Thanks to order and return forecasts, Mode Logistik GmbH & Co. KG has now been able to better plan e-commerce logistics.
Challenge
Mode Logistik GmbH & Co. KG operates the entire logistics of fashion retailer Peek & Cloppenburg KG based in Düsseldorf1. In addition to retail logistics, Mode Logistik is also responsible for the online retail warehouses of Fashion ID GmbH & Co. KG.
The fashion retailer's online trade is very dynamic and presents the logistics service provider with a major challenge in warehouse and delivery planning. It is also becoming increasingly important for consumers. For better planning of e-commerce logistics, forecasts of orders and returns in online retail were made.
Approach
A variety of data sources were investigated to forecast future orders and returns. In addition to past order and return quantities and inventories, well-known data on marketing campaigns and holidays are included in the calculation. For modelling, various forecasting methods were tested and assessed in terms of their quality.
In order to include the employee's expert knowledge in addition to the above data, employees can create their own attributes via a graphical interface and incorporate them into the analysis.
Outcomes
The order and return forecasts significantly simplify the customer's capacity planning. With the tool provided, forecasts can be made at the push of a button and optimally incorporated into everyday working life.
1: There are two independent companies Peek & Cloppenburg with headquarters in Düsseldorf and Hamburg. This reference refers to Peek & Cloppenburg KG based in Düsseldorf, whose locations can be found at www.peek-cloppenburg.de.