Shipping

Amazon Joins the On-Demand Economy, Using Independent Contractors for Deliveries
September 29, 2015 at 10:23 am

Amazon.com is using independent contractors for its Flex delivery program to ferry packages to customers, adopting a staffing method that's already attracted controversy and lawsuits. Amazon Flex, which the company describes as its newest delivery innovation, allows individuals to be their own bosses while earning up to $25 per hour or more delivering Prime Now orders,โ€ฆ

Kohl's Testing Same-Day Delivery in Two Markets
September 23, 2015 at 10:33 am

As part of its continuing digital push, Kohl's Corp. is piloting same-day delivery service in two big-city markets, the company said Tuesday. Although Milwaukee is often one of the Menomonee Falls, Wis.-based company's early test markets, Kohl's latest bid to bind online shopping with brick-and-mortar will target Chicago and San Francisco to start, a spokesperson said. Asโ€ฆ

Oops โ€ฆ They Did it Again! FedEx Increases Fuel Surcharges On All Products
September 23, 2015 at 10:27 am

On the heels of a fuel surcharge adjustment just this past February, FedEx is once again adjusting its fuel surcharge index nine months later. Effective Nov. 2, 2015, fuel surcharges for FedEx Express and FedEx Ground will change resulting in Express/International increases of 1.5 percent to 1.75 percent, and Ground increases of .5 percent toโ€ฆ

eBay Screwed Up Shipping Estimates Over 2-Week Period
September 22, 2015 at 10:39 am

eBay confessed to screwing up shipping estimates on sellersโ€™ listings for a two-week period in September. eBay informed sellers in an email in case they receive defects from shoppers disappointed with delivery time. The issue is important since buyers make purchasing decisions based on how quickly they think they can receive the item, and is particularlyโ€ฆ

Papal Visit Could Disrupt Online Shopping Deliveries
September 21, 2015 at 10:29 am

A higher power could disrupt the pickup and delivery of e-commerce packages, but this week it's not Mother Nature online buyers and sellers must worry about โ€” it's the Pope. This week, security measures will be in place in areas of Washington, D.C., New York City and Philadelphia as Pope Francis visits the United Statesโ€ฆ

USPS to Help Alibaba Get Goods to American Consumers
September 17, 2015 at 1:02 pm

The US Postal Service will help get Alibaba merchandise into the hands of US consumers more quickly. The agency signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alibaba's logistics firm Cainiao to work together to develop new international shipping solutions and enhance the logistics-service experience for sellers and buyers. Alibaba said the global B2C cross-border e-commerce marketโ€ฆ

FedEx Announces 2016 General Rate Increase and Other Changes
September 17, 2015 at 11:00 am

FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, subsidiaries of FedEx Corp., will increase shipping rates effective Jan. 4, 2016 as follows: FedEx Express will increase shipping rates by an average of 4.9 percent for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery will increase shipping rates by an averageโ€ฆ

Walgreens Launches On-Demand Delivery
September 16, 2015 at 10:57 am

Walgreens just announced an official partnership with on-demand startup Postmates to offer same-day delivery for, initially, a flat delivery fee of $4.99. The on-demand delivery service via Postmates will be available at 600 Walgreens (known as Duane Reade in some parts of the U.S.) stores throughout the country. Postmates has always offered on-demand deliveries of itemsโ€ฆ

Toys"R"Us Lowers Free Shipping Minimum for Online Orders
September 10, 2015 at 10:19 am

Toys"R"Us said on Wednesday it's lowered its free shipping minimum for online orders, as retailers continue to outdo each other with delivery deals before the holiday shopping season. The world's largest dedicated toy retailer said it will lower the minimum purchase required for free shipping of online orders from $49 to $19. In May, Wal-Mart said itโ€ฆ

Google to Test Grocery Delivery Service
September 8, 2015 at 10:20 am

After years of running its Google Express service โ€” which offers same-day delivery on merchandise and packaged foods from a variety of retailers to customers in a handful of markets around the country โ€” the internet giant is now reportedly confident enough to try its hand at bringing fresh food and groceries to consumersโ€™ doors. Googleโ€™sโ€ฆ