Automation is at the top of the agenda this week, as we report that Carrefour will deploy new data analysis tools in order to improve its forecasting and ordering processes. The story comes after a Capgemini report urged logistics companies to invest in automation as respondents to a survey admitted (more…)
We kick off 2019 by looking at some of the year’s main trends, including technologies such as automation and drone delivery as well as strategic goals such as sustainability. It’s a new year but the pressures on retailers are the same – offering shorter delivery times for the same price. (more…)
With the number of ecommerce deliveries rising so sharply, it’s no surprise that retailers are looking to cut costs wherever they can. With fierce competition on the supplier technology side, logistics is fast emerging as one of the best places to find efficiencies. One solution is new delivery models, with (more…)
Today eDelivery launches its end-of-year reader survey, which aims to put a spotlight on the biggest trends shaping retail logistics. Against the backdrop of a struggling high street, an uncertain international landscape and more demanding consumers, logistics is a potential area to differentiate on. Readers are invited to weigh in (more…)
With Black Friday done and Christmas now already less than a month away peak operations really are now in force. This week has seen Hermes make its Christmas delivery guarantee for the sixth year running as it pledges to deliver customers parcels in time for Christmas or it will refund (more…)
The logistics industry will be keenly watching the outcome of a key meeting today with the UK’s prime minister Theresa May and her cabinet. She will be hoping to win support for a deal on what the state’s future relationship with the EU will look like after sparring with Labour (more…)
As we have moved into November the ramp-up to peak has well and truly begun. Black Friday is just over two weeks away and there are only seven weekends left until Christmas! And so the Christmas tv adverts have begun. Amongst the launches in the last week has been the (more…)
Whilst Brexit (in whatever form it may take) may be impacting many businesses most logistics companies still expect growth, according to a new report from the Freight Transport Association this week. Many are still planning investment and have specific Brexit plans of some sort or another in place. However more (more…)
As delivery volumes grow so do the implications of those deliveries and so it’s no surprise retailers and their carrier partners are working hard on green alternatives. This week a report from ParcelHero suggests that home deliveries could be in danger of losing their reputation as the greenest way to (more…)
Last week’s InternetRetailing Conference provided interesting food for thought when it comes to delivery – one of the key points being that done correctly delivery is the new loyalty. It was a claim made by MetaPack in their presentation at the show and it’s a key point. Retailers that exploit (more…)
A great news story from Waitrose & Partners this week as it revealed the company is the first UK retailer to trial in-home delivery to customers whilst they are out. In the US a number of such trials have been attempted with retailers and lock manufacturers working together to provide (more…)
There’s a spate of investment and business change announcements this week as companies in the delivery space are preparing for their next stage of growth. In the returns sector ReBound Returns has revealed a multi-million pound investment into the business and the opening of a new office in Asia. It (more…)
Impatient customers and retailers and carriers trying to satisfy them. It’s the continual battle of wills between retailer and carrier as they seek to get the balance right and it’s a theme of the newsletter once again this week. First, we have Waitrose & Partners launching a same-day delivery service (more…)
Another report this week that shows how size really does matter when it comes to delivery. The report, from DS Smith, showed that more than a third of retailers are shipping products in boxes that are twice the size needed. It’s been a common gripe of Amazon customers amongst others (more…)
Customers are becoming more and more demanding about where their parcels are and whether they are being safely delivered and yet it’s something some retailers are missing out on. New research from Sorted suggests that whilst 80% of customers want real-time order tracking 20% of retailers aren’t offering it. At Hermes (more…)
So, the summer holidays are over. The children are back at school and it’s back to life as normal. Of course with the onset of September and the return to normality comes the reality that peak is fast approaching and retailers will be working hard to ensure they are ready (more…)
Following on from our opinion pieces from Debenhams and Doddle on the power of click and collect in our newsletter last week, comes the news that Doddle is now to roll out the service across Debenhams entire estate by Spring next year. It follows the incremental sales that the (more…)
In this week’s newsletter we have two focus pieces on click and collect – looking at how to optimise this particular delivery channel ahead of peak season. In the first we speak to Jay Brown, multichannel lead at Debenhams, on the role of click and collect in his business. In (more…)
Undoubtedly the most interesting story of the week when it comes to delivery has to be the Advertising Standards Authority taking Amazon to task over its one-day delivery pledge for Prime customers. In a story that broke long before the official ASA ruling was published today, the body took Amazon (more…)
Interesting news this week around Walmart and how it is trying to tackle delivery. In June of last year, the company had launched a trial where store staff delivered goods after work to customers. The simplicity of the trial at the time seemed to make sense. Staff were largely delivering (more…)