Shipping

eBay Changes Delivery Estimates for Sellers
September 2, 2016 at 10:27 am

eBay announced that it’s updating its estimated delivery dates for seller on-time shipping performance for USPS First-Class Mail and USPS Priority Mail Express. Effective September 1, sellers will have handle time plus three days (instead of the prior five days) to ship USPS First-Class Mail, and handle time plus one day (instead of the prior…

How Fulfillment Can Turn Holiday Shoppers Into Loyal Customers
August 29, 2016 at 12:02 pm

With the holiday season fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about your holiday strategy. A successful holiday shopping season doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time, planning and a strategy that allows you to deliver the same high-quality customer experiences that shoppers enjoy throughout the year. During November and December, many retailers enjoy a healthy…

5 Retail Trends to Follow Now
August 19, 2016 at 10:08 am

As consumers continue to seek convenience and instant gratification via mobile devices, retailers are challenged with thinking about new ways to generate customer interest and loyalty. To develop insights in these areas, Synchrony Financial recently tracked existing and emerging trends impacting both the retail and mobile payments space and published them in a new report. The report…

Amazon Launches First Cargo Plane
August 8, 2016 at 12:47 pm

Amazon.com launched its first ever branded cargo plane, Amazon One, at Seattle’s SeaFair Air Show on Friday. The Boeing 767-300 plane is one of 40 that Amazon has agreed to lease through air cargo partners Atlas Air and ATSG. In an ode to its Prime members, Amazon’s first plane in its dedicated fleet features a…

Christmas in July: Tips for Your Holiday Returns Strategy
July 29, 2016 at 11:18 am

Last year’s holiday season saw more than $626 billion in sales, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF), with $105 billion coming from online and other non-store sales. However, despite shoppers’ good intentions, they didn't always find the perfect gifts for their loved ones. This resulted in billions of dollars worth of returned merchandise. As…

The End of Postage Discounting for Lower-Volume Shippers?
July 26, 2016 at 9:19 am

This is a guest post by Gordon Glazer, director of modal optimization and affiliate strategies at Shipware, a parcel audit and consulting firm. In the interest of full disclosure, Gordon recently took a small short position on Stamps.com after the two reports mentioned were published. Also, Shipware provides access to discounted postage pricing through one…

7-Eleven, Not Amazon, Does First Commercial Delivery Via Drone
July 25, 2016 at 12:41 pm

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's a Slurpee? That must have been on the minds of people who may have glanced up at the sky in Reno, Nev. on July 11 when 7-Eleven made the first commercial drone delivery to a private residence. According to 7-Eleven, the initial delivery included a chicken sandwich, donuts, coffee, candy…

3 Products to Optimize Order Fulfillment
July 20, 2016 at 12:26 pm

As more and more consumers purchase items online, many retailers are facing growing challenges in keeping up with the demand. The dramatic growth in e-commerce has affected all aspects of the fulfillment process, from packing to shipping to delivery. Several innovative products in today’s market can help address these challenges, while increasing efficiency and reducing…

Wal-Mart Gives Customers Free Shipping This Week
July 11, 2016 at 1:56 pm

Wal-Mart is getting a jump on Amazon Prime Day. From July 11 through July 15, Wal-Mart is offering a five-day period of free shipping with a selection of discounts. Amazon's much-hyped Prime Day begins July 12. Wal-Mart emphasized that its offer of free shipping with no minimum purchase is open to everyone, and it's for five…

Nordstrom Buys Stake in Software Firm
July 8, 2016 at 12:09 pm

Nordstrom made a bold move this week by acquiring a minority stake in supply chain software firm DS Co. The platform provides a cloud-based service that will make it easier for suppliers to directly ship orders placed through Nordstrom’s retail partners — i.e., drop shipping. For example, if a customer purchases a shirt from Nordstrom’s website,…