Peak Season Roundtable 2023 with Rick Watson and Nate Skiver

Rick Watson, CEO and Founder of RMW Commerce Consulting, LLC., he’s an eCommerce veteran with over two decades of experience. He founded RMW Commerce Consulting and played a crucial role in creating the WHP+ platform. Rick also hosts "The Watson Weekly'' podcast and has appeared on various news programs and industry events like Shoptalk.

Nate Skiver, Founder of LPF Spend Management, is a parcel transportation and eCommerce delivery expert with 20 years of experience. He previously worked for Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap Inc., managing global parcel programs. Nate is a thought leader in parcel and eCommerce delivery, contributing articles to PARCEL Magazine and being featured in publications like The Wall Street Journal and Business Insider.

SHOW SUMMARY

In this episode of eCom Logistics Podcast, hosts Dan Coll and Ninaad Acharya are joined by e-commerce veterans Rick Watson and Nate Skiver to provide valuable insights into the e-commerce peak season in 2023. The discussion covers various aspects, including capacity concerns in small parcel delivery, the influence of promotions and discounts on consumer spending, and the challenges of managing inventory and avoiding out-of-stocks during peak season.

The guests emphasize the importance of preparation and scenario planning, sharing their own experiences and lessons learned from past peak seasons. They also discuss the evolving dynamics of peak season, with a shift towards earlier sales and the need for retailers to stay agile and responsive to changing consumer behaviors and economic conditions.

Overall, this episode offers valuable advice and strategies for navigating the e-commerce peak season successfully in 2023

QUOTES

[00:22:51] "Capacity itself, I don't see being a constraint or challenge. But allocating the volume and managing it between carriers might be kind of the other direction." - Nate Skiver
[00:28:44] "Returns cost six to eight dollars. If you want to return to them directly now, um, you can't just drop it by the UPS store anymore." - Rick Watson
[00:26:12] "The decisions were made six months ago, and I remember six months ago, even thinking about our own business, there was an environment of fear." - Ninaad Acharya
[00:34:34] "If less than 50 percent of your digital orders are shipped from the store, then you should probably be very careful what you're offering." - Rick Watson

Find out more about Rick and Nate in the link below:

Rick’s LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/ecommercestrategyconsulting/
Nate’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/levelplayingfield/

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