Supply Chain

Run-DMC Sues Amazon, Wal-Mart for $50M
January 3, 2017 at 11:17 am

Members of the rap group Run-DMC are suing Amazon.com and Wal-Mart for $50 million for trademark infringement. The suit, filed last Thursday in federal court in New York, accuses the retailers of manufacturing, marketing and selling products with the group's trademarked name, including glasses, hats, T-shirts and wallets. Run-DMC says in the suit that it…

Amazon Secretly Working on ‘Uber for Trucking’ App
December 20, 2016 at 11:47 am

Amazon.com is building an app that matches truck drivers with shippers, a new service that would deepen its presence in the $800 billion trucking industry, a person with direct knowledge of the matter told Business Insider. The app, scheduled to launch next summer, is designed to make it easier for truck drivers to find shippers that…

Patagonia Commits to Overseas Workers With Fair Trade Program
November 28, 2016 at 10:54 am

Episode 63 of Total Retail Talks features a conversation with Helena Barbour, senior director of global sportswear at Patagonia, a designer and retailer of outdoor clothing and gear. Barbour talks about Patagonia's Fair Trade program, offering insights into the retailer's efforts to ensure the factory workers making its products across the globe are earning a fair…

Pilot Strike Could Disrupt Amazon's Holiday Deliveries
November 23, 2016 at 9:44 am

A pilot strike is threatening to ground flights carrying cargo for Amazon.com during the busy holiday season. About 250 pilots employed by ABX Air, a subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, went on strike Tuesday morning to protest what they say are staffing shortages. Now Amazon and shipping company DHL Worldwide Express, which are both customers of…

Secrets to Leveraging Your ERP System for Holiday Success 
November 11, 2016 at 8:00 am

While the rest of the world is transitioning into the final months of the year, the retail industry has been preparing for the holiday season since before the first signs of summer. Though the time to purchase gifts, decorations and party supplies may still be a few weeks off, retailers are well into the final…

Amid Calls to Boycott Ivanka Trump Brand, Nordstrom Responds
November 7, 2016 at 11:14 am

Nordstrom last week responded to a shopper's viral open letter demanding that the retailer stop selling Ivanka Trump's fashion brand. The retailer posted a response on Twitter Wednesday, saying it's not taking a political position by selling Trump's products. "We hope that offering a vendor's products isn't misunderstood as us taking a political position; we're…

Millennials, Environmental Sustainability Core to Paper Culture's Future
November 7, 2016 at 9:25 am

In episode 60 of Total Retail Talks, Christopher Wu, co-founder and CEO of Paper Culture, an online retailer that offers modern design and sustainable products, including stationery, wedding invitations and wall decor, talks about the growth of the business, and in particular how a commitment to environmentally friendly products and attracting millennials to the brand…