Maintaining the Retail Supply Chain is a key objective of the international air cargo industry.  Before we can effectively address the security of the air cargo supply chain vis a vis the retail industry, we must first understand its requirements and imperatives.

Gone are the days of single-channel apparel retailing—and supply chains servicing that model. Today, apparel retailers must optimize their supply chains to deliver products from any point where consumers want to buy them. However, the apparel retail environment is vastly different. Brick-and-mortar stores exist as merely one channel in a rapidly expanding multi-channel world that has complicated the retail landscape. The typical channel lineup for apparel retailers can now include brick-and-mortar stores; outlet locations; e-commerce sites; social and mobile commerce; catalogs; and other seasonal or single-use channels. An Inbound Logistics article entitled "Mapping the retail Supply Chain" can be accessed at: http://www.inboundlogistics.com/cms/article/you-are-everywhere-mapping-the-new-retail-supply-chain/

Growing legions of marketing consultants are pushing social media as the can’t-miss future. They argue that pitches are more likely to hit home if they come from friends on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or Google+. That’s the new word of mouth, long the gold standard in marketing. And the rivers of data that pour into these networks fuel the vision of precision targeting, in which ads are so timely and relevant that you welcome them. The hopes for such a revolution have fueled a market frenzy around social networks — and have also primed them for a fall.  This New York Times article entitled "Can Social Media sell Soap" can be accessed at: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/06/opinion/sunday/can-social-media-sell-soap.html?ref=global&_r=1&