Optimize with Multi-Carrier Shipping – For better processes at dm

dm-drogerie markt GmbH + Co. KG has stood for a shopping experience consistently oriented towards the needs of its customers for decades. As one of Europe’s leading drugstore chains with around 90,000 employees in 14 countries, the company pursues a clear objective: customer satisfaction does not end with the product, but encompasses the entire shopping experience.

In omnichannel retail especially, logistics plays a decisive role. It ensures that delivery promises are reliably, transparently, and flexibly met – regardless of the sales channel. At the same time, requirements are increasing: growing shipment volumes, different shipping processes, and the integration of various parcel delivery service providers significantly increase complexity in the background.

To address these challenges and put shipping processes on a future-proof footing, dm decided together with dbh Logistics IT AG to rapidly introduce the multi-carrier shipping software Advantage Delivery. The goal was to make existing processes more efficient while simultaneously creating a scalable foundation for further growth.

Initially, the focus was on parcel shipping from stores in 12 countries. Particularly during the Corona period, stores played a central role in online business, as they specifically relieved online distribution centers during peak loads and capacity bottlenecks. A substantial portion of end customer parcels was shipped directly from stores across the group.

Today, Advantage Delivery is additionally used for shipping parcels from own, non-service provider-operated online distribution centers. Furthermore, the solution serves group-wide as a central platform for shipment tracking.

dbh not only provided the software but also comprehensively supported dm in consulting, implementation, and operation of the solution in hosting. Thanks to the close collaboration of all involved parties, the integration could be realized in a short time.

Since implementing Advantage Delivery, dm has particularly benefited from significantly simplified integration of new shipping service providers. What previously required considerable development effort can now be implemented much faster and more efficiently. At the same time, the solution creates a unified and standardized data foundation. This provides greater transparency throughout the entire shipping chain and enables sound analyses as well as targeted process optimization.

Delivery promises can be reliably verified, service provider performance objectively evaluated, and improvement potential systematically identified. Thus, logistics increasingly develops from an operational cost factor into a strategic control instrument.

The added value is evident on multiple levels: IT is noticeably relieved, integration processes are accelerated, and time-to-market is significantly reduced. At the same time, standardized processes lead to lower operating costs. Most importantly, however, customers benefit from a transparent and reliable shipping process that consistently supports the shopping experience.

Together, dm and dbh Logistics IT AG create the foundation for a scalable and future-proof omnichannel logistics – across country borders. The result: a consistent customer experience, efficient processes, and the long-term assurance of high service and quality standards.