E-commerce & Fulfillment

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.