Online shoppers around the world want the ability to search and shop on multiple channels and devices, expect to see alternate delivery and payment options, and when it comes to shipping and returns, "free" is a driving factor to complete the sale.

Although the term "omnichannel" has become most associated with success in retail and consumer goods, few companies are confident in their omnichannel abilities, according to a new study by Ernst & Young and the Consumer Goods Forum. They blame the supply chain.

In 2015 we will see a change to how all UPS and FedEx shippers pay for ground packages. No longer based simply on physical weight, dimensional (DIM) weight pricing takes into account the exterior package size which is the amount of space a package occupies when in the cargo area of a transport vehicle. – Paul Steiner, Vice President of Strategic Analysis, Spend Management Experts

Analyst Insight: Consumer products companies are making far greater use of alternative sales channels than ever before. They are proactively reaching out to customers, whether in B2B or B2C environments, to gain share of mind and increase sales. Consumer products companies have also become much more active using their own websites and utilizing marketplaces as a means to increase their product's visibility and availability to potential customers. – Bruce Tompkins, Executive Director, Tompkins Supply Chain Consortium

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration has unveiled proposed rules for drone flights. The plan maintains aviation safety standards, but may make it difficult for companies - such as Amazon - hoping to use drones for delivery service.

Reddaway, a provider of less-than-truckload (LTL) transportation based in the Pacific Northwest, has launched a Guaranteed Friday-to-Monday Service, accelerating Friday two-day shipments to next-day delivery on Monday by 3:30 p.m.

Retailers are scrambling to offer free shipping for online orders. Is it a money-losing proposition?