Shipping

UPS Quietly Announces 2020 General Rate Increase
November 20, 2019 at 10:42 am

Effective Dec. 29, 2019, UPS Ground, UPS Air and International services rates will increase by an average of 4.9 percent. Keep in mind that there's often a discrepancy between the announced increase and the effect the increase has on individual shippers. Our team at Shipware will perform a detailed analysis of the announced increases over the…

Why So Many E-Commerce Providers Are Building Their Own Fulfillment Networks
November 18, 2019 at 12:41 pm

When Amazon.com first introduced its “Fulfillment by Amazon” (FBA) program in 2006, it was impossible to know whether the online retailer fully recognized the growth prospects of the market it was walking into. Ironically, Amazon’s owner, Jeff Bezos, has joked about the difficulties of packing and shipping orders from his home-office during Amazon’s early years.…

What Evolving Online Consumer Expectations Mean for Retailers
November 12, 2019 at 2:47 pm

In an effort to help brands and retailers stay on top of consumer mind-sets surrounding the evolving online shopping experience, Dotcom Distribution, a premier provider of B-to-C and B-to-B fulfillment and distribution services, conducts an annual e-commerce consumer survey. The 2019 study explores where brand decisions and consumer behaviors intersect, and how that affects purchase…

Costco and Instacart Test Free One-Hour Prescription Delivery
November 7, 2019 at 1:10 pm

Costco is teaming up with delivery startup Instacart to test free delivery of prescription drugs to its members. The pilot program is limited to California and Washington state, according to two people familiar, and includes delivery to a Costco member’s home or office. One Costco member who has used the service told CNBC that he…

Amazon Makes 2-Hour Grocery Delivery Free for Prime Members
October 29, 2019 at 12:13 pm

Amazon.com just added a new perk to its popular Prime membership program: free grocery delivery. The retailer announced today that it will start delivering grocery products within a two-hour window to all Prime members living in the 2,000 regions eligible for the service. That means Prime members, who pay $119 per year in the U.S.…

Myth vs. Reality of Last-Mile Delivery
October 18, 2019 at 1:17 pm

Retailers have long held that the customer experience is based on enhanced in-store experience, as well as an equivalent online experience that offers seamless shopping. The study of customer experience has rightfully included strategies that include hiring knowledgeable and highly trained customer service agents and retail salespeople, placing online retail on an equal status to…

Walmart Launches ‘InHome’ Grocery Delivery Program
October 17, 2019 at 11:49 am

Walmart has launched a new service that will deliver groceries and put them away in your fridge, CNBC reported. The service, called InHome grocery delivery, is a membership program that has an introductory price of $19.95 a month, but also requires customers to purchase a $49.95 smart door lock kit or smart garage door kit.…

How Delivery is Challenging Service for the Customer Experience Crown
October 9, 2019 at 10:54 am

Brands have traditionally invested heavily in customer service as a central component of the customer experience. However, new research from project44 suggests that may be changing. The apps that power our lives, and specifically those that power our purchases, have continued to evolve, reshaping the customer experience. As a result, delivery, which was once a…

Walgreens to Offer Drone Delivery Service
September 23, 2019 at 11:11 am

Walgreens and Wing Aviation LLC, a member of the Alphabet family of companies, announced last week that it's offering what it calls "store to door" delivery of "health and wellness, food and beverage and convenience items — via state-of-the-art drone technology — in minutes," according to a press release. Wing, the first drone operator certified…

Macy's to Test Free Same-Day Delivery in Select Markets
September 20, 2019 at 11:29 am

Macy's announced that it will be testing free same-day delivery in 30 markets for orders of $75 or more starting on Oct. 1. Though the department store first began offering same-day shipping in 2017, the pilot is the first time Macy's will ship orders for free, allowing shoppers to bypass the $8 fee. Orders placed…