Ralph Lauren pilots custom apparel with 16-day lead time

It was only a pilot, said CEO Patrice Louvet, but there is value in knowing such a turnaround is possible. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 6, 2020

Owed millions, Forever 21 suppliers and lenders take aim at auction plan

Some of the retailer's biggest suppliers say the company has fallen behind on payments and worry that a quick sale process could burn them. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Updated Feb. 5, 2020

Learning from Adidas' Speedfactory blunder

Adidas will end its revolutionary manufacturing program this year, but that doesn't mean the principles of distributed operations should be abandoned by other players.

By Adrián Hernández • Feb. 4, 2020

H&M operations, sustainability leader will be next CEO

Helena Helmersson's promotion and deep ties to the company's sustainability work suggest H&M will continue improving the sustainability of its supply chain as planned.

By Emma Cosgrove • Feb. 3, 2020

Online grocery forecast increases to $143B by 2025

FMI and Nielsen updated their projections due to an uptick in pickup, two-hour delivery, expanded services and a surge in Amazon Prime memberships.

By Krishna Thakker • Feb. 3, 2020

Kellogg works with suppliers to phase out controversial glyphosate

Consumer and environmental advocacy groups applauded the cereal maker's decision and hoped it would spur similar action from other companies such as PepsiCo and General Mills.

By Cathy Siegner • Feb. 3, 2020

Amazon shipping costs continue to climb with no end in sight

CEO Jeff Bezos said the number of items available for one-day Prime shipping quadrupled year-over-year in Q4.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 30, 2020

How Lush ditched manual invoicing for automated accounts payable

Before 2017, the skincare company printed hundreds of thousands of supplier invoices annually. Now 92% of invoices are touchless.

By Deborah Abrams Kaplan • Jan. 30, 2020

La Senza's suppliers file to put it in Ch. 7 bankruptcy

The lingerie retailer was sold by L Brands in 2018. Less than a year later, it fell behind on tens of millions of dollars in payments, a vendor alleges. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 27, 2020

Coca-Cola says it won't ban plastic bottles because consumers like them

Head of Sustainability Bea Perez said people like being able to reseal drinks in lightweight packaging, and alternatives could increase the company's carbon footprint and hurt sales.

By Lillianna Byington • Jan. 27, 2020

Whole Foods struggles with shortages amid supplier closure

Customers nationwide have reported bare shelves and limited inventory, which the retailer has said is a result of an unexpected supplier closure. 

By Jessica Dumont • Jan. 27, 2020

Amazon, DHL, Ikea, others join electric vehicle alliance

The Corporate Electric Vehicle Alliance members plan to electrify their fleets within the next five to 10 years.

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 23, 2020

Trader Joe's, CVS get low marks on chocolate supply chains

If retailers make the decision to buy chocolate based on labor and environmental standards it can help shift the industry in the right direction, Green America noted in its study.

By Matt Leonard • Jan. 16, 2020

Amazon lets 3rd party sellers use FedEx Ground for Prime shipments after peak season ban

The decision comes after Amazon removed the option for sellers to ship with FedEx Ground and Home in December 2019 over concerns about late holiday shipments.

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 15, 2020

Walmart opens new beef supply chain facility

The retailer first shared plans to create its own end-to-end beef supply chain last April, noting the importance of meeting customer demand for transparency and improved food quality. 

By Jessica Dumont • Jan. 15, 2020

Sustainable ocean freight gains momentum as Kuehne + Nagel, 7 others forgo Arctic shipping

Eight companies pledged not to use the Northern Sea Route, a pathway through the Arctic which cuts transit times but carries environmental consequences. 

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 14, 2020

H&M's AI operation helps make its supply chain more sustainable

With precisely honed demand forecasts, supply chains can use only the resources they need and no more.

By Emma Cosgrove • Jan. 14, 2020

What are the top supply chain trends of 2020? 4 experts weigh in

2019 trends including automation, speedy operations and changing global supply chains will likely carry over and intensify this year.

By Shefali Kapadia • Jan. 13, 2020

3 consumer retail megatrends in 2020 and beyond

No matter where you sit in any retail supply chain today, you have to pay attention to the end consumer more than ever.

Jan. 10, 2020

25% of small firms say Amazon, Walmart drive shipping strategy: report

The "Amazonification" of retail, driving consumer expectations toward faster and seamless delivery, has become a struggle for smaller firms hoping to keep pace, a report from uShip found.

By Morgan Forde • Jan. 9, 2020

2019 holiday returns could reach $41.6B: CBRE

Optimizing the returns process is especially important for retail categories where the value of goods depreciates quickly, like apparel. 

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 20, 2019

Amazon expands its free return policy

The e-commerce giant will accept label- and box-free returns on select items at more than 5,800 locations, reducing the number of pickups from drivers.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 19, 2019

Amazon bans 3rd-party sellers from using FedEx Ground to ship Prime orders

Amazon cited a "decline in performance" across FedEx Ground and Home services, blaming the carrier for delivery delays this peak season. The ban will last until performance improves.

By Morgan Forde • Dec. 16, 2019

How Celect optimized Urban Outfitter's e-commerce fulfillment

The analytics company built an algorithm that doesn't just consider shipping cost, but also the risk of lost sales when fulfilling online orders from brick and mortar locations.

By Matt Leonard • Dec. 16, 2019

Package deal: What holiday delivery can tell us about the future of retail

Cyber Monday was the biggest shopping day on record in the United States. But someone has to deliver all those products. 

By Kaarin Moore • Dec. 16, 2019