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~ Welcome ~

FOREWORD

The fact that we now shop via online global marketplaces also
increases this complexity. Ten years ago, most of our online
purchases were domestic—we purchased from local websites
that delivered from in-country warehouses. Simple, right? Not
anymore. Today, buying from international B2C marketplaces
like Amazon, Temu, Alibaba, TikTok and others requires import
customs clearance and payment of customs duties and VAT on
an individual order level, an element that is highly dependent
on the accuracy of the shipment and product data. This adds
another layer to the complexity of the global supply chain
landscape for retailers and consumers alike. While customs is
one part of the e-commerce ecosystem, visibility and accuracy
of this process is key to not only improve consumer trust in
online shopping but to create a more efficient and cost-effective
operation for all players.

The daily challenge of getting the right goods with the right
I HATE SHOPPING. ALWAYS HAVE. information at the right place at the right time is the mantra of
supply chain. For customs clearance, getting the right data is key
think we can all relate: when I am shopping for to ensuring a smooth process for all parties, from retailer to last-
something specific in a store, it’s nowhere to be mile delivery provider to the consumer. Everyone involved in the
f
I ound. Yet when I’m simply browsing through B2C retail supply chain – from manufacturers to marketplaces to
shops in town, I end up spending far too much shippers to consumers – can benefit from good data. Investing
money on that black sweater, five variations of which in this is a worthwhile and profitable venture for all involved –
I already have hanging in my closet. In my case, my perhaps most especially for the online shoppers amongst us.
expectations of supply and demand never seem to
align on the shop floor. Online shopping undoubt- Tracy Doyle
edly gives me much more flexibility in finding what I Global Trade & Cross Border eCommerce
want, however the whole experience can be disheart- AEB
ening. The lack of visibility of my order, delivery
delays and unexpected costs are always looming.

Most consumers are unaware of the global supply chain
complexities in getting their web shop orders to their doorstep.
Where retailers previously scratched their heads about transport
and distribution challenges into brick-and-mortar shops, they
are now faced with getting millions of single-package orders
to urban and remote doorsteps, all while meeting on-time
delivery commitments to the end consumer. This process repeats
itself in reverse when the ordered item doesn’t fit or fails to
meet our expectations: we return the shipment, igniting the
complexity of the reverse logistics process. To add to this, very
few organizations—from retailers to fulfilment companies, from
online marketplaces to logistics service providers—manage these
flows independently. The supply chain is highly interdependent
and reliant on multiple hand-off points of both physical and
digital goods and information. When any of these elements
are misaligned – including the flow of data – delays occur, and
customer satisfaction suffers.

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