pitney bowes logo feature

Pitney Bowes Investor Calls for Board Takeover, New CEO

| Mike O'Brien

Pitney Bowes will get a board makeover with an installed majority and a new interim CEO, if investor Hestia Capital has its way, actions that have led management to take defensive measures. The hedge fund said it’s taking these hardball measures after the company refused its offer last month to bring in three new outside directors.

Macy’s Converts 35 Stores to Mini FCs

| Mike O'Brien

Ahead of peak season, Macy’s converted 35 stores into mini fulfillment centers, creating about 1 million square feet of space to handle online orders, lowering costs, speeding up delivery times and reducing the incidence of painful split shipments, executives said on a recent earnings call.

marketplace aggregators piece of pie feature

The Future for Marketplace Aggregators

| Ben Eachus

While marketplaces have made it easier than ever to launch a digital-first brand, the process of getting products to a customer’s door has never been more complex, and marketplace aggregators will face challenges and frustrations handling the supply chain complications.

OneRail Lisa and Bill Catania feature

OneRail Raises $33 Million, Looks to Expand to SMB

| Mike O'Brien

OneRail, an Orlando-based startup with software that optimizes last-mile deliveries, has raised $33 million in a Series B round to further develop its platform and bring in new talent to fuel its growth, with plans to launch an extension for SMBs on Shopify in 2023.

FloorFound warehouse feature

FloorFound Expands Recommerce Network

| Mike O'Brien

FloorFound has expanded its nationwide recommerce network, including five facilities totaling 500,000 square feet of space and business intelligence software that helps retailers determine the best channel for maximizing resale value, plus an integration with project44’s supply chain platform.

cyber week hands holding gift feature

Cyber Week, Here We Come

| Mike O'Brien

Sales expectations are somewhat muted based on a welter of surveys and experts, as well as most retail earnings, but Cyber Week is still kind of a big deal, extended season and early deals notwithstanding. There are, of course, no lack of consumer jitters due to nagging inflation, with study after study indicating some degree of hesitancy.

gig workers bike delivery feature

Gig Workers Change Considered by DOL

| Mike O'Brien

Last month, the Department of Labor proposed a change to the way it determines the classification of independent contractors. If it eventually becomes law, the rule change would have a lasting effect on the gig economy and gig workers. Kashyap Deorah, CEO of HyperTrack, talks about the balancing act in front of the DOL.

FedEx driver holiday snow feature

One FedEx Ground Contractor Group Disbands, Another Forms

| Mike O'Brien

After making a lot of noise this year with a list of grievances including poor management practices and bad peak season forecasting leading to the brink of insolvency for many, an association of FedEx Ground contractors has disbanded, taking a shot at the founder on the way out the door.

personas thumbnail feature

Using Customer Delivery Personas as a Growth Tool

| Chris Jones

How do you create a positive delivery experience that offers consumers the choice they crave, translating your last mile delivery process into repeat purchases and brand loyalty? Retailers in the know are focusing on delivery segmentation to differentiate themselves, crafting customer delivery personas to inform their last mile deliveries.

USPS old mailboxes

USPS Sees Revenue Gain, Net Loss, Parcel Drop

| Mike O'Brien

The U.S. Postal Service reported a revenue gain for the year but an income loss, while parcel volume continued to drop relative to the 2021 pandemic surge, as the USPS like other shippers has experienced a slowdown in ecommerce-related business due to challenging economic conditions.