Shipping
July 26, 2018 at 12:49 pm
Though we’re in the peak of summer, retailers are preparing for the holidays looming just a few months away. If the growth in holiday retail sales in 2017 (a 5.5 percent increase to $691.9 billion) serves as any indication for the 2018 holiday season, retailers can expect an influx of shoppers with evolving demands. As…
July 13, 2018 at 10:52 am
In this week's episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Caitlin Sullivan and Joe Keenan discuss UPS’ intra-year rate hikes, the factors that are leading to higher shipping costs for retailers, and potential solutions to the problem, including implementing omnichannel fulfillment systems.
July 5, 2018 at 10:12 am
More than ever, consumers are making purchase decisions based on how fast they can get products in their hands. To meet these growing expectations for speed and convenience, traditional retailers are overhauling their supply chains to compete with Amazon.com and other rivals. Retailers also are asking more of their suppliers to help keep inventory low…
June 29, 2018 at 10:39 am
Even though the potential strike at UPS hasn’t yet been averted (the current labor agreement is set to expire July 31, and the two parties haven't ratified a tentative agreement), the company has decided that now is a good time to impose intra-year rate hikes. UPS already changed its fuel surcharge tables for air export…
June 28, 2018 at 12:57 pm
Amazon.com announced today the launch of a new offering designed to help individuals build their own companies that deliver Amazon packages. With the offering, Amazon will provide an active role in helping interested entrepreneurs start, set up and manage their own delivery businesses, even with little or no logistics experience. Amazon will offer the couriers — who…
June 19, 2018 at 10:52 am
Every day we hear about the new solutions and tools Amazon.com is developing to create a better customer experience (CX). With its innovative shipping systems, like Fulfillment by Amazon Onsite and Amazon Prime, the company has made fast, inexpensive shipping the key to attracting new customers and staying ahead of fast-growing customer demand. While many…
June 4, 2018 at 6:13 pm
It wasn’t long ago that e-commerce and online deliveries made consumers nervous. Is it really safe to share my credit card information online, they wondered. Is my shopping history being tracked? We’ve come a long way since then, and most of those fears have evaporated with time. However, the online delivery stakes are rising by…
May 29, 2018 at 11:04 am
Dropoff’s annual survey aims to uncover shoppers’ motivations and expectations surrounding delivery. This year’s findings shed light on startling insights that should be on every retailer’s radar. Consumers’ delivery expectations are rapidly increasing, but their experiences are actually declining. Meanwhile, trust in crowdsourced peer-to-peer delivery providers remains staggeringly low. It’s obvious retailers are struggling to…
May 18, 2018 at 11:48 am
Kroger announced a deal this week with British online grocer Ocado to help improve its grocery delivery services through the construction of robotically operated warehouses. A report by Reuters states the deal is Ocado's first in the United States and company’s fourth major agreement with retailers in six months. Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen called the…
May 10, 2018 at 1:44 pm
Sears Auto Centers, a division of Sears Holdings Corp., announced yesterday that it's working with Amazon.com to provide tire installation and balancing for customers who purchase any brand of tires on Amazon, including its own DieHard brand. The rollout will begin in the coming weeks for eight metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami,…
