GOODS IN TRANSIT
With the value of goods lost or stolen in transit exceeding $25 billion annually and customers demanding perfect order fulfillment, the ability to monitor goods in transit is critical to the success of almost any company that ships its products through either complex or simple transportation networks. Items most susceptible to theft while in transit include:
- Consumer Electronics
- Designer Apparel and Accessories
- Wine, Spirits, and Cigarettes
- Cosmetics and Perfumes
- Pharmaceuticals
These items all have a high value-to-size ratio, are difficult to identify as being stolen, are easy to conceal, and are in high demand on the “black market”.
To further complicate matters, supply chains have become increasingly complex. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to work with multiple trading partners, multiple shipping carriers, and a number customers requiring different replenishment scenarios. Ensuring that goods in transit arrive on time with the order intact is essential to surviving in today’s competitive business environment.
To gain greater visibility into goods moving through the supply chain, many companies are using advanced location-based services (LBS) applications. The combination of discrete tracking devices placed in crates or on packages and the location functionality in Omnilink’s LBS platform FocalPoint™, provides visibility into the location of inventory in real time.
Through FocalPoint™ and its ability to easily integrate with virtually any tracking device, companies have the ability to track items from the moment they leave the warehouse until they arrive at the appropriate location. Functionality, like the enter and exit zones included in solutions built on FocalPoint™, enable users to receive automatic alerts if an item leaves a specific location or is in motion when it is supposed to be stationary.
