E-Commerce/Omni-Channel

Global Parcel Shipping to Grow 20 Percent by 2018, Study Says

December 6, 2016

Parcel shipping volume will grow annually at 5 to 7 percent between now and 2018, for a total increase of 20 percent, with the biggest gains coming in cross-border shipping, according to a study from Pitney Bowes.

Beyond Black Friday: New Challenges for Holiday Retailers

December 5, 2016

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

This year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday were bigger than ever. But the numbers could be concealing an underlying trend away from those key dates in the retail calendar.

Amazon May Be a Threat to Apparel Brands This Holiday

December 5, 2016

Apparel

Amazon may bring a very real threat to apparel brands banking on online sales this holiday season, according to a survey by e-commerce services provider Onestop Internet. Of the 57 percent of respondents saying they plan to purchase apparel online this holiday season, 64 percent said they intend to buy apparel from Amazon.

E-Retailers Say They Continue to Struggle With Cross-Border Demand

December 2, 2016

Air Cargo World

E-commerce has been the dominant force for change in the air cargo logistics business for the last several years, but online retailers, forwarders, carriers and integrators say they are still struggling with ways to keep up with the intense demand from international customers to deliver them the world instantly. This was the main theme of the plenary session, "Cross-border E-Commerce: Who Will Rule the Game?", at last week's Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC) in Hong Kong.

Dialing Up Deals: Black Friday Online Sales Hit New High

December 2, 2016

Los Angeles Times

Holiday shoppers eager to snag big discounts turned to the internet in record fashion this week, one tracking company said, driving online sales on Black Friday to a new high. Consumers spent $3.34bn shopping online on Friday, a 21.6 percent increase from the same day last year, according to Adobe, which tracks online retail transactions.

Macy's China Experiment Shows the Potential of Retail VR

December 1, 2016

Computerworld

Macy's this month made its debut appearance within Alibaba's Singles' Day in China. Well, sort of. It participated via a virtual reality shopping tour app featuring Macy's New York City flagship, which bills itself as the world's largest department store.

Report Says Shoppers Expect Better Deals to Come in December

December 1, 2016

Apparel

The 2016 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) Thanksgiving/Black Friday Shopping Report shows that three quarters of Americans spent the same or more this year than last year, and 44 percent of that spend was on gifts for other people. Americans shopping on Thanksgiving and/or Black Friday spent an average of $373, including approximately $100 on dining and entertainment in a shopping center.

Amazon Prime Membership Grows 23 Percent Year-Over-Year, Research Says

November 30, 2016

Air Cargo World

The latest membership estimates for Amazon.com's Amazon Prime service show that the e-retailer's bid to consolidate consumer spending onto one platform has now attracted almost one in six Americans, according to independent research by Cowen & Co. In addition to signing up some 50 million Amazon Prime customers, the company expanded into car sales last week, teaming up with Fiat to sell cars in Italy.

Amazon, Target, Nike Among Social Media Top Performers, Study Shows

November 29, 2016

Consumer Goods Technology

Lithium Technologies released findings from its State of Social Engagement 2016 study that uncovers how well Fortune 1000 retail brands are engaging with consumers across social platforms. The study showed that retailers are prioritizing engagement, collaboration with influencers and online communities in order to bolster customer satisfaction, and ultimately, sales.

Survey: More Than Half of Consumers Have Started Holiday Shopping

November 29, 2016

Apparel

With the middle of the holiday season approaching and shoppers eager to take advantage of early promotions from retailers, more than half of consumers have started making dents in their holiday gift lists, according to the annual mid-season survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics.