International shippers are going to face increased postal rates on July 1 as a September agreement among member countries of the 192-member Universal Postal Union (UPU) takes effect, with the U.S.’s self-declared terminal dues rates going into effect for inbound letters and small parcels.
While subscription box businesses may not experience the 20% to 30% return rates of ecommerce, they still wrestle with their share, and how they handle them can significantly impact subscriber retention. It is critical to provide efficient, hassle-free service and prompt refunds where necessary. Here are key factors to consider.
Inventory management is a strategic ecommerce issue that affects profitability and customer service. Additionally, many fulfillment centers have overstock inventory tying up valuable space. Here is a primer on liquidation strategies and ways to reduce overstock levels, freeing up valuable space and flowing dollars to the bottom line.
Warehouse Exchange uses Artificial Intelligence to match up owners of available commercial space — not including 3PLs — with those needing it on a short-term basis, averaging 10 to 11 months. The company just closed a $2.2 million seed funding round. CEO Grant Langston talks about the company and its differentiators.
It took FedEx less than a week to react to UPS’s new COVID-19-related peak surcharges by rolling out its own new fee schedule to cover additional volume-related costs, with a couple wrinkles separating the two plans and no end date specified, again impacting large-volume shippers. The new charges went into effect June 8, with no end date.
With states reopening for business, experts wonder how grocers will continue to adapt, and how ingrained online buying patterns will be. Jon Hauptmann, Senior Director of Retail Pricing and Analytics Solutions at Inmar Intelligence, discusses Inmar’s recent survey findings and what’s next in this MCM CommerceChat podcast.
Locus Robotics, makers of autonomous mobile robots for carriers and 3PLs like UPS, DHL, Ceva Logistics, Taylored Services and ShipMonk, has raised more than $40 million in a Series D funding led Zebra Ventures, along with existing investors like Scale Venture Partners.
Widespread implementation of Industry 4.0 might be down the road, but the elements that underpin the concept are slowly being introduced to logistics and warehouse operations worldwide. The question is: What does this concept mean for me, and how can I prepare for this new industrial revolution? Here’s what you need to know.
UPS, facing massive volumes akin to the holiday season due to COVID-19’s impact on ecommerce, is imposing surcharges on larger-volume shippers and those sending bulkier items as of May 31 to offset its costs, impacting companies already reeling from the crisis. Experts agree they expect to see FedEx follow suit shortly.
Amazon is in advanced talks to acquire self-driving car startup Zoox as it looks to expand its autonomous vehicle capabilities to address massive delivery costs, according to the Wall Street Journal. It has already invested heavily in autonomous technology, contributing to funding rounds for Aurora Innovation and Rivian Automotive LLC.