In a first for the e-fulfilment sector, iForce is combining online fulfilment, online returns and retail returns processing for Sainsbury’s non-food goods under one roof. The service, which went live in July, is based at a 250,000 sq ft depot in Corby.
Shoppers can buy non-food ranges from sainsburys.co.uk – anything from toys to televisions, cups to computers. The site offers some 8,000 non-food products. iForce is providing its comprehensive fulfilment service for online orders (e-fulfilment) at Corby, managed by its in-house SMaRT software, while the company’s IRS (Intelligent Routeing System) provides carrier management.
The returns processing service consolidates returns of non-food products bought from retail stores and online. Using another in-house system, ReSCU, iForce manages the dispersal of the returns, routeing perfect-condition goods straight back to stock in Corby or the onward sale of raw returns and discounted lines via its Buy-
Force platform, which sells single and bulk pallets of all types of customer returns to B2B customers and the general public. iForce will also recycle obsolete items in accordance with the WEEE Directive to all but eliminate waste going to landfill.
David James, head of Sainsbury’s Logistics Non Food, says: “We are very pleased to be working in partnership with iForce on this new and exciting venture for Sainsbury’s. They have helped us develop an effective and efficient e-fulfilment operation that is fully customer focused and also accommodates our returns operation.”
