Downstream supply chain management
To encourage customers to buy from you again and again can be difficult. If you can make the process of buying as easy for them as possible, the chance of repeat purchasing increases.
Tesco have recently tried to improve their downstream supply chain by providing a new iPhone application. As you use something in your home and you know you will need to replace it, you can take a picture of the bar code as you throw away the packaging and the app. will add it to your shopping list.
Or you are at a friend’s for dinner and you enjoy their meal. You can scan the bar code of their ingredients and so on.
Tesco will even pick up everything from their shelves and deliver it to your home. Of course there is a fee for this. After all they are adding value so they should be charging for it according to Porter.
Sadly this service is not available in all countries yet.
