No ecommerce without logistics. Because whenever a consumer orders something online, that product has to be shipped from one place (a warehouse or fulfilment centre) to another (the consumer’s house, a pick-up point, et cetera). So logistics play a very important role in the whole ecommerce process. In order to achieve success in the online retail industry, one has to have a very solid logistics plan in place.
Swedish postal service PostNord has signed a deal with Wish, so customers will no longer have to pay VAT or handling fees upon the arrival of parcels to Sweden. Instead, shoppers will now be charged VAT at the point of purchase. As a result, Swedish customers will get their order faster than before. Continue reading
Ecommerce giant Amazon is massively destroying returned items and new products. And through Amazon, external vendors also get rid of their unsold goods. All kinds of products are destroyed in German logistics warehouses on a large scale, such as refrigerators, washing machines, cell phones, mattresses and more. Continue reading
DPD Germany is using eight fully-electric tricycles for parcel delivery in city centers. In Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne the postal company is using so-called TRIPLs which should be able to drive right up to the front door of a customer without any problems. Continue reading
UK-based postal operator Whistl has acquired Parcelhub and its sister company Mail Workshop. With the acquisitions, Whistl wants to accelerate its expansion in the parcels and fulfilment markets. Both businesses will continue to operate under their respective brands. Continue reading
Chinese ecommerce giant JD.com has introduced a solution for online retailers looking to sell in China. The China Railway Express is ‘faster than the sea and cheaper than air’, JD.com promises. The first freight full of JD-procured goods from Europe went from Germany to China last week. Continue reading
French supermarket chain Franprix has started tests with delivering groceries to the customer’s home, while the customer isn’t at home during the delivery. Franprix is the first company to test this kind of service in France. Continue reading
Online fashion retailer Next has announced it will start charging customers a £1 fee (1.14 euros) for returns they make through a courier or through a Hermes Parcel Shop. The collection charge will be applied for each collection, regardless of the number of items collected. Returning items at any of Next’s retail or clearance stores in the UK remains free. Continue reading
Ecommerce is becoming an increasingly important revenue factor for Dutch postal company PostNL. Revenue derived from ecommerce logistics now accounts for 42 percent of the company’s total turnover. Last year, this share was 34 percent. Continue reading
DHL Parcel offers millions of parcel recipients in Germany the possibility to arrange a preferred delivery time for any DHL shipment in future. This is regardless of the online retailer’s shipping offering. For now, the new service costs 1.99 euros per parcel. Continue reading
Swiss supermarket chain Migros has launched a new social shopping platform, called Amigos. Through this platform, Migros’ customers get connected with people who like to receive packages and earn some money by bringing the products to the original customer. Continue reading
DPD Germany is ‘highly satisfied’ with the results of its pilot project to use electrically assisted transport bikes to deliver parcels to consumers. It started with the test in the northern Bavarian city of Nuremberg one year ago and now wants to launch further deliveries by transport bike in Germany. Continue reading
Deutsche Post DHL Group has opened a new fulfillment center in the United Kingdom. In the English town of Radlett, an area of about 6,500 square meters offers same-day processing for the Greater London area. DHL already operates a similar fulfillment center in Germany and is now working to open such centers in the Netherlands, Poland and Switzerland. Continue reading
French postal service company La Poste has launched Colissimo Pass, a subscription service which offers customers unlimited free delivery. Currently, the subscription service costs 9 euros per year. In return, customers enjoy unlimited delivery and zero shipping costs on partner websites. Continue reading
GLS Germany has announced it will now offer faster parcel shipping via its PaketShops. The delivery time has been reduced to one or two business days for parcels that go to Austria or the Benelux region. Parcels to most other neighboring countries will take about 48 hours. Continue reading
Palletways Italia, which distributes palletized goods, has entered the ecommerce market in Italy. This is the result of a partnership with White Horse Energy, a UK company that has entered the Italian market with its online sales of dried firewood and pellets. Continue reading