Parcel & Express

European Parliament Clears Drone Regulations for Takeoff

November 17, 2016

Regulations to protect people from falling drones moved a little closer to takeoff at the European Parliament. Ensuring drone safety took on a new urgency last week, with GoPro's recall of its Karma drone after unexplained mid-air power failures caused a number of them to drop out of the sky.

Millennials Set Shipping and Delivery Bar High, Survey Says

November 17, 2016

MultiChannel Merchant

If you think customer expectations are high overall in terms of e-commerce and direct-to-customer fulfillment, take a good look at the millennial generation. Across a number of studies you see a pattern: a keen desire for the most rapid shipping method possible; free, unlimited returns; and a greater willingness to spend a bit more to get it the same day.

DP-DHL Reports Robust Third Quarter in All Divisions

November 17, 2016

Air Cargo World

A year after Deutsche Post DHL Group (DP-DHL) pulled the plug on its comprehensive IT system, much has gone right for the express mail and logistics company, leading to what it describes as the strongest third quarter in the company's history.

PetSmart Goes Same-Day Delivery

November 14, 2016

MultiChannel Merchant

PetSmart has become one of the latest companies to offer same-day delivery - a year and a half behind rival Petco with partner Instacart - via partner Deliv. PetSmart.com says the service is now available in California (Los Angeles, Orange County, San Francisco, San Jose), Las Vegas, Atlanta, Miami, Seattle and Chicago. By mid-November, it will be available in eight additional metro areas for a total of nearly 2,500 zip codes serviced.

Boeing Sees E-Commerce, Express Services Driving Air Cargo Traffic

November 10, 2016

Industryweek

Boeing Commercial Airplanes has issued a 20-year outlook for global air-cargo traffic, calling for a consolidated annual growth rate of 4.2 percent in volume (evaluated in metric tonnage), and saying this increase will result in significant demand for new and converted cargo jets needed to meet market demand by 2035.

Parcel Traffic Ambitions Overcome European Borders, Logistics Experts Report

November 9, 2016

Air Cargo World

Britain's vote for the "Brexit" may have dealt a blow to the European Union, but the vision of an integrated European parcel network is very much alive, logistics experts say, thanks to the Deutsche Post DHL Group (DP-DHL). The German postal, express and logistics giant is acquiring a strong presence in the British market with the takeover of UK Mail, the second-largest mail provider in the United Kingdom.

Major Carriers Forecast Significant Growth in Holiday Shipping Volume

November 7, 2016

MultiChannel Merchant

UPS, FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service are all projecting major growth in holiday shipping volume during the peak season, driven by the continued boom in ecommerce activity. UPS, for example, is projecting 700 million deliveries between Thanksgiving and the end of the year, a 14 percent increase over 2015.

Staying Alive in an Ever-Changing Retail Landscape

November 7, 2016

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

The traditional holiday shopping season is shaping up to be a microcosm of the big changes that are roiling retailers every day.

Walmart and JD.com Are Launching Three E-commerce Initiatives in China

October 31, 2016

MultiChannel Merchant

Three months after entering into a partnership to expand online shopping options for Chinese consumers, Walmart and JD.com have announced three new ways for customers to access Walmart products from around the world. The efforts, which are part of the original strategy announced in June, are officially launching during the run up to Singles Day on November 11. They aim to improve logistics and supply chain functions, cross-border e-commerce and online-to-offline e-commerce services for consumers across the country, the companies say.

Amazon Limiting Fulfillment Networks to Existing Merchants Ahead of Holiday Season

October 28, 2016

MultiChannel Merchant

In an attempt to deal with potential network capacity issues this holiday season, Amazon is limiting the use of Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) warehouses and services to existing sellers between now and Dec. 19, the company confirmed. This means new sellers would have difficulty using FBA to fulfill last-minute Christmas orders.