UPS exceeded its Q2 revenue and earnings projections, but lower volume due to consolidation steps, including reducing Amazon packages by contractual agreement, plus the challenged macro picture didn’t resonate well on Wall Street. UPS is also piloting a delivery density program for major retailers through an OMS partnership.
FedEx is suspending Sunday delivery for its Ground network in some lower-density markets starting Aug. 21, citing a focus on “improving efficiency and reducing costs,” the move coming amid calls from contractors for relief from high costs, including elimination of Sunday service.
Truck drivers blocked the Port of Oakland Monday, protesting California’s AB5 law that requires contractors to be reclassified as employees. The law affects an estimated 70,000 independent truckers, many of whom fear losing their livelihood, according to various media reports. There were similar protests last week in LA/Long Beach.
Flexe, which provides outsourced warehousing and fulfillment services by matching excess provider capacity with shipper needs, has reached a $1 billion-plus valuation with its latest $119 million Series D round. The company claims six of the ten largest retailers and four of the five largest consumer packaged goods companies as clients.
As you expand into international shipping, be prepared for the associated complexities of cross-border ecommerce logistics. Businesses that have successful international expansion stories are often those that took the time to lay the critical groundwork, ensuring they were well prepared to handle and address emerging risks.
After the U.S. Supreme Court last week refused to hear a case that would have reopened the issue of using independent contractors in California, shippers are bracing for the supply chain impact as a nagging truck driver shortage becomes even more acute.
FedEx executives this week announced plans to integrate its operating companies – ground, express and freight – to drive operational efficiencies and eliminate redundancies, with the hopes of more than recouping the one-time expense of $2 billion over five years to make it happen. Network 2.0 was unveiled during an investor’s day event.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in an end-of-term note, on Wednesday declined to hear a California appellate case that leaves in place AB5, a 2020 state law that calls for so-called gig workers to be reclassified as employees, causing a seismic shift in the state’s transportation sector, among others.
The U.S. Postal Service is shortening the promised service levels for two of its ground delivery products, syncing them with its First-Class Package Service (FCPS), a move the USPS says will drive efficiency by consolidating processing and transportation of volume from all three products.
It’s no surprise that transmission of ecommerce logistics documents is turning digital, and in particular, via blockchain. It is a platform that seeks to connect the full ecommerce supply chain ecosystem from start to finish: Ports, ocean/air/rail/truck carriers, customs, freight forwarders, package shippers and more. The reward is massive.