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?

If Amazon's latest clothing manufacturing plans become a reality, air cargo companies could stand to lose billions in revenues. Last week, the e-commerce giant was awarded a patent for a localized manufacturing setup that eliminates much of the traditional supply chain, bringing manufacturing closer to consumers than ever before.

In the age of the omnichannel, is there any hope for traditional retail chains?

The battered American retail industry took a few more lumps last week, with stores at both ends of the price spectrum preparing to close their doors.

The ability to monitor the behavior and condition of one's suppliers depends on having access to hard numbers. But a surprisingly large percentage of companies lack this critical data.