Scale, buying power help big companies navigate supply chain disruptions

Large companies like Domino's, Levi's and Lowe's say their size has helped secure pricing and stay resilient despite other headwinds.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 21, 2021

7 ways to optimize budgets as transportation costs rise

Prolonged high prices force manufacturers and retailers to figure out how to make their budgets work. 

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Oct. 13, 2021

Kroger steps up same-day delivery with new automated fulfillment centers

The grocer is adding more fulfillment facilities powered by technology partner Ocado as it looks to increase the coverage and speed of its delivery services.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Oct. 13, 2021

Top retailers will establish robot resource departments as demand grows: Gartner

Further investment in robots is one way companies are boosting fulfillment center productivity, as orders get processed closer to the point of delivery in a new era for retailers.

By Max Garland • Oct. 12, 2021

Lamb Weston passes on freight costs as rate inflation continues

Hiking prices can help "recover the cost of product delivery," said CFO Bernadette Madarieta, after noting inflation ate away at profits in Q1.

By Max Garland • Oct. 12, 2021

Major paint supplier looks to overcome resin shortages with new Texas facility

RPM International said it lost 300 production days after a February winter storm and an explosion at a major supplier led to shortages. Now, it's purchasing assets to add resilience.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 11, 2021

Retail imports surged to historic highs in 2021, bringing port congestion too

A forecast by Hackett Associates suggests U.S. ports will have to process 4 million more TEUs in 2021 than they did in 2020.

By Edwin Lopez • Oct. 8, 2021

Siloed data presents a hurdle to tracing tiers of the supply chain

As procurement pros seek deeper relationships with suppliers, they often find vital information is not available in digital forms.

By Gary Wollenhaupt • Oct. 7, 2021

With denim trends in its favor, Levi's shrugs off the price of cotton

The brand is mitigating expenses thanks to its tight supply chain control and maintaining momentum due in large part to its direct sales to customers.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 7, 2021

How PepsiCo harnesses data to help retailers increase sales

The company's Pepviz platform uses analytics, data science and other tools to ensure a store is carrying the right product mix and optimizing shelf space. 

By Christopher Doering • Oct. 7, 2021

Walmart's delivery service lands Home Depot as its first customer

The deal gives Walmart GoLocal a client with billions of dollars' worth of online orders to fulfill.

By Max Garland • Oct. 6, 2021

'We're going to see a lot of bare shelves': Retail preps for a holiday beset by supply chain pain

Bottlenecks from factories to cargo ships mean less inventory and fewer discounts for the season.

By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 5, 2021

Delayed exports clog the wood pulp, toilet paper supply chain

Purchase limits at Costco and Sam's Club have more to do with raw material delays than a renewed run on toilet paper, one expert said.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 30, 2021

AutoZone to add 20 'mega hubs' for store replenishment

The expanded stores would carry more than 100,000 SKUs and help fulfill orders for the surrounding area.

By Edwin Lopez • Sept. 30, 2021

Costco to charter 7 vessels for Transpacific routes

The vessels will provide Costco with about a quarter of its annual needs on the trade lane.

By Alejandra Carranza • Updated March 15, 2022

Rite Aid doubles down on last-mile deliveries, adds Uber Eats as partner

The deal means Rite Aid now has partnerships with four of the top five last-mile delivery intermediaries in the U.S.

By Max Garland • Sept. 28, 2021

Nike warns of shortages as ocean congestion, Vietnam shutdowns hurt inventory

Pre-pandemic, it took Nike about 40 days to move product from Asia to North America, said CFO Matt Friend. That has since doubled.

By Max Garland • Sept. 27, 2021

Supplier diversity importance grows, but hurdles remain

A third of businesses in a Jaggaer-Tealbook survey said they had "difficulty identifying diverse suppliers that also meet procurement criteria."

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 23, 2021

Supply chain challenges aren't going away anytime soon

Businesses and consumers should prepare for continued disruption and increased costs, writes a supply chain expert at CBRE.

By Joe Dunlap • Sept. 21, 2021

Big Lots plans 'bypass network' to mitigate port congestion during peak season

As an example, the retailer said 98% of its Christmas trees ship out of Yantian and now have 4-8 week lead times. A bypass network will help imports skip a touch, and arrive in time for holiday shopping.

By Edwin Lopez • Sept. 17, 2021

Lowe's places larger orders with suppliers to avoid holiday stockouts

The hardware retailer says inventory levels are "actually getting better, not worse," as other companies struggle to navigate supply chain disruptions. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 16, 2021

Walmart teams up with Ford, Argo AI for autonomous delivery in 3 cities

Walmart's latest collaboration on self-driving vehicles is its first to span multiple cities.

By Max Garland • Sept. 16, 2021

Vietnam closures push retailers to shift tactics, suppliers ahead of the holidays

Big Lots expects $60 million in lost sales due to lockdowns in Vietnam, which may last until the end of the month.

By Edwin Lopez • Sept. 13, 2021

Biden to require large employers mandate vaccines

The ruling will especially impact warehouse workers, as many large companies had avoided requiring vaccines for frontline staff amid an acute labor shortage.

By Ryan Golden • Sept. 10, 2021

RFID and sensor tech get cheaper, faster and more pervasive

Advancements in identification technology help retail supply chains track inventory and shrink. Are visioning robots the next evolution?

By Jen A. Miller • Sept. 7, 2021