Amazon Lowers Free Shipping Threshold to $35

| Mike O'Brien

In a quick counter-salvo, Amazon recently lowered the free shipping threshold for non-Prime members from $49 to $35, a response to Walmart’s move earlier this month.
The speed with which Amazon changed its policy is an indication of just how seriously it is taking ecommerce competition from the world’s largest retailer.

What Shoppers Thought of the 2016 Holiday Delivery Experience

| MCM staff

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.

4 Steps To Defend Your Brand Against Porch Pirates

| Rob Taylor

Porch pirates might not wear eyepatches, have a parrot and say “shiver me timbers,” but they have proven to be a growing menace – and all your customer knows is her package didn’t arrive. While you can’t totally avoid this scourge of ecommerce, these 4 steps will help you defend your reputation by ensuring the safe delivery of packages.

Nordstrom, Costco, UPS Join Last-Mile Delivery Study in Seattle

| Mike O'Brien

Nordstrom, Costco and UPS have joined with a team from the University of Washington in Seattle to study solutions to last-mile delivery issues in urban areas. See what the group is charged with doing, and learn more on this topic in a session at Operations Summit 2017, March 27-29 in Pittsburgh, PA.

Google, Google Express, Amazon, Amazon.com, same-day delivery, holiday 2014, holiday peak 2014, ecommerce, holiday season 2014, holiday peak, ecommerce fulfillment

Google Express Expands Its Midwest Presence

| Mike O'Brien

Google has expanded its two-day Google Express delivery service to 40 million new customers in the Midwest, now offering it in 17 states in its push against the dominance of Amazon Prime. See where it has grown and what retailers are using it.

UPS 4.9% General Rate Increase to Take Effect Dec. 26

| Mike O'Brien

UPS has announced its annual general rate increase for 2017, an average of 4.9% that goes into effect on Dec. 26. Other changes will be announced Nov. 18. See what else has changed in UPS rates and what this means in terms of its competition with FedEx.

The USPS Ups Its Ecommerce Parcel Game

| Mike O'Brien

Quick question: Which of the Big 3 U.S. parcel carriers delivers the most ecommerce packages? Surprise: It’s the United States Postal Service. So why are ecommerce merchants shifting their shipments to the USPS? Multichannel Merchant dove into this topic, and got some answers from some small- and medium-size merchants.

Apple Wins Award for Best Shipping and Delivery Experience

| Mike O'Brien

With expectations so high and pressure to consistently delight a daily reality, shipping and delivery is a huge component of the overall customer experience. So being atop the industry in this category is no small feat. Find out what Apple did to win the 2016 Excellence in Customer Experience award at Operations Summit for best shipping and delivery experience.