Amazon Prime Day is proving to be one of the biggest sales events in recent years, generating 60% more sales worldwide. eCommerce is booming, and with its explosive growth, delivery services have become essential to the online retail supply chain. To support growing demands, UPS will start adding surcharges during peak periods.
UPS Adds Peak Delivery Surcharges for the Holiday Season
To recoup the increase in hiring and reserving extra vehicles, UPS is looking ahead to charge retailers extra fees for orders placed around Black Friday and Christmas. Between Nov 19 and Dec 2, UPS will add a 27-cent charge on all ground packages sent to homes. Between Dec 17 to Dec 23, UPS will charge 81 cents for next day air and 97 cents for second and third-day air deliveries. via USA Today
Amazon Announces 30 Hours of Prime Day Shopping
Amazon’s third annual Prime Day will kick off at 9 pm ET on July 10, and will run until 3 am ET July 12. This year, the event will be available to Prime members in 13 countries. About 40% of the Lightning Deals will come from marketplace sellers. According to the press release, the goal is to offer deals to “a record number of shoppers.” via Amazon
Nike To Sell Directly on Amazon.com
Nike products are currently being sold by third-party sellers on the marketplace, but some of them are reportedly counterfeit. By opening shop on Amazon and cutting out the middleman, Nike plans to have better control its brand. However, this could also be bad news to independent retailers and licensed third-party vendors. via Forbes
Amazon Files Patent for Drone Delivery "Beehive" Fulfillment Center
Amazon has filed a patent for beehive-like towers that would serve as multi-level fulfillment centers for delivery drones in urban areas. The concept includes space at the ground level for truck delivery bays, as well as space for customers to pick up packages as part of a self-service program.
Via Business Insider
eBay Announces Price Match Guarantee
To compete in the market, eBay is now offering a price match guarantee on thousands of new products on its eBay Deals page. This guarantee will be applicable for identical products available on a competitor’s website, such as Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and a few others. Buyers will have to inform eBay’s customer service of the lower prices, and upon verification, eBay would issue a coupon for the difference. via Forbes
