Knowing exactly where your package is and when it will arrive has the edge over how long it will take when it comes to what consumers want in cross-border delivery of online orders. That’s one of the key findings of the most recent survey from the International Post Corporation (IPC) on cross-border ecommerce shopping.
Delivery companies are literally digging deeper to develop new systems for getting packages quickly to customers with one futuristic idea having roots in the past.
It’s Christmas in July for the retail industry. Holiday decorations might not hit stores for a few more months, but retailers are now working on their 2015 holiday plans.
And you can bet that shipping strategies are a big part of those plans. Online sales made up about 10 percent of the $616 billion in holiday sales last year, so shipping plans are a top priority for retailers. In addition, more and more retailers are eyeing the international market, which means cross-border shipping is part of the mix as well.
The 2013 holiday season turned out to be a particularly eventful one for e-tailers and the shippers that deliver all those packages to your door.
Factors like fewer than average shopping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas and an increasing comfort level with online buying helped push holiday e-commerce up significantly. In fact, demand exceeded expectations and stressed shippers’ capacity, causing some late deliveries of their goods.
Amateur astronomers are excited about the total solar eclipse set to appear (or disappear?) on August 21. This is the first time in 99 years a total solar eclipse will cross the entire United States.
Capitalizing on the public’s excitement, the U.S. Postal Service...
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With $72 billion in revenue and 154 billion pieces of mail moved in a year, the U.S. Postal Service deals in the billions. That’s why you sometimes hear people joke that “a few million here and a few million there and pretty soon you are talking about real money” with the USPS.
But even...
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How prepared is the U.S. Postal Service for a sudden increase in the price of diesel fuel? When diesel climbed by $2.03 a gallon from March 2009 to March 2012, the USPS’s fuel tab soared by $341 million.
It’s what happens when you operate one of the biggest vehicle fleets in the country:...
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The post office lobby is the principal business office of the Postal Service and often the only close-up view customers get of postal operations. The lobby’s appearance and maintenance directly affect the Postal Service’s image and are essential to its business. A bright, clean, and welcoming...
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The Postal Service has 137 contracting officers (CO) who manage contracts in three systems—the Contract Authoring and Management System, Transportation Contracting Support System, and electronic Facilities Management System. COs are granted authority to make purchases at one of four warrant...
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The Postal Service has 21 network distribution centers (NDCs), which consolidate mail processing and dispatch to increase operational efficiency. At 19 NDCs, there are also consolidation deconsolidation facilities (CDFs). When the combined contents of one to three trailers exceed 100 percent of...
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