by Walther Ploos van Amstel
A new government-commissioned study examines whether the Netherlands could introduce mandatory return charges for online clothing and the environmental impact that would have. While the concept seems simple, the findings are far more complex and highly relevant for e-commerce leaders. Returns: a structural and costly habit Free returns have become the norm: 71% of Dutch …
The 2025 E-Commerce Trends Report: Business Edition by DHL reveals how digital transformation, sustainability, and AI are redefining global e-commerce. Drawing insights from 4,050 businesses across 19 countries, the study identifies five key developments shaping the sector: technological acceleration, omnichannel selling, sustainable operations, new payment and subscription models, and evolving B2B expectations. Technology and AIArtificial …
At Deliver Europe in Amsterdam, Maersk’s Head of E-commerce, Thiago Paiva, shared how the company uses AI to optimize last-mile parcel delivery through partner carriers. With last-mile costs accounting for up to 40% of total logistics expenses, Maersk views this as a key area for enhancing performance and improving customer experience. AI helps Maersk manage …
Despite extensive research on e-commerce’s impacts on last-mile logistics and sustainability, there has been limited focus on evaluating urban freight through an equity lens. To address this gap, a recent study introduces a modeling framework designed to help researchers and planners estimate the baseline equity performance of a major e-commerce platform and assess the equity …
On July 10, UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched The Digital Economy Report 2024, highlighting the global digital sector’s significant environmental impact and the disproportionate burden developed by developing countries. The report underscores that while digitalization fuels global economic growth and presents unique opportunities for developing nations, its environmental consequences are becoming increasingly severe. Due …
A new paper examines the impact of e-commerce on urban last-mile distribution through a comprehensive analysis of scientific studies. A corpus of 317 publications spanning two decades was reviewed, identifying 111 pertinent sources. Utilizing bibliometric analysis and systematic assessment, the study comprehensively reveals the effects of e-commerce on last-mile delivery. Key findings encompass environmental, economic, …
E-commerce is becoming an increasingly visible feature of modern society that places increasing strain on transport systems. Research has hitherto paid substantial attention to ways e-commerce might modify personal travel behavior. Still, it has been less attentive to the ramifications of e-commerce for urban freight. Although contemporary conditions of urban freight are increasingly scrutinized by scholars in …
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 …
Changing consumer behavior in Europe is accelerating e-commerce and the demand for city logistics. The kilometers driven by delivery vans increased by 111% between 2016 and 2020 in the Netherlands. While the growth of the city logistics sector enables a wide availability of on-demand delivery services for residents, businesses, and organizations, the sector also contributes …
Amazon showed disappointing third-quarter results on fulfillment. The costs of fulfillment rose again, to now almost 31% of online sales. Year after year, these costs increase by one percentage point despite more sales. Growing volumes do not result in economy of scale at Amazon? Zalando is doing a better job. Zalando’s fulfillment costs are decreasing …