Category «Business»

Amazon: fulfillment cost in 2023 35,6% of net sales

Amazon surpassed sales expectations during the 2023 holiday shopping season. The net product sales for the last quarter of 2023 were 76,7 $ billion, reflecting a 9 percent increase from the previous year. Despite facing challenges from cost-conscious consumers and increased expenses, Amazon’s holiday sales events provided optimistic signs of a potential recovery in its …

Dutch Foodlogica is out-of-business

Foodlogica is the only fully electric logistics service provider focusing on chilled solutions for the last mile. Foodlogica assists food businesses, such as clients of caterers, clients of food producers (hospitality), and clients of food box suppliers, primarily in Amsterdam. Foodlogica has suffered some operational issues in the past period, resulting from a difficult time …

Dutch transportation platform Quicargo looks to bounce back from bankruptcy

After eight years, Quicargo, a Dutch transportation platform, is temporarily halting its operations. During the last week, a bankruptcy was initiated, prompted by an unforeseen setback in investor commitments. This measure is being taken to facilitate discussions with partners and explore potential solutions for the company’s financial challenges and future business development. In recent months, …

Finding the correct apartment is a problem for delivery drivers

Locating the correct apartment or building swiftly poses a significant challenge for delivery services and gig couriers, becoming one of their primary concerns. The Wall Street Journal has reported on this issue, shedding light on various observations. In some urban regions, a significant portion of drivers’ time is dedicated to tasks outside their vehicles, such …

Amazon: on operating more sustainably for customers and communities

Kara Hurst, chief sustainability officer at Amazon, talks to McKinsey about scaling Amazon’s sustainability initiatives, including increasing its focus on nature-based solutions to benefit communities. How is Amazon working on reaching its Climate Pledge goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2040? While the scope of this challenge is large, Amazon has been taking bold steps …

How can e-groceries be made a profitable business model?

Once more, Dutch online food delivery companies, namely Crisp, Jumbo, Getir, and Picnic, are grappling with substantial financial setbacks, further compounded by the recent closure of Dutch Pieter Pot. These financial challenges extend beyond mere teething problems associated with growth. In addition, the escalating minimum wages and the augmented expenses related to light electric vehicles …

The state of the postal sector 2023

The postal sector remains a critical element in the global ecosystem, transcending borders to connect people, businesses, and governments. It not only facilitates communication but also serves as the backbone of digital trade, logistics, and even economic resilience. However, the sector is grappling with many challenges, from the lasting disruptions induced by global crises, such …

UPS pursues greater delivery density to reduce emissions

UPS wants to improve its delivery density, or the number of deliveries made on a single route, to reduce its carbon footprint, according to EVP and Chief Digital and Technology Officer Bala Subramanian at the 2023 UPS Impact Summit on October 17, 2023. UPS is trying to increase its deliveries-per-stop ratio from 1.28 to 1.4, …

Some US malls now double as e-commerce fulfillment centers

Some US malls now double as e-commerce fulfillment centers. Changes brought by the pandemic and growing e-commerce have prompted many shopping center owners to convert some space into fulfillment centers, taking advantage of large parking lots and loading docks. A prime example of catering to ever-growing customer demand while keeping costs down lies in the …