USPS truck in snow feature

USPS Expecting 800 Million Holiday Packages, Down from Past Years

| Mike O'Brien

The U.S. Postal Service is projecting it will handle 800 million packages between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, a drop from both 2018 and 2017. Sunday delivery will be expanded beginning Nov. 24 to high-volume urban locations, with projections of over 8 million package deliveries on Sundays in December.

MCM CommerceChat podcast

How Major Carriers UPS, FedEx Have Been Diverging on Services, Prices

| Mike O'Brien

For many years, UPS and FedEx were in virtual lockstep on pricing and service offerings. That is until the past couple years, when they’ve begun to diverge as they seek to differentiate and carve out different market strategies. Mark Taylor of enVista discusses these changes as part of an MCM CommerceChat podcast.

Multiple Factors Weigh into Parcel Carrier Choices for Ecommerce Shippers

| Mike O'Brien

With shipping and delivery such a critical piece of the customer experience in ecommerce, you need to choose the right carrier partner – or partners – that meet your business needs and fit your budget. Hear from shippers about how they determine the best fit and mix of service level and cost, and how they work with their carrier partners.

7 Tips for Adding Ecommerce to Your Subscription Box Business

| Nicole Lee

Many subscription box customers are interested in purchasing additional items, so adding an ecommerce channel can enable merchants to enhance the experience while generating a new revenue stream. This requires some operational adjustments. Here are 7 ways to help ensure success with your subscription ecommerce fulfillment.

drop shipping parachute boxes feature

The Pros and Cons of Drop Shipping for Ecommerce

| Roberto Garvin

Drop shipping used to be a bit of a buzzword when it was first introduced in the ecommerce world. Today, it’s used by almost a quarter of online businesses as a primary order and fulfillment method. Here’s a look at the pros and cons of drop shipping to help you determine if it’s the right business model for your brand and business.

REI, Neiman Marcus to Keynote at Ecommerce Operations Summit 2020

| Mike O'Brien

Keynote presentations from supply chain executives at REI and Neiman Marcus will headline Ecommerce Operations Summit 2020, which will be held April 14-16 at the Marriott Orlando World Center. The show will be packed with great sessions and thought leaders across a range of key topics and disciplines.

USPS Proposes Rate Hikes of Up to 6.3% for Parcel Shipping in 2020

| Mike O'Brien

The U.S. Postal Service is calling for rate increases of up to 6.3% for its parcel shipping products in 2020, which are being reviewed by the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC). The USPS is hoping increased rates will partially offset volume declines as UPS, FedEx and Amazon are all diverting volume to their own networks to save costs.

Agreement Keeps U.S. in the UPU, Rolls Out Self-Declared Postal Rates

| Mike O'Brien

The UPU on Wednesday approved a compromise plan that will let countries set their own inbound postal rates, avoiding a threatened pullout by the U.S. that would have caused shipping chaos ahead of the peak holiday season. The U.S. can begin imposing self-declared rates next July, with others following in 2021.