USPS Inspector General Says Sunday Delivery Inefficient
The USPS OIG said the USPS has been inefficient in handling Sunday deliveries for major customer Amazon, leading to over $350,000 in additional costs.
Shipping/Delivery
Google Express Seeing Holiday Gains in Battle with Amazon
Google is seeing gains in its Google Express same-day delivery service this holiday season, as it looks to claw back ecommerce search traffic lost to Amazon.com because more consumers are going there for product research.
According to Google, as cited in an article by Bloomberg, Google Express handled 50% more toys in the two weeks after the Thanksgiving holiday, while sales of books rose more than 30%.
An eBay Local Pilot Grows in Brooklyn
eBay said 83 businesses – including online merchants as well as retailers with physical stores – have joined its eBay Local pilot program in Brooklyn, NY., offering a range of delivery options, including $5 same-day and in-store pickup, to consumers through eBay’s website and mobile apps.
The Brooklyn trial is taking place as the company shifts the focus of Amazon Local more toward its core marketplace sellers, with less emphasis on major retailers.
Down to the Wire for Seasonal Shipping Peak 2014
As the 2014 retail seasonal shipping peak roars to a close, the major carriers are seeing their numerous upgrades and investments put to the test.
Free Shipping Day No Longer a Big Deal
The idea of Free Shipping Day used to be a bigger deal. Now it’s more the exception than special. Amazon has trained people that they’re going to get not just free shipping, but fast free shipping, all the time. And that’s why Free Shipping Day has become a thing of the past.
Amazon Launches Prime Now, One-Hour Delivery in NYC
Continuing on its juggernaut of instant fulfillment of all kinds of stuff from “the anything store,” Amazon today announced Prime Now, a service that will allow Prime members in New York to receive household items like paper towels and laundry soap in as little as an hour via a mobile app.
The app, which is available in iOs and Android versions, give Prime members in select New York neighborhoods free two-hour delivery; the one-hour version costs $7.99 per order. The company’s much-touted facility on West 34th St. in Manhattan will serve as the fulfillment hub.
ShipMatrix Talks On-Time Performance of the Major Carriers
ShipMatrix president Satish Jindel talks with Multichannel Merchant senior editor Mike O’Brien about his company’s latest on-time performance report for UPS and FedEx, and how major initiatives and investments from … Continue Reading →
How Are You Handling Your Address Data Quality During the Holidays?
For retailers, that means a lot of addresses in your company’s database. This will lead to a copious amount of deliveries.
Banana Republic Offering Free Same-Day Shipping for Holidays
In the never-ending battle for holiday shopping dollars, clothing retailer Banana Republic is offering free same-day shipping from Wednesday, Dec. 17 through Tuesday, Dec. 23 as part of its “Procrastinators Event” promotional program, the company said in a press release.
Through crowdsourced same-day shipping provider Deliv, customers who use Banana Republic’s reserve in store option on its website can opt for free same-day delivery in eight cities: San Francisco, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, Chicago, New Jersey, Washington D.C., Houston and Seattle.
Amazon Extends Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Amazon announces it is extending its holiday shipping deadlines allowing customers to order immediately before Christmas. See the plans Amazon has in place for the holidays.