Article | Harvard Business Review (website) | July 3, 2020

Delivery Apps Need to Start Treating Suppliers As Partners

by Scott Duke Kominers and Ian Macomber

Abstract

Home delivery has shifted from a luxury service aimed at young urban professionals to a core part of many businesses, which is used by almost everyone. That upheaval has strained capacity of many delivery services and changed how they relate to the suppliers that they depend on. Specifically, it has meant a less immediate focus on customer acquisition and retention, and more investment in metrics and technology for supporting retailer operations. As delivery becomes a substantial fraction of stores’ sales, marketplaces can help coach suppliers on more efficient fulfillment; identify and share best practices around staffing, store layout, and delivery processes; and provide technology solutions to help small businesses optimize their operations around delivery, such as cloud-based inventory logs and modern point-of-sale systems.

Keywords: Service Delivery; Supply Chain; Performance Capacity; Performance Efficiency; Entrepreneurship;

Format: Electronic Find at Harvard Register to Read

Citation:

Kominers, Scott Duke, and Ian Macomber. "Delivery Apps Need to Start Treating Suppliers As Partners." Harvard Business Review (website) (July 3, 2020).

About the Author

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Scott Duke Kominers
MBA Class of 1960 Associate Professor of Business Administration
Entrepreneurial Management

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