DeliveryX editor Katie Searles is joined in the studio by David Morin, head of customer & retail strategy at Narvar, to look back over the first series of Beyond the Buy Button.

With clips from Selfridges, Pandora, Wolverine Worldwide and Yodel, the panel will review topics including sustainability, packaging, supply chain transparency, technology and carrier management.

Stores can become mini warehouses, with stock located close to consumers. RFID technology gives retailers an accurate view of store stock optimising stock replenishment and enabling staff and customers to see exactly what’s in store. This episode looks at the complications when picking stock from store, the future of click & collect and how rapid delivery fits in.

In the main, scope 3 emissions make up the largest part of a retailer’s carbon emissions, so a brand or retailer is not just measuring their own impact on the planet – and the people that produce the products they sell – but those emitted by everyone throughout the supply chain and every part that makes up the final product.

Jessi Baker, founder of Provenance, and Markus Linder, co-founder & CEO of Inoqo, join Katie and Ian to discuss how retailers can share their sustainable supply chain journey.

In this episode we look at how ecommerce deliveries are now part of the customer experience, with boxes and bags as well as product packaging providing part of the brand story.

For some consumers, an order being delivered is the first physical contact with the brand. Almost 1 in 5 consumers say they won’t buy from retailers who don’t use sustainable packaging.

Katie Searles in joined by Stephan Ango from end-to-end packaging firm Lumi to discuss how retailers balance brand storytelling with practical information around the product or returns. While also looking at limiting the shipping of air filled boxes and ensuring boxes are sustainable.

Behind the microphones:

Stephan Ango, co-founder of Lumi: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanango/

Katie Searles, Editor of DeliveryX:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-searles-522451132/

Retail doesn’t stand still, and in this episode the panel discusses the continuous changes and the increasing pace of change. The discussion covers how the pandemic altered things again, as did/does Brexit.

Flexibility and agility are required through daily trading and the year’s peaks and troughs along with scalability for future growth. A big ask for an industry that not that long ago was used to moving pallets rather than individual products.

Discussion points in the podcast

How do you plan for peak trading?

How do you build agility and flexibility into what appear to be rigid warehouse operations?

What lessons can be learnt from the agility of grocery retailers in 2020?

Behind the microphones

Ricky Wilson, VP Global eCommerce & Digital Operations at Pandora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickydwilson/

Steven Irwin, Director at Wolverine Worldwide: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irwinsteven/

Sham Aziz, Head of Customer Service at Selfridges: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamasaziz/

David Morin, Head of Retail & Client Strategy, Narvar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmorinsf/

Katie Searles, Editor of DeliveryX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-searles-522451132/

Ian Jindal, CEO RetailX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/

In this episode we discuss how as ecommerce continues to grow more people will be needed to fill logistics, warehousing and delivery posts.

The panel looks at how retailers are responding to the labour gap including:

- AO increasing its warehousing capacity by more than 80% over the last 18 months, creating more than 1,500 jobs across the business.

- John Lewis investing in extra freight and ships to ensure goods arrived in time for Christmas, as well as providing hot meals for festive temps

Discussion points in the podcast

Is it a case of throwing money at the problem?

What can be done to increase staff retention?

What training initiatives are working well?

Behind the microphones

Sham Aziz, Head of Customer Service at Selfridges: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shamasaziz/

Ricky Wilson, VP Global eCommerce & Digital Operations at Pandora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickydwilson/

Katie Searles, Editor of DeliveryX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-searles-522451132/

David Morin, Head of Retail & Client Strategy, Narvar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmorinsf/

Ian Jindal, CEO RetailX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/

In this episode we consider the business models, drivers and commercial options for delivery companies. We've seen the importance of service quality to the customer - who of course also demands extensive options and a zero cost - and so in this episode, we focus on how the carriers are adapting to, or leading, the retailer's requirements.

We're joined by Mike Hancox, CEO of Yodel, and we cover:

• Carrier reputation and customer experience
• getting the 'basics' right - with a discussion on what constitutes 'basic' in our competitive market
• mobile notifications and the importance of 'in flight' visibility
• the changes in next-day delivery and customer expectation
• dealing with a 30% jump in parcel volumes
• will customers payf to sustainability
• the economics of bikes, routing improvements and e-vans.

Throughout all of the above it's interesting to note Mike's frequent reference to the importance of technology investment - for improved capabilities and also margin.

This episode is part of a series of 10 podcasts looking Beyond the Buy Button - subscribe to access all of them, as well as the full 'behind the scenes' interviews with our guests.

Behind the microphones:

Mike Hancox, CEO Yodel: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hancox-b57a883/

Katie Searles, Editor of DeliveryX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-searles-522451132/

Chris Hoskin, Regional Director of Marketing, EMEA at Narvar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishoskin/

Ian Jindal, CEO RetailX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/

Recorded at Spiritland Studios, London.

For our discussion on "returns" we are joined in the studio by Ricky Wilson of Pandora, and Steven Irwin of Wolverine Worldwide (the group that counts Sweaty Better, Wolverine, Saucony and Merrell amongst its brands).

With 89% of UK consumers saying that ease of returns is a top priority, we discuss:

• how to make returns smoothly
• serial returns and 'wardrobing'
• "trusted exchanges" and how to speed exchange and refund
• can exchanges lead to further sales
• reducing returns at the 'buy button'
• the paperless future for returns and exchanges.

This episode is part of a series of 10 podcasts looking Beyond the Buy Button - subscribe to access all of them, as well as the full 'behind the scenes' interviews with our guests.

Behind the microphones:

Ricky Wilson, VP Global eCommerce & Digital Operations at Pandora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickydwilson/

Steven Irwin, Director at Wolverine Worldwide: https://www.linkedin.com/in/irwinsteven/

Katie Searles, Editor of DeliveryX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-searles-522451132/

Chris Hoskin, Regional Director of Marketing, EMEA at Narvar: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrishoskin/

Ian Jindal, CEO RetailX: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ianjindal/

Recorded at Spiritland Studios, London.