Ulta delays second 'fast fulfillment center' until 2021 after sales slowdown

The site was due to open next year as part of a plan to bring the beauty retailer's shipping speed down to two days for all orders.

By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 6, 2019

Ikea teams up with Optoro to reduce reverse logistics waste

The partnership will encompass 10 Ikea distribution centers, 50 retail stores and its customer support center in the U.S., with the potential to expand to other markets in the future.

By Morgan Forde • Dec. 6, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Warehouse automation

Robotics and AI are two of the many tools warehouse operators are using to improve productivity.

By Supply Chain Dive staff

Dollar General to open 5th warehouse in fresh distribution overhaul

Growing ahead of schedule, the DG Fresh Program's fifth warehouse will bring the program to one third of Dollar General's network by the end of 2019.  

By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 6, 2019

CMA CGM launches global alternative energy coalition

The group will work on an industry-wide inventory of technologies and near-term progress made on eco-friendly ship propulsion to encourage cooperation and progress in the industry.

By Morgan Forde • Dec. 5, 2019

Amazon vs. Ikea and the battle for inner-city warehouse space

With space at a premium, how are online giants making the most of urban warehouses — and how can traditional big-box retailers compete?

By James Beale • Dec. 3, 2019

US manufacturing continues decline, China shows signs of recovery

November's purchasing managers index (PMI) missed targets, marking the fourth straight month of contraction in U.S. manufacturing.

By Morgan Forde • Dec. 3, 2019

Seasonal hiring is the most stressful recruiting period, survey says

Experts say the onboarding process should start before a new hire's first day​ to guarantee success and efficiency.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • Dec. 2, 2019

John Deere keeps inventory low, forecasts more cost cutting in 2020

Low inventory levels across agricultural product segments is part of a cost-cutting strategy the company hopes will protect it from continued uncertainty in the industry — along with factory layoffs and corporate buyouts. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Dec. 2, 2019

Why the vaping crisis is a supply chain failure

Numerous websites sell cheap, unauthorized pods designed to fit vaping devices from major manufacturers.

By Ron Volpe • Dec. 2, 2019

CMA CGM plans $2B port terminal, ship sales to fund CEVA Logistics acquisition

CMA CGM's acquisition of CEVA was a move toward an end-to-end service offering for customers, but the integration hasn't been completely seamless.

By Morgan Forde • Nov. 27, 2019

Dollar Tree adds executive to take aim at inventory shrink

CEO Gary Philbin suggested tighter inventory allocations were in order, along with a new executive to address loss.

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 27, 2019

Best Buy launches e-commerce pickup in 175 New York UPS, CVS locations

Roughly 99% of Best Buy customers now live in a ZIP code where next-day delivery is available — up from 80% last quarter, according to CEO Corrie Barry.

By Morgan Forde • Nov. 27, 2019

Most workers don't think automation is coming for their jobs

Employee perception of automation technology signals a competitive edge for employers who deploy these tools successfully.

By Roberto Torres • Nov. 27, 2019

Decathlon's vertical supply chain approach thrives overseas. Will it work in California?

After conquering the rest of the world, the French sporting goods company is up and running in the U.S, but not without supply chain challenges. 

By Amanda Loudin • Nov. 26, 2019

Cummins lays off 2K to protect profits through trucking downturn

Cummins will cut $250 million to $300 million in costs in an effort to protect profits as the company hunkers down for a colder economy and an expected double-digit revenue dip in Q4. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 26, 2019

These 4 charts explain Amazon's fulfillment speed

Amazon's speed is key to how it plans to compete with large retailers. These charts help explain its investment.

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 25, 2019

Seasonal retail workers attracted to flexible work options, report says

Robust hiring forecasts preceded a holiday hiring season that began as early as August for some retailers.

By Valerie Bolden-Barrett • Nov. 25, 2019

What are the most critical KPIs for today's supply chains? 4 experts weigh in

Key performance indicators can make or break supply chains and it seems as though there are more to choose from every day. 

By Morgan Forde • Nov. 25, 2019

Embracing change during supply chain transformation

Adam Runsdorf, president of WDSrx, writes that while his company is committed to reducing costs and increasing productivity for clients, achieving those goals internally became a challenge as the business grew.

By Adam Runsdorf • Nov. 22, 2019

Patent Pending: Nike's ship-from-store concept, Walmart's autonomous locker

Supply chain innovators apply to patent what they see as important tools for the future of supply chains. Sometimes they're brilliant. Sometimes they're funny. Every week, we'll share a few.

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 21, 2019

Lowe's to invest $1.7B in supply chain over 5 years

New warehouses are taking the pressure off stores to make customer deliveries — an important shift since a main challenge has been figuring out how to keep store items in stock. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 21, 2019

UPS plans to improve healthcare traceability with IoT-enabled logistics

The new offering, called UPS Premier, will provide better visibility and traceability for healthcare-related shipments while boosting on-time deliveries, according to the carrier.

By Matt Leonard • Nov. 21, 2019

Target credits new tech with lowering backroom inventory

The items in the system, roughly 15% so far, show less frequent stockouts and lower backroom quantities than those not yet integrated.

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 21, 2019

Home Depot assesses tariff impact SKU-by-SKU

Home Depot's tariff mitigation strategy is a data-driven effort analyzing the impact of tariffs at the SKU level.

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 20, 2019

71% of manufacturers employ IoT despite cyber risks: PwC

A study from PwC found 68% of manufacturers surveyed planned to increase their investment in Internet of Things (IoT) integration in the next two years, believing the benefits outweigh the potential cyber security challenges.

By Morgan Forde • Nov. 19, 2019