Payments provider Stripe is acquiring TaxJar and plans to incorporate its sales tax technology into its business platforms.

Shopify reported Q1 2021 earnings that nearly equaled Q4 2020 and accelerated 110% over Q1 2019, but it also said that the growth rate should slow throughout the remainder of the year.

DoorDash has faced criticism over its pricing as communities rallied in support of local restaurants. The company is now rolling out new pricing plans to address these concerns.

Just months after launching its Key In-Garage Grocery Delivery, Amazon is expanding the service to more than 5,000 U.S. cities and towns.

FlavorCloud has secured $6.3 million in funding to help expand its global presence as it works to build a seamless global e-commerce logistics network.

Woven Planet, a subsidiary of Toyota Motor Corp., has agreed to acquire the self-driving vehicle business Level 5 from Lyft.

As more shoppers turn to e-commerce, cybercriminals are taking advantage of lax security measures to target online fraud.

Even as customers returned to its dining rooms in the first quarter, Chipotle said its digital sales accelerated more than 130%.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has signed an internet sales tax bill, requiring e-commerce sellers to collect a 6% sales tax on any sale to a Florida resident.

AfterShip, an e-commerce tracking and post-purchase solutions company, has secured a $66 million Series B investment round, bringing its total funding to $69 million.

Affirm Holdings, which specializes in “buy now, pay later” solutions, has acquired leading e-commerce returns provider Returnly.

Misfits Market’s business has boomed as more consumers shift to online grocery shopping, and now it has achieved a valuation of over $1 billion following a new $200 million funding round.

SmartHop has tapped Amy Liu, formerly of Uber Elevate, as chief of staff and to help build out its New York office. The company also announced the opening of an office in Bogota, Colombia.

Onfleet announced a carbon offset program that will see it partner with its customers to contribute $8 per metric ton of carbon dioxide generated through delivery operations to reforestation and old forest protection programs.

E-commerce fulfillment company ShipBob has partnered with data-driven carbon marketplace Pachama to offer brands a carbon-neutral shipping option.

AgEagle, a leading U.S.-based drone provider, has acquired Measure Global, a provider of software that helps drone operators manage their fleets.

Uber Eats announced it will enter the German market as it looks to take on food delivery service Just Eat Takeaway.com across Europe.

Delivery and fulfillment platform Bringg has introduced BringgGreen Sustainability Tech Practice, a suite of tools to help retailers reduce their carbon footprint through more sustainable last-mile delivery practices.

PayPal has enabled the ability for customers on Venmo to buy and sell cryptocurrencies within the app.

Two Democratic senators have introduced a bill that would offer gig workers a $250 unemployment benefit as part of an overhaul of unemployment insurance.

Nathan’s Famous, known for its New York hot dogs, is partnering with Ghost Kitchen Brands to open up to 150 nontraditional food locations offering takeout and third-party delivery by 2022.

Supply chain disruptions like the Suez Canal blockage are forcing brands to a new approach to the supply chain, including ordering more product earlier.

Amazon will begin testing in-home setup of furniture and appliances.

Cleveron has introduced a self-driving delivery vehicle that has flexible body options, allowing retailers to customize it for their needs.

Coyote Logistics is adding an integration with truck parking reservation platform TruckPark that allows drivers to access parking locations through the CoyoteGo digital freight platform.

IKEA Canada and its last-mile delivery partner Second Closet will purchase all-electric trucks from Lion Electric to be used for home deliveries.

French robotics company Exotec has embarked on a pilot run with the Gap in North America, testing its Skypod robots to handle e-commerce returns management.

Ghost kitchens have been a COVID-19 success story, and now one is set to go public, giving investors a chance to weigh in on the trend and its potential for future success.

Online grocer Farmstead is now offering delivery through DoorDash as it seeks a larger share of the e-commerce market.

A U.K. laundry services company that already utilizes an app for on-demand pickup and delivery of dirty laundry has now launched Laundry Drone to make that same pickup or drop-off via drone.

Domino’s is partnering with self-driving vehicle company Nuro to schedule pizza delivery for select customers in Houston with Nuro’s R2 robot vehicle.

Singapore-based Grab has finalized a SPAC merger with Altimeter Growth Corp. that will value it at $39.5 billion upon its public debut.

As legal and legislative battles pop up around the country over worker misclassification, a new lawsuit is seeking to restore a Trump-era rule that could decide the future of gig employees.

Many shippers of fast-moving goods and consumer products saw increased sales during the pandemic, but many still suffer from a lack of supply chain efficiency. Locus has introduced an AI-powered tool, NodelQ, that helps optimize the supply chain.

Amazon has started requiring third-party sellers to meet more stringent Prime shipping promises, and that is forcing changes to the supply chain.

Hybrid investment firm Florida Funders has made a second investment in OTHRSource, an Atlanta-based company that specializes in boosting brands’ sales through strategic merchandising opportunities, both in-store and online.

Warehouse automation continues to accelerate as consumer appetite for e-commerce grows, and that is placing robotics companies in the spotlight.

“On-the-way” delivery service Roadie saw growth exceed 4x in 2020 as retailers shifted to same-day delivery of online orders, and founder and CEO Marc Gorlin says there is no going back for the retail industry.

Two last-mile delivery firms have secured funding as they look to scale. AxleHire has closed a $20 million round while Swyft has netted $17.5 million.

Instacart did an analysis of its platform’s users and found some surprises regarding how many people and who exactly was shopping for groceries online in 2020.

Uber will spend $250 million on driver stimulus incentives in an attempt to lure drivers back to the service as the lifting of COVID-related restrictions increases demand.

UPS Flight Forward has an option to buy up to 150 electric aircraft that can transport up to 1,400 pounds of cargo each from Beta Technologies.

Singapore-based ride-hailing company Grab is expected to go public via a SPAC with a fund from Altimeter Growth, according to a report.

Global logistics provider Pilot Freight Services has acquired DSI Logistics, a last-mile heavy goods specialty provider.

Entertainment fulfillment company Gnarlywood will deploy inVia Robotics AI-powered warehouse software and autonomous robots as part of a warehouse automation strategy.

Isuzu trucks will install technology from autonomous vehicle startup Gatik on its medium-duty N-Series truck models.

Shipwell is adding pricing intelligence tools to its enterprise platform. Shippers testing the new tools have seen procurement costs drop as much as 10%, Shipwell said.

The growth in e-commerce coincided with an increase in cybercriminals attacking payment systems in 2020, with 50% more cyberattacks attempted in 2020 than in 2019, a new report said.

Research firm Cowen has set a price target of $28.50 per share for EV startup Arrival – more than $10 higher than Monday’s trading price. Cowen cited its unique approach to manufacturing as one reason for its optimism.

Drone tests continue to accelerate, with A2Z Drone Delivery and DroneUp combining to complete commercial deliveries of Coca-Cola products in Georgia.

GreenDropShip has a new app for Shopify sellers, opening the door for them to add over 20,000 grocery items to their online stores.

Curri, a technology company that specializes in last-mile services for the construction industry, has secured a $6 million Series A funding round.

As more millennials enter the workforce and the global economy deals with COVID-related work-from-home trends, more business e-commerce transactions have moved online.

Crafts retailer Michaels is adding same-day delivery through Instacart from more than 100 stores as more consumers order materials for projects online.

California has proposed a sustainability regulation for transportation network companies, including Uber and Lyft, that would require 90% of all rides to take place in electric vehicles by 2030.

UrbanFootprint is looking at case studies on drone deliveries, focusing on how its tools can help municipalities and drone providers with planning logistics.

TriumphPay is acquiring HubTran to integrate machine-learning capabilities for a fully integrated payments network for its customers.

Drivers often take the blame for roadside violations, but remaining in compliance with regulations is a team effort that includes maintenance personnel and safety operations in a fleet.

The city of Aspen has been running a parking reservation pilot program with Coord that enables commercial delivery fleets to secure parking spaces for their vehicles.

STORD, which describes itself as a cloud supply chain company, has secured a $65 million funding round as it seeks to expand upon its logistics capabilities.

As International Roadcheck 2021 quickly approaches, truck drivers need to prepare for the inspection process. Here are five tips J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. recommend drivers follow to make the process easier.

PayPal announced it will allow consumers to make online payments with cryptocurrencies through its Checkout with Crypto offering.

More municipalities have been capping the fees DoorDash can charge restaurants, and the delivery company is fighting back with added charges for consumers that it says are necessary to keep operating.

Canadian courier Purolator has added electric trucks and cargo bikes to its Vancouver fleet as it continues to deploy more environmentally friendly delivery vehicles.

XGen has launched a platform that connects to e-commerce sites, providing shoppers with a more personalized experience with relevant recommendations and other interactions.

Chipotle reveals it has invested in self-driving vehicle startup Nuro as it looks at new ways consumers will engage with the brand.

Amazon is reversing course and dropping plans to monitor drivers for mask wearing compliance in its branded vehicles.

As consumers become accustomed to same-day delivery, retailers and their delivery partners are facing increased pressure to improve the overall experience.

Increased use of micro-fulfillment centers and more efficient vehicles and routing can reduce carbon emissions by 25% in urban environments, according to Accenture.

DHL Express was pleased with a trial of nine Lightning eMotors electric Ford Transit vans and is now ordering an additional 89 units to deploy in New York and California.

Cargo Cove is the latest logistics company to move toward automation in its warehouse, adding AI-powered software and eventually autonomous robots to its Jacksonville facility.

With a 148% increase in e-commerce returns in 2020 over 2019, the need for online brands to better manage the customer experience is increasing, making end-to-end solutions a necessity.

RPG has acquired a 200,000-square-foot San Diego industrial facility with plans to redevelop it to accommodate e-commerce warehousing and distribution.

Uber’s decision to upgrade the status of its U.K. drivers puts added pressure on the company in the U.S. to do the same, even though experts say it has no legal impact on this side of the Atlantic.

FourKites said it had a banner year in 2020 as more companies sought out the real-time supply chain visibility company.

URB-E believes its electric bike that pulls an 800-pound capacity cargo container can replace a single delivery van in cities, reducing emissions and improving last-mile and on-demand delivery networks.

Trent Broberg, the former COO of Truckstop.com, has been named CEO of ACERTUS, a technology-focused automotive logistics firm.

As COVID-19 restrictions eased across the county, the number of Americans ordering groceries online dropped in February, led by a decrease in the over-60 age bracket.

Perch is helping smaller brands pool their resources to lower logistics costs and better compete on Amazon’s vast marketplace.

U.K. delivery company Deliveroo has set its IPO price range, giving the Amazon-backed company a nearly $12 billion valuation.

A Miami-based insurance startup is offering gig workers the opportunity to purchase disability insurance that would protect them in case of income disruptions.

E-commerce and the increasing desire to conduct digital transactions are driving rapid change in the payments industry.

Instacart may wait until after the majority of Americans are vaccinated to go public so investors can better gauge the company’s growth potential, according to a report.

Amazon has started testing Rivian electric delivery vans in San Francisco as part of its planned rollout of 10,000 electric vehicles by 2022.

Flytrex, which is testing drone grocery delivery in North Carolina, has landed $9 million in funding to help it scale production in the U.S. as it nears FAA certification.

Delivery software provider Onfleet is joining forces with Bond, an artificial intelligence platform, to offer e-commerce sellers an integrated solution that takes the customer from checkout to delivery in a single offering.

Census Bureau data showed a decline in February sales, but levels remain elevated from a year ago as new stimulus hits

A lawsuit in New York claims that rideshare company Via has refused to pay for and enter arbitration with drivers who believe they are employees and not independent contractors.

Micromobility company Helbiz will secure approximately $82.5 million when it is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange through a SPAC deal expected to close in the second quarter.

Global payments technology provider Stripe has raised $600 million in a new funding round at a $95 billion valuation, making it the most expensive startup in the U.S.

Major retail brands are reaching consumers wherever they can these days, and that means more livestreamed special events with social media influencers.

Southeast Asian rideshare company Grab is in talks to go public through a SPAC led by Altimeter Capital, according to published reports.

A team from the University of Maryland Medical Center has been honored for completing the first drone delivery of an organ for transplant in 2019.

XPO Logistics has embraced diversity, equity and inclusion in its workforce that is enhancing its culture, and leading to business success.

A change in IRS tax code included in the $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill will require sellers and other businesses paying out more than $600 to gig workers to file tax forms with the IRS.

Gig workers are eligible for unemployment payments but verifying income levels can be difficult. The Workers Lab and Steady are teaming up to improve the process.

The California Labor Commissioner’s Office has fined Green Messengers and Amazon.com Services a total of $6.4 million for what it said was wage theft from delivery drivers.

When David Cabello dropped out of college, he knew he wanted to make a difference, so he started a food delivery business that caters to Black-owned restaurants.

The Truckload Carriers Association will host a complimentary webinar on today at 1 p.m. for those interested in the TCA Profitability Program (TPP).

GoFor Industries will work with Aurora Aerial on a drone delivery test program, starting in Canada before expanding into other markets.