, thus eliminating the need for additional devices while adding a dependable layer of teamwork and workflow visibility.     

Are your operations suitable for micro fulfillment?

This is the question many large-scale businesses have begun to ask themselves, and while the answer may be different for everyone, one thing is sure: automation continues to hold the key to business success in the modern market. Start the modernization journey by assessing workflows with a specialized optimization team to see how you can leverage purpose-built technologies to establish greater customer satisfaction without overburdening the workforce.

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Intelligent Data Capture Just Got Smarter: Meet Zebra’s Newest Barcode Scanner

Intelligent Data Capture Just Got Smarter: Meet Zebra’s Newest Barcode Scanner

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When facing pressing deadlines with a smaller workforce in a high-speed warehouse, technology must deliver unbroken efficiency around the clock. While the world readjusts to life after COVID-19, the demands for fast and accurate order fulfillment has not relented. In fact, online sales skyrocketed by 34% in 2020. As a result, nearly eight out of ten companies seek mass digitization in order to keep up with demands. With the 2021 Peak Season due to reflect even more growth, the time to optimize order fulfillment is now. Intelligent data capture technologies have been crucial in accomplishing this by enabling faster, omni-directional scanning that transcribes barcode data directly onto your inventory management system, eliminating manual processing. With these benefits in mind, Zebra has once again raised the bar in data capture intelligence with the new DS3600-KD Ultra-Rugged Scanner.

What happens when you put a keypad on a barcode scanner?

Built on a long history of rugged enterprise scanners, the DS3600 sports the highest degree of durability with 50% more battery power and 40% more read range. Now, to conquer new customer demands, Zebra’s new scanner equips you with:

  • Customized data entry independent of pen and paper – Make changes on the go to scanned data via the integrated keypad.
  • Pre-built applications – Streamline several crucial workflows such as picking, cycle counting, and order verification through one scanning device.
  • Trusted durability in any environment – Despite its new keypad, the DS3600-KD can still sustain up to 10ft drops, 7,500 tumbles, and extreme temperatures, allowing you to use it in rugged environments like cold storage.
  • Color display for easy viewing – Quite similar to a mobile computer but on a much smaller scale, the DS3600-KD facilitates app usage with a high-resolution display that modernizes the user experience.
  • Over 16 hours of non-stop scanning – Equipped with PowerPrecision+ batteries, the DS3600-KD delivers over 60,000 scans per charge while notifying administrators when batteries need to recharge, thus eliminating downtime from battery failure.

To see the DS3600-KD’s full capabilities, download the fact sheet here.  

From increased inventory visibility to trackable work-in-progress, meet high demand with high performance when you deploy technologies designed to turn trials to triumph. For more information on Zebra’s newest rugged scanner, contact an Avalon expert.

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You don’t need another device to keep your teams connected

Following a steady pattern for over ten years, warehouses have continuously grown to meet the new high demands pressured by the e-commerce boom. Today, it is estimated that nearly 64% of warehouses operate in spaces larger than 25,000 square feet, and studies only forecast growth in the years to come. Facing more demands within larger spaces, warehouse teams need reliable communication channels to keep operations running efficiently from door to dock. Without team connectivity, operations may face…

  • Missed delivery timelines
  • Inefficient maintenance reporting
  • Complicated workflow paths such as long delivery routes or slower pick paths
  • Slower customer support
  • Poor visibility into labor resources
  • Lost revenue due to unforeseen bottlenecks

Since omnichannel fulfillment is only expected to rise, growing warehouses must adapt communication systems to turn challenges into opportunities. As a Zebra Premier Solutions Partner, Avalon Integration recommends empowering operations with Zebra’s Workforce Connect.

How to expand your mobile computer’s functionality with Workforce Connect

Simplistic enough to assist in high-demand environments such as healthcare centers, Workforce Connect can empower frontline workers with crucial connectivity between other vital departments within the supply chain – all through your current Zebra handheld. Deployable without extensive backend modifications, Workforce Connect unifies teams in and out of the warehouse by enabling…

  • Instant push-to-talk communication or secured text messages that resemble consumer-grade systems for fast adoption.
  • Verifiable worker safety as emergency calls and alerts can be deployed through any device at any time.
  • Voice commands to accelerate simplistic tasks.
  • Proactive task management that assigns individual workers or teams to specific tasks in need of assistance.
  • Secured device sharing protocols catered to every user ID, so workers can share devices without sharing sensitive information.
  • Remote worker tracking to keep field teams accountable while preventing delays and wasted labor.

To see how Workforce Connect is empowering supply chains from manufacturing to retail, download our brochure here.

The warehouse landscape is rapidly shifting with every new demand. New challenges call for new technologies, which is why Avalon integration makes modernization simple and seamless with adaptable solutions that complement your current systems. Contact us today for a free evaluation of your current workflows to see how Workforce Connect can sharpen your competitive edge.

 

 

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What should you expect from a “Modern” printer?

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With supply chains operating at unprecedented speeds to meet increasing demands, several novel digitized solutions have arisen to help set businesses ahead of change. However, not every modern device delivers the same results. When it comes to optimized enterprise printing, warehouses commonly seek the traits outlined below:

  • Printing Speed – This is an obvious factor due to the growing demand for faster order fulfilment. A modern printer should operate practically invisibly, delivering identification labels with little to no wait time. Mobile printers and powered workstations take this a step farther by eliminating travel time and bringing efficiency directly where you need it.
  • Dependable Security – Cyberattacks have become all the more prevalent in the past decade since they can target any digital device, including printers. As a result, printing security must now be optimized to ward off unauthorized users from viewing past printed data.
  • Quick Flexibility – Change can happen at any given moment, which is why printers should be able to easily adjust between high and low demand without impacting label quality. Configuration -and reconfiguration- should be doable for your teams without involving extensive IT visits in order to minimize downtime.
  • Durable Build – When operating in more stringent environments, such as manufacturing plants and field service, printers must be designed to withstand environmental challenges such as constant dust, icy temperatures, condensation, and abrasion.
  • Reliable Printing Support – After printers are installed, companies still expect dependable tech support in the event of any future issues. This puts pressure on resellers to provide both instant and knowledgeable assistance to keep printing solutions running smoothly.

How Avalon does it all with Zebra Technologies

As a Zebra Premier Solutions Partner, Avalon has been consistently equipping supply chains with these benefits through Zebra’s enterprise-ready printers. From lightweight mobile printers to heavy-duty industrial printers, eliminate inefficiency from your workflows with printers designed to optimize the factors listed above plus:

  • Quick deployment – To minimize training time, Zebra’s printers sport a user-friendly touchscreen with simplified navigational tools and easy media loading. Moreover, quick tap-and-pair Bluetooth connectivity can help printers seamlessly connect to mobile devices to enable remote printing.
  • Optional RFID encoding – Reduce RFID costs with optional RFID encoding that fits directly onto your industrial printer.
  • Expanded printing visibility – Leverage Zebra’s Visibility Services application to monitor printer performance remotely via a cloud-based system. This can help prevent breakdowns and costly downtime.

Check out our full range of enterprise printers here.

As customer demands continue to increase worldwide, Avalon Integration remains committed to empowering operations with solutions built for triumph. Reach out to our printing experts today to see how you can start accelerating throughput in your operations with next-generation printing power.

 

 

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Improve workforce productivity with RFID tracking

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In any given industry, workforce labor is both the biggest expense and the largest asset to a company. From the production floor to the retail storefront, your workforce keeps operations running smoothly to create a seamless supply chain. However, as demands continue to reshape the enterprise landscape, labor may not be appropriately distributed in the workspace. Whether it be in warehousing or retail, ill-distributed labor can lead to:

  • Higher turnover rates
  • Missed delivery dates 
  • Overlooked compliance codes and worker safety
  • Inaccurate order fulfillment 

To accommodate changing workforce sizes and evolving customer demands, several warehouses have turned to the popular and versatile modernization solution: RFID technology. 

What can RFID Bring to your Operations? 

According to Zebra’s 2019 Warehousing Vision Study, RFID technology was expected to grow by 6%, yet post-pandemic demands for both speed and safety have accelerated adoption in warehouses and retailers alike. Next-generation RFID solutions such as Zebra’s MotionWorks can expand operational visibility while increasing workforce productivity by…

  • Providing real-time operational visibility – Unlike conventional barcodes, RFID technology can be used to track in-motion inventory and assets all in real-time, providing you with a clear view of where your workforce is at any given time. 
  • Complying with worker safety protocols – New worker safety initiatives such as Zebra’s MotionWorks Proximity allows you to trace exposure risks and integrate social distancing protocols into your handheld device by tracking high-density workspaces in real-time. 
  • Tracking labor-intensive workflows – When demand increases suddenly as it normally does for peak holiday seasons, RFID data capture can help track intensive workflows and guide employees through multiple pick paths at once, eliminating superfluous wait times. 

See how Zebra’s Savanna does it all and more in our video

Whether you’re tracking assets, inventory, or your workforce, expect dependable visibility when you optimize operations with Avalon. Contact our automation experts today for a free evaluation of your workflow to get started. 

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Evaluating Data Capture Modernization for Expanded Operational Visibility

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Way before the global pandemic, modern order fulfillment had already proven to be both complex and fast-paced. As e-commerce continues to fuel the now-economy, today’s fulfillment centers and supply chains find themselves in a competitive landscape to meet evolving customer demands such as:

  • Faster order delivery falling between 1 to 5 business days
  • Ability to track orders as they move down the supply chain
  • Certified worker safety, disinfection, and contactless transactions
  • Continuous stock availability 
  • Seamless and free returns

Failing to meet any of these requirements can hinder the customer experience, ultimately impacting brand loyalty, satisfaction rates, and profitability. While there are several ways to optimize each requirement, data capture automation stands as a simplistic method to start securing efficiency and greater visibility across the whole supply chain with less workflow modifications. 

What to look for in your automated data capture solution?

Studies indicate that while 72% of businesses are investing in technologies designed to reduce TCO, about a fifth of companies still struggle to implement effective automation. Easy-to-deploy and cost-effective, automated data capture has taken center stage as a bridge to softly allow businesses to modernize without restructuring their operations. To accomplish this, modernized data capture should…

  • Integrate intelligent capabilities – While general-purpose scanners can effectively capture barcodes within a controlled setting, warehouses may be operating in busy and/or extreme conditions. That’s why intelligent scanners must be able to capture small, fading, and even scratched barcodes in a variety of surfaces, sometimes multiple codes at once. Applications like Zebra’s SimulScan and Multi-Code Data Formatting (for mobile computers and handheld scanners respectively) illustrate this by capturing specific barcodes within one larger document. Intelligent PRZM imaging also helps expand scanner performance by accelerating data capture and deciphering inferior barcodes for accurate scans. 
  • Connect with your data processing system – Your digital devices are merely an extension of your team, which means they should strive to connect teams. Solutions combining data capture and computing within one device cut complicated workflows by keeping your data accessible and safe through one platform.  Collected data can be converted to actionable insights and timely updates to prevent future complications before they arise.
  • Be scalable and adaptable – Demands can change in a blink of an eye. Consequently, a modernized scanning solution should be able to readily adapt to fluctuating workforce size, stringent disinfection cycles, longer shifts, and increased order throughput without increasing training times or radically changing crucial applications. This is where intelligent rugged scanner design combined with an intuitive software can help maintain uptime in the midst of change, freeing up your teams to focus on other opportunities for growth. 

See how Zebra’s DataCapture DNA continues to simplify scanning automation in our video:

As a Zebra Premier Solutions Partner, Avalon Integration works with a wide variety of enterprise-ready scanners and mobile computers to seamlessly automate data capture. To see how you can start upgrading your scanning systems without disrupting operations, contact our modernization team for a free assessment.  

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The True Cost of Misplacements (It’s much higher than you expected)

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Studies suggest that the average person can spend as much as 6.5 months out of their entire lives looking for misplaced personal things. Needless to say, if that time lost were translated into the workplace, companies would be losing more than expected. However, when facing an average 63% accuracy rate in inventory management, it’s clear that misplacements are currently taking a toll on inefficient inventory management. Indeed, poor visibility leads to inventory distortion, which has cost operations worldwide as much as $1.1 trillion to correct. A few other incalculable costs include:

  • Missed opportunities – Out-of-stocks and delayed shipments often push clients to take their business elsewhere.
  • Storage loss – Misplaced inventory also points to inefficient storage hiding in your warehouse that could best be used for something else. 
  • Product shrinkage – In years past, product shrinkage has drained as much as $40 billion dollars from the retail sector alone. 
  • Inefficient labor – When inventory isn’t where it’s supposed to be, workers must spend extra time searching for it, taking time away from more important tasks.

Needless to say, your operations don’t have time for inventory misplacement. That’s why Avalon Integration’s Roi works hard to expand visibility with Zebra Technologies’ RFID Locationing.

Boost ROI with Roi

To maximize ROI with secured intelligent visibility, Avalon partners with you to create a customized locationing solution built with Zebra’s high-precision RFID technologies so you can:

  • Cut down labeling efforts with RFID labels that hold more information than conventional tags.
  • Increase worker performance with long-range ergonomic Zebra RFID mobile computers.
  • Diminish bottlenecks with on-the-go RFID mobile printing, so your teams don’t have to keep walking back to a far-off printing station.
  • Boost order accuracy with seamless verification before products are loaded for delivery

Check out Zebra’s complete line of RFID technologies in our brochure.

Avalon RFID Portfolio Brochure Download

Download the Avalon RFID Portfolio Brochure

Got some RFID questions? Let Roi help you start out your locationing journey.  From expanded warehousing visibility to on-the-move order fulfillment tracking, begin implementing RFID into your workflow when you contact our specialists today.

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How to Face the Friction in Your BOPIS Operations

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Back in 2019, buy-online pick-up instore (BOPIS) transactions were estimated to comprise less than 4% of grocery purchases. While studies suggested BOPIS would rise steadily within the coming years, nothing could have predicted the 62% spike in online orders resulting from extensive stay-home orders issued nationwide. While many companies were slowly in the process of enhancing their mobile ordering systems, less than a fifth of retailers admitted having necessary metrics to properly manage BOPIS transactions. The result has been strained operations and increasing turnover rates as businesses scramble to create safe frictionless fulfillment operations.

Although there are several technologies available to enhance BOPIS operations, Avalon investigates the most seamless and intuitive solutions to protect continuous productivity as well as employee safety and customer satisfaction. Working alongside leading manufacturers like Zebra Technologies, we analyze the core aspects to consider when creating a frictionless BOPIS system.

Staying ahead of Change

Staying Ahead of Change with BOPIS

Staying Ahead of Change with BOPIS

To design a frictionless BOPIS operation, there are several factors to consider. While numerous technologies may play a part in streamlining order fulfillment, your solution should prioritize the following:

  • Communication – Accurate picking heavily depends on reliable communication amongst the entire supply chain, from stocking teams to the end-client. While out-of-stocks can direct your customers to shop elsewhere, poor inventory team communication slows down associates assembling the order, leading to increased worker stress and picking errors. To streamline communication and data capture, Zebra’s TC7X and TC5X mobile computers utilize long-range connectivity and WiFi to keep teams connected through one easy-to-use Android device.
  • Processing Speed – Because of high demand, even the best click-and-collect services can’t offer immediate order fulfillment, yet newer intelligent scanning technologies such as the MC9300 and Zebra’s SimulScan can help drive down wait times by capturing barcodes in virtually any condition, erasing the need for secondary scans.
  • Inventory Visibility –  Needless to say, proper inventory management continues to be a crucial necessity in delivering optimal customer experience. One way to retain optimal identification throughout the supply chain is through quality identification labels. Zebra’s Certified Consumables are designed to meet FDA standards as well as any other specific compliance requirements all while performing in a wide variety of environments. See how Zebra labels are already enhancing BOPIS order identification in our brochure.

For over two decades, our experts have been committed to strengthening operations by providing efficient solutions that empower you to stay ahead of change. Contact us today for a free remote assessment of your current workflow to see how you can maximize any of these factors and more within your BOPIS operations.

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