FedEx told analysts on a third quarter call that Amazon was simply addressing capacity issues with its own assets a la other major retailers, so they weren’t worried about the business. For the quarter, FedEx’s net income fell 19% to $507 million, while Ground revenue was up 30% to $4.41 billion. However higher costs due in part to network expansion and peak season demand caused the segment’s operating income to drop from $559 million to $557 million.
In the global shipping and logistics business, the unforeseen is the norm, and as some brands are learning the hard way. That’s especially true in China, where total online retail spending is forecast to climb above $1 trillion by 2019. Despite these issues, China holds more than enough business opportunities to offset them.
The thought process behind a retail freight management strategy has a direct impact on a brand’s customer experience. While customers may not see this firsthand, the intricacies involved in designing a box and its shipping procedures are many. For brands looking to improve their freight management practices and excite customers, here are two crucial questions to start with, and what you need to consider.
Vermont Country Store trains its agents to go beyond basic product knowledge to see themselves as brand ambassadors, and treat each everyone like family. See how this ethic is instilled in reps, and how they use active listening to pick up on cross-sell and upsell opportunities, without the hard sell. You can also hear the brand go more in depth on the subject at Operations Summit 2016, April 12-14 in Cincinnati.
A new CBRE report has found that rapid growth in ecommerce returns is creating future demand for new or expanded facilities to handle reverse logistics. Find out how this trend is expected to play out and what the implications are for operations and fulfillment.
Companies are grappling with higher ecommerce return rates, and how to address reverse logistics as well as capturing the maximum value of inbound goods. Find out the results of the MCM Outlook Survey on ecommerce returns, and what can be done to keep the growing rates in check.
Customer service is a crucial component of any ecommerce business. When you get it right, it can be extremely rewarding proof that you’re building a tribe of followers, cheerleaders, and referrers who love what you do. Here are a few ways you can get started in making sure you’re setting up your call center agents for success from day one.
The Amazon effect is still having a major impact on DTC and ecommerce operations and fulfillment, judging by the results of the MCM Outlook Survey 2016. This impact is seen in the increasing frequency of same-day and next-day delivery offerings – and providers – as well as the growth in omnichannel operations, now seen as table stakes by many retailers. Find out more about the survey results and how they reflect industry trends.
Ending months of speculation, Amazon says it has leased 20 Boeing 767 cargo jets from Air Transport Services Group Inc., while taking a 20% stake in the Ohio company. This gives Amazon a significant boost in its air freight capacity, as much as 15%, and signals to the major carriers it is eager to control more of its logistics destiny.
Surprising no one, Amazon ended months of speculation by announcing it was leasing 20 Boeing 767 cargo jets from Air Transport Services Group Inc., while at the same time taking a 20% stake in the Wilmington, OH-based company. See what others are saying about this move.