It’s official: we’re now Whiplash!
Effective May 2021, we’ve rebranded from Port Logistics Group (think port-centered logistics) to Whiplash—illuminating the care, accuracy, scale and speed we put into our direct-to-consumer (D2C) order fulfillment solutions.
Don’t get us wrong. We remain a 3PL that serves wholesalers, manufacturers, retailers and distributors for their distribution and order fulfillment needs.
And that’s the whole point: multi-channel connectivity (a.k.a. omnichannel connectivity) and high-touch scalable solutions are demanded today across the retail supply chain.
Whiplash combines the best of Port Logistics Group with Whiplash Merchandising Inc., pairing data-driven logistics with advanced ecommerce and fulfillment automation to deliver on the brand promises of our clients – every time an order is fulfilled.
“The new brand affirms our position as a provider of true omnichannel distribution and order fulfillment services enabled by our high-performance operations,” said Jeff Wolpov, CEO of Whiplash (formerly Port Logistics Group). “These operations are the foundation of what we do through our people, processes and technologies every day, across our many offices, omnichannel-ready distribution centers, and warehouses around the country.”
Our acquisition of Whiplash Merchandising in 2019 followed our 2018 investment in the Silicon Valley startup. This gave us a leg up in seamless ecommerce technology, supplementing our already robust logistics IT to bring truly real-time inventory, warehouse, and order management capabilities to our customers.
At this time, we brought into our fold many emerging, exciting D2C brands – and these companies are growing with us as they expand their audiences and even open their own stores.
Our new brand incorporates our heritage of partnering with our customers on their journey to help them grow, pivot, and innovate. It also reflects the seismic shifts seen in recent years to the retail landscape and in consumer behavior – changes that were accelerated once the pandemic took hold last year.
From emerging brands to established retailers alike, we take a consultative approach with our customers, helping them to look at what’s next and figure out the best strategies to succeed.
Consumer expectations for a seamless customer experience (CX) have only intensified given the rise in retail ecommerce transactions triggered by the restrictions of COVID-19.
In 2020 alone, online spending made up 21% of total U.S. retail sales, up from over 15% in 2019 according to Digital Commerce 360 estimates. The growth is remarkable when you consider that in 2010, online sales accounted for just 6.4% of all U.S. retail sales.
Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar store or an online-only storefront, a great brand experience is now the expectation. This requires over-communicating with your customer and offering options on delivery times and fulfillment methods. Consumers have come to expect hybrid retail experiences that maximize convenience, from BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) to in-store return options for products ordered online.
All of this has massively raised the bar for the retail ecosystem as a whole.
“To be successful, retailers also have to be able to sell in any channel,” Greg Morello, President and Chief Commercial Officer of Whiplash (formerly Port Logistics Group) told Internet Retailer/Digital Commerce 360 in his 2018 article.
“Companies need to take that into account as they build a supply chain strategy, and then find a 3PL partner who will not only help them execute on that, but also delight their customers with every order,” Morello said.
The future of retail has already arrived. Technology is integral to providing and enabling a seamless customer experience throughout fulfillment and delivery – and beyond.
Since our company was founded in 2008, when online sales were only 5.3% of all U.S. retail sales, we were aware of the need to enhance our D2C ecommerce fulfillment services to meet the demands of the always-connected consumer, and we’ve been expanding our omnichannel capabilities ever since.
We’re on an endless journey with our customers to innovate and evolve, making a seamless connection between technology and logistics for best-in-class service.
In the words of Brian Weinstein, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Whiplash (formerly Port Logistics Group), in the 2019 Q&A with Internet Retailer/Digital Commerce 360.
“Without technology, we wouldn’t be where we are today, and because of technology we’ll be somewhere different tomorrow.”
We understand our leadership position as a D2C fulfillment provider, and pledge to keep doing our part to offer modern fulfillment solutions and advanced technologies.
That’s a promise.
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