Demand for cork has bounced back as winemakers return from using screw tops and plastic stoppers back to traditional cork, according to top cork producers.

The "last mile" is a telecom term for delivering telephone, cable or internet services to the customer. With the most connections to make, it's the bottleneck of the system. It's also the most expensive and difficult to upgrade. These words also aptly describe retail's woes in delivering orders to the consumer.

Zhang Yuan's business started with favors for relatives: an aunt who wanted baby formula, a cousin looking for Ugg boots. She was a college student here in Australia, and every dollar helped, so she mailed the items back to China and charged a bit of a commission.