Eric Dahl, Author at Sequoia Group

Revenue Is Growing. Is Profitability? A Cost-to-Serve Playbook for Distributors

3pl, Distribution Strategy, Management Solutions / Eric Dahl

Growth is usually easy to see. Sales rise. Order volume increases. New customers come onboard. More product moves through the warehouse. But there is another question that is much harder to answer: Did the operation make more money doing it? For many distributors, that answer is surprisingly difficult to determine. Not because financial reporting is

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Sunrise 2027: Why 2D Barcodes Are a Warehouse Project, Too

Distribution Strategy, Supply Chain, Warehouse Management / Eric Dahl

Sunrise 2027 is more than a retail scanning change. Learn how distributors should prepare scanners, systems, data, and warehouse workflows for 2D barcodes.

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Agentic AI Is Coming to Distribution. Is Your Operation Ready?

Business Intelligence, Distribution Strategy, Supply Chain / Eric Dahl

For the past several years, most business conversations around AI have focused on what it can tell us. Summarize this report. Analyze this data. Forecast this demand. Answer this question. That phase is not over. But another one is beginning. The next generation of AI is increasingly being designed not only to produce information, but

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Before You Buy Robots, Prove the Warehouse Is Ready

Distribution Strategy, Warehouse Management, Warehouse Robotics and Automation / Eric Dahl

Before investing in warehouse robotics, assess process, data, WMS, labor, and integration readiness with a practical implementation roadmap.

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The Work Happened, Did It Reach the 3PL Invoice?

3pl, Business Intelligence, Warehouse Management / Eric Dahl

Executive summary For a 3PL, operational volume does not automatically become profitable revenue. Receiving labor, special handling, relabeling, pallet work, storage changes, expedited orders, materials, and customer-specific services can all be performed without reaching the final invoice. Recent 3PL benchmark research identifies uncaptured charges and insufficient billing automation as growing challenges directly connected to profitability.

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ERP and WMS Selection Should Start Before the First Demo

1 Comment / Distribution Management, ERP Software, Warehouse Solutions / Eric Dahl

A practical ERP and WMS selection roadmap for distributors: map workflows, define requirements, test exceptions, and build adoption before go-live.

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Convenience Store with a wall of food products

FSMA 204 Readiness: The Deadline Moved, but the Operational Work Did Not

Distribution Management, Distribution Strategy, Warehouse Management / Eric Dahl

The FSMA 204 enforcement runway extends to July 2028. Learn how convenience distributors can build traceability workflows, test data, and reduce compliance risk.

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Distribution Summit 2026: Real Conversations, Practical Innovation, and the Future of Distribution

Distribution Management, Events / Eric Dahl

This past week, Sequoia Group welcomed customers, partners, and distribution leaders from across the country to Sandy, Utah, once again for the 2026 Distribution Summit, an event focused not just on technology, but on helping distributors navigate what comes next. As the distribution industry continues to evolve through automation, AI, compliance pressures, and changing customer

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What MODEX 2026 Actually Revealed About Warehouse Operations

Supply Chain, Warehouse Management, Warehouse Robotics and Automation, Warehouse Solutions / Eric Dahl

Last week, the Sequoia Group team attended MODEX 2026 in Atlanta, one of the largest gatherings of supply chain, warehouse, and automation leaders in North America. MODEX is where the industry showcases what is possible. But more importantly, it reveals what is actually changing. Across keynote sessions, on-floor demonstrations, and conversations with operators and technology

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Inside the Infor SMB & Channel Summit 2026: What It Means for Distributors

Cloud-based ERP, ERP Software / Eric Dahl

Last week, the Sequoia Group team had the opportunity to attend the Infor SMB & Channel Summit in Atlanta, where partners, product leaders, and distribution-focused teams came together to align on what’s next for ERP, WMS, and supply chain technology. Events like this are less about announcements and more about direction. They provide a clearer view into

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Author name: Eric Dahl