US Postal Service Loses $2 Billion, Can Same-Day Delivery Help?

The US Postal Service has tried to turn the tide in the recent years and everything appeared to be head in the right direction. However, the earnings for the second quarter has the mailing company holding its' head down for the moment.

With some disheartening figures, the US Postal Service lost $2 billion in the 2nd quarter of this year. The losses were between April and June. This is a huge difference from a net loss of $740 million during the same period in 2013. Therefore, its' losses more than doubled in direct comparison. One contributor to the hit is the falling use of first-class mail, which use to be a key profit maker for the USPS. It fell 1.4 percent, yet was offset by the 3.2 percent rise in revenues for the same product

Joseph Corbett, the USPS Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President, did comment on the stunning numbers, yet appears to be focused on the operational needs as the solution. "To continue to provide world-class service and remain competitive, we must invest up to $10 billion to replace our aging vehicle fleet, purchase additional package-sorting equipment, and make necessary upgrades to our infrastructure". The delivery fleet is one of the competitive advantages for the company, which it can't do without, especially because its' trucks can be used for other business ventures.

These figures were staggering the company attempting to regroup and make a comeback from multiple years of high-digit losses. The USPS says the big hits are a result of the government's requirement to reserve billions to ensure that its' retirees have their future health benefits. The payments are made in installments of $5.7 billion, which it has already defaulted on three of its' payments, as another payment is due September 30th, which is weeks away. It can be challenging to get ahead with these constant payments required and the USPS finds what little revenue it has received since last year to quickly turn into losses.

The mailing company attempted to be innovative last year, launched PostMate, which offering same-day delivery of packages and other items. It also began working with Amazon to provide deliveries as well. Amazon knows that the USPS has the delivery system it takes to really nail down a solid foundation for delivering online orders the same day. It definitely has the robust fleet size it takes to perform same-day delivery in multiple US cities nationwide.

Can same-day delivery help the US Postal Service? With the growth of same-day delivery throughout the US, all the company needs is a strong partnership coupled with a strong business innovation in regards to e-retail. Amazon, Google, eBay and more all desire a grounded delivery fleet. The USPS appears to turning more and more towards innovation to get out of the red, which just might work. Any company can partner with a Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express and implement same-day delivery for online order fulfillment. The New York Courier has the expertise and delivery system it takes to help any company thrive delivering products the same day.

Reference: 8.12.14, www.msn.com, Elvina Nawaguna, U.S. Postal Service loses $2 billion in second quarter

Why Are Big Retailers Pursuing Same-Day Delivery?

There are a lot of retailers out there that aren't playing around when it comes to same-day delivery. These retailers have become very serious and focused about utilizing this level of service. Big retailers are definitely after the service, as two of the biggest have thrown blow for blow in the ring of retail competition. The latest news from some of them let's us know that same-day delivery must have the right key to unlock major sales, especially online, in the years to come.

Google just announced that it will begin rolling out same-day delivery of books for the biggest book retail store chain around--Barnes & Noble. The Nasdaq reported that Google is competing with Amazon for online book territory. The two retailers will be offering the service in Manhattan, West Los Angeles and in the San Francisco peninsula. Barnes & Noble is now joining the ranks with Target, Costco, Staples, Wal-Green's and more that have partnered with Google Shopping Express to get their online sales moving upward. After Barnes & Noble had to close 63 stores and Amazon's success in gaining a good portion of the digital book market share, the company had to do something different. Amazon has been like a fast-moving train against the book retailer and now it teams up with Google to make a comeback.

Barnes & Noble CEO Michael P. Huseby said in The New York Times why it made the deal with Google. Huseby stated the deal was "a test" that he viewed as a way to increase the bookseller's online reach and improve sales from its physical stores. "It's our attempt to link the digital and physical", he stated. Google is helping other physical store retailers do the same thing, and so the same-day delivery service is now in hot pursuit. It is also a way to compete on Amazon level, which recently expanded its' same-day delivery reach in 6 more US cities.

Barnes & Noble's service with Google will offer customers a choice of these same-day delivery windows: 9am to 1pm, 1pm to 5pm and 6pm to 10 pm daily. These windows are wide enough to pick up and deliver books on time as well. Google Shopping Express will have its' employees at Barnes & Noble ready to get the customer's order and deliver it to the final destination.

Google's approach to same-day delivery is partnering with brick-and-mortar retailers that already have the physical stores that act as order fulfillment centers to meet online demand. This removes an extra expense for Google, yet at the same time, it will utilize a Same-Day Courier to pick up and deliver the online orders. On the other hand, Amazon has strategically built warehouses to create a very comprehensive network for sourcing these items and will use its' own trucking fleet to deliver them. With these logistically-efficient warehouses in close proximity to big US cities, Amazon feels confident that their business strategy will beat out the competition.

Same-day delivery via Google's Shopping Express could be what Barnes & Noble needs to compete online. Amazon and Google aren't the only ones chasing same-day delivery, even Wal-Mart, eBay, Macy's and others all offer some form of the service. It is in pursuit because of e-commerce and technology are changed the way we have to do business. More and more physical store retailers have to shift to survive and thrive. Shoppers are at home now , therefore, retailers have to come to them and make it attractive online. A-1 Express is a Charlotte Courier that can help retailers thrive this year.

Reference: 8.10.14, www.nasdaq.com, Motley Fool, Can Same-Day Delivery of Books Help Google Take on Amazon?

Amazon Launches Same-Day Delivery in 6 Major Cities

It hasn't been an easy race for many e-retailers to keep up with Amazon, as the robust online company has outpaced many with its' marketing and distribution expertise. One of the areas Amazon began becoming very vocally aggressive about since last year was same-day delivery. From same-day delivery drone use to Sunday deliveries, Amazon is now withholding nothing. From it's latest major move, it's very clear that the Amazon and nationwide same-day delivery assumptions of many experts have been right all along.

Amazon has announced the expansion of same-day delivery in 6 major US cities. The "Get It Today" same-day service will be offered in New York City, Dallas, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Washington DC and Philadelphia within the metro-populated city areas. The e-retailer will be offering a million eligible items beginning today. Seven days a week, all orders placed by noon will receive their online items the same day. Customers will have at their disposal numerous of products, including video games, movies, last-minute travel needs, fix-it needs, back-to-school supplies, baby wipes,electronics, and more.

Prime members will have the first good draw at a low price for the same-day service. For $5.99, members will be able to order all of the items they want. Non-prime customers can still get their items same day, yet their charge is $9.98 for the first item and $0.99 for each additional item.

The same-day service will be easy for shoppers to get to on Amazon's site. Within the Amazon product selection, shoppers will have available a "Get It Today" filter, which shows all of the items that can be purchased and delivered same-day. Amazon also has "Get It Tomorrow" filter for millions of more items that can be delivered next day. Many customers want their online shopping to be quick and easy, especially when its' done via pad or smartphone. These site options by Amazon make for fast shopping, and is now backed with fast delivery.

Amazon appears to be very excited about the new roll-out and what it will ultimately offer its' customers. Greg Greeley, Vice president of Amazon Prime, stated in the report, "Imagine how much time you will save now that you can get sunscreen, memory cards, toothpaste, hit movies, text books and HDMI cables all delivered to your home in hours, seven days a week, in one order from Amazon. New convenient pricing also allows Prime members to fill up their same-day shopping cart with everything they may need for one low price. With more than a million eligible items, we aim to offer the largest same-day selection at the lowest price.”

The new expansion of same-day delivery may involve Amazon's new Firefly smartphone. Firefly has an element about the phone specific for Amazon.com shopping, which allows users to scan actual physical objects at retail stores and shop at the same time. It also recognizes almost 100 million objects via a visual database. Therefore, a shopper using Firefly can find an item in a physical store they are considering buying, phone-scan it and automatically see all the listings on Amazon.com for it. The flexibility then comes in when that customer can now order from Amazon, then "Get It Today" delivery and have it waiting at their door step before they get there.

With same-day delivery being so heavily pursued by Amazon, the heavyweight retailer could partner with a same-day courier service like A-1 Express to perform its' deliveries. The New York Courier has a nationwide footprint and utilizes the latest in courier technology that enables it to deliver fast.

References: 8.6.14, Yahoo Finances, Amazon Same-Day Delivery Expanding - “Get It Today” Available in Six More Cities

Modern Distribution Management Talks Same-Day Delivery And It's Growth

With the emergence of e-commerce and online retail, shopping has become easy, efficient, and for retailers, very competitive. Retailers have been looking for the next big thing to grab a hold to in order to take consumer buying to the next level. What was not even considered in the past as having no imprint on retail, is now perhaps what is creating something so revolutionary, it is paving the way of the future of business.

Same-day delivery, which use to be commonly known as "local delivery", is what has become a premier driver in the retail and distribution industry. Modern Distribution Management recently released an article discussing how same-day delivery has become well-known as it has been made more logistically feasible due to modern fleet technology. In times past, local delivery was simply involved getting a package, item or freight, from one point to another within a short radius. It was only conceivable to have certain products shipped in this fashion, especially with transportation costs accounting for 25 to 35 percent of a seller's overall overhead. Yet now, distributors have the type of technology-based delivery network suited and innovative enough to handle same-day delivery.

Grand Junction, cloud-based software company that helps distributors manage their delivery network, had input on the rise of same-day delivery in the article. Its' founder and CEO Rob Howard commented, "(Local delivery) has been around, but it's starting to hit the prime time. One of the reasons is because Amazon, eBay, Google – bunches of people – are starting to offer same-day delivery programs for consumers. And they have to use the local delivery industry for that, and that is a forcing function to force the professionalization of local delivery and kind of move it to the prime-time." This is in fact true as these large e-retailers are making huge investments into this level of service, as shoppers' access to online use grows.

Online sales have experienced growth year after year and there's a reason why. Technology has also opened the door wide for convenience, as consumers can virtually shop from anywhere they are. The best deals are online and shoppers enjoy the hunt. Once they find it, some of them don't want to wait multiple days to get their purchase in their hands. Same-day delivery is literally bridging the gap, as shoppers aren't getting their products from a distribution center far away. What they just bought can be sourced from the local physical store and delivered to their front door within hours.

With the direction of technology, distribution and logistics, same-day delivery is going to become a household option for shipping products, whether it comes from a local warehouse, physical store or a delivery truck. It would be wise for companies that are looking to thrive online and in their local stores, to partner with a Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express. The Portland Courier can help expand your online business quickly to enter into new markets and can be a one-stop source for same-day delivery nationwide. A-1 Express can help get your local delivery system headed upstream with the flow of current fulfillment trends, so as logistics move, you'll move with it.

References: 7.7.14, www.mdm.com, Scott Merrill, Same-Day Delivery, Fleet Tracking Gain Focus in Distribution

Look Out Amazon, Here Comes More Google Shopping Express!

For a moment, it seemed as if Amazon was the only big e-retailer making headway with same-day delivery. With dozens of fulfillment centers strategically located near major US cities, Amazon Fresh expanding and even talk of same-day delivery via drones, Amazon has its' sights on distancing itself from the pack this year. However, there is one e-retailer that has emerged that is taking Amazon head on and are not taking no for an answer. Look out Amazon, here comes Google Shopping Express.

A recent article by Re-code via Yahoo.com reported Google is planning to not just have Google Shopping Express in a select number of major US cities it's currently in, like San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York. Google has plans to take its' Google Shopping Express nationwide. Google Shopping Express is a same or next-day delivery service that allows customers to shop at local, physical stores online, such as Target, Whole Foods, Costco and more. This is Google's service launched to compete with Amazon's same-day delivery and Prime service.

The article also discussed Google's investment plans which affirms its' dedication into seeing Google Shopping Express soar. Tom Fallows, the head of Shopping Express, stated, “You can very much expect that we are putting a lot of money into this and we’re excited and willing to sustain that investment over time as this gets going”. The executive leadership has committed up to $500 million toward the expansion of the service. This is a huge move by Google and it appears the e-retailer is confident the expansion will pay off.

One thing about Google, its' position in product search can't be beat, since the online giant is the leading search engine provider in the first place. In some form or fashion, everyone uses Google or is connected with someone who does. The retailer has a deep competitive advantage here and their online sales can be unmatched. More than likely, the company will create a number of seamless integrations that will ultimately make Google Shopping Express even more accessible, at the fingertips of Google users.

The e-retailer knows exactly what it wants and how to take Google Shopping Express across the US. Online companies that are not as large as Google, yet seek market share and online sales growth, can partner with a Same-Day Courier Service like A-1 Express to expand nationwide. With quick courier solution implementation strategies, this Los Angeles Courier can help create a broader web presence and deliver your online products anywhere in continental US. The local markets where your shipping mileage radius is small, A-1 Express can develop a delivery solution to help compete long-term, even assist companies like Google to compete.

References: 7.7.14, www.yahoo.com, Google Gunning for Amazon With Expansion of Same-Day Delivery