Patriot Tactical Is Nimble With Amazon And Google, Even Uses Same-Day Shipping

When a company is solely a physical store in the retail industry, their competition battle is a little different from those on the web. In today's mix of e-retail, there are a number of online companies in the same race seeking market share full of shoppers that are looking to do easy spending and find great deals. Online retail is growing at 16% annually and same-day delivery is in demand. Yet, there are one e-retail competitor, Amazon, that have a grip on the market. Also, Google has the search engine industry in its' back pocket. If your company is in the ring with them, its' best to have an effective strategy if you're going to last.

E-retailers are making various business moves to stand up against the best of them, which is what U.S. Patriot Tactical is doing. This company is a store-based retailer of boots, apparel and gear for members of the military.

Sales for the retailer have consistently grown in recent years and the question is how is the retailer doing it. U.S. Patriot has its' share of challenges as every other retailer in the race, but what is making the difference is between its' sales and becoming irrelevant. Amazon and Google are at both fronts, therefore, both have given aggressive attention to thrive.

“A company at our size, we don’t have as many resources available to us, so it’s hard for us to keep up with the updates from Google, or it takes longer for us to respond,” stated U.S Patriot Tactical's President Paul Yoo in the article. A year ago, the retailer had to overcome the challenge of fast site speed, as well as Google changes. Google performs regular shifts on web site ranking, which can make it difficult to stay visible online. Small e-retailers know this is crucial for their online selling and search engine optimization is key to their sales. However, large retailers have the flexible spending to invest in paid search ads, in comparison to small guys with limited budgets. The article stated search engines may favor large retailers with recognizable names as well.

U.S. Patriot Tactical has learned to incorporate more in-depth content for its' website, utilizing copywriters to create detailed product descriptions. The retailer essentially has leaned more towards search engine optimization the organic way, which fits their budget, and at the same time, boosts their online sales. With a search for "military boots", the report stated U.S. Patriot ranked first among Google organic listings.

The retailers also has the competition of Amazon with selling their online products. As robust as Amazon is on the web, U.S. Patriot had to be agile with certain products in order to create sales. Yoo said in the article, “Sometimes we’ll buy up the inventory from the manufacturer before Amazon will even get their hands on it. For us, being nimble is survival. For now, I have more inventory on many items than Amazon does, since this is my specialty. But the minute they decide to go into my niche, I’m not sure I’ll have very much to say about it. That’s something a lot of small retailers are faced with.” The company has also opted to sell some of its' products on Amazon, such as boots, due to its' vast 60,000 stock of them. It can also prepare for competing in local markets by implementing same-day delivery, which is what Amazon is doing as well. A Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express can help deliver products fast nationwide. The Charlotte Courier can help compete in the long-term.

References: 6.24.14, Internet Retailer, Stefany Zaroban, How one Second 500 e-retailer handles Amazon and Google

Google Adds To Google Shopping Express, Launches Next-Day Delivery

No one would have thought that same-day delivery for online retail would be so explosive as it has in recent years. Growth is continuing as a pace where e-retailers are hungry for more market share than ever before. Even search engine giant Google has jumped into the same-day delivery race to compete with Amazon and eBay. Shoppers enjoy convenience and a variety of delivery solutions can be just what they are looking for. That's why Google is not only providing same-day delivery in a number of major US cities, but now another shipping option has been created to attract more shoppers--next day delivery.

Google has announced that it will now offer next-day delivery within the Google Shopping Express service umbrella. The new next-day delivery shipping option will be available in the Fresno north area, up to the Oregon border. The service will be initially launched in Oakland, Fremont, Berkeley, and well-known East Bay area of San Francisco, which was the launching pad for same-day delivery last year. Within months, next-day delivery will then expand as south as Fresno and as far north as the California-Oregon border. The Northern California area appears to have the right demographics and infrastructure for Google not only to roll-out the service, but to also be highly successful.

Google's next-day delivery consists of shipping orders made by 7pm and then delivered the next day to its' customers. Google offering next-day delivery makes sense. With online ordering, shoppers enjoy having a retailer with delivery options that can shift right along with them. Shoppers could need same-day delivery one day. and the week following, they could require next-day delivery and deem it more suitable.

Google Shopping Express was launched last year, as the search giant partnered with well-known retailers to deliver products same day. Companies such as Target and Staples are just a few of the retailers involved in Google Shopping Express. Now, with next-day delivery, Target and others from Google Shopping Express, have partnered with the search giant, including Walgreen Co., Blue Bottle Coffee, Toys 'R' Us, American Eagle Outfitters, Raley's Nob Hill Foods, and Palo Alto Toy & Sport. The report also stated Costco, Office Depot and REI have all jumped into the service.

To help make Shopping Express more attractive to shoppers, Google is offering a six-month free trial, which expires on the 30th of this month. The price for service is $4.99 per store stop for non-members;yet Google didn't state what the charge will be for all Shopping Express members. Customers pay for their deliveries via Google Wallet. The app stores the customer's card and address information, creating a faster checkout service.

Once a customers sees the value and convenience of fast deliveries via web retail, the benefits of it will cause shoppers to continue to order online more. Whether its' same-day delivery or next-day delivery, a same-day courier like A-1 Express can partner with large e-retailers like Google and create an optimal courier logistics solution. The Portland Courier has a national footprint and can be a one-stop source for all of their delivery needs.

References: 6.4.14, Internet Retailer, Abby Callard, Google adds overnight delivery to Google Shopping Express

Amazon to Test Sunday Delivery

For years the web-based retailer Amazon.com has been a trendsetter when it comes to developing creative means for more efficient delivery. One issue Amazon has yet to overcome is delivery on Sundays. The lack of Sunday deliveries has long been an inconvenience we’ve learned to live with but Amazon hopes to tackle this issue by launching a new Sunday delivery program in select cities.

In November of 2013, Amazon launched a Sunday delivery option available to their two largest revenue generating cities: L.A. and New York. Expanding on this idea, Amazon has incorporated 13 more cities into their Sunday delivery option including: Austin; Cincinnati; College Station, Texas; Columbus; Dallas; Houston; Indianapolis; Lexington, Ky.; Louisville; New Orleans; Oklahoma City; Philadelphia; San Antonio; Shreveport, La.; and Waco, Texas. Representatives for the online retailer say the company plans to expand this side of their delivery throughout the country in 2014 making it an option available to anyone.

The service in these select cities is free for Amazon Prime members, adding just another perk to the $99 Prime membership. Non-Prime customers can still receive Sunday delivery on qualified items but will pay the standard two-day shipping rate. A spokesperson for Amazon says millions of Amazon’s products qualify for this service and shoppers can easily see what items qualify for this special Sunday delivery as they browse, and these purchases qualify for Sunday delivery as late as 11 p.m. on Friday. Currently Amazon sees infant items and books as its most popular goods being shipped on Sunday, but looks for consumers to shift from their traditional weekend errands in brick and mortar stores to using the weekend delivery for their everyday purchases.

Industry analyst Jan Dawson does not expect other retail giants to jump on board with Sunday delivery. This prediction is mostly due to the opportunity consumers already have to shop at these stores who have brick and mortar options and Sunday hours.

One of the many things Amazon does which makes their business unique is utilizing several courier services to ensure timely and efficient delivery. Presently Amazon uses UPS, Fedex, AmazonFresh, and their new partnership with USPS to complete customer orders. It is through this new business partnership Amazon is able to complete their weekend, specifically their Sunday, deliveries. This partnership has created many part-time positions for USPS at a time when they needed a financial boost as well as allowing Amazon to delivery more orders than ever.

As Amazon looks to completing Sunday deliveries, it is clear now more than ever there is truly a need for a weekend delivery service. Atlanta courier service, A1Express, is your delivery service for all deliveries. Online and traditional retailers nationwide count on A1Express for deliveries any day of the week. Companies that partner with A1Express find quick and simple same-day and weekend delivery for their customers. The staff at the Atlanta courier service is an expert in delivery logistics and customer service.This expertise has made A1Express an obvious choice for many businesses in the Atlanta area and around the country. Call today for a simple estimate for your business needs.

More Battles By E-Retailer Amazon and Competitors For Same-Day Delivery

It is not secret that same-day delivery is what retailers have honed in on and are determined to be the first to the finish line. Newcomers are springing up, roll-outs are being made, and new service innovations are being tossed around, trying to find what will fit. Enormous investments are being made by the largest "e-tailers" in the game, including Amazon, eBay, Google and more. All of them are certain success is at the door, and so the battle continues.

Forbes reported recently about how the battles are intensifying regarding same-day delivery. Each of the big boys are all putting their formula to the test and are now expanding their versions. The idea is to make same-day delivery the norm for shoppers in big, highly populated cities, which will not only help e-tailers, but also brick-and-mortar retailers that manufacture the products. It will be a win-win, but the win only comes with the same-day delivery that works—with longevity. Seeing the growth being made by the heavy hitters, it appears all of them are confident with using their respective delivery models.

Amazon has been quietly after same-day delivery for a while and now the e-tailer has been unfolding more of its' strategy as the battle heats up. The company has announced expanding its' same-day delivery into Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas. This means Amazon now has 12 metro cities in which it will offer same-day delivery. For orders placed between 8am and 12:15pm, Amazon will deliver by 9pm the same day. Not only is this coming, but Amazon is planning to bypass a same-day courier for online retail deliveries and perform its' own deliveries. Amazon will launch its' own delivery fleet, consisting of its’ own trucks and drivers. This is also being tested in San Francisco, yet Amazon could be planning to expand it to Los Angeles and New York City.

The e-tail giant may be expanding, however, other competitors are making big moves of their own. EBay has rolled out eBay Now, which offers shoppers a one-to-two hour same-day delivery from local retailers into 25 cities. It has an "AM-PM" approach to its’ service levels. This consists of orders that are placed in the morning, will be delivery that afternoon. Orders placed in the afternoon, will be delivered the following morning. Via EBay Enterprise, the company is also offering a "ship-from-store" product, where customers can have their online orders picked up from a physical store, and then, delivered to their front door.

Google is battling with its' Google Shopping Express, expanding into West Los Angeles and Manhattan. Newcomer Uber, has now launched UberRUSH, which includes delivering packages via a mobile app using the same transportation arrangement it has with its' urban passengers. Uber's charge is a flat $15 within a certain delivery zone and $5 more bucks for an outer zone delivery.

Which of these e-tailer's models will work? Time and results will tell. Another viable option for e-tailers and brick-and-mortar stores is to turn to partnering with a same-day courier like A-1 Express. This Los Angeles Courier has the courier expertise and technology to implement a cost-effective delivery solution. A-1 Express has a nationwide footprint as well, able to roll-out same-day delivery in the US cities where retailers want it the most.

Reference: 5.6.14, www.forbes.com, Robert Bowman, Battle Intensifies for Local and Same-Day Delivery Service by Amazon and Its Rivals

Atlanta Business Chronicle Nominates A-1 Express As Second Fastest Growing Company

With all of the work involved in the courier industry, it is a great achievement to be recognized on a large scale. For this to be done, a same-day courier must be doing something right . A-1 Express is growing fast and The Atlanta Business Chronicle not only took notice, but highly awarded the courier for its’ superior efforts.

A-1 Express was honored on Friday by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as the second fastest growing private company in Atlanta. The award was given at the 19th. Annual Pacesetter Awards, an event recognizing Atlanta’s 100 fastest growing private companies. This is a very prestigious award and the courier is very pleased to not have only been named as one of the fastest growing companies, but to have also been so highly ranked. The courier finished second, only behind tech company Cloud Sherpas, which developed cloud technology services.

The qualifications for the award consisted of being privately-owned, based in the Atlanta or Metro Atlanta area and a non-subsidiary of another company. The company also had to be established in the first quarter of 2011 or earlier, experienced a two-year growth of over 50% in sales, and generated between $1 million and $300 million in sales. Companies were ranked by a growth index formula, used to balance all business involved for accuracy also.

The courier service has had some major revenue growth offering same-day delivery in the past few years. A-1 Express has more than doubled its’ revenue in 2012, jumping from $6 million to $14.5 million last year. To be a company performing well in a slow economy is something A-1 doesn’t take for granted either. CEO Mark McCurry mentioned in the Atlanta Business Chronicle that A-1 Express is ready to provide same-day delivery services that meet customer challenges via web solutions, GPS tracking, signature capture, and unsurpassed customer service.

With a goal of $40 million annually by 2015, the nationwide courier is implementing many strategic moves in order to handle the growth headed its’ direction. Their major online retail partner is doing the same and A-1 Express has to keep up. The retailer has launched same-day delivery in California and is planning to enter into a number of major US markets, including Atlanta.

Since 1997, the same-day courier has been providing same-day delivery, messenger, and a number of other transportation services nationwide. The Atlanta Courier offers a variety of courier services and solutions including same-day delivery, nationwide courier services, same-day bike messenger service, multiple location courier services, mail route logistic solutions, long-distance freight same-day delivery, straight truck delivery services, payroll deliveries, less-than-truckload shipping and more.

The driver is same-day delivery, which has been in major headlines more and more in recent years. Amazon, Wal-Mart, eBay and more are all in the same-day delivery race, even with groceries, seeking after the key to unlock more business online. A-1 Express is a premier same-day courier and has a national footprint, enabling it to implement efficient same-day delivery services to any online company desiring growth.

Reference: 4.25.14, Atlanta Business Chronicle, Byron E. Small, 19th Annual Pacesetter Awards