Dark Stores, Are They So Dark?

Confusion! Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, that was the situation of supply chain networks in 2020. Even if things are unquestionably better now, one must acknowledge that the pandemic's instability has sped up a lot of tendencies. There was undoubtedly a faster speed of innovation and acceptance of new concepts and technology amid all the commotion. Dark stores are one such trend that has now entered the mainstream. 

It sounds like a store which is dark not illuminated. They are exactly just how you had imagined. And then purposefully these outlets are placed in relatively regular bazaars to attract clients attention who are nearer.  They do so to facilitate prompt fulfilment of local internet orders. These stores have trained staff who can rapidly pick up an item since they know exactly where it is located. Due to the epidemic, more consumers are shopping online, making dark storefronts essential in industries like supermarkets, apparel, and home products.

The future lies in permanent dark stores.

Supply chain companies are compelled to discover solutions for automation and fulfilment right away due to the burgeoning demand for grocery stores. However, with those technologies in place, dark retailers might end up serving as clients on a long-term basis. We'll have to deal with a new normal even when the coronavirus has receded, and consumers try to resume some semblance of normalcy. Customers who have used curbside pickup, delivery, and e-commerce are likely to incorporate some of these practices into their daily routines. Many establishments continue to impose social distance policies or restrict the number of clients they allow inside at once. While still safeguarding consumers and staff, dark stores aid in smoothing out all those shifts.

Dark Stores are not dark because…

1. Lowers the cost of logistics

While dark stores resemble traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, they are not built with consumers inside. Dark stores are facilities that are solely used for fulfilment activities. They are strategically situated close to clients, which greatly lowers the expenses of last-mile delivery and pick-per-unit. Dark stores promote higher efficiency and can save shipping costs by 10% to 30% because they solely stock products to fulfil online orders.

2. It should be simple perishables transportation and storage

Groceries, milk, and meat are examples of perishable items that must arrive at the customer's doorstep within the appropriate expiration window. Due to their proximity to delivery locations, dark storefronts help keep perishable goods fresh and facilitate quick delivery. Consumers had to stay inside, especially during the pandemic, and worries about safety made even the simplest tasks, like food shopping, appear difficult and stressful. With the promise of immediate, contactless deliveries, retailers partnered with dark store service providers to take advantage of this possibility. But before all that, storage of the perishable good in the warehouse before reaching the customer is most crucial. Cold chain management companies like AWL India have an advanced warehousing solution like WAAS (Warehouse As A Service) that runs on a fully automated system and cold chain management that preserve foods, medicine and other perishable goods to the best of their age.

3. Carries a wide variety of goods

With business intelligence, dark stores are designed with the superior storage and choosing capabilities in mind. Dark stores aren't created for in-store buying, so businesses don't have to spend money on their aesthetics or interiors. Businesses have a better chance of storing more product variants in a dark store than in typical retail stores because it holds a concentrated group of high-demand products. Increased customer orders and higher revenues result from offering more product options.

4. Meets the demand for delivery services

To meet the needs of on-demand deliveries, dark storefronts are quite effective. The order and purchase procedure has changed significantly from a few years ago due to the ongoing evolution of customer expectations. A customer finds a product while casually perusing the web, decides to buy it on the spur of the moment, and anticipates delivery in a matter of minutes or hours. Dark stores enable improved SKU control and greater last-mile connection, making these on-demand delivery requirements viable. Companies like AWL India are supporting as well as being leading logistics companies in India. The unplanned ordering behaviour seen among today's comfort-oriented consumers can be effectively addressed by dark storefronts.

Conclusion

Omnichannel is the retail of the future. Dark stores are the first step in a new strategy that fully embraces a digital-first retail environment. While we don't see brick-and-mortar stores disappearing anytime soon — some brands and retailers will always benefit from a physical presence, take luxury companies as an example. Dark stores are a powerful omnichannel approach that is here to stay, delivering higher capacity, the ability to scale, and enabling speedier delivery when the proper infrastructure and technology are in place. Dark stores need support from great logistic companies in India and then there will be a lot of change in people’s lives.

Also Read: Logistics Service Provider in India