{"id":1990,"date":"2021-09-20T09:06:47","date_gmt":"2021-09-20T14:06:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/end-to-end-supply-chain\/"},"modified":"2026-04-20T20:48:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T20:48:56","slug":"end-to-end-supply-chain","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.shipbob.com\/au\/blog\/end-to-end-supply-chain\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding & Improving an End-to-End Supply Chain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Table of Contents<\/p>

** Minutes<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n

What does \u201cend-to-end supply chain\u201d mean?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why E2E visibility is important in today\u2019s ecommerce economy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What all is included in end-to-end supply chain management?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common end-to-end supply chain challenges<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tips for improving your supply chain \u2013 from end-to-end<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improve your supply chain visibility with ShipBob<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find ecommerce operations jobs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

End-to-end supply chain FAQs<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

For many growing and established direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands<\/a> alike, the supply chain is the most critical but also most challenging aspect of their operations. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The process involves complex steps, from procurement, to shipping products to end users, often resulting in a lack of visibility and high operational costs. No wonder many businesses struggle with supply chain delays and poor customer service! <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Efficient end-to-end supply chain planning<\/a> can help solve these challenges. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this post, we take a look at how you can improve your end-to-end supply chain operations<\/a> and create a seamless workflow to enhance supply chain visibility<\/a> and reduce operational costs. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s dive in.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does \u201cend-to-end supply chain\u201d mean?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

End-to-end (E2E) supply chain refers to all supply chain processes, from logistics procurement<\/a> to the post-sale customer experience. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

E2E supply chain management<\/a> aims to provide a seamless workflow from one stage of the supply chain to the next. The goal is to reduce supply chain delays, improve supply chain visibility, and improve operational costs while meeting customer demand and expectations. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why E2E visibility is important in today\u2019s ecommerce economy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Proper supply chain management relies heavily on end-to-end visibility. Without knowledge of how operations are performing across the entire <\/span>ecommerce supply chain<\/span><\/a>, online retailers will have a hard time making the right decisions or responding to unexpected events appropriately.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every supply chain is susceptible to disruptions \u2014 whether it\u2019s due to inclement weather, accidents, loss of labour, natural calamities, IT outages, or cyber attacks. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The COVID-19 pandemic<\/a> also forced major online brands to rethink their supply chain operations. 56%<\/a> of retailers experienced moderate disruption from the pandemic. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But even before the pandemic, <\/span>62%<\/span><\/a> of companies<\/span> have already experienced significant financial loss from not having enough visibility over operations when a disruption occurred.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having real-time visibility can help you build a more resilient supply chain<\/a> by mitigating risk and responding to situations more efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

What all is included in end-to-end supply chain management?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

End-to-end supply chain management involves all the steps in your supply chain, starting with sourcing ecommerce inventory<\/a> to managing the post-purchase experience. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s an overview of the critical stages throughout an end-to-end supply chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Procurement & manufacturing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s common for business owners to make the assumption that the supply chain starts after inventory is sourced and received, and instead the only focus is on getting finished goods<\/a> from the warehouse to the end user.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In truth, the E2E supply chain process begins with <\/span>procurement logistics<\/span><\/a>, which involves sourcing inventory from suppliers and manufacturers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Changes in the procurement phase (e.g., production lead times<\/a> or the price of raw materials) can impact the rest of your supply chain, especially inventory planning<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In order to optimise stock availability<\/a>, you need to also factor in production and warehouse receiving lead times. By not factoring in potential delays during this phase, you risk facing stock issues later on such as backorders<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In terms of product pricing<\/a>, if the price of production inventory<\/a> goes up, so does the price of finished goods. When this occurs, you will need to be prepared to communicate with your customers of price increases sooner than later if you choose to go this route.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distribution<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

At this stage of the supply chain, you already have your available inventory ready to sell. Now, it\u2019s time to move inventory through the supply chain and eventually to your customer\u2019s front door. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distribution management<\/span><\/a> is a major part of the supply chain as it involves strategically allocating product<\/a> across sales channels and distribution centres<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only does it involve storing inventory close to where customers are located (to ensure fast, affordable delivery), but it also involves the implementation of a multichannel retailing<\/a> strategy, which refers to selling product across different sales channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-executed distribution strategy can improve profit margins and help your brand grow faster. How you get products in front of the right audience, to how you quickly you can deliver products to customers is all part of managing a distribution strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Storage<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once inventory is received, it must stored properly to ensure a seamless warehouse picking<\/a> and packing process. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are several options when it comes to storing inventory: self-storage, renting a warehouse, or in a 3PL\u2019s fulfilment centre. Though all options are viable, it comes down to what works best for your business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keep in mind that storage can be a hefty cost if not managed correctly. The cost of just holding or storing inventory can be high, especially if it is a variable cost. The more inventory you have, the more you will pay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many brands save on storage during the beginning stages of their business with in-house fulfilment<\/a>, but they\u2019ll be spending more time on fulfilling orders, which can be a large opportunity cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When brands start to manage a high volume or orders as more orders come in, outsourcing your storage and fulfilment needs to a 3PL puts your inventory exactly where it needs to be when shipping to customers. This ultimately speeds up the process, saves on logistics costs<\/a>, and improves order accuracy<\/a> rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shipping & last-mile delivery<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Ecommerce shipping<\/span><\/a> involves preparing orders  to be transported to the end user and optimising the last-mile delivery<\/a> process.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reliable and cost-effective shipping is one of the important stages of the supply chain as it helps to maintain customer loyalty<\/a> and customer satisfaction. If your customers are not receiving their products fast enough, it\u2019s easy for them to look for your products elsewhere with better delivery options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shipping incentives are used as marketing tool, such as 2-day shipping<\/a> and free shipping<\/a>. Fast-growing online brands put a lot into their shipping strategy<\/a> by offering different shipping methods and partnering with a mix of shipping couriers that will help them deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, managing multiple couriers and offering affordable shipping can be a complex, time-intensive, and difficult process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why many brands partner with a 3PL like ShipBob that partners with all major couriers, as well as regional parcel couriers<\/a>. 3PLs negotiate bulk shipping rates and pass the savings on to you and your customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sales & customer service<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As your business grows, providing quality common service is key. <\/span>The <\/span>retail supply chain<\/span><\/a> depends on <\/span> have with your business and could influence customer loyalty. To do this, you must provide top-notch ecommerce customer service<\/a> that is in tune with your supply chain, from understanding the shipping policy<\/a> to being able to track orders.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Common end-to-end supply chain challenges<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even the most well-established DTC brands are susceptible to challenges in the end-to-end supply chain. <\/span>Some of the most common challenges include the following:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of visibility<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to Statista<\/a>, visibility is the biggest challenge faced by supply chain executives, especially when it comes to inventory.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you have seamless <\/span>inventory visibility<\/span><\/a>, it makes room for <\/span>real-time inventory management<\/span><\/a> and an <\/span>agile supply chain<\/span><\/a>. Yet visibility is hard to achieve even for the smallest operations. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of visibility is why many brands order more inventory than they actually need or don\u2019t order enough to meet demand. Improper inventory management can lead to higher costs and reduced customer satisfaction. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

While there are a lot of steps that are crucial for enhancing supply chain visibility, implementing technology and automation can help. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For instance, ShipBob\u2019s fulfilment technology tracks inventory movement in real time. <\/span>T<\/span>hus, you\u2019re able to collect data and performance that provides crucial supply chain analytics<\/a> for everything from inventory flow to shipping performance. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWe have a Shopify store but do not use Shopify to track inventory. In terms of tracking inventory, we use ShipBob for everything \u2014 to be able to track each bottle of perfume, what we have left, and what we\u2019ve shipped, while getting a lot more information on each order. <\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The analytics are super helpful. We download Excel files from the ShipBob dashboard all the time and use them to analyse everything from cancelations, to examining order weights, to checking on whether ShipBob is shipping orders on time.\u201d<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ines Guien, Vice President of Operations at Dossier<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

High operational costs<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Operational costs throughout the supply chain are paid to manufacturers and suppliers, as well as warehousing, shipping couriers, freight brokers, and a variety of other third-parties that make up your logistics operations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without keeping a close eye on operational costs throughout the supply chain, you risk cutting into ideal profit margins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ShipBob is a 3PL that makes it easy to track logistics costs, from storage to fulfilment costs<\/a> and shipping. Along with offering transparent billing, ShipBob provides insights into how costs are being distributed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the ShipBob dashboard, you can get insights into:<\/p>\n\n\n\n