No one questions the fact that ecommerce packaging waste is a major problem, clogging the planet with yet more plastic and cardboard. The twofold question then becomes, what is being done about it, and what more can be done? This Multichannel Merchant special feature discusses the scope of the issue, and steps that are being taken by retailers, suppliers and governments to reduce the amount of waste.
Join Multichannel Merchant for this special webinar “Are Retailers Ready to Address Sustainability?” to hear insights from Brian Kilcourse, managing partner of Retail Systems Research. This webinar will kick off Multichannel Merchant’s Q2 Business Spotlight on Sustainability & Recommerce.
Multichannel Merchant has launched the first of its Sector Spotlights, which will feature weekly content focused on sustainability and recommerce, helping retail and ecommerce executives gain a better understanding of these important, related trends. Future Spotlights will focus on returns and demand forecasting. Check out our webinar with Brian Kilcourse of RSR Research on consumer attitudes in 2023.
Ryder System Inc. plans to purchase 4,000 light-duty electric vans for its rental, leasing and dedicated fleets from General Motors-owned BrightDrop by 2025, with its first order of 200 vehicles going into service this year, as it looks to meet customer EV demand and keep up with various state mandates.
Two Boxes, a software startup promising to make the dispositioning of ecommerce returns more efficient for brands and 3PLs, has launched with a $4.5 million seed round and advisors from Amazon, Shopify, Whiplash, Loop Returns and Rent the Runway. Funding was led by Vinyl Capital, with Matchstick Ventures and Range Ventures.
Liquidity Services, a major marketplace for returned and overstock merchandise, has opened a second AllSurplus Deals location at its facility in Hebron, KY, allowing local consumers to purchase deals online, then pick them up at its warehouse. The first opened in Phoenix in 1999, and plans call for more facilities to add pick-up services.
Carhartt, a retailer of workwear apparel, has launched the first recommerce channel in its category, aiming to drive incremental revenue and attract consumers who hadn’t purchased from the company before, taking advantage of a burgeoning market favored by younger values-based shoppers.
Unless Collective, a Portland, OR startup creating plant- and mineral-based footwear and apparel, is one of a handful of companies making a difference by its conscious choice of materials and manufacturing. Co-Founder and CEO Eric Liedtke, a nearly 30-year veteran of Adidas, talks about the company’s vision in our MCM CommerceChat podcast.
The U.S. Postal Service today announced a major upgrade to its planned rollout of electric vehicles to replace its aging delivery fleet, saying the USPS will purchase only EVs after 2026, as the agency bows to significant pressure from Washington and the states to expand and speed up its changeover.
Shippers know they must prioritize sustainability to remain competitive and align with customer demands. They also know that they must leverage technology to measure their company’s supply chain carbon impacts accurately and set attainable sustainability goals. To solve this, they need to break out of traditional ways of doing things.
Given the tight labor market and climbing ecommerce order volumes, planning ahead has never been more fundamental. Like any fulfillment center function, your returns process can impact employee retention. Here’s how you can make your organization more attractive for current and future employees.
Is your ecommerce returns process preventing customers from returning items – and thus not returning to shop with you again? The answer might be yes. Returns provide the ability to drive repeat purchases, if done right. Make sure your returns processes support this, and don’t instead create non-returners.
Amid a growing reliance on ecommerce post-pandemic, returns are growing rapidly as well. Retailers that don’t analyze the impact won’t stand out from the competition and solidify customer loyalty. Although you must balance costs with customer satisfaction, it is possible to do both. Here are six steps you can take.
For many ecommerce businesses, even absent COVID-19, a profitable Christmas season will make or break the year. During the shutdowns, many 3PLs have remained open, serving clients even amid the labor challenges. Should you continue internal fulfillment or move to a 3PL? Here are seven considerations as you weigh the choice.
To combat the growing problem of returns, which continue to eat away at profit margins, the Retail Value Chain Federation and returns prevention software provider Newmine have created the Product Returns Council to work on solutions. Both will take part in a returns workshop at Ecommerce Operations Summit, April 14-16 in Orlando.
A horrible experience with an Amazon order for a child’s Christmas gift quickly morphs into an object lesson for your ecommerce fulfillment operations. You may never get a chance to make a second impression on a new customer. Here are 6 ways to help you ensure that the experience for your customers is consistently excellent.
UPS is projecting a 26% increase on “national returns day” on Jan. 2, when 1.9 million inbound packages are expected to hit its network as Q4 ecommerce continues to balloon. Another somewhat smaller returns peak of 1.6 million packages/day will hit the week of Dec. 16; the daily average that month will be 1 million, UPS said.
With returns such a huge piece of the ecommerce experience, FedEx is making it easier by adding return services at thousands of Walgreens stores nationwide next month in a partnership expansion. FedEx’s returns technology, launched in 2018, allows returned items to be dropped off, inspected, packed and in some cases processed.
What happens when your ecommerce returns are cross border? How do you manage and view all orders globally and domestically? How close are you to returns data? How nimble are you at meeting local customer expectations in terms of carriers and time to credit? Here are some things to think about as you step up your returns game.
The returns process shouldn’t be complicated. However, with return rates growing rapidly alongside ecommerce itself, it’s becoming harder for retailers to provide a great experience while also minding the ballooning cost.
Companies use a host of tools and processes to keep damage rates at an acceptable level such as quality control checks and returns tracking reports. But preventing damage during shipments isn’t just a better business decision, it’s a sustainability imperative. The problem is, almost no one is looking at it as one.
Consumers clearly prefer to reward brands that strive for eco-conscious practices. Here are 3 tips to help you develop environmentally-friendly packaging.
