Supply Chain Terms

Supply Chain Terms

What does that supply chain term mean?

  • Supply Chain Terms

    34 Articles

  • An Introduction to Supply Chain Management

    Supply Chain Management is a systematic and controlled procurement operation. SCM performance directly impacts an organization’s general performance.

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  • Defining Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)

    Consumer packaged goods describe merchandise that has to be reloaded frequently, as opposed to items that can be replenished after longer durations.

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  • The 4-5-4 Calendar Foundation

    Due to holiday sales and returns, retailer calendars often begin in February and follow a 4-5-4 format and have a 53-week year.

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  • Bills of Materials: What They Are and How to Use Them

    What is a Bill of Materials? A BOM is a list of ingredients in a centralized resource used in the manufacturing of a product.

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  • What is Category Management?

    Retail category management helps manage purchases, marketing, sales, and other retail measures on the category, in a general sense.

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  • Retail Category Management

    Category management is defined as a purchasing concept which groups products together into discrete classifications.

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  • What Is Gross Margin Return on Inventory Investment (GMROII)?

    What is Gross Margin Return on Inventory Investment (GMROII)? Retailers use this metric to gauge how profitable a supplier is.

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  • Retail Data Explained: Descriptive, Predictive, and Prescriptive

    Well-balanced business development depends on descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics data. Here are the differences.

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  • What Is a Bill Of Lading (BOL)?

    A Bill of Lading (or BOL) is a written, legal and binding contract used in freight shipping detailing the items in a shipment.

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  • When to Do SSOs (Store-Specific Orders)

    A Store-Specific Order is needed to combat unexpected store out-of-stocks. It can also be used to stock stores in anticipation of special events.

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  • ABC Analysis & How Walmart Applies It to Its Inventory

    Which products, customers, or purchased parts are the largest contributors to your company’s success? Use ABC analysis to find out.

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  • Understanding Freight Consolidation

    What is freight consolidation? What does it mean to consolidate freight? What are the pros and cons? What are the types?

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  • What Is Cross-Docking?

    Have you heard of cross-docking? We go over the types of cross-docking, the benefits and drawbacks, and who should use it.

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  • What Is Retail-Ready Packaging?

    What is Retail-Ready Packaging (or Shelf-Ready Packaging)? RRP allows retailers to put products directly on the shelf from the truck.

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  • What Are the Different Types of Pack Sizes?

    What are the different types of pack sizes in warehousing and logistics? We go over case packs and inner packs in this article.

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  • What Is Cross-Merchandising?

    What is cross-merchandising, aka secondary product placement? Retailers use this marketing technique to sell complementary items.

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  • What Is a Global Location Number (GLN)?

    What is a Global Location Number (GLN)? This reference code identifies all sorts of business locations in the supply chain world.

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  • What Is a Planogram and How Is It Used?

    What is a planogram? How is it used in retail? Learn about planogramming and how it benefits suppliers and retailers alike.

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  • What Is a DUNS Number?

    What is a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number? How are DUNS numbers used in retail? How do I get a DUNS number?

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  • What is the Pareto Principle?

    What is the Pareto Principle? How is it used in retail? How can SKU rationalization mitigate the effects of the Pareto Principle?

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  • What Is a SCAC Code, and How Is It Used?

    What is a Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC)? How is it used in the supply chain and logistics world? What are the common SCAC codes?

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  • What is TI/HI?

    In the warehousing world, you may have heard the term TI/HI or Tie-High. This common logistics term refers to pallet stacking.

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  • What Is Stock Control?

    What is stock control (AKA inventory control)? Learn about the various methods of stock control, pros and cons, and implementing it.

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  • What Is Vendor Managed Inventory?

    What is Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI)? Learn about VMI, how it benefits both retailers and suppliers, and implementing it.

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  • What Is Aggregate Inventory Management?

    What is aggregate inventory management? In this article, learn about aggregate inventory management, the benefits, and how to implement it.

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  • What is the Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)?

    What is Economic Order Quantity (EOQ)? How is the EOQ calculated? How does it impact inventory and retail orders?

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  • Demand Planning

    Demand planning tells you how much inventory you can expect to sell. It helps identify potential expansions, as well as potential threats.

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  • What Is a Supply Plan?

    What is a supply plan? How can it help you maintain a well-oiled supply chain? How do you calculate a good supply plan?

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  • What Is LTL Shipping?

    Less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping is a system of transporting a smaller shipment than a typical truck filled with one order.

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  • Should I Use Prepaid or Collect Freight?

    Are you a new supplier looking at your shipping options, or are you a veteren considering changing? Should you use Prepaid or Collect?

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  • What Is EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)?

    EDI is the direct computer-to-computer exchange of standard formatted business transactions between one or more business partners.

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  • What Is A Tariff And How Does It Affect Your Supply Chain?

    What is a tariff? By definition, it is a tax placed on imported goods when they pass country borders. We discuss how tariffs affect supply chain.

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  • The Bullwhip Effect and How to Prevent It

    What is the bullwhip effect in supply chain? How do you prevent it? It is a fault that gives rise to artificial supply and demand ups and downs.

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  • Walmart’s Shipping and Routing Transportation Guide Glossary

    In Walmart's shipping and routing transportation Guide, they have a glossary of some of the most basic and more retailer-specific logistics terms.

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