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Adapt or Die: Your Survival Guide to Modern Warehouse Automation
If you sell physical products, warehousing and shipping costs can make or break your business.
But most companies treat order fulfillment like an afterthought, running headlong toward a future in which they won't be able to compete with marketplace giants.
In Adapt or Die, Jeremy Bodenhamer paints a compelling picture of waste and lost profits, including case studies in which one wrong move in something as simple as packaging can send a company into the red.
Fortunately, there's a better way. By embracing end-to-end automation, companies can ensure that every item sold is shipped quickly and efficiently, in the smallest possible package, through the best-priced carrier, restoring critical savings to your bottom line.
And you don't have to be Amazon to do it.
Whether you're an e-commerce executive, retailer, manufacturer, or distributor, pick up Adapt or Die to learn how small to mid-sized businesses are taking on the five giants of the shipping industry—and winning.
But most companies treat order fulfillment like an afterthought, running headlong toward a future in which they won't be able to compete with marketplace giants.
In Adapt or Die, Jeremy Bodenhamer paints a compelling picture of waste and lost profits, including case studies in which one wrong move in something as simple as packaging can send a company into the red.
Fortunately, there's a better way. By embracing end-to-end automation, companies can ensure that every item sold is shipped quickly and efficiently, in the smallest possible package, through the best-priced carrier, restoring critical savings to your bottom line.
And you don't have to be Amazon to do it.
Whether you're an e-commerce executive, retailer, manufacturer, or distributor, pick up Adapt or Die to learn how small to mid-sized businesses are taking on the five giants of the shipping industry—and winning.
266 pages, Paperback
Published November 20, 2020
26 people are currently reading
576 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Bodenhamer
1 book7 followersJeremy Bodenhamer is a leading expert at the intersection of shipping and e-commerce. He has been featured in Inc., TechCrunch, AOL, Fortune, Internet Retailer, and Entrepreneur; is a frequent speaker on innovation, technology, and logistics; and was a 2018 Supply Chain & Executive Pro to Know.
Jeremy is an active volunteer in the community, an avid Crossfitter and surfer, and champion of a company culture that promotes health, family, and happiness among employees. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife—educator and youth advocate, Bethany Bodenhamer—and their three sons.
Jeremy is an active volunteer in the community, an avid Crossfitter and surfer, and champion of a company culture that promotes health, family, and happiness among employees. He lives in Santa Barbara with his wife—educator and youth advocate, Bethany Bodenhamer—and their three sons.
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November 10, 2025In "Adapt or Die: Your Survival Guide to Modern Warehouse Automation" by Jeremy Bodenhamer, the author issues a powerful wake-up call to small and mid-sized businesses navigating the ever-tightening world of e-commerce and logistics. He argues that while most companies obsess over marketing and customer acquisition, the real differentiator lies behind the scenes - in the warehouse. This book makes the case that smart automation, not massive budgets or flashy branding, is what levels the playing field against industry giants like Amazon. Bodenhamer’s central thesis is clear: the future of retail success hinges on how efficiently, intelligently, and flexibly a company manages its fulfillment operations. Automation isn’t a luxury anymore - it’s survival.
He begins by painting a vivid picture of the current landscape - a David-and-Goliath struggle where independent merchants must compete against multinational behemoths with deep pockets, massive data networks, and hyper-efficient fulfillment systems. These corporations have permanently raised consumer expectations. Shoppers now assume lightning-fast delivery, seamless tracking, and flawless order accuracy as the norm. Bodenhamer illustrates this with the example of Amazon’s logistical machine: algorithms predicting demand, robots navigating aisles, automated sorters organizing packages, and delivery fleets dispatching products sometimes within hours. The sobering reality is that small businesses are judged by the same standard. Yet the book’s message is not despair but strategy. While independent retailers can’t match Amazon dollar for dollar, they can adopt a smarter, leaner, and more automated mindset to stay competitive.
One of Bodenhamer’s key warnings is about hidden losses - particularly in shipping. For many businesses, two to five percent of net sales vanish annually through inefficient fulfillment and poor shipping management. Unlike Amazon, smaller companies can’t afford to absorb these losses indefinitely. The author argues that automation is the key to plugging these profit leaks. By integrating smart systems that analyze carrier contracts, shipping routes, and tariff structures, businesses can identify where they’re overpaying. Too often, companies negotiate carrier discounts but fail to apply them properly because their systems aren’t optimized. Automation software can fix that by dynamically selecting the best carrier and rate for every package based on real-time data. This doesn’t just cut costs - it transforms shipping from a liability into a source of competitive advantage.
The same principle applies to packaging. Bodenhamer emphasizes that packaging is no longer just about product protection - it’s a matter of profit and sustainability. Carriers now use dimensional weight pricing, which calculates costs by both size and weight, meaning that wasted space equals wasted money. Sending products in oversized boxes translates directly into inflated costs. Smart retailers, he says, are turning to cartonization software that calculates the ideal box for every order and even integrates with machinery that creates perfectly sized packaging on demand. Beyond cost savings, optimized packaging supports environmental responsibility - a growing consumer expectation. The statistics he cites are staggering: the average package is 40 percent larger than it needs to be, contributing to millions of unnecessary truckloads and massive plastic waste. By adopting biodegradable materials and automated sizing systems, businesses can lower costs while aligning with customer values around sustainability.
Bodenhamer then turns to the warehouse itself - the heart of the operation. He dispels the myth that warehouse automation means building an Amazon-sized facility. Instead, he advocates for a distributed, flexible network model. Rather than investing in one massive center, companies can use smaller regional distribution points strategically positioned to shorten delivery times and reduce shipping costs. Two well-placed facilities, he explains, can reach nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population within two days - a feat that rivals even Amazon’s coverage. The key is agility. Through partnerships with dynamic warehousing providers or third-party logistics companies (3PLs), small businesses can scale up or down as needed without massive upfront investments. For many, this hybrid model - a core owned warehouse supplemented by flexible storage or cross-docking arrangements - offers the best of both worlds: control and adaptability.
Data, Bodenhamer insists, is the lifeblood of smart warehousing. Without measurement, improvement is impossible. He urges leaders to abandon vague goals like 'faster shipping' or 'better inventory management' and instead define clear, measurable targets. Metrics such as reducing average fulfillment time from forty-eight to twenty-four hours or maintaining 95 percent stock availability while cutting carrying costs by fifteen percent provide actionable direction. The author stresses that data analysis shouldn’t feel overwhelming. Businesses can start small, focusing on one process at a time - such as analyzing late shipments or returns - and expand from there. He highlights modern analytics tools like Blue Yonder, Looker, and Tableau, which can visualize patterns and inefficiencies that would otherwise go unnoticed. By using these insights, companies can identify weak links, negotiate smarter contracts, and make targeted automation investments that yield tangible returns.
Eventually, Bodenhamer addresses the subject that most people associate with automation: robots. He acknowledges their appeal - sleek, futuristic, and undeniably efficient - but cautions against viewing them as a cure-all. Robots can revolutionize certain operations but can also drain budgets if adopted prematurely or without clear strategy. Today’s robotics landscape is diverse: autonomous mobile robots that transport goods, picking robots that identify items using computer vision, and sorting systems that process packages at lightning speed. Yet Bodenhamer encourages companies to first optimize their warehouse layout, workflow, and software before introducing robotics. Often, simpler automation solutions - like conveyor belts, improved storage systems, or route optimization - deliver higher returns at a fraction of the cost.
For those ready to experiment, Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) is an accessible path. This subscription-based model allows smaller businesses to lease robots with maintenance and updates included, dramatically lowering barriers to entry. Companies such as Locus Robotics and 6 River Systems make it feasible to deploy cutting-edge robotics without heavy capital expenditure. The book also explores how machine learning can enhance automation by continuously adapting to warehouse traffic, order volume, and seasonal changes. Robots equipped with adaptive algorithms can learn from mistakes and refine their performance, making operations more intelligent over time.
But perhaps Bodenhamer’s most important insight is that automation should never come at the expense of people. Smart systems are meant to complement, not replace, human workers. Machines excel at repetitive, dangerous, or physically demanding tasks, freeing employees to focus on quality control, creative problem-solving, and customer experience. The healthiest operations, he argues, are those that blend the precision of automation with the intuition of human intelligence. This balance creates not just efficiency but also morale - an empowered workforce using advanced tools to do their best work.
By the end of "Adapt or Die: Your Survival Guide to Modern Warehouse Automation", Bodenhamer makes his case convincingly: modern warehousing is no longer about scale, but about strategy. Smaller operations can thrive by adopting targeted automation rather than chasing massive infrastructure. The right tools - from smart shipping platforms to data analytics dashboards - allow businesses to make informed decisions and continuously optimize performance. What once required the budget of a corporate giant can now be achieved with accessible, cloud-based solutions.
Ultimately, the book delivers both a warning and a blueprint. The warning is that complacency is fatal; businesses that resist automation risk extinction in an age where efficiency defines survival. The blueprint is one of empowerment: with deliberate strategy, data-driven insight, and incremental technological investment, even small players can outmaneuver giants. Bodenhamer’s message is not to mimic Amazon, but to outthink it - to build lean, flexible, and intelligent fulfillment systems that turn the warehouse from a cost burden into a competitive weapon. In the end, "Adapt or Die" isn’t just about automation - it’s about evolution. Those willing to adapt thoughtfully will find that survival in modern commerce doesn’t require being the biggest, only being the smartest.
He begins by painting a vivid picture of the current landscape - a David-and-Goliath struggle where independent merchants must compete against multinational behemoths with deep pockets, massive data networks, and hyper-efficient fulfillment systems. These corporations have permanently raised consumer expectations. Shoppers now assume lightning-fast delivery, seamless tracking, and flawless order accuracy as the norm. Bodenhamer illustrates this with the example of Amazon’s logistical machine: algorithms predicting demand, robots navigating aisles, automated sorters organizing packages, and delivery fleets dispatching products sometimes within hours. The sobering reality is that small businesses are judged by the same standard. Yet the book’s message is not despair but strategy. While independent retailers can’t match Amazon dollar for dollar, they can adopt a smarter, leaner, and more automated mindset to stay competitive.
One of Bodenhamer’s key warnings is about hidden losses - particularly in shipping. For many businesses, two to five percent of net sales vanish annually through inefficient fulfillment and poor shipping management. Unlike Amazon, smaller companies can’t afford to absorb these losses indefinitely. The author argues that automation is the key to plugging these profit leaks. By integrating smart systems that analyze carrier contracts, shipping routes, and tariff structures, businesses can identify where they’re overpaying. Too often, companies negotiate carrier discounts but fail to apply them properly because their systems aren’t optimized. Automation software can fix that by dynamically selecting the best carrier and rate for every package based on real-time data. This doesn’t just cut costs - it transforms shipping from a liability into a source of competitive advantage.
The same principle applies to packaging. Bodenhamer emphasizes that packaging is no longer just about product protection - it’s a matter of profit and sustainability. Carriers now use dimensional weight pricing, which calculates costs by both size and weight, meaning that wasted space equals wasted money. Sending products in oversized boxes translates directly into inflated costs. Smart retailers, he says, are turning to cartonization software that calculates the ideal box for every order and even integrates with machinery that creates perfectly sized packaging on demand. Beyond cost savings, optimized packaging supports environmental responsibility - a growing consumer expectation. The statistics he cites are staggering: the average package is 40 percent larger than it needs to be, contributing to millions of unnecessary truckloads and massive plastic waste. By adopting biodegradable materials and automated sizing systems, businesses can lower costs while aligning with customer values around sustainability.
Bodenhamer then turns to the warehouse itself - the heart of the operation. He dispels the myth that warehouse automation means building an Amazon-sized facility. Instead, he advocates for a distributed, flexible network model. Rather than investing in one massive center, companies can use smaller regional distribution points strategically positioned to shorten delivery times and reduce shipping costs. Two well-placed facilities, he explains, can reach nearly 90 percent of the U.S. population within two days - a feat that rivals even Amazon’s coverage. The key is agility. Through partnerships with dynamic warehousing providers or third-party logistics companies (3PLs), small businesses can scale up or down as needed without massive upfront investments. For many, this hybrid model - a core owned warehouse supplemented by flexible storage or cross-docking arrangements - offers the best of both worlds: control and adaptability.
Data, Bodenhamer insists, is the lifeblood of smart warehousing. Without measurement, improvement is impossible. He urges leaders to abandon vague goals like 'faster shipping' or 'better inventory management' and instead define clear, measurable targets. Metrics such as reducing average fulfillment time from forty-eight to twenty-four hours or maintaining 95 percent stock availability while cutting carrying costs by fifteen percent provide actionable direction. The author stresses that data analysis shouldn’t feel overwhelming. Businesses can start small, focusing on one process at a time - such as analyzing late shipments or returns - and expand from there. He highlights modern analytics tools like Blue Yonder, Looker, and Tableau, which can visualize patterns and inefficiencies that would otherwise go unnoticed. By using these insights, companies can identify weak links, negotiate smarter contracts, and make targeted automation investments that yield tangible returns.
Eventually, Bodenhamer addresses the subject that most people associate with automation: robots. He acknowledges their appeal - sleek, futuristic, and undeniably efficient - but cautions against viewing them as a cure-all. Robots can revolutionize certain operations but can also drain budgets if adopted prematurely or without clear strategy. Today’s robotics landscape is diverse: autonomous mobile robots that transport goods, picking robots that identify items using computer vision, and sorting systems that process packages at lightning speed. Yet Bodenhamer encourages companies to first optimize their warehouse layout, workflow, and software before introducing robotics. Often, simpler automation solutions - like conveyor belts, improved storage systems, or route optimization - deliver higher returns at a fraction of the cost.
For those ready to experiment, Robotics-as-a-Service (RaaS) is an accessible path. This subscription-based model allows smaller businesses to lease robots with maintenance and updates included, dramatically lowering barriers to entry. Companies such as Locus Robotics and 6 River Systems make it feasible to deploy cutting-edge robotics without heavy capital expenditure. The book also explores how machine learning can enhance automation by continuously adapting to warehouse traffic, order volume, and seasonal changes. Robots equipped with adaptive algorithms can learn from mistakes and refine their performance, making operations more intelligent over time.
But perhaps Bodenhamer’s most important insight is that automation should never come at the expense of people. Smart systems are meant to complement, not replace, human workers. Machines excel at repetitive, dangerous, or physically demanding tasks, freeing employees to focus on quality control, creative problem-solving, and customer experience. The healthiest operations, he argues, are those that blend the precision of automation with the intuition of human intelligence. This balance creates not just efficiency but also morale - an empowered workforce using advanced tools to do their best work.
By the end of "Adapt or Die: Your Survival Guide to Modern Warehouse Automation", Bodenhamer makes his case convincingly: modern warehousing is no longer about scale, but about strategy. Smaller operations can thrive by adopting targeted automation rather than chasing massive infrastructure. The right tools - from smart shipping platforms to data analytics dashboards - allow businesses to make informed decisions and continuously optimize performance. What once required the budget of a corporate giant can now be achieved with accessible, cloud-based solutions.
Ultimately, the book delivers both a warning and a blueprint. The warning is that complacency is fatal; businesses that resist automation risk extinction in an age where efficiency defines survival. The blueprint is one of empowerment: with deliberate strategy, data-driven insight, and incremental technological investment, even small players can outmaneuver giants. Bodenhamer’s message is not to mimic Amazon, but to outthink it - to build lean, flexible, and intelligent fulfillment systems that turn the warehouse from a cost burden into a competitive weapon. In the end, "Adapt or Die" isn’t just about automation - it’s about evolution. Those willing to adapt thoughtfully will find that survival in modern commerce doesn’t require being the biggest, only being the smartest.
December 2, 2020
A refreshing take on what should be every company's top priorities
I started reading "Adapt or Die" with the expectation that it was going to be one of those eye-roll-worthy thinly-veiled sales pitches that the suit-wearers always churn out to make themselves look like "domain experts" or "thought leaders" or whatever buzzwords they like to use.
I finished reading it with a smile, a nod, some chills, and a "holy **** this is spot on".
"Adapt or Die" is an absolute must-read for any business owner, executive, manager, or anyone aspiring to be any or all of the above some day. It earned my 5-star review - with flying colors - for being one of the few business-related books that covers in detail the absolute most important component of every business:
The people.
In a day and age when it seems putting profits over people is the prevailing wisdom, "Adapt or Die" spends a pleasantly-surprising number of pages calling out that attitude on its faults and turning it on its head. The people *are* the company. If you want to differentiate your business from the Amazons and Wal-Marts of the world - and outlast 'em - it's imperative that the people come first. Happy and engaged workers are loyal and productive workers. Happy and engaged customers are loyal and consistent customers. Putting them first for once is exactly how a business will survive and ultimately thrive in the modern economy, and it's a breath of fresh air to see someone - a CEO, no less - who actually gets it.
And that's just *one* area - of many - where the author squarely and forcefully hits the nail on the head. I won't spoil too much more of the book, but yeah. Buy it. Read it. Internalize it. Live it. "Adapt or Die" is no manual, but rather a way of life for the very businesses that will define the next decade and beyond. Whether your business heeds the wisdom herein will determine its fate: will it Adapt or Die?
I started reading "Adapt or Die" with the expectation that it was going to be one of those eye-roll-worthy thinly-veiled sales pitches that the suit-wearers always churn out to make themselves look like "domain experts" or "thought leaders" or whatever buzzwords they like to use.
I finished reading it with a smile, a nod, some chills, and a "holy **** this is spot on".
"Adapt or Die" is an absolute must-read for any business owner, executive, manager, or anyone aspiring to be any or all of the above some day. It earned my 5-star review - with flying colors - for being one of the few business-related books that covers in detail the absolute most important component of every business:
The people.
In a day and age when it seems putting profits over people is the prevailing wisdom, "Adapt or Die" spends a pleasantly-surprising number of pages calling out that attitude on its faults and turning it on its head. The people *are* the company. If you want to differentiate your business from the Amazons and Wal-Marts of the world - and outlast 'em - it's imperative that the people come first. Happy and engaged workers are loyal and productive workers. Happy and engaged customers are loyal and consistent customers. Putting them first for once is exactly how a business will survive and ultimately thrive in the modern economy, and it's a breath of fresh air to see someone - a CEO, no less - who actually gets it.
And that's just *one* area - of many - where the author squarely and forcefully hits the nail on the head. I won't spoil too much more of the book, but yeah. Buy it. Read it. Internalize it. Live it. "Adapt or Die" is no manual, but rather a way of life for the very businesses that will define the next decade and beyond. Whether your business heeds the wisdom herein will determine its fate: will it Adapt or Die?
December 29, 2020
Great book for those interested in the space or who plan on operating a startup. LOVED the case studies in the back. Wish there was an index for acronyms- lots used over snd over and would be nice to access them all in one place.
Loved learninf about the authors personal experience (including life with his sons) and the discussion that focused around The Big 5
Loved learninf about the authors personal experience (including life with his sons) and the discussion that focused around The Big 5
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews