grocery lady scanning phone in aisle feature

How Grocery Can Survive Uberization

| Madeline Aufseeser

Perhaps the biggest competitive advantages delivery services have over traditional grocery is sourcing and convenience. So, what can traditional grocers do to stop their lunch being eaten? Continue to innovate your channels with products, services and tools that help customers get the most from their in-store experiences.

curbside pickup sign feature

Curbside Pickup Can Now Include Impulse Purchases

| Mike O'Brien

A new tool allows retailers to offer impulse, add-on products to a curbside pickup order, in similar fashion to a physical checkout line, creating an opportunity to recapture lost purchases as BOPIS adoption continues to grow. The tool, called Curb Up, is a collaboration between Canadian firms Bold Commerce and ecommerce agency Knit.

Opex perfect pick feature

Opex Files New Patent Infringement Lawsuits

| Mike O'Brien

Opex, a maker of warehouse and fulfillment center automation and robotic systems, has filed a second set of lawsuits against two companies alleging infringement of patents for its Perfect Pick automated storage and retrieval (AS/RS) system and its Sure Sort automated sortation system.

Gap Inc. FC in Fishkill, NY feature

Gap Inc. Exec on New Platform Services Offering

| Mike O'Brien

Last month, Gap Inc. launched its own fulfillment services platform, making the high-tech, automated network it has invested billions in available for other retailers to take advantage of as the in-house/outsourced services trend continues. Gap fulfillment executive Kevin Kuntz explains more about the offering and the thinking behind it.

omnichannel store associate feature

Omnichannel Optimization: Automate Store Operations

| Gary Stonell

As the role of the store shifts to meet the needs of omnichannel shoppers, retailers must also evolve to ensure efficient and productive task execution. Make the most out of your omnichannel strategy by automating store operations with digital management processes, exceeding expectations and improving communications.

Amazon Cloostermans machine feature

Amazon Buys Belgian Robotics Firm Cloostermans

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is acquiring Cloostermans, a private Belgian company dating back to 1884. The company makes robotic systems for moving heavy items like stacked pallets and totes to stage products for delivery. Amazon, a customer for some time, will further enhance the technology and likely take it off the market. Terms were not disclosed.

MCM Top 3PL banner 2023 feature

MCM Top 3PLs 2023: Be Listed and Be Seen

| Mike O'Brien

We’ve opened up the submission period for Multichannel Merchant’s annual Top 3PL directory. This is your chance to show off your chops and differentiators to more than 74,000 MCM readers in ecommerce and retail. It’s the industry’s go-to resource for this rapidly evolving market, so don’t miss your opportunity to be represented. 

Gap TX FC feature

Gap Inc. Launches Fulfillment Services Offering

| Mike O'Brien

Following in the footsteps of American Eagle Outfitters, Gap has launched its own fulfillment services platform, making the high-tech, automated network it has invested billions in available for other retailers to take advantage of as the in-house/outsourced services trend continues.

Geodis Need it Now warehouse feature

Geodis Acquiring Last Mile Provider Need It Now Delivers

| Mike O'Brien

Paris-based major 3PL Geodis is acquiring Need It Now Delivers, adding last-mile delivery principally on the east coast, a capability that was lacking for the contract logistics, freight and fulfillment provider as it looks to ramp up its penetration into ecommerce and omnichannel companies.

Amazon FBA FC exterior feature

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.