FAST forward to the post-pandemic era, online purchases are seen to continue to increase that brands and businesses need utmost agility and dependable and fast response time as regards their e-commerce capabilities, logistics, and supply chain management to stay relevant and remain competitive in the market.
This is where cloud logistics solution provider Locad hopes to play a pivotal role to bring warehousing, packing, and shipping into an easy to use e-commerce platform. Its integrated warehousing and multi-channel fulfillment services will bolster Filipino companies’ capability to scale by moving their offerings to the virtual channel for a rapidly growing digital consumer market.
Based on a September 2020 survey, more than 80 percent of small businesses were cautiously positive on growth despite the challenges confronting them. Another research revealed that 91 percent of Filipino Internet users turn to online shopping due to the lockdowns, while e-commerce in the country rose by 55 percent and is projected to rise even further.
“Business owners and company heads are beginning to realize that there is a growing need to integrate their entire logistics and supply chain,” said Locad Chief Executive Officer and Cofounder Constantin Robertz. “Today’s customers widely expect their orders to be delivered safely and punctually, as a standard level of service, especially as the lockdowns and work-from-home situations have made them reliant on the digital marketplace, as well as on-demand, online deliveries.”
Locad entered the market just last year as a third-party logistics firm in Southeast Asia with its cloud logistics network that can orchestrate the supply chain, from warehouse to delivery, for brands that come from different industries. It has offices in Australia, India, Singapore, and the Philippines.
Here, its nationwide delivery of customer brands’ products covers 95 percent of the country, with three fulfillment centers strategically located in Taguig, Parañaque, Sta. Rosa, Laguna, and soon in other provincial locations, reducing shipping time and costs by storing products closer to online shoppers.
With their extensive industry experience, Robertz and cofounder Jannis Dargel managed the operations of Zalora while their co-owner Shrey Jain used to hold a senior product role in Grab.
Among the company’s partner success stories is KJMCosmetics, a Davao-based beauty brand with no official physical store. It faced several issues with shipping costs. Deploying the Locad platform streamlined its logistics operations.
“Since partnering with Locad, our business could focus less on the fulfillment process and more on other aspects. As a result, there is an increase in our sales and conversion rate right away,” said Janine Muñez, director of information technology operations at KJMCosmetics.
Robertz attributed this to their solutions that result to “a faster and seamless end-to-end transaction online with the assurance of faster shipping, affordability, simplicity, and ease of use.”
The flexible plug-and-play integration of Locad provides brands a more granular 24/7 access into their supply chain status; as well as a secure grip in managing their inventory, data, and sales channels across different platforms in the country.
What’s unique about Locad, according to him, is its capability that allows companies to improve their services to their clients:
“Through our technology, brands can manage all their orders and stock from a single virtual pool across all sales channels, while benefiting from real-time visibility of sales, orders, inventory, and service levels,” he said.
As the country slowly opens up and the economy grows, Robertz said that their integrated solutions “will enable businesses, big or small, to thrive and scale up. Strengthening their supply chain and its related services will push the brands forward and expand their reach.”
For Philippine e-commerce businesses, Locad offers an all-inclusive digital platform that will prepare and assist them to succeed in this fast-growing e-commerce market, reaching out to customers nationwide and even Asia.