How Sephora flexed its warehouse network to prep for an e-commerce onslaught

The beauty retailer's annual spring promotion led SVP for Supply Chain Mike Racer to elevate throughput as a measure of readiness years before the coronavirus pandemic hit. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 25, 2020

Postmaster General DeJoy says USPS will have 'redundant resources' by Oct. 1

DeJoy testified before House and Senate committees amid criticisms regarding operational changes that could slow down parcel and mail service.

By Emma Cosgrove • Updated Aug. 25, 2020

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Supply Chain Dive

Here’s how companies are navigating rising costs, network changes and logistics disruptions across global supply chain networks.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

UPS to raise China-US parcel surcharges 30% starting Aug. 30

China/Hong Kong airfreight rates are nowhere near their peak in May, but they have been slowly gaining altitude since early July with some hint of moderation in August.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 21, 2020

What's at stake for supply chains if postal service slows down?

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy says his intention is not to slow down the mail. But postal workers, shippers and small parcel experts contend that's exactly what his policies will do.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 19, 2020

UPS' intentional approach to tight capacity will mean higher rates for shippers: UBS

In some cases, carriers are reopening contracts with shippers to raise their rates as B2C volume swells.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 19, 2020

The strategy behind turning department stores into warehouses

Rumors are circulating about Amazon converting vacant department store space into fulfillment centers — a move experts say would round out its omnichannel approach.

By Jen A. Miller • Aug. 18, 2020

FedEx to raise peak surcharges on Ground, Express, SmartPost

Adding hefty surcharges to SmartPost is especially punitive to small businesses who rely on the services' competitive rates, which often come in below USPS priority mail fees, according to Matthew Hertz, co-founder of Second Marathon.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 18, 2020

Shippers turn to regional carriers to handle increased volume

An average of 17% of retail volume went to regional carriers in the first seven months of the year, compared to less than 4% in 2019.

By Matt Leonard • Aug. 17, 2020

JD Logistics opens automated warehouse for bulky items, launches 1-hour delivery

Roughly one year after JD Logistics broke even, executives reported record sales volumes have improved efficiency and the service is now turning a profit. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 17, 2020

USPS will raise commercial parcel rates for peak season

The temporary rate hikes will take effect Oct. 18 and be removed Dec. 27. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 14, 2020

3 technologies FedEx's CIO geeks out on

One challenge of leading enterprise technology for an organization the size of FedEx is the shift away from legacy technology, CIO Rob Carter said.

By Roberto Torres • Aug. 13, 2020

Lineage Logistics finalizes 10 acquisitions as cold storage demand grows

The acquisitions, which encompass 5.5 million square feet and 153 million cubic feet of capacity, focus on adding "capacity and services in key markets," according to CEO Greg Lehmkuhl.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 12, 2020

Lowe's plans to add 50 cross docks, 4 fulfillment centers in pursuit of omnichannel supply chain

The addition of warehouses moves Lowe's away from a store-based home delivery model, which EVP of Supply Chain Don Frieson acknowledged is inefficient. 

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 12, 2020

Why cold chain tracking and IoT sensors are vital to the success of a COVID-19 vaccine

Technology-enabled tracking and monitoring sensors provide real-time visibility into a vaccine shipment's condition — and an opportunity to intervene before damage is done.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Aug. 11, 2020

UPS to raise peak surcharges, SurePost rates this fall

Surcharges will increase to between $1 and $4 per package, depending on the shippers' parcel volume. At minimum, this will triple the pandemic-related fees UPS put in place in May for domestic shipments.

By Emma Cosgrove • Updated Sept. 3, 2020

Uber focuses on delivery as pandemic erodes ride business

Uber Connect, a consumer-to-consumer delivery service, puts the tech company in competition with parcel carriers and USPS, though not on price.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 7, 2020

Logistics companies plan to use AI, data to ship goods ahead of purchase orders: survey

"Preemptive logistics," in which companies predict demand and ship items before customers order them, requires information sharing and transparency throughout the supply chain, according to a survey from Ericsson.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 7, 2020

Food distributors, restaurants reinvent business models in a scramble to survive

From wine bar to mini grocery store, from restaurant distribution to direct to consumer — food sector firms are pivoting operations to keep business flowing.

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Aug. 6, 2020

Ahold Delhaize's US digital sales soar 127% as consumers turn to online grocery delivery, pickup

To improve delivery profitability, the company is extending a micro-fulfillment center pilot program and ramping up its omnichannel investments to match consumer demand shifts.

By Jeff Wells • Aug. 5, 2020

Beyond Meat incurs $6M in repacking expense to handle pandemic demand shift

With restaurants, schools and offices closed, the plant-based supplier switched food service production lines over to retail products, which resulted in a mix of 88% retail and 12% food service.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 5, 2020

Wayfair reverses loss trend as pandemic volumes improve logistics network utilization

The "turning point" in profitability comes after years of investment to ramp up capacity in its middle- and last-mile networks.

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 5, 2020

Home Depot adds 3 warehouses as DIY demand grows

The pandemic has shifted consumer behavior and buying patterns, but it hasn't deterred Home Depot from its plan to invest in its distribution network.

By Shefali Kapadia • Aug. 4, 2020

COVID-19's urban exodus will force supply chains to adapt

The shift to working from home could cause a second slower-moving, but more enduring, demand shock that is just starting to unfold, writes Aaron Terrazas, director of economic research at Convoy.

By Aaron Terrazas • Aug. 4, 2020

US ventilator, PPE imports drop as coronavirus cases climb

S&P Global cites efforts by the Trump administration to encourage domestic production of key supplies to combat the coronavirus pandemic as a potential reason for the reduction.

By Morgan Forde • Aug. 3, 2020

DSV Panalpina restores guidance to near pre-pandemic level

CEO Jens Bjørn Andersen called the company's guidance "more unsecure than normal," with coronavirus cases increasing in several countries. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Aug. 3, 2020