consumers doing stuff

Consumers Willing to Wait, But Not Pay for Shipping

| Mike O'Brien

While consumers may be understanding of delays caused by – yup – supply chain issues, they are less forgiving when it comes to being charged for shipping. Over half of respondents to a survey from Dotcom Distribution said they get the delays, but just 25% of those respondents said it made them more tolerant of shipping costs.

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Blockchain Leads to Ecommerce Logistics Savings

| David Zartman

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.

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Amazon Disputes It’s Running Out of Workers

| Mike O'Brien

A leaked Amazon memo from mid-2021 indicates the company feared running out of fulfillment workers by 2024, impacting its business growth prospects and vaunted level of service especially for Prime customers, according to a report in Recode that Amazon has downplayed.

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Borderfree Acquired by Global-e from Pitney Bowes

| Mike O'Brien

Borderfree, a provider of cross-border shipping acquired by Pitney Bowes in 2015, is being acquired by Israeli cross-border platform firm Global-e for $100 million in cash, about a quarter of its original price, the companies announced, adding the two will enter into a strategic partnership. The deal is expected to close in Q3.

inventory management woman at her WMS

Inventory Management in 2022: Navigating Disruptions

| Mike O'Brien

This special report from Multichannel Merchant will address how the right tools and technology not only provide greater inventory accuracy and visibility, but help you prioritize and track SKU movement within a facility, among network nodes and in partner channels. It will also cover advanced capabilities as well as must-have systems.

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Prologis to Acquire Duke Realty for $26 Billion

| Mike O'Brien

Prologis, the largest U.S. player in commercial real estate including warehouses and fulfillment centers, is acquiring Duke Realty in a deal valued at $26 billion, giving Prologis an additional 153 million square feet of active space plus another 11 million square feet under development in 19 markets. Investors were wary of the move.

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Dave Clark to Co-Lead Flexport After Amazon

| Mike O'Brien

Dave Clark, the 23-year Amazon veteran who unexpectedly stepped down last week after helping create its vaunted logistics operations, which became grossly overbuilt in the pandemic era, has been tapped as co-CEO of hot supply chain and freight forwarding company Flexport. Photo credit: Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images

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Walmart Rolling Out Four High-Tech FCs

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart plans to open up four high-tech, automated fulfillment centers over the next three years, which when completed will enable it to reach 95% of the country in the Amazon Prime standard of two days or less, while streamlining fulfillment processes and increasing throughput. The news drops between a Q1 miss and Prime Day.

How Flexible Labor is Reshaping Ecommerce Fulfillment Operations

| MCM Staff

In ecommerce fulfillment, there’s a growing movement toward a more flexible workforce, driven by staffing challenges and a more empowered labor pool. This is having a massive impact and creating huge potential for operations management. Join us for this free live webinar featuring experts from flexible labor provider Instawork.

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Amazon Recruiting Rural SMBs as Couriers

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon has quietly been recruiting local businesses in rural areas across 10 states as part of its fulfillment network, earning cash on the side for making deliveries of ecommerce orders in hard-to-reach places for contract couriers, according to Recode. They can earn up to $2,000 a week with the side hustle but assume liability.