Postmates, DoorDash testing Starship's squat delivery robot

The six-wheel robots can carry up to a 40 lb. load and travel at up to four miles per hour over short distances along sidewalks or streets.

By Dan O'Shea • Jan. 18, 2017

Amazon reportedly seeks FCC approval for wireless tests at Seattle HQ

Amazon has asked to conduct wireless technology tests at its Seattle headquarters and one of its customer service facilities elsewhere in Washington.

By Dan O'Shea • Jan. 16, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

The state of retail returns

Retailers of all sizes are streamlining operations so customers can have a smooth return experience. 

By Retail Dive staff

DC first US city to test droid food delivery

Autonomous delivery methods, either by flying or ground-based drones, are popping up more frequently in the wake of successful tests.

By David Kirkpatrick • Jan. 12, 2017

Handbag makers cut back on new designs to reduce discounting

As Michael Kors Holdings, Prada and Coach curb new styles, experts told Bloomberg that a dearth of creativity could hurt them in the long run.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 11, 2017

Uber opens up access to its collected traffic data

The ride-sharing company's information could be very valuable for shipping and logistics companies as they look for the most efficient possible routes for delivering packages.

By Dan O'Shea • Jan. 8, 2017

Amazon concerned about leaving drone regulations to individual states

The e-commerce giant warns that a state-by-state patchwork of U.S. drone regulations could endanger the emerging drone delivery environment.

By Dan O'Shea • Jan. 8, 2017

Retailers may suffer from proposed GOP 'border adjustment' import tax

The idea outlined in the House GOP “A Better Way” document also includes a lower corporate tax rate, but analysts say that won’t help retailers importing their merchandise — or their customers.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 6, 2017

UPS: Surging e-commerce sales to drive record holiday returns

The shipper will deliver a record 5.8 million returns packages this week and 1.3 million returns just on Jan. 5, which it has dubbed National Returns Day.

By Corinne Ruff • Jan. 2, 2017

Amazon lands patent for 'airborne fulfillment center' to aid drone deliveries

The blimp-like fulfillment center concept intends to stock products for drones in order to assist them in filling orders as quickly as possible.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 29, 2016

Study: Retailers kept late holiday shoppers happy with omnichannel services

While retailers were more cautious about making delivery promises they couldn’t keep, in-store pickup helped them make sales as late as Christmas Eve.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 28, 2016

Amazon lands US patent covering drone security measures

The e-commerce giant noted in its original 2014 patent filing that drones and their on-board communication and data systems could be targeted by malicious hackers.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 22, 2016

GOP's proposed import tax could see retailers' tax burdens rise exponentially

Merchants like Gap Inc. will be particularly hard hit by the border-adjustment style tax, which threatens to raise taxes on a single sweater from $1.75 to $17.

By Jennifer McKevitt • Dec. 22, 2016

UPS invests in reverse-logistics startup Optoro, readies for National Returns Day

Optoro applies algorithm-based analytics to determine where the retailer will best recoup its losses on unwanted items.

By Edwin Lopez, Jennifer McKevitt • Dec. 22, 2016

Amazon pays shipping on Goodwill donations packaged in e-retailer's boxes

Shipping platform Give Back Box has partnered with several other retailers since 2012, including Overstock, Ann Taylor, New Egg, eBags, Bonobos and REI.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 21, 2016

FedEx: We cut ties with retailers over rates

The shipper seems quite confident that it can demand the prices it needs to protect its margins, signaling that e-commerce fulfillment costs are unlikely to fall any time soon.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2016

Bain: Traditional accounting methods aren't capturing omnichannel advantages

There’s a reason pure-play retailers are opening stores: E-commerce is expensive, store-based fulfillment is cheaper and stores boost orders in both channels, according to a new report.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2016

Drone operator Flirtey made 77 delivery flights for 7-Eleven in November

Flirtey gained Federal Aviation Administration approval for the deliveries, all of which occurred near the drone operator's metropolitan Reno, NV headquarters.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 21, 2016

Short-staffed Amazon cargo pilots take concerns directly to Prime customers

The International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union 1224 says air carrier contractors Atlas Air WW and Air Transport Services Group “overcommitted their operations by taking on Amazon’s business.”

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2016

Wal-Mart looks to blockchain for produce, pork tracking

Blockchain has become key to tracking highly complex transactions in the financial services industry, and its security capabilities have been honed by that sector's sensitivities.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 18, 2016

Amazon reportedly developing Uber-like app for truckers

The application would match truckers with the shippers that need them to move goods, also eliminating the 15% commission typically charged by third parties to broker such deals.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 16, 2016

Report: Few retailers are omnichannel 'leaders'

Just 6% of retailers rate as “leaders” in omnichannel, according to a report from brand intelligence firm L2.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 15, 2016

Amazon's Prime Air takes flight with first commercial drone delivery

The test flight involved an Amazon Fire TV device and a box of popcorn, and reportedly took about 13 minutes from the time of order placement to delivery.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 14, 2016

Report: UPS, FedEx struggling to keep pace with holiday e-commerce explosion

On-time delivery rates have been down since Thanksgiving compared to other periods of the year.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 13, 2016

Holiday discounts up 52% over last year, returns surging

Retailers should brace themselves for reduced margins and more returns than last year, according to DynamicAction’s Retail Holiday 2016 Index.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2016

Hudson's Bay set to extend robotic fulfillment system to US

The move is aimed at accelerating and improving fulfillment processes for HBC's Lord & Taylor and Saks Off 5th retail units.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2016