Dick’s Sporting Goods' Control of Its E-Commerce Operations

Dick’s Sporting Goods
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Dick’s Sporting Goods
Several factors contributed to Dick’s Sporting Goods retaking direct control of its e-commerce operations. EBay was the company’s primary e-commerce vendor (“Dick’s Sporting Goods: Taking Control of Its E-Commerce Operations,” n.d.). First, the agreement with eBay cost Dick’s Sporting Goods significant revenues. The firm paid fixed commissions on all items sold online regardless of their worth. As Dick’s Sporting Goods continued to grow, more and more finances were taken by eBay. Second, Dick’s Sporting Goods migrated its e-commerce operations in-house it was challenging to customize its pre-made software and services when under eBay (“Dick’s Sporting Goods: Taking Control of Its E-Commerce Operations,” n.d.). Third, the company wanted to maintain control and easy access to its proprietary customer data. Additionally, Dick’s Sporting Goods retook its e-commerce operations so that it can offer better and unique omnichannel features, including shipping online from its physical stores. In other words, it got the freedom to turn its stores into distribution centers.
Dick’s Sporting Goods’ omnichannel approach has various key features. In particular, it enables the company to provide appropriate support to its customers, such as delivering goods ordered online by its customers from its physical stores. In addition, Dick’s Sporting Goods got an opportunity of converting its stores into distribution centers, which helped the firm improve delivery times and increase efficiency (“Dick’s Sporting Goods: Taking Control of Its E-Commerce Operations,” n.d.). Another key feature of Dick’s omnichannel strategy was to customize its technological infrastructure, including its website capabilities. In addition, Dick’s Sporting Goods chose the IBM Websphere Commerce Suite as the stack for its e-commerce operations. For example, it got service-oriented architecture from Apache ServiceMix, supply chain management from Manhattan Associates Order Management System, human resource management from Oracle...