drugstore.com is the Latest eCommerce Retailer to Automate Order Fulfillment
Operations with Kiva Systems
drugstore.com will pick, pack and ship customer orders for same day shipments using Kiva’s warehouse solution
North Reading, Mass. – February 15, 2011 – Kiva Systems (www.kivasystems.com), a
developer of game-changing mobile-robotic solutions that automate order fulfillment and
distribution operations, today announced that drugstore.com (Nasdaq: DSCM) will
implement a Kiva system to accelerate its eCommerce growth. The publicly traded
internet retailer will use the Kiva solution to process orders for health, beauty and general
merchandise items, allowing same day shipments and increased operational efficiency.
drugstore.com operates an online health, wellness and beauty store offering more than
50,000 non-prescription items. The Kiva solution will handle a diverse set of products
including: cosmetics, toys, vitamins, hair and skin care, natural supplements, food, fitness
gear, baby items and pet supplies. Kiva’s unique approach will allow drugstore.com to
process orders for all categories of merchandise using a unified and enhanced workflow
system. Additionally, Kiva can quickly and accurately process single and multi-line
orders for any items at any time without batching or waving, so those orders can be
picked within minutes of customers completing their online shopping transactions.
“The Kiva automation solution will enable us to handle a wide variety of products in a
very efficient manner. This highly accurate, one step order fulfillment process easily
integrates with our existing technology,” said Jon Axelsson, vice president of supply
chain, drugstore.com. “We considered more traditional material handling options, but we
were impressed by this system’s unique abilities. As we continue to expand operations,
these units can scale to accommodate growth and also easily relocate to support the needs
of the supply chain. When you compare Kiva’s rapid order processing and ability to
handle diverse merchandise to other alternatives, Kiva is the clear choice for our
business.” Kiva’s innovative approach to order fulfillment uses fleets of robotic drive units that
bring inventory on mobile shelving pods directly to workers, allowing easy and efficient
access to all inventory items at all times. Unlike traditional automation such as conveyor,
carousel, AS/RS, or A-Frames, Kiva can handle products of all shapes and sizes, and
automatically brings products to operators exactly when needed. Kiva is a complete order
fulfillment solution that encompasses inventory control, forward replenishment, picking,
packing, finalizing, shipping sortation and quality assurance that dramatically improves
distribution center productivity, while simultaneously increasing speed, accuracy and
flexibility.
Amy Villeneuve, president and COO of Kiva Systems, said, “drugstore.com’s breadth of
products and first-class customer service are a hit with consumers, and we are proud to be
the foundation of its fulfillment operations, helping deliver that paramount selection and
service into the future.”
About Kiva Systems
Kiva Systems, Inc. offers game-changing warehouse automation solutions that help
companies simplify operations and reduce costs while increasing strategic flexibility.
Using hundreds of autonomous mobile robots and sophisticated control software, the
Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System enables extremely fast cycle times with reduced labor
requirements, from receiving to order picking to shipping—all without conveyor. The
result is a building that is quick and low-cost to set up, inexpensive to operate, and easy
to change or move. For more information on Kiva Systems and its solutions, please visit
www.kivasystems.com.
About drugstore.com, inc.
drugstore.com, inc. (Nasdaq: DSCM) is a leading online retailer of health, beauty,
clinical skincare, and vision products, whose portfolio of brands includes:
drugstore.com™, Beauty.com™, SkinStore.com™, and VisionDirect.com™. All
provide a convenient, private, and informative shopping experience while offering a wide
assortment of more than 55,000 non-prescription products at competitive prices. The
drugstore.com pharmacy is certified by the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy
(NABP) as a Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Site (VIPPS) and operates in
compliance with federal and state laws and regulations in the United States.
