Abstract

The retail business is transforming at lightning speed, powered by technology and shifting consumer behavior. Digital supply chains are a differentiator. This paper provides an overview of the evolution of digital supply chains in retail, scanning trends, tools, and drivers of change from several peer-reviewed articles and industry reports (2010–2025). Studies reveal that only such stores with end-to-end digital strategies realize 15–30% inventory saving, 20–40% fulfillment time reduction, and 25–50% gains in demand forecast accuracy. Those who have 75%+ digital maturity recover from disruption 60% faster and achieve 35% higher customer satisfaction. It is founded on balance among technological capability, organizational innovation, and customer focus. The research concludes that digital maturity contributes meaningfully to resilience and performance, with industry take up recommendations. Instructive advice is provided to researchers and practitioners to inform future research as digital supply chains become an ever-larger part of retail competitiveness.

References

• Wang, G., Gunasekaran, A., Ngai, E. W., & Papadopoulos, T. (2016). Big data analytics in logistics and supply chain management: Certain investigations for research and applications. International Journal of Production Economics, 176, 98-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2016.03.014.
• Hald, K. S., & Coslugeanu, P. (2022). The preliminary supply chain lessons of the COVID-19 disruption—What is the role of digital technologies? Operations Management Research, 15(3), 282–297. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12063-021-00207-x.
• Simchi-Levi, D., Kaminsky, P., & Simchi-Levi, E. (2021). Designing and Managing the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies, and Case Studies, 4th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN: 9780073403366. Available at: https://www.mheducation.com/highered/product/Designing-and-Managing-the-Supply-Chain-Simchi-Levi.html.
• Singla, L. (2025). The Role of Generative AI in Retail Supply Chain Planning: Use Cases, Constraints, and Future Outlook. International Journal of Computer Trends and Technology, 73(6), 134-140. https://doi.org/10.14445/22312803/IJCTT-V73I6P116.
• Melacini, M., Perotti, S., Rasini, M., & Tappia, E. (2018). E-fulfilment and distribution in omni-channel retailing: a systematic literature review. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 48(4), 391-414. http://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2017-0101.
• Chilakapati, P., Verma, N. K., Kumar, S., & Deora, R. (2024). Leveraging AI for Supply Chain Resilience: A Deep Learning Approach to Risk Management. Nanotechnology Perceptions, 20(S15). https://nano-ntp.com/index.php/nano/article/view/5246/4185.
• Prathikantam, R., & Vadrevu, N. R. T. (2025). AI-powered data platforms: Transforming global business operations – A critical review. International Journal of Computer Applications, 187(10), 45-52. https://doi.org/10.5120/ijca2025925061.
• Winkelhaus, S., & Grosse, E. H. (2020). Logistics 4.0: a systematic review towards a new logistics system. International Journal of Production Research, 58(1), 18-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2019.1612964.
• Zhong, R. Y., Xu, X., Klotz, E., & Newman, S. T. (2017). Intelligent manufacturing in the context of Industry 4.0: a review. Engineering, 3(5), 616-630. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENG.2017.05.015.
• Fragapane, G., Ivanov, D., Peron, M., Sgarbossa, F., & Strandhagen, J. O. (2022). Increasing flexibility and productivity in Industry 4.0 production networks with autonomous mobile robots and smart intralogistics. Annals of Operations Research, 308(1), 125-143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-020-03526-7.
• Chang, S. E., Chen, Y. C., & Lu, M. F. (2019). Supply chain re-engineering using blockchain technology: A case of smart contract based tracking process. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 144, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2019.03.015.
• Chilakapati, P., Ramakrishnan, S., Deora, R., & Agarwal, A. (2025). Customer Analytics: Using Machine Learning to Predict the Customer Life Time Value (CLTV) Based on Purchase History and Ratings. Proceedings of the 2025 3rd International Conference on Disruptive Technologies (ICDT), Greater Noida, India, 1205-1210. https://doi.org/10.1109/ICDT63985.2025.10986296.
• Soosay, C. A., & Hyland, P. (2015). A decade of supply chain collaboration and directions for future research. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 20(6), 613-630. https://doi.org/10.1108/SCM-06-2015-0217.
• Foroughi, A. (2021). Supply chain workforce training: addressing the digital skills gap. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 11(3), 520-535. https://doi.org/10.1108/HESWBL-07-2020-0159.
• McKee, S., Sands, S., Pallant, J. I., & Cohen, J. (2023). The evolving direct-to-consumer retail model: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(6), 2816–2842. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12972.