Parcel consolidation and ecommerce firm Pitney Bowes has come with an innovative device that combines a label printer and scale. SMB shippers can process orders from Amazon, eBay and Shopify from their phones using companion software, compare discounted shipping rates, print labels and First Class stamps and track packages.
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.
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.
A lot has changed since the onset of the pandemic but supply chain disruptions continue to evolve. While the degree and nature of disruptions differed for every company, almost all discovered many hidden supply chain imbalances. Here are a few ways SMBs can make the best of these turbulent times and keep things humming.
Realizing the demand from both its merchant clients and their end customers to address the heavy carbon emissions associated with ecommerce deliveries, especially around peak holiday season, platform provider ShippingEasy is offering a carbon offset program through Jan. 12, 2023.
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.
With lowered holiday shopping expectations amid inflation concerns, consumers hunt for deals as early promotions lured them in but not in the hoped-for droves, and inventory remains a challenge. Retailers continue to discount and promote to clear out stock, increasingly using resale platforms like Poshmark, ThredUp and Etsy.
The Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022 is intended to promote U.S. exports and make ocean transport more competitive, efficient and economical. But a requirement that invoices list the date of container accessibility is proving to be a fly in the ointment. Bryn Heimbeck of Trade Tech Inc. explains efforts to address the inequity.
Companion bills in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate aim to amend the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, removing the overtime exemption for truckers. Predictably, it’s opposed by shippers and rail carriers, and supported by unions, trucking associations and safety groups. A spokesman for a major auto carrier explains why he supports it.
UPS posted strong Q3 financial results, falling a bit short on revenue vs. the analyst consensus but beating on earnings, as the company was lauded for successfully making network adjustments to falling volumes, unlike rival FedEx’s report about a month ago. The brown carrier also expects peak season volume to be lighter than 2021.