As e-commerce accelerates, so does its historically neglected underbelly: returns. In 2020 alone, U.S. consumers returned nearly $102 billion of goods to online retailers, a figure that doubled over the course of 12 months. EMarketer predicts a 13.7% jump in U.S. online purchases for 2021, and if approximately 30% of all items ordered online are returned, third-party logistics providers and shippers need to up their returns management game.
“Consumer buying behavior has changed,” said Gaurav...
A stay-at-home economy helped 2020 deliver the “most environmentally friendly holiday season yet,” according to a Prologis and MIT special report released Thursday.
Based on consumer behaviors, in-person shopping was compared to e-commerce to find differences in environmental impacts. The study said that one full standard delivery van can replace over 100 individual car trips to the store.
During the holiday season each year, companies scramble to keep up with peak demands for shipping and...
https://s29755.pcdn.co/news/2020-holiday-shopping-season-dubbed-most-environmentally-friendly-yet
We would expect with the traditional peak season behind us, freight volumes will drop off in January, right? If we learned anything in 2020, it should be that the new normal is not normal at all, and we should expect similar supply chain challenges well into 2021. Our collective reaction to the COVID pandemic changed consumer behavior nearly overnight, forcing retailers, e-tailers, distributors, wholesalers and manufacturers to immediately reimagine their supply chains. Several months into the...
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/the-item-you-wanted-is-out-of-stock-whos-to-blame
It’s peak season, and warehousing and trucking capacity have contracted for six consecutive months. Rising online sales are adding more stress to the supply chain, requiring sellers to keep more inventory and occupy more space.
Transportation companies not only have to replenish products for brick-and-mortar stores like Publix, Kroger, Target and many others. They also need to adapt their supply chains in order to meet the increased demand of their e-commerce business. The November Logistics...
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/holidays-exacerbate-the-need-for-telematics
One constant drives the supply chain, whether there’s a pandemic or simply bad weather: Businesses solve for risk in order to offer predictability to customers.
Because South Carolina Ports has a 25-year history working closely with advanced and automotive manufacturers, serving high-demand companies like BMW and Mercedes-Benz Vans, it’s able to confidently pivot toward retail. SC Ports is well-versed on how to create, manage and grow a tight supply chain under the demands of the pandemic and...
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/being-the-port-of-now-helps-solve-retailers-future-problems