Technology
Urban Outfitters’ Nuuly pursues more fulfillment center automation
David Hayne, President of Nuuly under Urban Outfitters Inc., stated during the earnings call on August 26 that the company is strengthening automation at its fulfillment centers and expanding the Kansas City area facility to 1 million square feet to support up to 600,000 subscribers. The related automation projects will be launched this month, in Q4, and mid-next year.
Supply Chain Dive Trendline on Warehouse automation
Amazon's BFI4 fulfillment center in Kent, Washington, processes over one million items daily, combining approximately 3,500 employees with automated robotics technology. This article takes you inside this warehouse from a first-person perspective, analyzing the fully automated workflow from receiving, storage, picking, to packaging and shipping.
The perfect mix: How convenience stores can balance human ideas and AI in SKU planning
Convenience stores operate on thin margins, making SKU planning crucial. With the rise of AI tools, retailers can leverage data-driven optimization of product categories, but must balance technology with human intelligence. This article synthesizes expert insights from BCG, Bain, Accenture, and others, analyzing technology selection, financial returns, AI limitations, and implementation pitfalls, emphasizing the critical role of human decision-making in the final step.
Boscov’s revamps e-commerce fulfillment operations
Boscov's is leveraging Manhattan Associates' ActiveOrder platform to consolidate inventory management into a single system, optimizing store fulfillment, reducing out-of-stocks, and supporting flexible options such as ship-from-store.
Dollar General deploys AI across distribution centers, stores
Dollar General is working with Relex Solutions to bring artificial intelligence to its North American supply chain network, covering 21,000 stores and 34 distribution centers. The platform integrates forecasting, replenishment, and allocation planning, aiming to enhance cross-network visibility and support the company's long-term AI strategy of building an enterprise-level agentic operating system.
Intel report shows gap between robotics expectations and readiness
A global survey commissioned by Intel reveals a 26% readiness gap in manufacturing robot deployment: 70% of executives expect to have robot fleets within five years, but only 40% have formal human-robot collaboration strategies. The report identifies unclear strategic ownership, skills training, safety, form factor, and scalability as major obstacles.
Walmart to build $1.3B fulfillment center in Georgia
Walmart plans to build a new 1.5 million-square-foot automated fulfillment center in Carnesville, Georgia, with a total investment of $1.3 billion, expected to create 1,000 jobs. The project is part of Walmart's next-generation fulfillment center network, aimed at enhancing nationwide same-day and next-day delivery capabilities. Construction is expected to begin in late 2026.
Solving organized retail theft starts with better supply chain data integrity
Retail theft is increasingly rampant, with supply chains becoming key targets for criminal groups. CargoNet reports 767 supply chain crime incidents in Q1 2026, with losses exceeding $131.58 million. On the policy front, the CORCA Act proposes establishing a coordination center. Industry experts point out that the solution lies in strengthening supply chain data integrity, enabling cross-enterprise data sharing through serialized tracking, RFID technology, and EPCIS standards, thereby improving investigation efficiency, combating crime, and delivering multiple benefits such as inventory optimization.
Amazon, fulfillment tech company AutoStore ink global supply deal
AutoStore and Amazon have entered a strategic supply framework, enabling future procurement of AutoStore's automated storage and retrieval systems. No purchase commitments are included, and both companies declined further comment.
Amazon to expand drone delivery reach sixfold this year
Amazon announced Wednesday a major expansion of its Prime Air drone delivery service, targeting nearly 500 cities and towns by the end of 2026—six times its current reach. New metro areas include Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland, Boise, and Syracuse. The company cites progress in regulatory certification and hardware iteration, while competing with Walmart and DoorDash in fast shipping.