Logistics

Amazon is looking to give Alibaba and JD.com a run for the money on their home turf.   The online giant is making its Amazon Prime subscription service available in China, a country where it has struggled to gain market share.     

The nation’s largest online retailer has big plans for brick-and-mortar expansion.  

Constraints due to inventory levels took a toll on Tuesday Morning’s first quarter earnings.    The off-price home decor retailer reported a net loss of $8.9 million for the first quarter ended Sept. 30, 2016. Net sales for the quarter were $211.9 million, which is an increase from $9.6 million from the prior year. Same-store store sales increased 5.1%, however the company’s operating loss for the first quarter was $9.2 million.   

Optimizing shipments between warehouses and customers homes is not an easy task.    For Ashley Furniture this process becomes even more complex as it continues to create more efficient means to manages more than 7,000 storekeeping units (SKUs) filtering through the company’s retail network, which is comprised of 660 Ashley HomeStore locations in 35 countries.  

Walmart has made another big e-commerce investment in China.   On the heels of launching three major e-commerce initiatives in China, Walmart will invest $50 million in New Dada — China’s largest local on-demand logistics and grocery online-to-offline (O2O) e-commerce platform.  

Walmart is ready to sink its teeth into the world’s largest e-commerce market.   Three months after entering into a strategic alliance with JD.com, China’s second-largest e-commerce website, Walmart is introducing Chinese shoppers to a new digitally-driven shopping experience. For example, Chinese shoppers got their first taste of Sam’s Club when Walmart opened the doors of its first flagship store in China today.  

Amazon shoppers will have new venues where they can pick up and re-turn orders — local malls.   Washington Prime Group Inc. has entered into a partnership with Ama-zon to add self-service Amazon Lockers at 50 of its retail centers. The lockers, which are destinations where customers can pick up and return Amazon.com packages, will begin popping up as soon as next month.    

Rue La La is embarking on a cross-border journey.   Pure-play retailer Rue La La is going international.    The retailer is expanding its reach to members in 219 countries and territories.    By utilizing the Borderfree Retail Platform from Pitney Bowes, the brand can now support a seamless shopping experience internationally, from leveraging local currency to accessing available local shipping services, regardless of where the member is located.