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Warehouse Space Demand Will Shrink in 2023

| Mike O'Brien

Demand for warehouse space will decrease in 2023, experts predicted, but companies will still be looking to fill in network gaps opportunistically, while continuing to move sourcing and inventory closer to domestic customers to hedge against supply chain shocks. Consolidation of the 3PL sector is expected to continue.

Supply Chain, Sustainability Tools: Working in Tandem

| John Rattay

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.

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Top 3PLs Directory Expands in 2023

| Mike O'Brien

Multichannel Merchant has published its eighth annual MCM Top 3PLs directory for 2023, a searchable directory of leading third-party logistics (3PL) providers in ecommerce and direct-to-customer operations. It features in-depth profiles of 70 providers, including information on key capabilities and service offerings.

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The Future for Marketplace Aggregators

| Ben Eachus

While marketplaces have made it easier than ever to launch a digital-first brand, the process of getting products to a customer’s door has never been more complex, and marketplace aggregators will face challenges and frustrations handling the supply chain complications.

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One FedEx Ground Contractor Group Disbands, Another Forms

| Mike O'Brien

After making a lot of noise this year with a list of grievances including poor management practices and bad peak season forecasting leading to the brink of insolvency for many, an association of FedEx Ground contractors has disbanded, taking a shot at the founder on the way out the door.

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Ryder Acquires Dotcom Distribution

| Mike O'Brien

Ryder Systems Inc. has acquired niche third-party logistics provider Dotcom Distribution, its second such deal this year, boosting its position in health and beauty, cosmetics and fashion and adding the bench strength of a CEO who has been around since the early days of ecommerce.

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Cross-Border Ecommerce Focus of ESW, Mamenta Partnership

| Mike O'Brien

Dublin-based ESW and Mamenta of Littleton, CO have joined platform forces to offer brands and retailers greater opportunities to expand their cross-border ecommerce trade both on hundreds of global marketplaces and in their direct-to-consumer business.

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TikTok Creating Fulfillment Network in U.S., Globally

| Mike O'Brien

TikTok is looking to create a global logistics infrastructure, including in the U.S., to fulfill merchant orders on its TikTok Shops ecommerce platform, creating a good deal of industry buzz based on its rapid growth as a dominant social media and advertising platform, as first reported by Axios.

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Instacart, San Diego Reach Worker Settlement

| Mike O'Brien

Instacart and the attorney’s office for the city of San Diego have reached a settlement over charges it misclassified its delivery drivers as contractors, a heated and ongoing issue in California and elsewhere that challenges the economics of last-mile delivery companies using the pervasive gig model.

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FedEx Rate Hike of 6.9% Largest in its History

| Mike O'Brien

FedEx detailed efforts to remove more than $6 billion in costs over time as capacity outstripped demand globally, while calling for the largest-ever rate increase of 6.9%, as analysts asked hard questions about operating missteps after a quarter with revenue up 6% but operating income down 18%.