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Legislation Aimed at Breakup of Big Tech Firms

| Mike O'Brien

Bipartisan legislation being considered in Congress could force Amazon, Apple, Google and Facebook to either shed private-label assets or effectively split in two in an attempt to regulate them, the WSJ said. Congress is also looking at limiting their ability to use their platforms to improperly direct consumers toward their own offerings.

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Relaxing of Amazon FBA Storage Rules, Explained

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon has revoked the 200-unit limit for new FBA sellers and changed how it assesses sellers’ storage limits. New sellers can start with 500-1,000 units depending on their storage type. It also now subject all sellers to new restock limits. Eytan Wiener, CEO of Getida and a former Amazon power seller, helps us break down the changes.

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How Packaging Can Save Your Brand By Not Shipping Air

| Lee Spratt

When starting an online store, ecommerce entrepreneurs have so much to consider, including how to drive more sales and setting up shipping, among other topics. For many, packaging is towards the middle or end of their list of things to prioritize, but efficient packaging can be a cost saver and set you apart in the market.

Ecommerce Returns, the New Sales Tool

| Mo Cheema

How can retailers leverage costly ecommerce returns into a sales tool? It’s an interesting question, given how retailers wrestle with the avalanche of costly returns. Some have remade returns into a customer loyalty campaign, while tech-savvy companies are taking the returns experience to the next level with AI and computer vision.

Here is a look at the building blocks that have enabled retailers to turn a negative experience into a positive opportunity for additional sales.

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Pitney Bowes Expands Smart Lockers Program

| Mike O'Brien

Pitney Bowes is rolling out a new series of smart lockers that can be used either in office or apartment buildings, college campuses or retail stores that can be configured to use as parcel boxes for individuals to send and receive items, or for picking up ecommerce orders and processing returns.

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Getting Your Carrier Mix Right in 2021

| George Meier

Relying on a single carrier for all your shipping needs can be expensive, especially in the wake of rate increases and the many surcharge spikes taken by the major carriers of late. But there are more reasons to do your research. A healthy carrier mix gives you options. Here are some steps to help you assess the best path forward.

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Perch Raises $775M Toward Acquiring More Amazon Brands

| Mike O'Brien

Perch, part of a growing wave one of Amazon brand rollups in the hottest space in retail, just raised $775 million, bringing its war chest to over $900 million as it looks to add to a portfolio of 70 brands acquired in just 18 months and considers product launches. The company opened its own FC and is eyeing Asia and South America.

Returning Shoppers and Blended Expectations

| Ofer Fryman

With omnichannel shoppers being more loyal and more eager to spend, mending fragmented experiences is crucial. It’s clearly time to ensure your store experience is on par with digital. But with so many possibilities from contactless checkout to improved app experiences, knowing where to start is a challenge. Here are some tips.

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Flytrex Gains FAA Approval to Fly Drones Over Homes

| Mike O'Brien

Flytrex, an Israeli maker of delivery drones, has been awarded an FAA waiver to fly its drones over residential sections of Fayetteville, NC, en route to backyard wire drops of groceries and other items at up to 2,000 homes. They are coming from Walmart as well as local cafes and restaurants including Dairy Queen and Starbucks.

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FedEx Increases Surcharges Effective June 21

| Mike O'Brien

FedEx announced a new round of rate increases starting June 21, including bumps in additional handling, peak surcharge and residential delivery charges, leaving beleaguered ecommerce shippers to wonder where the increases will end. The carrier is also leaving in place a peak oversized charge of $30 per package from January.