Supply Chain

As we approach the Christmas 2024 peak season, ocean freight rates are expected to fluctuate significantly. A perfect storm of high seasonal demand, ongoing supply chain disruptions and the potential for further disruptions is fueling this volatility. Retailers, still scarred by the supply chain turmoil of previous years, are starting to secure shipping capacity earlier…

As the holiday season approaches, retailers must brace themselves for another year of shifting trends and heightened consumer expectations. The 2024 shopping period promises to be even more intense, with a continued focus on online convenience, seamless in-store experiences, and faster fulfillment services. Preparing for the inevitable surge starts with understanding the trends shaping the…

The Biden administration announced new steps on Friday to curtail what it calls the “overuse and abuse” of a longstanding trade law that permits low-value shipments to enter the United States without paying import duties and processing fees. The steps include a new rule proposal which would bar overseas shipments of products that are subject…

Back-to-school shopping, like other large retail events, demands careful supply chain planning to avoid bottlenecks and delays from large orders. With this year's projected spending lower than last year's, retailers need to accurately forecast demand to prevent overstocking while meeting consumers’ needs. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Optimizes Inventory Purchase Decisions AI is capable of analyzing consumer…

Several factors have come together to compel retail executives to tighten up their future plans and their balance sheets. Nervous about recent shipping disruptions, retailers prepared for peak season unusually early. They’re also under greater financial scrutiny; despite a deceleration in inflation, costs overall remain high. Unwilling to miss any revenue opportunities, they’re making sure…

The retail sector continues to face mounting pressure to meet higher standards of social and environmental responsibility. A recent survey found that over the next three years, 90 percent of organizations intend to ramp up their investments in ESG in response to both regulatory pressures and growing consumer preferences for sustainable products. Seventy-three percent of millennials now…

In episode 463 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Rah Mahtani, head of marketing, North America at Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce. Listen in as Mahtani discusses the launch of Alibaba Guaranteed (0:55), how the solution addresses global sourcing challenges (2:45), and the process of incorporating feedback from buyers…

Retail companies everywhere know that sustainability is a necessity in business today. And yet, a study showed that at the end of 2023, roughly 40 percent of North American senior sourcing managers ignored sustainability in their operations. Furthermore, 37 percent were unaware of sustainability-related legislation impacting their business. As the business case for sustainability becomes…

In recent years, geopolitical events have exposed the fragility of global supply chains. The pandemic, the Russia/Ukraine war, and the Israel/Gaza conflict have starkly demonstrated the vulnerabilities of supply lines. Designed primarily to minimize costs by leveraging low-cost labor and materials, these networks are easily disrupted by geopolitical events. To better understand the dynamics reshaping…

Stricter Enforcement of the ACE Entry Type 86 program In response to findings of counterfeit goods, illegal substances and misclassified shipments, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is intensifying enforcement of the ACE Entry Type 86 program, which exempts U.S.-bound shipments valued under $800 from duties and taxes. Now, Entry Type 86 needs to be…