United Parcel Service of America, Inc. (UPS)

CHELMSFORD, Mass. — Multichannel home furnishings specialty retailer has tapped Kewill, a leading provider of software for supply chain execution, to help it consistently manage domestic and international shipments from multiple shipping locations across North America.

Crate and Barrel will utilize Kewill's Flagship parcel shipping and Netship expense management software to streamline its supply chain and integrate a roster of carriers to ensure it selects the best available rate and service every time.

Atlanta -- Results of research released Monday by comScore and UPS showed that the more options an online consumer has, the more loyal and dedicated she may be. In fact, integrating social and mobile media, as well as providing shipping options and flexible returns, can drive brand loyalty as consumers seek out more choices and convenience when shopping online.

Starbucks has appointed Deverl Maserang as EVP of the company’s global supply chain organization. In this role, he will be accountable for end-to-end supply chain operations globally spanning manufacturing, engineering, procurement, distribution, planning, transportation, inventory management and worldwide sourcing.

Retail innovation cycles last approximately 20 years. As we take a look at retail history, this cycle becomes self-evident. From the general store to department stores to discount stores and so forth, each variety has their day in the sun as the leading channel for most purchases. Today, we’re lucky enough to be living within two powerful cycles simultaneously. But the fun will soon come to an end.

With 4,000 U.S. stores serving as product depots, same day delivery holds great potential for a retailer with an unrivaled retail footprint, assuming a strategy can be developed to profitably unlock the opportunity.

Walmart has experimented with same day delivery on the west coast where order are fulfilled from stores and a broader rollout of the service would seem inevitable at some point in the future given online shoppers desire for immediate gratification.

Same day delivery firm Shutl will begin offering its service next month in New York, San Francisco and Chicago.

Thanks to $6 million in funding from partners such as UPS, e.ventures and Notion Capital, plans call for the firm to expand the delivery offering to 17 additional metropolitan areas later this year with the goal of enabling conventional brick and mortar retailers to realize their multichannel potential.

ATLANTA -- UPS has formed a strategic collaboration with Jabil Circuit. UPS’s logistics and distribution business unit and Jabil Aftermarket Services will provide optimized reverse logistics solutions for return and repair programs to high-tech original equipment manufacturers, service providers and enterprises on a global scale.

After year of record online sales it’s not surprising that returns are also forecast to hit new highs, especially this week.