Outsourcing the Back End eBusinesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of efficiently handling elogistics functions, which IDC defines as all activities that occur from the receipt of the order to delivery of goods to the customer. As etailers learned last year, these functions need to be linked to one another. But how to best handle these operations is a decision that more online businesses will soon face.
Companies are somewhat skeptical about outsourcing aspects of elogistics other than transportation.
The one-stop concept lacks credibility among etailers, which are most reluctant to outsource order management, the closest touchpoint to the customer base. As elogistics evolves, it is likely the suppliers will engage in partnerships to facilitate delivery of a wide range of functions, thereby sparing the customer from having to make multiple supplier pacts. However, more etailers indicated they would be receptive to outsourcing these functions within two years. The title of the executive in charge of elogistics depends on how long the company has been involved in online retail. On the List In these days of shifting balance sheets, both the customer and the supplier might be smart to investigate the other's financials.