Amazon Lowers Free Shipping Threshold to $35

| Mike O'Brien

In a quick counter-salvo, Amazon recently lowered the free shipping threshold for non-Prime members from $49 to $35, a response to Walmart’s move earlier this month.
The speed with which Amazon changed its policy is an indication of just how seriously it is taking ecommerce competition from the world’s largest retailer.

UPS Tests Drone Delivery in Florida

| Mike O'Brien

UPS recently conducted a successful drone delivery test to a home in a rural area outside Tampa, FL, launching it from the top of a delivery truck. The drone was from electric truck and drone developer Workhorse Group. See what other drone projects UPS has in the works, how it is working with the FAA and how it sees the future of drone delivery.

Customer Experience a Key Aspect of Retail Supply Chain Operations

| MCM staff

Retailers are having a hard time updating their supply chain systems and technologies to keep up with the new reality of heightened customer expectations in an era of digital disruption but are feeling increased pressure to do so quickly, according to a new survey from Convey.

7 Ways to Control Parcel Shipping Costs

| Tim Parry

Giant omnichannel players such as Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, Pier 1 Imports and Target have lowered their free-shipping thresholds to better compete with Amazon. Here are how merchants of all sizes can look into their operations for ways to control their shipping costs.

New FedEx Fulfillment Service Targets SMB Market

| Mike O'Brien

FedEx Supply Chain, rebranded from the company’s 2016 acquisition of Genco, is rolling out FedEx Fulfillment, a solution that provides a full suite of warehouse, inventory management and delivery services for small- to medium-sized businesses that is directly competitive with Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).

Same Day Delivery An Opportunity Area for Retailers vs. Amazon

| Mike O'Brien

Same day delivery represents an opportunity area for retailers as delivery partners can make it a reality across a wider swath of the country than Amazon, which covers 27 U.S. markets at present, according to a new report from L2. See what other insights the report uncovered, including consumer expectations for fast shipping and how one major retailer is pivoting to the new reality.

Amazon Planning a $1.5B Air Hub in Kentucky

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon plans to build a $1.5 billion air hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky airport in Hebron, KY, part of its ever-growing logistics enterprise. Observers continue to believe Amazon’s endgame is to handle shipping and distribution not only for its own fast-growing ecommerce business but for other retailers as well.

Walmart Goes After Amazon with Free Two-Day Shipping

| Mike O'Brien

Firing yet another salvo in its ongoing ecommerce war with Amazon, Walmart is eliminating its fee-based ShippingPass program that was designed as a counter to Amazon Prime, instead offering free two-day shipping on 2 million items at a $35 order threshold.