Logistics & Fulfillment for E-Business: A Practical Guide to Mastering Back Off

Logistics and fulfillment management is unglamorous, complex and expensive, but it is one of the primary factors determining whether an e-business will be profitable.

Many enterprises (large and small) rush into the e-business model without adequate consideration of logistics and fulfillment systems.

The author walks the reader through the labyrinth of technical and outsourcing choices. This book covers, in depth, the processes and systems necessary to ensure that an e-tail or B2B commerce site can deliver its product to the customer in a quick, cost-effective and traceable manner --from the moment the customer clicks the "buy" button to the instant it is in the customer's hands, plus the after-sales issues -- returns, technical support, warranties, etc.

The book also explores the virtual world of e-business as its processes merge with the day-to-day realities of commerce: procurement, inventory management, supply chain management, order fulfillment and delivery of products to global customers.

A first class logistics and fulfillment management system brings numerous efficiencies and cost-savings through data sharing, collaboration and value chain visibility -- for both the B2B and the e-tail models. This is the first book to address the full impact of logistics and fulfillment and to take on how an e-business can handle the challenges all enterprises face when moving their business systems and processes online -- for good logistics is good e-business!

Janice Reynolds is a writer, editor, speaker and consultant in information technology and the Internet/intranet. Prior to starting her own consulting firm in 1995, Ms. Reynolds was the litigation manager of a large New York City law firm. She is the author of "The Complete E-Commerce Book". She has edited numerous technical books and led several e-commerce development teams. Ms. Reynolds provides advice to numerous budding entrepreneurs as the "E-commerce Expert" on Allbusiness.com. She also consults with numerous established companies concerning their Internet ventures.