Consumers are bringing their spending back to offline retailers in 2021, and a now a retail revival, and a likely boost to in-person retail, has already begun. Here are four key technology trends that your brick-and-mortar store can use to accelerate customer engagement in the coming consumer wave.
On the surface DTC seems like a no-brainer: Cut out the middleman, increase margins, gain customer insights in an increasingly crowded retail marketplace. However, this pivot will still be difficult for larger brands. Let’s take a look at some of the roadblocks and lessons retailers can learn from those who have been successful.
While Happy Returns has solved for the efficient consolidation of ecommerce returns at its growing network of mall-based returns bars, a new joint solution from BlueDot and Adeptmind aims to take the same approach on the purchase end by consolidating curbside pickup at U.S. malls. BlueDot’s CMO explains how it works.
Merchants that utilize third-party fulfillment (3PL) services sometimes consider transitioning back to internal fulfillment operations. Sometimes it’s to control costs, while others have had a bad experience with 3PLs and now only trust themselves with their operations. Here are 10 factors to consider if you’re looking to insource.
In an interesting twist, Walmart is offering access to services such as ecommerce order pickup and delivery to smaller retailers via a subscription program through partnering with Adobe, expanding revenue by selling its services a la Amazon’s cloud computing juggernaut.
Israel Maynard, Senior Director of International Logistics and Fulfillment for outdoor gear and apparel retailer Burton, has been busy working with vendors overseas and partners here to get everything stocked and set for his peak season. We discuss all this in our latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.
UPS has ended a freeze on earned discount tiers based on large shipping volume drops caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, with some shippers seeing cost increases in the 10% to 30% range as they suddenly dropped two or three tiers, consultants and shippers report. The freeze ended as the lockdown effects are long over.
Ruby Has, a top 3PL, has launched an industry consortium aimed at helping both direct-to-consumer merchants and those providing support services to share expertise, resources and best practices aimed at benefiting all. Among the 100-plus charter members are DTC jewelry brand Ana Luisa and ecommerce platform firm Linnworks.
Fast delivery, once a way to really stand out, has become standard and the effort to add on new features and faster speeds is starting to look like a race to the bottom. Shipping is important, but brands need to redefinine customer interactions and reimagine the impact on operations in order to really differentiate themselves.
3PL Geodis has acquired Plano, TX-based freight forwarding company Velocity Transport from Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary McLane Company, to add to its forwarding capabilities across a range of modalities, including refrigerated and temperature-controlled freight, flatbed and LTL, intermodal, van and specialty options.