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Amazon Lists First-Time FBA Peak Surcharge

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is jumping on the peak surcharge bandwagon for the first time, asking sellers using its Fulfillment By Amazon service to pay 35 cents more per item for goods sold in the U.S. and Canada, running from Oct. 15 to Jan. 14, according to CNBC. This follows peak fee announcements from both FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service.

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Shopify Acquires Deliverr for $2.1 Billion

| Mike O'Brien

Shopify is acquiring asset-light last-mile startup Deliverr for $2.1B, further building out its fulfillment infrastructure and giving it a counter-move to Amazon’s new Buy With Prime that extends the Prime experience to other retailers. But the question is, will it be enough to enable Shopify to gain ground on its much larger competitor?

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Ryder Acquires Whiplash, Expands Network

| Mike O'Brien

Ryder System Inc. has significantly expanded its fulfillment network and added automation capabilities through the acquisition of 3PL Whiplash for $480 million, giving it warehouse assets in key markets and ports including Long Beach, CA, Seattle/Tacoma, New York/New Jersey and Savannah, GA.

Pursuing a DTC Model: The Pros and Cons

| Andrea Leigh

One of the biggest retail trends influenced by the pandemic is the increasing popularity of the direct-to-consumer or DTC model. For many brands, a long-running DTC channel proved priceless over the past year, but it’s important to weigh the pros and cons. Here are six considerations when looking at pursuing a DTC model.

Wix Takes Aim at Shopify with Enhanced Ecommerce Solution

| Mike O'Brien

Website design and builder firm Wix has enhanced its ecommerce solution by adding a number of capabilities, taking aim at market leader Shopify by giving SMBs an entire raft of tools to set up and run their e-shop without breaking the bank. Wix said the COVID-driven explosion in ecommerce accelerated its development plans.

How Can Subscription Box Businesses Adapt to the Coronavirus Climate?

| Nicole Lee

The effects of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 are being felt globally. Given the widespread impact, most subscription-based businesses are sure to feel the repercussions long term. Given the many challenges it presents, planning now to ensure that your business can adapt as this new reality unfolds is your best move.

Calculating Your True Ecommerce Fulfillment Cost Per Order

| Brian Barry

Ecommerce fulfillment cost per order (CPO) is the sum of all the warehousing expenses involved in receiving, put away and storage of product, picking, packing and shipping and reverse logistics or returns processing from customers. But do you know your fully loaded CPO? This calculation process will help you generate a true number.

XPO Explores Sale or Spinoff of Up to 4 Business Units, Just Not LTL

| Mike O'Brien

Saying the market hasn’t been rewarding the company as it should, the board of XPO Logistics said the company was exploring strategic options including the sale or spinoff of up to four business units, which would not include its less-than-truckload shipping business. It has retained Goldman Sachs and J.P. Morgan as financial advisors.