What is E-trade? | • Any way of doing business using the internet
– Online shopping
• Private persons
• Companies
– Industrial e-trade
• It is far bigger than online shopping, but less complicated
– Internal, web-based ordering system |
What is Industrial e-trade (B2B)? | • Industrial e-trade:
– Big amount of demand delivered to few customers points
– Long lead times
– Multiple supply chain levels
– Specific (and agreed) delivery conditions |
What is Online shopping? | – Much smaller deliveries, over much larger geographical areas
– Shorter lead-times
– Fewer levels in the supply chain
– Overall delivery conditions |
What are the different VRP-aspects of e-trade? | Time windows
Fleet (flotta) mix and vehicle choice
Different transportation/delivery modes
Shortest path in a city
Multi-dimensional planing (veritkal planering att levera till kund i t.ex. byggnader)
Return logistics
Inventory management |
What is Time windows? | • What critical time windows can you think of that affect e-trade and its
logistics, especially in an urban setting?
– Delivery time windows (En tid när leveransen är beräknad att levereras)
– Access time windows
• Parking places
• Streets accessibility |
What is Fleet (flotta) mix and vehicle choice? | • Not only the distance from point A to point B is important
– It might consist of long hauls (sträckor) and city logistics (usually the last mile
logistics)
• In Long hauls usually big trucks and lorries are used
• In city logistics and last-mile logistics smaller vehicles are used
• It might be necessary to utilize (utnyttja) distribution centers and consolidation |
What is Different transportation/delivery modes? | • Drones
– Their routing might be easier as they do not need to follow roads
– Subject to aviation rules (luftfartsregler)
– Cannot function under all weather conditions
– (More) limited capacity
• Bikes
– Limited delivery capacity
– Similar routing problems as vehicles (both use roads) |
What is Shortest path in a city? | • In a city (or even outside city) the path from point A to point B does not have the same length as the path from point B to point A
– On-way streets
– Obstacles (hinder) on one side of roads
– Left turn / right turn
– Time considerations (trängsel i vissa tider på vissa områden)
• Cost considerations
– Driving times
– Waiting times (e.g., loading, unloading, parking/docking) |
What is Multi-dimensional planing (veritkal planering att levera till kund i t.ex. byggnader)? | – Elevators in high buildings
– Time and cost not only related to being in the vehicle
– Capacity of individual and load carrier and elevator!
– Time windows for deliveries, within the building
– Parking possibilities and fees |
What is Return logistics? | • Online shopping entails (medför) a high level of returns
• In logistics planning and costs calculations the returns need to be considered
• Who pays the return cost, the consumer or seller?
• What is the environmental impact of it? |
What is Inventory management? | • When should a company (seller) order new products and how much?
– Known demand vs. Estimated demand
– Current Inventory
• Returns affect it
– Affecting the production rate of the company or its supplier
– Affecting the functions of warehouses |