E-commerce & Fulfillment

Talkshoplive and its embeddable player network received a huge boost with $6 million in funding.

Bringg and GoFor join forces to expand delivery capacity, coverage and customer satisfaction.

Direct-to-consumer alcoholic beverage service is on the rise.

Chinese warehouse automation firm Hai Robotics is reportedly looking for a $150 million raise at a $1.3 billion valuation.

DoorDash’s midyear report on delivery trends found a $2,900 order for perfumes and comfort food and grooming supplies seeing large order growth through the first six months of 2021.

Kroger Co. continues to bring intelligent automation to its warehouses.

Digital retailers are partnering with SaaS companies that are employing an emergent new service model: secure access service edge

Bringg helped U.K. retailer Co-op scale its e-commerce business from 30 stores to over 800 in a year’s time — and do so in a more environmentally friendly way.

Warehouse automation company Geek+ announced it has sold 20,000 autonomous mobile robotics solutions around the world.

Zebra Technologies will acquire Fetch Robotics for $290 million, adding warehouse automation tools to its portfolio.

Upfront costs are reduced in the Robots-as-a-Service model.

Headless commerce company Shogun has raised $67.5 million to scale its solution and speed the go-to-market process.

Two Oregon delivery providers have terminated their contract with Amazon, but the e-tailer has countered and said the companies wanted $36 million to continue servicing the contract.

Last-mile delivery management company Onfleet said its software has now helped facilitate more than 100 million deliveries.

ShipBob has secured a $200 million Series E round, valuing the cloud-based logistics platform at over $1 billion.

Sendle is known for offering e-commerce sellers flat-rate shipping options, and now it has an additional $35 million to accelerate expansion of its network.

Afterpay, a buy-now, pay-later provider, has inked deals with 13 major retailers representing nearly half of all e-commerce purchases.

ShipHero’s SaaS and e-comm 3PL businesses complement each other.

The parent company of Saks OFF 5TH, the discount designer retailer, will spin off its e-commerce business in a new entity with fresh funding from Insight Partners.

As shippers work to fulfill the orders from Prime Day, there are many lessons that can be gleaned to improve the overall customer experience.

In the apparel world where trying on clothes is so vital to sales, the COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges. Iconic brand Levi used the pandemic to accelerate digitization in its supply chain, and it paid immediate dividends.

E-commerce fulfillment provider Transportation and Logistics Systems has reached an agreement to acquire SalSon Logistics for $90 million. However, the deal doesn’t yet have financing in place.

Berkshire Grey has released its next generation of warehouse robots that it said will speed fulfillment time for retailers.

Even as sellers expect higher sales on Amazon Prime Day, there are worries about getting inventory, finding places to store it and shipping it to the customer.

Each day, 1.7 million packages are stolen off porches, yet businesses and consumers are not investing in theft-protection security.

Commerce Signals has launched a targeted marketing tool that it said improves the chance a marketing campaign will reach the right consumer to 90%.

Last-mile delivery and fulfillment platform Bringg announced a $100 million Series E funding round, reaching rarefied air as a unicorn company.

A majority of businesses plan to maintain online buying processes put in place during COVID-19 even after the pandemic subsides, according to an Amazon Business survey.

E-commerce management company Whitebox has released Omnifi, a single platform that connects e-commerce brands’ marketing, sales and logistics channels.

SaaS platform company Cleo, which specializes in the integration of B2B enterprise data and saw rapid growth in 2020 due to e-commerce, received a strategic investment from H.I.G. Capital.

E-commerce technology company Stackline announced a $130 million investment from TA Associates to fund additional technology development.

A report said that Walmart-owned Flipkart is close to securing $3 billion in new funding as the Indian e-commerce giant explores a possible IPO.

Pinterest has launched new shopping features as it looks to further engage users in e-commerce.

Final-mile delivery technology company OneRail announced it has added more than 1 million drivers to its network, giving shippers access to more last-mile capacity.

DHL research released Thursday provides insights for “e-tailers that wish to lead on environmental issues,” said Greg Hewitt, CEO at DHL Express USA.

Pitney Bowes has added ParcelPoint Smart Lockers to its parcel locker portfolio, providing a secure, technology-enabled solution for enterprises.

Cainiao, which means newcomer or beginner in Chinese, is the 8-year-old logistics unit of Alibaba. Besides providing express delivery for packages ordered through Alibaba, it is offering end-to-end logistics services to other companies.

“Robotic process automation is no longer a science experiment. This technology is no longer about figuring out what works. The time to consider whether to automate your warehouses has passed.”

Amazon will store and pre-position supplies for quick release in the event of natural disasters.

Warehouse robotics firm Exotec announced footwear retailer Ariat and the world’s largest sporting goods retailer Decathlon will deploy its Skypod warehouse robotics system.

E-commerce logistics company ShipBob is now able to fulfill two-day shipping for sellers using the Walmart Marketplace.

Big integrated parcel carriers are constantly adding aircraft to their fleet, but that expansion is going even faster to keep up with e-commerce. DHL Express is even starting an airline in Austria to keep up.

A survey from SOTI has found transportation and logistics companies trying to keep up with the e-commerce demand continue to face technology integration issues, costing them several days per month per employee in productivity.

The FAA has approved a request from Flytrex to expand its drone delivery pilot program in North Carolina to include delivery to customers’ yards.

As more brands roll out next-day and same-day grocery delivery, the long-term profitability of these programs depends on innovation that can drive down cost and increase flexibility.

Even as brands turn to more digital tools to engage with customers, many are finding success with a more traditional item — catalogs.

More manufacturers are looking into digital sales and marketing channels as their customers increasingly move online.

The Kansas City region, with its centralized location, is becoming a prime area for commercial warehouse space, with KC Smartport expecting 15 million square feet to become available in 2021.

To help highlight its appeal to small and midsized shippers, Sendle is offering a special $1 flat rate shipping charge next week between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PDT.

Amazon planes are shuttling between more than 40 airports in the U.S. That translates into faster e-commerce deliveries by eliminating trucks.

PayPal is acquiring Happy Returns, a firm dedicated to improving the returns process for e-commerce orders.

Rite Aid is adding same-day delivery of more than 24,000 items through DoorDash, joining competitors Walgreens and CVS in offering the service.

Vendoo’s technology allows resellers to list items on multiple marketplaces like eBay, The Real Real and Poshmark while streamlining the listing process.

Growing e-commerce sales of large and bulky items is creating a logistics headache for items that must be returned. It is why retailers need to have a reverse logistics process in place.

Wayfair said its active customer base grew 57.1% in the past year, and those customers are ordering more items, leading to a nearly 50% increase in Q1 revenue.

PayPal reported its “strongest first-quarter results” in company history on Wednesday, posting $6.03 billion in revenue and a 46% increase in total payment volume.

Purolator is considered the FedEx or UPS of Canada. The express delivery company has hired an airline to help it move more packages between the U.S. and Canada.

The German company posts record first-quarter profits and substantially raises full-year earnings and cash flow targets.

Former PayPal executive John Lunn has returned to payments with Gr4vy, which has landed an $11.1 million Series A funding round.

Manufacturing’s traditional selling processes are broken. Our next chapter requires a savvy digital approach backed by a deep understanding of buyer expectations. In turn, this empowers manufacturers to focus on what they do best – building amazing products.

Amazon’s Prime offering, with its shipment tracking and fast delivery, continues to add pressure to other retailers to match the service. Technology can help up their shipment games, making for happier and returning customers.

The New Jersey Senate majority leader’s proposal would require communities near a proposed warehouse to have input but no veto power.

Olsavsky says the one-day delivery service needs to get on top of burgeoning demand and warehouse space shortages.

Shipping costs rise 57% to $17.1 billion.

Seattle-based Minnow Technologies has secured $3 million to fund production of its Pickup Pod, a contactless food delivery station.

You may not have heard of Cainiao, but you know parent company Alibaba is the Amazon of China. Cainiao is powering Alibaba’s logistics and recently arranged air transport from Singapore to duty-free shops in China.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

The author of “Fulfillment: Winning and Losing in One-Click America” talks about Amazon’s push for complete dominance and what it may mean for all of us.

Amazon took a page from FedEx’s anti-union playbook, and the message of union irrelevance hit home with the warehouse workers.

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

DHL Express has added two large freighters to its fleet to bolster service between the Asia-Pacific and the U.S. and Europe, in response to “exponential” growth in shipment volume. The […]

“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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

“We want to give a voice to third-party sellers,” said Bringg’s VP of Alliances.