CARGOCONNECT-AUGUST 2025 - Flipbook - Page 62
ECOMCONNECT 2025
“The primary advantage
Micro-Fulfilment Centres
(MFCs) o昀昀er is speed. They
are typically located within
a 2 to 5-kilometer radius of
the customer cluster they
serve, allowing them to meet
delivery promises ranging
from 10–20 minutes to a
few hours. The second key
expectation is selection. Since
these centres are relatively small compared to full-scale warehouses, they
can’t stock everything. Their success depends on e昀케cient replenishment
cycles based on real-time demand. The third expectation is hyper-localisation.
Customers in di昀昀erent cities—and even di昀昀erent neighborhoods—want
di昀昀erent products. A customer in Mumbai may want something entirely
di昀昀erent from someone in Agartala, Kolkata, Chandigarh, or Bangalore.
MFCs must use data to understand these preferences and adjust their
inventory accordingly to meet local demand patterns. Finally, supply chain
e昀케ciency is essential. MFCs must be close enough to a central warehouse
to allow fast replenishment.”
ANUBHAV AGNIHOTRI, Head– Instock and Inventory,
Clicktech Retail
“Often, what is being framed
is retail versus digital, or
digital-first versus retailsecond. But that's not the
right way to look at it.
These two channels don’t
compete; they complement
each other. It's really about
how we integrate and use
them together. Take, for
example, services like "click
and collect" or "reserve and collect" that many companies, including us,
now offer. A customer can place an order online through our website
or app and then choose to pick it up at the store. One major reason for
choosing this option is to avoid delivery charges. But once the customer is
in the store, it opens up a new opportunity. The reverse also happens. A
customer may walk into a store, browse products, but not 昀椀nd the exact
size or colour they want. Our shop 昀氀oor o昀케cials guide the customer to
our online platform, show them the full range of products, and help them
place an online order right there in the store. So even if the product isn’t
physically available in-store, we make sure the customer doesn’t walk
away empty-handed. That’s how we’re working to make the omnichannel
experience truly e昀昀ective.”
JYOTHIS JAGAJEEVE, Head– E-commerce Logistics,
Decathlon Sports India
62 | CARGOCONNECT AUGUST 2025
