While e-commerce sales continue to soar, rising by double digit levels year after year by most estimates, manufacturers and retailers continue to struggle to make any money at it.

Manufacturers also face a series of strategic questions as to whether to embrace an e-commerce channel and the role it will play in their strategies. Both manufacturers and retailers must make many decisions regarding e-fulfillment strategies, and find ways to drive out costs to make the channel profitable.

In this provocative supply chain thought leaders discussion, Mike Marlowe, VP of Operations at third-party logistics provider Kane is Able, says that in many cases the current retail e-commerce model is broken, but that new thinking between manufacturers and retailers on fulfillment strategies might fix the problem. He also says manufacturers can in many cases leverage their existing networks to reduce profit-killing parcel shipping costs.

Not to be missed for those interested in e-commerce and fulfillment issues.

You can view this excellent discussion with Marlowe and SCDigest editor Dan Gilmore below.