Agreement Keeps U.S. in the UPU, Rolls Out Self-Declared Postal Rates

| Mike O'Brien

The UPU on Wednesday approved a compromise plan that will let countries set their own inbound postal rates, avoiding a threatened pullout by the U.S. that would have caused shipping chaos ahead of the peak holiday season. The U.S. can begin imposing self-declared rates next July, with others following in 2021.

UPU Congress Strikes Down U.S. Proposal to End Terminal Dues

| Mike O'Brien

At the first day of the Universal Postal Union’s extraordinary congress in Geneva Tuesday, the body voted 78-57 with 9 abstentions against a U.S. proposal to allow creation of self-declared postal rates, an effort to end the current inequitable terminal dues system, the Associated Press reported.

Ecommerce Operations Summit 2020 Set to Rock Orlando

| Mike O'Brien

There’s a little bit of everything on tap at Ecommerce Operations Summit 2020, to be held April 14-16 in wonderful Orlando, FL. From keynotes by executives at Neiman Marcus and REI to new e-grocery and robotics tracks, preconference workshops and lots of great networking, it’s a not-to-be-missed event for industry pros.

Amazon to Buy 100,000 Electric Delivery Vans

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said the company plans to purchase 100,000 electric-powered vans from Detroit startup Rivian Automotive, as it seeks to accomplish two goals in one stroke: Decreasing its carbon footprint and increasing its delivery capabilities.

FedEx Ground driver

A Breakdown of the 2020 Rate Increases from FedEx

| Matt Bohn

FedEx announced its annual general rate increase (GRI) for 2020. Effective Jan. 6, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery will increase an average of 4.9%, while FedEx Freight will increase rates by an average of 5.9%. How will this affect individual shippers? Here’s a breakdown of the areas likely to have the greatest impact.

Handling Subscription Box Business Growth

| Nicole Lee

Subscription box ecommerce has grown more than 100% a year for the past five years, according to McKinsey & Company. If you have a subscription box offering, you need to evaluate your business and make sure you’re prepared for growth. Three key areas to consider: Personalization, transportation management and technology.

speed to customer delivery guy feature

6 Shipping and Mailing Tricks to Save You Money

| Mike O'Brien

Small merchants can transform their shipping and mailing operations into an asset rather than a nuisance and cost center. A focus on quick wins that add up over time can fatten your profit margins while delivering increasingly better customer experiences. Learn how refining your strategy can lead to business improvement.

Package Lockers See Strong Adoption in Europe and Asia

| Daniela Forte

While automated package lockers are being used by some major retailers here, they’ve seen greater adoption in other countries, having solved space and retail delivery issues for several years. Here is a look at how they’re being used in some European countries and Japan as a last-mile solution for retailers and a convenience for consumers.

parcel shipping delivery scan

Uncertainty the Watchword Heading Into UPU Congress

| Mike O'Brien

With a showdown looming over international postal rates at a Sept. 24 congress of the Universal Postal Union, uncertainty reigns in terms of the United States’ continued participation in the organization, leaving merchants wondering about parcel shipping rates heading into peak season. Consolidators are making contingency plans.