Modern Shipper covers the gig economy, including same-day, on-demand, and last-mile delivery jobs and services. Readers will find current news on gig economy companies, gig economy workers, gig economy data and trends. In addition, Modern Shipper focuses on e-commerce, e-commerce platforms and companies, and e-commerce services and technologies.
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.
Wing, which has been testing drone delivery in Virginia, has requested an exemption from the Federal Aviation Administration guidelines that would allow it to operate drones remotely rather than from a central command station.
The California Trucking Association lawsuit was able to hold off the law in the state’s trucking industry for 16 months, but the injunction it won has been overturned.
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.
“The Wingcopter 198 is a game-changer for drone-based deliveries, ready to create logistical highways in the sky.”
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.
The best-in-class retailers are aggressively pursuing logistical control over their products while trying to avoid patchwork responses to final-mile delivery.
As more shoppers turn to e-commerce, cybercriminals are taking advantage of lax security measures to target online fraud.
Biden executive order will make it easier to lead by example on electric vehicles, DOT chief says.
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.
Hear from drone manufacturers, shippers and more that are utilizing these devices to completely revolutionize transportation at the first and last miles of supply chains.
Affirm Holdings, which specializes in “buy now, pay later” solutions, has acquired leading e-commerce returns provider Returnly.
In 2020, Amazon nearly doubled: its workforce, its number of facilities and its logistics square footage. In 2021, it plans to double its truckload fleet.
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.
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.
Arguments in the appeal of the injunction keeping AB5 as California law were made in September; the industry still awaits the final word.
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.
Trucking companies will need to become more strategic about recruitment in the future. Those not willing to change will have difficulty finding drivers.
Cleveron has introduced a self-driving delivery vehicle that has flexible body options, allowing retailers to customize it for their needs.
Not X-men. Xwing. But it’s cool too if you like planes that fly by themselves.
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.
Startup Milk Moovement seeks to modernize the dairy supply chain through cloud-based software.
The think tank report sees the funding coming from the service centers as a means to help rebuild interstate highways.
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.
Mobileye autonomous driver technology enables round-the-clock operation for Udelv middle- and last-mile Transporter delivery vehicles.
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.
Improvements will come in the form of more ship-from-store, but mainly more ship-from-dark-store as retailers realize the unnecessary complexity of the method and seek to transform more stores into localized fulfillment centers.
Amazon took a page from FedEx’s anti-union playbook, and the message of union irrelevance hit home with the warehouse workers.
WHAT THE TRUCK?!? welcomes HubTran’s Josh Asbury to the show. The crew dives into the acquisition with TriumphPay and discusses HubTran’s Lights-Out Processing platform.
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.
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.
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.
On this episode of At Your Doorstep for the DroneWaves Summit, Kaylee Nix explores the possibilities of drone delivery, from the golf course to the big city.
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.
This clever twist on micro-fulfillment centers offers a futuristic model for urban retailing and fulfillment. And it comes as companies test out a bevy of automated, unmanned service models, from dark stores to drones and autonomous delivery fleets.
Electric-assisted cargo bikes are being implemented as cities face challenges with congestion, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions and parking.
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.
Having proved it could achieve 100% offsetting of CO2 emissions from Expedited Max in 2020, DHL eCommerce Solutions is officially declaring its service with the highest carbon footprint as carbon-neutral moving forward.
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.
BLAZE has experienced rapid growth from the introduction of BLAZEPAY, facilitating over $1 billion in annualized gross merchandise value.
John Krafcik, who led Waymo, the former Google self-driving car project, to recognized leadership in autonomous vehicles, is stepping down as CEO.
GreenDropShip has a new app for Shopify sellers, opening the door for them to add over 20,000 grocery items to their online stores.
The March report may be the last for a while in which a comparison to last year is meaningful.
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.
Other highlights from the monthly report: Soaring employment in warehouses is starting to moderate.
Crafts retailer Michaels is adding same-day delivery through Instacart from more than 100 stores as more consumers order materials for projects online.
Amazon Air has hired Canadian all-cargo carrier Cargojet to provide crews, maintenance and insurance for two aircraft it plans to use to move e-commerce parcels.
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.
A ransomware gang is threatening to leak 2 terabytes of files stolen from shipping firm ECU Worldwide in the aftermath of a cyberattack as the owner vows to “take any steps necessary, legal and otherwise,” to protect customer data.
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.
The New York City last-mile fleet will have 40 electric vehicles, with the Los Angeles region adding 50 more, IKEA said.
“We want to give a voice to third-party sellers,” said Bringg’s VP of Alliances.
“What is really attractive is the technology platform that enables the retailer to do a full assortment of products.”
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.
Air Transport Services Group is riding the e-commerce wave. It’s expanding its fleet to meet demand from Amazon and other customers.
Also on the podcast: Why retail diesel prices don’t drop as fast as declines in wholesale.
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.
Strong e-commerce demand, tight supply and higher construction materials costs are a challenging brew for occupiers, CBRE says.
