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

Explore the Trendline➔

Inside retail supply chains

Companies looking to trim expenses and streamline operations during a crutial year for supply chain management. 

By Retail Dive staff

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

Jury rules Wal-Mart owes $55M in driver backpay

The retail giant failed to properly compensate some 850 of its truck drivers under its own terms of employment and against California law, a federal jury decided.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 28, 2016

Pilot strike threatens Amazon, DHL holiday fulfillment

About 250 pilots flying for a subsidiary of ATSG’s ABX Air say they won't fly the scheduled 35 daily flights for Amazon and 45 daily flights for DHL, among others.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 22, 2016

Target enhances in-store order pickup program for holiday season

More than 90% of pick-up orders will be ready in an hour, up from last year thanks to program enhancements, team efforts and deployment of new technology. 

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 16, 2016

How UPS stays steady in center of e-commerce shipping storm

Despite Amazon's shipping ambitions and myriad other forces driving market upheaval, UPS continues to invest in a future defined by e-commerce opportunities and obstacles.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 15, 2016

How retailers can sidestep the pitfalls of holiday season hiring

Retailers are bringing aboard the same number of seasonal hires as last year, but other changes are afoot. Here's how merchants can leverage technology for more productive, secure workplaces.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 10, 2016

What President Trump means for retailers

Here’s how the Republican president-elect's administration could impact trade, tax reform and labor issues.

By Corinne Ruff • Nov. 9, 2016

Target taps Wal-Mart executive to boost supply chain

As the retailer builds up a supply chain team, it needs to solve inventory and fulfillment problems in the age of omnichannel.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 9, 2016