Ahold USA Created Pick-Up Service, Could use Same-Day Delivery

Many grocery stores are at work pursuing to create just the right shopping experience for the future. It appears the next innovation in grocery shopping is here. You can ask Ahold USA about their new idea, which is showing even the biggest of grocery retailers how to be successful.

Internet Retailer recently reported Ahold USA has created a grocery pick-up service called Peapod. With Ahold, customers do not have to come and wait in long lines to finally get to the register. Customers can actually go right online, buy the groceries they want and then, pick their grocery order up at their local supermarket. In their case, it is Stop & Shop or Giant Foods. There are no fees involved with the service as well.

The Peapod also offers home delivery service, which has been in operation for over a decade. This means the operation has been proven and Ahold optimizes on productivity. With this innovative service, productivity and efficiency is key. It is a two-hour window delivery service. If a customer has the time to wait, this is a great option for receiving your groceries.

A customer goes to Peapod.com to shop for the groceries and the supermarket fulfills the order. You can set the time they would like to pick up their order. Upon arrival between the pick-up time, a supermarket employees confirms who the recipient is. The plus about Peapod is, if you order something online that is not in stock, you have to option of allowing them to substitute for it or credit the account for a full refund.

With the growth of online retail consistently growing annually, it is inevitable that grocery online services were bound to follow. Online retail is also creating a higher demand for the speed in which products are delivered. This opens the door for competitors with an edge in this area, to capture more market share. Retail giants such as Wal-Mart, are currently testing same-day delivery of online products. Wal-Mart is exploring a Peapod type service as well.

Grocery pick-up and delivery services both have a place for same-day delivery by courier services like A-1 Express. This nationwide courier can be a viable option for grocery store chains to turn to for grocery deliveries to their customers. A-1 Express is able to develop superior courier logistic solutions to meet any online grocery service needs. Ahold USA could potentially partner with A-1 Express to pick-up a customer's grocery order and deliver to them.

Reference: Internet Retailer, Danny Silverman, 6.26.03, Skipping the checkout line: a first look at Ahold USA's pick-up service

With Huge First Quarter Loss, JC Penney Looks To Improve Online Shopping

In 2011, JC Penney's began pursuing to turn their retail ship around and back on a course of success. The retail company even hired former Apple retail executive Ron Johnson to lead the charge for future growth. The company has not seen the incline it has hoped for and in the first quarter of this year, JC Penney has hit huge losses for the worst.

CNNMoney reports JC Penney has suffered a first quarter loss of $289 million and a decrease of sales of 16.4% from 2012. Its' shares fell 2.2% on Thursday. This occurs after the step down of CEO Ron Johnson. The former CEO pursued to revive the company with new ideas and initiatives. He pursued to implement changes such as overhaul pricing, redesigned store layouts, and create mobile and self-checkout machines within stores. The attempt has not given JC Penney's the growth it is looking for so far.

JC Penney's now has new CEO Mike Ullman at the helm now and he knows there is work to be done. "We recognize the magnitude of the challenges that we face, and we believe we can put J.C. Penney back on a pathway to profitable growth", stated Ullman in an analyst conference call. One of the first actions the company has taken is admitting mistakes and asking customers to return via a YouTube channel ad. The company has also received a $1.75 billion loan from Goldman Sachs for the big push forward.

Former CEO Johnson did have a pursuit that has not change with Ullman, which is online retail. One of the areas Ullman mentioned about improving was relative to its' online store. "Over the last year, jcp.com functioned as a completely separate entity inside the company, with little synergy between stores and online," said Ullman. He pledged to reemphasize their private brands and increase its' online store performance.

Online shopping has had a great impact on many brick-and-mortar stores, some of which have ended up closing such as Circuit City, which JC Penney is pursuing to not have the same fate. The direction is clear that e-retail has now created a major revolution in the business world and brick-and-mortar stores must go with shift if they want to thrive. Large retailers such as Wal-Mart, Macy's, eBay, Google, and more are making online shopping a top business objective, putting the pieces together to make it more attractive and effective.

All of these online giants are even implementing same-day delivery of their online products as e-retail and mobile commerce becomes a standard in the way we do business. Same-day couriers like A-1 Express are being partnered with to offer delivery services to get online shoppers their products to their front door easy and fast. The Phoenix Courier has a national footprint and is able to assist companies like JC Penney implement profitable online store delivery ideas and solutions.

References: 5.16.13, CNNMoney, James O'Toole, Another massive loss for J.C. Penney

Amazon Offers Free Shipping Through Quidsi, Will Same-Day Delivery Become An Option?

There is no heavy-hitter so far that has come to match Amazon in the e-retail industry. They are the world's largest internet retailer and one reason is that they have an effective shipping program, namely Amazon Prime. Now, a company it owns, Quidsi Incorporated, is set to follow suit and implements its' own shipping program this year.

Quidsi Incorporated has just launched its' very own shipping program which offers its' customers the option of two-day deliveries reported Internet Retailer. The new shipping program is free, however, Quidsi will eventually charge an annual fee. Shoppers can sign up for a free three-month trial with a company code at checkout. More details about the Quidsi shipping program are not being disclosed, stated a spokeswoman for the company in the report, since it is described as being in pilot mode right now. The program applies to shopping across all of their 10 e-commerce sites, such as Diapers.com, Wag.com and Look.com.

“We will send you special insider deals every week,” Quidsi promises on its sites. There is no minimum purchase required to receive the free two-day shipping for the program. For shoppers not participated in the program, they can still receive free two-day shipping for a minimum purchase of $35. Amazon Prime has an annual membership fee of $79, for which customers receive two-day shipping on all orders and access to thousands of TV shows and films. With Quidsi, Amazon shows itself as on the cutting edge of e-retail and will continue to pursue major growth.

For the first quarter of 2013, growth did slow down for the online giant. Amazon experienced 22% growth in the first quarter, opposed to 36% growth in the first quarter last year. Inspite of the lower revenue, their profit margins did increase and one of the reasons was lower shipping expenses. Therefore, the shipping aspect of Amazon's business is a major factor in the outcome of its' future growth. It is clear with what the company is implementing with Quidsi, that a number of steps are being taken to make shipping their products efficient, easy and profitable.

Amazon continues to grow relative to their distribution centers as well, which helps their shipping strategy. Currently, Amazon has 46 warehouses in the US. They are reported to be building more and should have 54 distribution centers this year. With the number of distribution centers being built throughout the country, many experts believe Amazon is gearing up to move beyond 2-day shipping, to offering same-day delivery to its' customers. Same-day delivery is being testing by a number of retailers nationwide, such as Wal-Mart, eBay, Target, Macy's, and others. Online business has an opportunity to offer a faster delivery service than 2-day delivery and shoppers can have their products at their doorstep within hours. It could become a shipping offer by Amazon.

Same-day courier services like A-1 Express can assist e-retailers, such as Amazon, with shipping and delivery logistics solutions nationwide. This Portland Courier is able to perform same-day delivery to customers that are local to retail company distribution centers, stores, and warehouses. As e-commerce continues at develop, an optimal delivery system by a same-day courier will be just what e-retailers and online shoppers are looking for, especially for return shipments.

Reference: 5.9.13, Internet Retailer, Thad Reuter, More free shipping from Amazon

Lower Gas Prices This Summer, Use Courier For Same-Day Deliveries

Gas prices have fluctuated upwards over first few months of the new year, and many have been hoping they would lower. As Summer approaches, we are finally seeing gas prices turn around and show some signs of life. It has now been reported gas prices will get cheaper in the months to come.

It has been forecasted by the Energy Information Administration that we will pay less at the pump this coming Summer reported CNN Money. The agency estimates the average price for gas will roughly $3.63 per gallon. This beats out the average around this time last year of $3.69. The EIA even projects cheaper gas prices next year, which we could very well experience a full-year average price per gallon of $3.39. This would definitely make many drivers and transportation companies very happy.

One reason prices will be kept low is due to more fuel efficient cars on the highway. Another reason is the increase in oil production in North America. The economic recovery of the US will more than likely be aided by the cheaper gas prices. Consumers will be able to have more money for spending this summer. This will also affect lower traveling costs for consumers and airlines. The affect of gas could be just what the economy needs to make a big leap for the the remainder of the year.

This highest year average on record for the US was in 2012 at $3.69 per gallon. In 2008, the US experienced its' most expensive driving season with an average of $3.81 per gallon. AAA also reported the highest daily price on record of $4.11 a gallon on July 17th that same year. The current national average for gas is $3.58, which is down from $3.69 last month. California and Hawaii have the highest current average, toppling over the $4 mark.

Gas prices decreasing is great news compared to a couple of month ago. In February, the price of gas increased for 32 consecutive days. The national average of almost $3.75 per gallon and analysts forecasted the prices could impact the US economic recovery. Known oil producer Brent Crude Oil reached its' highest oil price in nine months at $119.17. Along with projected oil production shortages, many felt gas prices could eclipse $5 per gallon this Summer.

With gas prices getting cheaper, businesses can continue to save on their transportation costs by using a courier. Same-day couriers like A-1 Express are a viable option instead of using employees for daily deposits, part distribution and time-sensitive deliveries. Even with lower gas prices, this Charlotte courier can perform same-day deliveries at a lower cost because of route optimization and transportation expertise. A-1 Express can create a courier logistics solution specific to your same-day delivery needs.

Reference: 4.9.13., CNNMoney, Chris Isidore, You'll pay a little less for gas this summer

Sears Competes With Amazon With Fulfilled By Sears Program, Can Use Same-Day Courier

Many retailers are making changes in the way they do business, especially with the emergence of e-commerce and mobile retail. Order fulfillment initiatives are being sought after to meet the high online demand, not only from customers, but also between retailers. Sears is one example of a retailer rolling out a program that will meet the retailer order fulfillment demands and it just might work.

Internet Retailer reported that Sears Holdings will be launching Fulfilled By Sears Program. The program is designed to offer online and offline fulfillment services to other retailers in the US. It is going to be available to retailers who sell via Sears.com. “We have the ability to ship orders much faster and more cost-effectively than other sellers do based on our national footprint of stores and warehouses,” said Corporate Executive Vice President Imran Jooma. The Fulfilled By Sears is going to be a great move for Sears to increase their sales, as they take on expanding into warehousing services.

The new program will offer a pay-as-you-go service for all their retailers. This type of service will allow retailers to incur no fees unless they are storing product in the warehouse facilities. There will also be fees that will slightly differ for merchants that sell on Sears.com, from those that process orders outside of Sears.com. Both will have fees ranging from 45 cents to 60 cents per cubic foot. Merchants will enjoy a $1 per item pick and pack fee. However, outside client retailers will pay a $3 pick and pack fee. Merchants will pay a $39.99 monthly Sell on Sears plus sales commission to Fulfilled By Sears.

Fulfilled By Sears will provide shipping for their retailers as well. There will be an order-handling fee of $1.50 for ground, $7.50 for two-day shipments, and from 45 cents to $1.90 for next-day shipments. The higher fee for two-day shipments will be due for any air shipments retailers require for their order fulfillment. Their client retailers will have to handle having their product shipped to the Sears' fulfillment center.

Most notably about Fulfilled By Sears is it will be in competition against online giant, Amazon, which provides the same type of fulfillment services for their client retailers. Amazon has built distribution centers throughout the US and is set to roll out more this year. Many experts believe Amazon is gearing up to one day provide same-day delivery to its' customers in areas where it makes sense to do so nationwide.

Same-day couriers like A-1 Express can assist Fulfilled By Sears and its' retailers create a courier logistics solution. Whether is same-day shipping locally or long distances, the Miami Courier is able to pick up anything from small packages to palletized freight and deliver any distance from any fulfillment center throughout the US. A-1 Express is a viable partner for just-in-time inventory in local brick-and-mortar stores and can offer superior product return order fulfillment programs as well.

Reference: 3.22.13, Internet Retailer, Paul Demery, Sears rolls out the Fulfilled by Sears program for other retailers