Supply Chain

Amazon.com has quietly launched an app designed to help delivery drivers get in and out of its warehouses faster, according to CNBC. The app, called Relay, debuted late last month and is available on Apple and Android devices. Drivers enter cargo information into the app, allowing them to check in with a QR code and…

The 2017 Global Sourcing Reference report from Kurt Salmon, part of Accenture Strategy, highlights that retailers which shift production to alternate locations with cheaper labor costs are chasing a temporary fix to a bigger problem, as costs rise in sourcing regions globally. Instead, retailers must move away from a sourcing cost obsession and focus on reinventing their operating model to unlock trapped value in their supply chains. Technology innovation — across analytics, artificial intelligence, robotics, 3-D printing and other areas — will be the key enabler on this path forward, fostering better collaboration and visibility across the value chain while greatly improving product innovation, time to market, reliability, execution and quality.

This Saturday, Nov. 11, the Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba will hold its annual Singles Day event, which last year grossed $17.8 billion (USD) in sales, up from $14.3 billion in 2015, according to a report from Fung Global Retail & Technology (FGRT). The 24-hour phenomenon has quickly become the world's largest shopping day, consistently surpassing…

Fashion retailer Zara says it's working on establishing a “hardship fund” to help a group of Turkish workers who were left unpaid when an outsource factory closed down. The workers went into Zara shops in Istanbul, leaving tags inside garments that read: “I made this item you are going to buy, but I didn’t get paid…

Jet.com launched its private-label business, Uniquely J, as it continues its push to tap urban millennials and its corporate parent Wal-Mart fortifies its fight against Amazon.com. Uniquely J will offer a variety of goods, including toilet paper, coffee and laundry detergent. In keeping with its focus on "metro millennials," Jet has placed emphasis on items that are…

With retail supply chains growing more complex by the day, it’s no wonder retailers are struggling to get their products to market faster and at a lower cost than their competitors. The industry is evolving at a rapid pace, producing intense competition like we’ve never seen before. As a result, retailers are finding it necessary…

Costco announced last week that it's offering customers same-day grocery delivery. On Thursday, the company announced two new delivery options: two-day delivery for dry goods, and same-day delivery for orders that include fresh foods. The same-day service will be powered by grocery delivery company Instacart. The same-day delivery option, available in “most metropolitan areas,” lets…

The kids are back in school. Time to roll out the holiday decorations. The break between summer and winter holidays feels shorter each year. However, with the start of this school year — paired with Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, and New Year’s — the second half of the year is peak season…

Some suppliers to Toys“R”Us have scaled back shipments to the retailer as it struggles to refinance debt and avoid a potential bankruptcy filing, according to people with knowledge of the matter. The vendors are balking as Toys“R”Us continues talks with lenders over a new loan that would allow the retailer to stay open while it works…

Hurricane Irma, the strongest storm in the Atlantic Ocean on record — which at the time of writing is forecast to be heading towards the coasts of Florida — is expected to cause retailers serious grief. Business weather intelligence provider Planalytics assessed Irma's potential economic impact and reported that lost retail sales could total $1.45 billion…