In a move similar to UPS and its access point location program launched two years ago, FedEx has struck a deal with Walgreens that will place staffed parcel pickup and dropoff operations at local Walgreens stores.
UPS has acquired British firm Freightex to gain entry into the European truck brokerage market. This comes eight months after FedEx closed its acquisition of Netherlands-based TNT Express. See what a UPS unit executive had to say about the rationale behind the move, how it will be integrated with Coyote Logistics and how it’s positioned in the European market.
Retailers need to focus less on the “shiny new objects” and instead focus on systems and solutions that actually move the needle, Ratnakar Lavu, Chief Technology Officer for Kohl’s said at NRF’s Big Show. See what tech tricks the company has up its sleeve, which are coming down the road and how they’re boosting loyalty and engagement.
Nebraska Furniture Mart has improved supply chain visibility, forecast accuracy and customer service while optimizing the company’s freight operations and fostering increased collaboration with partners and vendors. See what other benefits the company realized from implementing an integrated supply chain solution.
How did shoppers react to their holiday delivery experience in 2016, and what were the weak and strong spots for retailers? What kind of complaints did they have, and what areas do retailers need to shore up to improve their performance in 2017? This infographic from Convey provides some insights and tips on how to improve the experience in 2017.
Vendor selection is extremely important in determining how well you serve customers in a multichannel environment. The key is to understand which vendors are trying to adopt a multichannel model, the effectiveness of their approach, and how well they are working with merchants to make it fit their business models.
As sea changes continue to roil retail, including the steady drumbeat of store closings and poor results, key points for every multichannel seller to consider in 2017 and beyond include going omnichannel, right-sizing store footprints and having unique product offerings.
Major retailers including Macy’s, JC Penney and Nordstrom are placing larger bets on omnichannel as the future of retail, amid hundreds of store closings and even a chain shuttering in the wake of a tough holiday season for brick-and-mortar sales. See what moves the chains are making to counter Amazon’s incursions.
Multichannel Merchant recently caught up with Steve Brill, vice president for retail and global B2C for UPS, to dig a bit deeper into the rationale behind the agreement. See what each side brings to the table, and the benefits created by the combined solution.
Three years after it had begun, the U.S. Postal Service is ending its relationship with office supply chain Staples, pulling its beleaguered Staples-staffed service centers out of the stores by early March amid labor pressure and a labor board ruling upholding an earlier court order.