2023 eCommerce Fulfillment Trends
A look back at eCommerce Fulfillment in 2022 - data, sentiment, trends, and what all that means for the year to come! The report covers a diverse range of topics and implications for 2023. The highlights: State-by-state order volume and eCommerce value Brand growth...
Fuel Prices are Dropping, So When Will Transportation and Logistics Companies Roll Back Surcharges?
From the US Energy Information Administration: Rising crude oil prices and increased gasoline demand early in 2022 contributed to rising US retail gasoline prices in the summer. but gasoline prices ended 2022 lower than at the start of the year because of more...
Peak Season a Major Win for USPS Thanks to Delivering for America Initiative
According to preliminary figures, the USPS reported strong performance from October 1 to December 23. In a year-end press conference, the Postal Service stated that its peak season preparations "reflected strategic investments and operational precision improvements."...
Less peak, more bleak: Holiday retailers holding peak inventory close to the chest.
The holiday peak rush is proving a bit anticlimactic for freight companies. As overstocked shops cancel international orders, freighters have lowered their volume expectations leading up to the holiday. In fact, a number of indicators seem to tell the tale of...
Here’s why every DTC brand should become a global player in 2023 (plus stats and trends for the new year!)
Global commerce feels like a big complicated topic. The word global has some weight to it (6.6 sextillion tons, according to space.com). Similarly, commerce is just so vague and all-encompassing of the ways we make and spend money. For instance, in the US, the...
Trending Carrier News | Continued
8/25 | USPS INCREASES FREIGHT BROKER SPEND UNDER DEJOY IN EFFORT TO CUT AGENCY COSTS: Public data indicates that the Postal Service has intensified its freight broker spend under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. The increase in broker deals marks the postal...
Carrier Peak Surcharge | Cheat Sheet, 2022
For this month’s #IntheNumbers, we’re taking a slightly different approach and punting on our typical data deep dive. Instead, we’re using our usual nerdy segment to provide some practical info for 3pls, brands, and anyone else who regularly concerns...
More on USPS / Freight Broker Relationship
For many years, the United States Postal Service has acted as a major carrier that has somehow avoided using freight brokers. As a result, they saved a small fortune. Then, in the fiscal year 2021, the Postal Service spent close to $10 billion transporting packages...
VR Platforms Deliver Metaverse-Style Experiences to Online Shopping
Two companies are paving the way for customers as they explore virtual shopping in the metaverse. Emperia is a virtual reality platform specializing in art, retail, and fashion. Most recently, the company has been working with brands to create virtual shopping...
National Forklift Safety Day Recap
National Forklift Safety Day returned to a live, in-person event on June 14, 2022, following two years of virtual activities. This year's event featured both live and online components. Each year, the day aims to increase awareness of forklift safety and adequate...
Record-High Diesel Prices & Limping Trucking Industry Paint Grim Picture of Economy
The price of diesel has skyrocketed. Of course, that is not news to anyone, especially readers of this blog. And while fuel costs have been difficult for everyone, it has been especially challenging for transportation and logistics companies, carriers,...
Take My Eyes But Not the Siracha: Supply Chain Issues Lead to All New Shortages of Food & Beverages
Popcorn and sriracha are in short supply this summer, a reminder that the world's supply networks are still under pressure. Recently, many seemingly random foods have become pricey or hard to find. These include lettuce in Australia, onions and salami in Japan, and...
Still Comparing Amazon & Shopify? Elon’s Twitter Shops Proposal Highlights Distinctions
Shopify merchants may now list up to five products on their Twitter profile or utilize Twitter Shops, a test tool that enables sellers to list up to fifty products in a tab that is linked to their profile. A deal between Shopify and Twitter will enable Shopify...
Amazon Recruits Rural Mom & Pop Shops As New Delivery Partners
Amazon has been covertly recruiting rural mom-and-pop shops for an all new delivery program since last summer. The company pays small businesses a per-package fee to deliver Amazon purchases in Nebraska, Mississippi, and Alabama. The local businesses Amazon is...
Recommerce Solutions Help Companies Profit from Brand Altruism
Ecommerce returns account for almost 20% of all goods sold online, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). For multi-chain e-tailers, this is a pricey proposition. Returns usually indicate that the seller has paid for shipping twice (to and from a consumer)...
Interview: Subta & Gentlemen’s Box Founders, Chris George & Paul Chambers
Gentleman's Box, a subscription service for men's lifestyle products founded in 2014, was the first foray into ecommerce for Chris George and Paul Chambers. After six years and 400,000 orders shipped, Gentleman's Box sold to Jeff Zeiders of Mobile,...
First Defense Production Act Contracts for Formula Approved
The DoD recently contracted FedEx Express to make the second flight for Operation Fly Formula and deliver Nestle baby formula from Ramstein Air Base in Germany to the U.S. FedEx (NYSE: FDX) delivered to Washington Dulles International Airport before distributing...
National Retail Federation Says: Americans Return 17% of Retail Purchases
From Thomas Industry: A recent analysis from the National Retail Federation shows the average store sees $166 million in returned products for every $1 billion in sales. According to the Federation, $761 billion in items was returned to retailers last year, accounting...