Retail

New CEO believes material handling and logistics particularly susceptible to approaching "automation revolution."

Commerce reports December retail sales up 0.4% from November at $495.4 billion along with a 5.4% annual gain.

4PL and 3PL partner to open the first of five locations slated to open around the United States within the next six months.

Older measures like productivity, quality, and service still apply, but digital transformation promises to 'change everything' about how manufacturers and retailers plan, procure and fulfill.

3PL operators and facility owners are benefiting from a rapidly rising rate of product returns, as many retailers outsource reverse logistics operations to cut costs and gain maximum efficiencies.

Strategic technology partnership to deliver big data and analytics for retailers, manufacturers and wholesale distributors.

Institute for Supply Management’s Manufacturing Report on Business points to the 102nd growth month.

Access solutions leader acquires maker of automated dock levelers under the Poweramp, McGuire and DLM brands.

Leading provider of supply chain planning solutions acquires leader in data analytics and visualization.

Partnership combines Optricity's slotting algorithms and patented processes with Bastian Solutions’ expertise in facility layout and design.

10th annual study shows two-thirds of shoppers prefer next- or same-day delivery as retailers work to bring the online experience into the physical store.

Online sales create instant short-term demand for warehouse and distribution center space, a potential headache for retailers.

Repurposing existing or closed retail space as hybrid retail/ distribution hubs streamlines fulfillment and gives consumers more control over the delivery or pickup of their orders.

Only 5% of companies are considered truly “intelligent” enterprises, leveraging ties between physical and digital worlds for better visibility and actionable insights.

These sales, as defined by the NRF, are sales in the months of November and December and exclude autos, gas, and restaurant sales. For 2017, NRF is calling for holiday retail sales to be up 3.6%-4% annually, coming in at an estimated total between $678.75 billion to $682 billion, which is ahead of last year’s $655.8 billion, even at the lower end of the 2017 estimate.