Shipping
March 30, 2016 at 10:09 am
The U.S. Postal Service fell short of its performance targets for a host of its mailing and shipping services last year, and on-time delivery percentages in many categories were actually worse than 2014, the agency's regulator has found. The Postal Regulatory Commission this week issued a critical report detailing the shortcomings of a broad array of…
March 22, 2016 at 11:21 am
Clothing brand American Apparel has formally partnered with startup Postmates to offer consumers on-demand delivery (within the hour) of "Basics" clothing, which includes standard tees, sweatshirts, body suits, pants, leggings and dresses for all genders. The service will be offered in 79 American Apparel stores throughout the U.S., spanning 31 metropolitan areas. At launch, delivery fees will…
March 15, 2016 at 10:09 am
Most Amazon.com shoppers love how the site immediately predicts shipping costs and delivery date for their purchases. As soon as shoppers click on a product, they see a message such as, “Want it Wednesday, Sept. 30 by 4 p.m.? Order in the next 11 minutes, six seconds.” What’s noteworthy is that Amazon does this up…
March 10, 2016 at 12:56 pm
Amazon.com is taking to the skies. The e-commerce powerhouse has finalized an agreement to lease 20 Boeing jets from Air Transport Services Group Inc. as it builds out its U.S. delivery capabilities. Amazon has been investing heavily in its shipping infrastructure, adding sorting centers, which sort packages by zip code and deliver them to post offices. And…
February 24, 2016 at 10:52 am
Whole Foods and Instacart are taking their relationship to the next level. The $10 billion national grocery store chain is making an investment in the four-year-old delivery startup, according to multiple sources. The size of the deal couldn't be learned, but sources say it's essentially done, barring an unforeseen last-minute change of heart. The two companies have also…
February 23, 2016 at 11:27 am
Even without a Prime membership, Amazon always offered free (and slow) shipping for orders over a certain minimum. For the longest time, that minimum was $25, but in 2013, the company raised it to $35. In its latest move to push its $99 per year Prime membership with free two-day shipping, the company has now quietly…
February 19, 2016 at 10:29 am
Amazon.com Inc is quietly inviting drivers for its new "on-demand" delivery service to handle its standard packages, as the online retailer known for low prices and razor-thin profit margins looks to speed up delivery times and tamp down its growing multibillion dollar logistics bill. The move, which hasn't been announced publicly, is the latest sign that…
February 16, 2016 at 10:02 am
Much in the way that Uber creates headaches for conventional cab companies, transportation management systems (TMS) have become disruptive technologies, dramatically altering the way retailers approach transportation and logistics. In an era where consumers’ “need it now” mentality reigns, using a TMS dashboard to pinpoint a shipment, access a delivery time or offer an alternative…
February 15, 2016 at 9:50 am
Accessibility to the internet and the insatiable mobility of commerce have inspired a new generation of shoppers, one that's united by its collective desire to experience the world on its own terms. In response to this brave new world, retailers are slowly aligning their offerings and services around people's lifestyles and shopping habits. However, according…
January 19, 2016 at 10:53 am
Amazon.com told sellers on Monday it had negotiated a deal with the USPS so they will see no rate change on the cost of Priority Mail shipping, which will remain at 2015 rates. The deal is unprecedented, since Priority Mail rates increased 9.8 percent on average as of Sunday, and an increase of 9.4 percent…
