Shipping

Parcel Shippers’ Court Battle Continues to Take Shape
July 6, 2011

AFMS, a parcel consulting firm, filed an amended complaint against defendants UPS and FedEx, stating violations of Sherman Acts 1 and 2. AFMS claims that UPS and FedEx have violated federal antitrust laws. Furthermore, it alleges the parcel carriers are engaged in monopolistic and collusive actions. The lawsuit is the result of UPS and FedEx’s 2010 policies to not participate in bids or rate negotiations that involve third-party negotiators (3PNs) like AFMS.

Postal Reform Act of 2011 Introduced
June 28, 2011

House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) has introduced the Postal Reform Act of 2011. The USPS is looking forward to working with Issa as the bill makes its way through the legislative process.

Retail Container Traffic Nearly Flat Through July
June 20, 2011

A report released by the National Retail Federation said that import cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports is expected to remain at about the same levels as last year through July before starting to resume increases later this summer.

Williams-Sonoma Launches International Shipping
June 13, 2011

Williams-Sonoma, a specialty retailer of high-quality products for the home, announced today that Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids, West Elm and Williams-Sonoma will offer international shipping, joining PBteen in its partnership with FiftyOne Global Ecommerce, a provider of international e-commerce services and infrastructure to U.S. retailers. Customers in more than 75 countries will now be able to shop online for Williams-Sonoma products.

You Too Can Offer Free Shipping
June 2, 2011

Consumers and carriers are squeezing e-tailers: customers expect free shipping and carriers keep raising prices. Residential shipping costs are skyrocketing out of control. What’s a shipper to do?

Newegg to Offer Will-Call Pickup Services
May 23, 2011

Newegg Inc., the largest tech-focused pure-play online retailer, announced the official opening of its first-ever "Will-Call" pickup location. Customers of Newegg.com and NeweggBusiness in the Los Angeles area now have the opportunity to save time and money by ordering online and then picking up their orders directly from the Newegg warehouse.

Gilt Groupe Offers Flat-Rate Shipping
May 17, 2011

Good news for Gilt shoppers — effective immediately, shipping will be reduced to a flat fee of $5.95 for UPS ground shipping no matter the size of the purchase. Returns can also now be made via a USPS mailbox or a UPS drop-off location.

Meijer Launches Ship-to-Store Program
April 29, 2011

Meijer is the latest retailer to offer free shipping for purchases made on its e-commerce site that are to be picked up at one of its 195 Midwest stores. “Order-to-Store” merges online and in-store shopping, the retailer said in a statement announcing the new program.

USPS Announces New Regional Ground Service for Commercial Shippers
April 25, 2011

Commercial shippers seeking an economical solution for delivery of small packages now have a new service available from the U.S. Postal Service. Introduced April 17, Parcel Select Regional Ground offers competitive pricing for high-volume business-to-consumer shippers.