E-Commerce cold chain fulfillment
Name
927315385-MIT.pdf
Description
Full printable version
Size
9.11 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
8c7ccfef3e2ef85f032119913581665a
Author(s) •
Yakzan, Mounir
Nelson, Jordan
Advisor(s)
James B. Rice Jr.
Alternative Title
Electronic-commerce cold chain fulfillment
Date Issued
2015
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
A challenging part of E-Commerce for perishable consumer packaged goods (PCPG) is the fulfillment. Given the fragile nature of the items shipped, they require a low cost, effective cold chain fulfillment method so as to keep integrity, ensure speed at an affordable low cost for the end consumer. Our research, in partnership with one of the big PCPG items, addressed four aspects of the fulfillment process: Shipments routing, return process, competitive research and packaging techniques. Through a research process, we looked at shipment routing techniques for network optimization and density solutions, return process through different nodes in the supply chain, competitive research looking E-Commerce websites that sell PCPG products and comparing each of them to understand their underlying pricing methods and looked at current packaging techniques, current available and future technologies in packaging. We scored each of the aspects based on three KPIs, speed, quality and cost; we put forth several combinations that focused on each KPI by itself and aimed at maximizing speed or quality or minimizing cost. This research serves to direct focus based on the KPI desired on the aspects that help optimize said KPI and can be generalized to other E-Commerce products requiring cold chain delivery.
Description
Thesis: M. Eng. in Logistics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2015.
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 71-73).
Subjects
Engineering Systems Division.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
Terms of Use
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