Etsy

Shopify acquiring Deliverr for $2.1B, looks to improve fulfillment network

white delivery van on highway

Shopify on Thursday announced it is acquiring last-mile technology company Deliverr for $2.1 billion. Deliverr provides management software to manage final-mile deliveries through an asset-light network of warehouse, carrier and last-mile partners.

“Our goal is to not only level the playing field for independent businesses but tilt it in their favor — turning their size and agility into a superpower,” Tobi Lütke, Shopify’s CEO, said in a statement, which accompanied Q1 earnings. “Together with...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/shopify-to-buy-last-mile-delivery-tech-firm-deliverr

Modern Shipper Top 10: The gig economy

Modern Shipper launched in February 2021 with a mission of highlighting the ever-growing last mile of the supply chain. Throughout the year, we learned a lot, and our readers helped inform us of plenty more.

Looking back on the year that was, there were plenty of stories that resonated with our readers — from drones to automation, from gig workers to last-mile delivery providers. Of course, we can’t forget e-commerce, which is rapidly changing the supply chain and everything and everybody who...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/modern-shipper-top-10-the-gig-economy

Stride aims to give every gig worker a portable benefits account

Stride secures $47 million funding raise to build out portable benefits accounts for gig workers and gig drivers

One enduring feature of the gig economy is “multi-apping” — driving or delivering for several platforms. Many gig workers drive not only with Uber, for example, but with Lyft, too.

The problem, though, is that gig workers don’t receive benefits from any of the platforms they work for due to their legal status as independent contractors, which has contributed to a back-and-forth between gig workers and gig companies that has roiled the gig economy for months.

But what if gig workers not only...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/stride-aims-to-give-every-gig-worker-a-portable-benefits-account

E-commerce tracking firm AfterShip lands $66M funding round

E-commerce shipment tracking platform AfterShip has landed a $66 million Series B round of funding led by Tiger Global Management. The company previously raised a $2 million Series A1 in 2019 led by 10Fund and a $1 million Series A in 2014 led by China’s IDG Capital Partners, according to data compiled by Crunchbase.

Founded by Andrew Chan, the Hong Kong-based company provides e-commerce shipment tracking and has partnerships with over 700 carriers worldwide tracking over 6 billion shipments,...

https://www.freightwaves.com/news/e-commerce-tracking-firm-aftership-lands-66m-funding-round

COVID relief bill could trigger larger tax bills for gig workers

Gig workers and third-party sellers on e-commerce platforms such as Etsy, Walmart Marketplace (NYSE: WMT) and even Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) could find themselves with tax issues in 2022 thanks to a change in Internal Revenue Service tax codes contained within the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill that just passed the U.S. House and Senate and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden by this weekend amends Section 6050W of the IRS code to require...

https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/covid-relief-bill-could-trigger-larger-tax-bills-for-gig-workers