The aim of the article is to examine how logistics creates added value in online retail and becomes a source of competitive advantage in the Polish e-commerce market. The research was conducted in 2009 using an online questionnaire and focus group methodology. It was shown that owners and employees of Polish online stores are aware of how important logistics is in running their business.
Most see it as an opportunity to improve relationships with existing customers and acquire new ones. They see timely delivery as the most important role in building a competitive advantage. One of the challenges facing online stores in Poland will be building coherent logistics concepts adapted to highly individualized customer requirements, also including a systematically resolved method for returning unwanted goods.
1. Introduction
Logistics is one of the fundamental, coherent areas of activity of a modern enterprise. Nowadays, it is gaining more and more importance both from the point of view of theory and the practice of economic life. Classically defined as the flow of goods, today logistics performs many more functions, both in the enterprise and in the entire supply chain. Modern logistics aims to ensure that the right product (in terms of type, quality, and quantity) is delivered to the right place and at the right time [Coyle, Bardi, Langley 2002]. Therefore, logistics efficiency means delivering the right product at the right time (time utility), to the right customer (place utility). It is therefore essential that the coordination of logistics utility takes place with optimal use of information flow.
Moreover, it is important that this entire process takes place at the lowest global costs, which significantly improves the efficiency of the logistics process. Economic efficiency is interpreted here as a conscious and voluntary distribution of benefits between the supplier (profit) and the customer (satisfaction of needs) [Brdulak, 2002]. (…)
The article contains 15,680 characters.
Source: Logistyka Magazine