[ES] Dark Stores: how do the customerless shops that are revolutionising e-commerce work?

Not so long ago the term ‘Dark Store’ had hardly any meaning in the retail sector. However, the pandemic has led to unprecedented digitisation in every sense of the word. One of the areas that has evolved the most is e-commerce, and with it, new sales areas have emerged. Precisely one of these is the so-called Dark Stores .

Dark Stores have emerged as a result of the rise of e-commerce. According to a report by Statista, worldwide online sales will reach 5.42 trillion dollars by 2022. This increase will also be significant in the coming years. Moreover, by the end of 2024, the figure is expected to reach $6.39 trillion. And in 10 years, the turnover is expected to increase sixfold.

New consumers require speed and want their orders to take as little time as possible to reach their destination. This is something that Dark Stores are trying to achieve. Do you want to know more about this phenomenon, how it can benefit your business and what kind of packaging to use with it? Read on, we’ll tell you all about it!

What are Dark Stores?

Dark Stores are shops that only sell their products virtually. In other words, the physical space is relegated to a logistical function. The shops become small distribution and shipping centres. They are closed to the public, as they are only used to fulfil orders placed online.

Until the pandemic, these types of shops were more common in sectors such as food. Today, their use has become more widespread in other sectors such as fashion, retail, furniture and household goods.

How do Dark Stores work?

In physical shops, everything is arranged to enhance the shopping experience. The lighting, the music, the location of the displays… However, in Dark Stores the key lies not only in the company’s website, but also in the automation of processes. The objective in these spaces is that when the customer places the order, the machinery is activated so that nothing fails in the dispatch process and that the established delivery and reception deadlines are met.

There are two types of Dark Stores: one that promotes the collection of the product in the establishment (Pick-Up from Store) and one that delivers it to the customer’s home. In the former, the company opens a special pick-up section to avoid the customer having to go through the entire shop to find the item they are interested in. On the other hand, when it comes to home delivery, the process is fast, convenient and contact-free.

Advantages of Dark Stores that you should know about

• Better distribution. Since customers cannot enter Dark Stores, their distribution can be optimised and planned for more storage and better order picking capacity.
• Greater reach. Converting a physical shop into a Dark Store provides a much larger potential audience, as products are now accessible online to everyone, 24 hours a day.
• Shopping security. The pandemic has forced greater social distancing and the creation of safe environments in which to shop. As long as Covid-19 continues to exist, Dark Stores will perform this function by allowing the consumer to purchase items in a physical shop without having to enter it.
• Increased efficiency. With the adoption of logistics 4.0 methods and more technology in the loading, storage and picking stages, shops have the ability to increase the number of units being delivered while driving a more efficient operation.
• Better quality. A ShopperVista study notes that one in five users have stopped shopping online because of the short shelf life of products. One in six have done so because of unsatisfactory quality of goods. In Dark Stores, stock rotation is optimally managed. In addition, all items have a guaranteed shelf life.

The best RAJA® packaging for Dark Stores

Packaging is everything in e-commerce and Dark Stores to ensure that products arrive in the best possible condition. Do you have doubts about whether you should pack the items you sell in a plain cardboard box or in a customised, made-to-measure cardboard box? Do you know about packaging that makes returns easier to handle? We recommend the best RAJA® packaging to save space, be EcoResponsible and make the best impression on the customer.

These are just a few examples but we have much more packaging to meet the needs of Dark Stores in our packaging webshop.

Converting a physical shop into a Dark Store is a way to reduce costs, optimise the supply chain and take advantage of online shopping . Many retailers have already joined this trend – do you also dream of making yours a success? Make sure you give the best service to your customers! And don’t forget that packaging is fundamental in this task. All you have to do is enter our specialised e-commerce packaging section and place your order now!