Shipping

Imagine a shopper is getting ready to throw a party to celebrate their child’s college graduation. They may shop around several retailers' stores and websites before ordering new backyard furniture for the event. If the retailer that the shopper chose delivers the furniture after the party, the shopper will likely avoid that retailer in the…

Amazon.com plans to tap thousands of U.S. small businesses, from bodegas to florists, to deliver its packages by the end of the year, Axios is first to report. On Monday, the e-commerce giant will start actively recruiting existing small businesses in 23 states including Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, North…

Today’s brands are enjoying a once-in-a-century gold rush predominantly sparked by rapid digital growth and a discernible willingness on the part of consumers to take their shopping experiences, even those once thought to be sacred to brick-and-mortar retail, into an e-commerce environment. Add to that a seemingly endless number of sales and distribution channels —…

The way we shop has changed dramatically over the past few years. E-commerce acceleration has given consumers endless options for shopping and delivery. While this shift to a new shop-from-anywhere economy has made our lives more convenient, it has come at an environmental cost that consumers are increasingly aware of. In fact, a recent consumer…

Amazon.com is offering some customers an incentive to pick up their orders in-store rather than have it delivered to a home address as shipping costs soar, Reuters first reported Monday. The e-commerce giant sent emails to a number of Amazon Prime subscribers promising them $10 if they picked up any of their orders worth at…

The in-store experience has always been a big part of luxury goods retailing. You can immerse yourself in the elegance of a store’s décor and merchandise, and some retailers create full sensory experiences in their spaces — from signature scents in the air to complimentary beverages in the shopper’s hand. Even window shopping at a…

The e-commerce boom over the last decade has thrust the importance of last-mile logistics into the spotlight. The definition of “fast” has evolved for many consumers, with enterprise retailers like Amazon.com and Walmart setting a precedent for same- and next-day delivery. In fact, on-demand last-mile delivery platforms and new last-mile parcel networks were among the…

E-commerce and brick-and-mortar retailers are caught in a vortex of clamor about inflation, a potential economic downturn, and what some expect to be a shopping slowdown. At the same time, research shows there’s reason to be hopeful. Even if shoppers pump the brakes on spending, retail sales are still likely to increase some 4 percent…

For online retailers, the last mile is a critical element to the customer’s overall brand experience, covering the entire spectrum from website browsing to purchasing a product and, finally, to receiving a delivery. While the last mile is critically important to the customer’s brand experience, it contributes an estimated 53 percent to the total shipping…

Amazon.com is reportedly expanding ultrafast delivery options and devoting more resources to facilities and services structured to deliver packages to customers in less than a day, according to a Feb. 26 report in The Wall Street Journal. The expansions are happening at a crucial point for Amazon, which faces competition for fast delivery options while CEO Andy…