Online retail continues to grow at a rapid rate, with a 14.6-percent increase in the category in 2015, totaling $341.7bn. That has major implications for warehouse optimization.

Chieh Huang has borrowed a lot from Amazon.com Inc. to expand his e-commerce startup Boxed Wholesale, which sells bulk packages of paper towels, granola bars and maxi pads, including free delivery within two days on most orders and an inexpensive house brand of products. And, like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Huang started the company in his garage in 2013.

Free trade seems to have few friends in positions of power these days. But advocates of removing obstacles to the flow of international trade got at least one piece of good news earlier this year.

How fast is fast enough when it comes to clothes and gratification? How much do you really need that dress or bag or platform sandal?