UPS and Michaels launch contactless parcel pickup, drop-off service

Omnichannel options have become increasingly popular alternatives for retailers as the COVID-19 outbreak continues to force store closures in many states.

By Morgan Forde • April 30, 2020

Suppliers feel retail's pain

As retailers cancel orders and hold payments, their vendors are stretched for cash, making hard decisions and worrying about what comes next. 

By Ben Unglesbee • April 29, 2020

UPS partners with CVS on residential drone delivery in Florida

UPS' Flight Forward division will run drones between a CVS location and a central delivery point near a local retirement community, where a ground vehicle will take deliveries to customer residences.

By Morgan Forde • April 29, 2020

Adidas manages supplier relations to end 2020 with 'reasonable inventory'

Adidas listed "supply chain responsibility" among its priorities in the wake of COVID-19 disruptions but continues to cancel and postpone orders. 

By Emma Cosgrove • April 29, 2020

Pandemic could cost Tractor Supply an extra $50M in operations spend

Most of the expected expenses, about 80%, are related to labor or benefits, while the remaining 20% is for supplies, safety and cleaning, executives said.

By Matt Leonard • April 28, 2020

Primark commits to accepting $455M in finished stock from suppliers

After a month of "extensive one-to-one conversations" with suppliers concerning the coronavirus, the Dublin-based retailer is accepting additional finished and in-transit products. 

By S.L. Fuller • April 22, 2020

Omnichannel comes to the fore as Texas launches plan to reopen retail

Though many retailers have adopted BOPIS and other omnichannel strategies, those starting from scratch have a steep learning curve ahead as economic reopening plans attempt to limit retail foot traffic. 

By Emma Cosgrove • April 21, 2020

JB Hunt says shippers' ability to pay is big risk in Q2

Volume may have reached its peak in March, according to DAT, and as trucking demand declines, so do some shipper revenues. 

By Emma Cosgrove • April 15, 2020

COVID-19 wreaks havoc on inventories

Some retailers have asked vendors to hold shipments or stop production on summer and fall items, and put holiday planning on hold.

By Daphne Howland • April 14, 2020

Levi's ramps up ship-from-store to move inventory trapped in dark stores

The transition will help move inventory trapped in closed stores and hedge against any changes in local regulations that could shut down fulfillment centers not shipping essential goods.

By Emma Cosgrove • April 8, 2020

As coronavirus spread through Asia, Atlantic Natural Foods prepared for US impact

With a facility in Thailand, the company had foresight about how the pandemic could sweep across the world and affect the food industry.

By Lillianna Byington • April 7, 2020

PVH may 'pack and hold' inventory until next spring

The company, which owns Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, hopes to regain the ability to sell at full price next year rather than dump goods to into the off-price market. 

By Daphne Howland • April 3, 2020

H&M pledges to accept orders in production from suppliers

The move demonstrates a rare level of concern for the health of garment manufacturers, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

By Emma Cosgrove • March 31, 2020

Lululemon leverages RFID, supplier relationships to manage inventory amid coronavirus demand drop

On top of advantageous technology investments, Lululemon has several inherent qualities that give it a somewhat easier path through the COVID-19 crisis most non-essential retailers are facing, executives described. 

By Emma Cosgrove • March 30, 2020

Ocean carriers blank sailings on Transpacific, European routes as importer demand drops

Maersk announced three new blank sailings this week that would have served trade on European, Mediterranean and Transpacific routes.

By Matt Leonard • March 27, 2020

What procurement managers should expect from a 'bullwhip on crack'

Slight variations in demand at the retail level grow larger until they reach the manufacturer. This bullwhip effect is playing out in real-time in the COVID-19 pandemic.

By Matt Leonard • March 26, 2020

Nike optimizing supply and demand daily to weather coronavirus storm

Previous investments in digital tools will allow the company to snap back whenever consumer demand returns while keeping and paying employees, executives said Tuesday. 

By Emma Cosgrove • March 25, 2020

Amazon suspends deliveries of nonessential goods in France, India, Italy

Third-party sellers on Amazon's marketplace that do not use Amazon fulfillment and logistics services to process and deliver orders can still ship to customers, but delays may result. 

By Morgan Forde • March 24, 2020

The apparel industry had an inventory problem before coronavirus. What now?

With such an unprecedented set of restrictions and uncertainties, universal recommendations are hard to come by for "nonessential" retailers and wholesalers, but some trends are starting to surface.

By Emma Cosgrove • March 24, 2020

Food manufacturing will stay healthy during coronavirus, trade groups say

Leaders of the Consumer Brands Association and the American Bakers Association say their members are rising to the challenge and see no shortages of the basics.

By Megan Poinski • March 24, 2020

McKinsey estimates stock-outs for automotive, retail supply chains by end of March, April

Just-in-time and traditionally low-inventory supply chains could be in danger in the coming weeks as supply out of China continues to be slow and U.S. and EU factories begin to postpone production.

By Morgan Forde • March 19, 2020

Costco brings big and bulky delivery in-house with $1B acquisition

The retailer has contracted out large-parcel deliveries to Innovel over the past five years. But as its main client, Sears, began to decline, Costco saw an opportunity to buy. 

By Morgan Forde • March 18, 2020

IGA looks to China operations for coronavirus guidance

Chinese supermarkets stretched to the limit by the crisis offer a glimpse of the challenges and solutions that grocers in the U.S. face.

By Sam Silverstein • March 16, 2020

Dollar General to double fresh distribution assets in 2020

After the first year of building capacity, the retailer is seeing the returns it was looking for in taking on the difficult and asset-heavy task of insourcing fresh and frozen distribution. 

By Emma Cosgrove • March 13, 2020

What tech and metrics do you need for omnichannel?

A modern order management system will have most of the data needed to measure omnichannel success. However, some operations will require more creativity.

By Matt Leonard • March 9, 2020