The growth of e-commerce during the COVID-19 pandemic saw online returns double in 2020, underscoring the importance of a solid returns management program that serves both retailers and their customers.U.S. consumers returned around $428 billion in purchases to retailers in 2020. That acco

In the past year, consumers who have tried to buy a pair of shoes, products for the home or back-to-school items have encountered a common problem: They can’t find what they’re looking for. Often the merchandise is on backorder, with no delivery date in sight.Supply chain disruptions are

Between rising COVID-19 cases and a worse-than-usual hurricane season, the personal protective equipment (PPE) pipeline is more strained than it’s been since the peak of the pandemic. Though suppliers and customers have learned to share inventory and communicate more proactively, new PPE is st

To freight brokerages and shippers alike, nothing is more important to success than good relationships.In these difficult times, brokerages are striving to meet the distinct needs of clients based on their unique access to industry insights and data. Much of this information is derived from long-ter

Interest in contract lifecycle management (CLM) software is surging in the wake of last year’s unprecedented disruptions, which exposed how critical real-time access to contract data should effectively respond to emerging risks and opportunities.According to a recent Forrester survey, “C

From labor and safety issues to unethical sourcing and pollution violations, inadequate monitoring of corporate social responsibility (CSR), environmental and social governance (ESG), and sustainability risks within the supply chain can lead to brand and legal troubles for companies. What’s mo

As global supply chains become increasingly digital, companies are exposed to risks from umpteen indirect sources. A system is only as strong as its weakest link, and hackers will hunt meticulously to uncover a vulnerable component.This exploitation comes at a high price. According to IBM's

In any other year, expectations of strong sales for the upcoming holiday shopping season would be the fulfillment of a dream for retailers. Instead, it’s shaping up to be something of a nightmare.Consumers are clearly eager to spend. The question is: Will there be product on the shelves for th

As the popularity of e-commerce has grown, so has the efficiency and speed of product delivery. Online ordering has become easier than ever, eclipsing the former convenience of traditional high street shopping. Even small- to medium-sized businesses now consider delivery speed a top priority, as cus

The concept of the barcode — an alphabet made up of thick and thin bars — came into being in the 1950s. It took another quarter of a century for one to be printed on product packaging and scanned. Today, it’s hard to imagine a world without it.Since it came into widespread use, bar

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) that came into effect in January has opened opportunities for both African and non-African companies, and could help accelerate growth after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a recent report. Covid’s impact in Africa has been spasmodic &m

For months, a near-constant state of peak demand has left retailers, manufacturers and distributors struggling to adapt to the new pace of consumer spending.As the Delta variant of COVID-19 now surges across the world, companies that fail to act quickly and decisively are at higher risk for extended

The U.S. supply chain is squeezed, with industry reports stating that the country needs to add at least 330 million square feet of warehouse space dedicated to e-commerce by 2025 in order to keep up with the current rate of demand.As brick-and-mortar stores shuttered at the onset of the pandemic and

There are many people who would argue that the pandemic has forever altered the way we shop. Even if that statement is a bit premature, we can safely say that consumers’ purchase behaviors and expectations have changed dramatically over the past 18 months. This change, driven by the rise in on

There’s a common misconception around the use of technology in the workforce: Many fear its potential to steal jobs away from people. But if the pandemic has taught businesses and leaders one thing over the course of the past year, it’s that technology is not a hindrance or enemy —

The COVID-19 pandemic compressed a decade of healthcare transformation into mere months.Healthcare leaders have been challenged with rethinking every aspect of the business, from how care is delivered to planning for the workforce needs of the future. At the same time, consumers continue to be a dri

As the computer chip shortage continues to plague businesses across industries, companies are starting to reimagine their logistics strategies, potentially doing away with traditional linear supply chains altogether.Vehicle manufacturers have been particularly hard-hit by a lack of semiconductor cap

Do you know what one of the biggest productivity enhancements of the past 25 years has been for freight and logistics? Dual computer monitors.When we went into lockdown, many businesses were distressed by having to manage their PDF paperwork, Excel spreadsheets and freight software on the single scr

My first exposure to the importance of supply chains came courtesy of the Cabbage Patch Kids.Although legend has it that they were born in a cave behind a magic waterfall in the Appalachian Mountains, there was a very odd Christmas season in 1983, when the kids were stuck in transit on slow-moving c

And now, after a year and a half of lockdowns, countless business closures and severe shortages of both essential and non-essential goods, comes the revenge economy.The term refers to a surge in purchasing — closer to a mania, really — by consumers who are bursting to return to some semb