Non-Store Holiday Sales Expected to Go Up This Year

In several weeks, the holiday shopping season will begin and many retailers probably can't wait until it arrives. The holiday shopping season is a time to make-up for loss revenue and low sales during prior quarters, as retailers are hopeful for big returns this year. The latest forecasts show indeed retailers have big reasons to be excited because the numbers are expected to be good, namely for online sales.

The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that non-store sales will go up 7-10% from last year, equating to about $117 billion for the 2016 holiday season of November and December. Internet Retailer recently discussed how various forecasts like these are beginning to be released for this holiday season and non-store sales. They are projecting online growth to double or quadruple the rate of total sales. Non-store sales were described as primarily online sales via phone and catalog sales. The NRF projected last year's online sales would increase by 6-8% for last year's holiday season, yet online holiday sales reaching 9% instead. Retailers hope shopping results we be higher than projected this year as well.

"All of the fundamentals are in a good place, giving strength to consumers and leading us to believe that this will be a very positive holiday season,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay stated in the article, optimistic about this year's sales. He went on to say, “This year hasn’t been perfect, starting with a long summer and unseasonably warm fall, but our forecast reflects the very realistic steady momentum of the economy and industry expectations.” Another driving of the momentum of shopping online is that customers have become more comfortable with purchasing over the web and having those items delivered. Shoppers have even begun to enjoy fast delivery services like Same-Day Delivery from Amazon, Google, Macy's, BestBuy, and more.

Rod Sides, Deloitte LLP vice chairman and retail & distribution sector leader, discussed in the article the company's own forecasts about this year's holiday online sales. He stated, “The trend to watch is the way that online, mobile and store channels influence each other. Large e e-commerce players and digital platforms such as Facebook and Pinterest are shaping what people think a great shopping experience is—a fast, highly-curated assortment with access to visuals, information and buying sources. Since these bigger platforms are more connected to the customer than the tradition retailer, it is important that they are part of retailers’ digital marketing campaigns this holiday season”.

Sides also said, “It’s likely to be the small and midsized retailers that focus on niche products and experiences. This group has been collectively stealing share from large, traditional retailers to the tune of $200 billion in annual sales over the last five years. The retailers that compete on differentiated products and experiences should be better positioned to outperform those who try to compete on low-price, value and convenience, or continue to rely on conventional sales events and promotions”.

Indeed, the retailers that move beyond conventional products, will not attract the growing market of online shoppers, especially millennials they want an experience that is easy and can be done utilizing tech devices also. Same-day delivery continues to be service product that more and more customers like because of cost, time saving and convenience. A Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express can be a viable partner that retailers can turn to for last-mile deliveries for the holidays. The Philadelphia Courier can implement same-day delivery in no time, as retailers seek to seize all the online sales to come.

Reference: 10.4.16, www.internetretailer, Tracy Maple, Online holiday sales head for double-digit growth

UPS Hires More Employees to Boost Delivery Time This Holiday Season

It doesn't really matter in today's business and online retail how big you are, but can you deliver when you say you can deliver. This is what carrier giant UPS has had to wrestle with over recent years because customers have not been satisfied with its ability to meet delivery times.

To avoid taking on more that it can handle, UPS has decided to increase dramatically its staffing in order to provide better on-time shipping. During the holiday season, more than any other time of the year, shopper has high expectations in getting their online orders and gifts arrive at the destination when they are supposed to. USA Today has reported that UPS has stated that it will be hiring 95,000 temporary employees to for the ultimate purpose of decreasing its delivery time.

What happens to the package before and after it get on that truck is what UPS is after and making it successful. The new employees will experienced in packages, sorted and shipped. “We’re ready to kick off our annual holiday hiring process, and need lots of great people for various positions on all shifts across the country,” stated Myron Gray, president of UPS’s U.S. Operations in a statement in regards to the mass hire. UPS's plan is to have the initiative in place by November and it will continue on throughout the holiday season delivers in November, all the way into the new year.

Seasonal employees will help delivery all types of toys, electronics and more to thousands of locations throughout the US. The jobs available are full-time and part-time positions, with the possibly of them leading to permanent ones. UPS CEO David Abney commented in the article relative to the new employment opportunities available and how workers can receive more income for their holiday shopping. He stated, “For many it’s an opportunity to earn some extra cash for the holidays, but with many of our holiday hires getting permanent jobs with us, it can also be a gateway to a career."

UPS has several reasons to implement an effective means to getting their deliveries performed on-time. Amazon has been growing and UPS is going to have to find a way to increasing its' delivery efficiency, as the retailer utilizes big carriers on a regular basis. It has free two-day delivery and Same-Day Delivery via Prime Now. The online items that the customer chooses to elect can involve needing UPS to make a delivery, and an e-retailer like Amazon can not afford to have late deliveries.

This goes for other retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Toys-R-Us, Best Buy, and more. However, if their carrier is late, shoppers can always count on a Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express has a vast network and can not only deliver in Georgia, but also throughout the US. The Philadelphia Courier has the courier expertise and technology to develop sound delivery logistics, including store return services, route delivery services, on-demand services and other same-day delivery programs. As UPS moves forward with its' pursuit to deliver faster, it may consider partnering will A-1 Express to deliver short distances and create error shipments.

Reference: 9.15.16, USA today, Charisse Jones, Need some holiday cash? Here's where to look

UPS Revenue Increases, Will It Go Same-Day Delivery?

When you see UPS investing into Same-Day Delivery, it shows that the service has moved beyond just being a trend. It has become a legitimate staple service that can swing sales toward your business. This is what UPS did at the beginning of this year. UPS conducted a study on same-day delivery and led a $28 million funding round for start-up Deliv. The carrier also became a minority stakeholder in Deliv and sat in on board meetings as well. It's clear that UPS is seeking innovative ways to increase sales.

The Washington Post recently released an article detailing UPS’s second-quarter revenue results. Sales slightly improved within its' domestic and international package divisions. The report stated that the carrier's revenue increased to $14.63 billion, which is up from $14.1 billion. Analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research forecasted growth for the quarter to hit $14.6 billion in revenue. The US domestic package unit went up 4%, along with an average daily package volume up 2.5%.

2nd quarter figures went up 1.1% in the international package division and 3.9% for daily export packages. Also, for the three months that ended June 30, UPS earned $1.27 billion. This equated to being higher in comparison to $1.23 billion for the same period last year. The increases may not have been what UPS would have anticipated, yet the numbers are positive, especially when you have FedEx and the US Postal Service to contend with.

Along with FedEx and the U.S. Postal Service, now UPS may have to concern itself with Amazon. The e-retail leader has now leased 40 cargo planes from Boeing and Atlas Air for the purpose of creating an air cargo network. Amazon does state that it isn't planing to build its' own delivery service and is only looking to work closer with package-delivery companies like the UPS, USPS and FedEx.

Amazon may not have an edge in carrier package delivery services, but it does with establishing same-day delivery. For Prime members, the same-day service is free. Amazon has same-day delivery operating in major US cities, such as San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Baltimore, Boston, Atlanta, Richmond, Orlando, and more. The e-retail giant has a total of 27 markets that offer same-day delivery and appears to have its' sights on providing it nationwide.

A Same-Day Courier like A-1 Express can help UPS develop sound same-day logistic solutions throughout the US. The Philadelphia Courier takes the service areas, product volume and more into account in order to deliver at the right price. As a result, companies can experience gains in revenue and new customers due to trying their same-day delivery options.

Reference: 7.29.16, www.washingtonpost.com, Associated Press, UPS 2Q revenue improves on strength in US, abroad

New Startup Curbside Launches Mobile App For Same-Day Pick Up

Today's business market is all about getting customers their products in record time. Retailers know that if you can innovate a service that will save time and increase a shopper's convenience level, you probably are on the right track. This is what many retailers are finding out, as they make adjustments and various power moves to get their online sales to swing upward. Same-day delivery has been one of those services the big retailers like Google, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Barnes & Noble, and more have all centered their efforts toward it. It has all the ingredients that appears to be giving e-retailers the boost they need.

Companies are not only limiting themselves to creating same-day delivery, but they also see extensive growth with tapping into same-day pickup. New shopping start-up company, Curbside, is doing just that, literally offering customers the ability to pickup their online products the same day--at the curb. Curbside has just announced the launching of its' mobile app for same-day pick up. The newcomer is backed by a $9.5 million seed money, plus a Series A funding. Most big retailers are headed in the other direction with same-day delivery, however, Curbside is seeking to cater to the consumer market that will locally pick up.

Curbside has store retailer Target on board, as ten stores in several greater San Francisco Bay area cities will be offering the service. Target's location in the Westfield Oakridge shopping center will also have curbside pick up available. This could very well be just the beginning for Curbside because if it's customers flock to it, more than likely it will be a hit at other US store retailers. In the report, according to comScore, e-commerce as a whole, including mobile, is growing at 11%, however, mobile commerce is growing at 47%. This is another driver for Curbside's case to go same-day pick up versus same-day delivery.

“We’re data geeks, I guess,” stated co-founder Jaron Waldman in the article regarding why they dove into creating the new mobile app. “We were really interested in the idea that nobody had figured out the real-time inventory problem in retail.” Both Waldman, and other co-founder Denis Laprise, are former Apple engineers, which speaks to their ability to create Curbside. Waldman went on to share his view on m-commerce stating, “Your phone’s a remote control...You should be able to transact against the business, rather than just find the business and be routed to it”.

Same-day pick up may not have the headlines as same-day delivery, however, the service does work. It can also promote awareness to same-day delivery by offering customers either option. Department store leader Macy's recently announced it will jump into the race for same-day delivery this fall. It will launch the service in multiple, large US cities, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Seattle, D.C., New Jersey, and San Jose. Sister store Bloomingdale's will be following suit in some of these cities also. Since Macy's has the physical store locations to meet demand, it makes sense to offer same-day store pick up curbside.

This definitely appears to get physical store retailers an extra lift in sales with the same-day pick up alternative. One plus for customers is that they can use a same-day courier like A-1 Express to perform their same-day pick up from their mobile app. The Philadelphia courier has a national footprint and mobile app also, covering all major and minor cities in the US. Customers that can't pick up at the store can contact A-1 Express to pick up and deliver to wherever they are in no time. The courier can also be a viable source for companies to correct pick up errors and store returns as well.

Reference: 10.6.14, techcrunch.com, Sarah Perez, Backed By $9.5 Million, Curbside Launches A Mobile Shopping App For Same-Day Pickup, Not Delivery