SUPPLY CHAIN

Walmart is allocating more funds to hurricane relief.    The discount giant announced that it will donate another $5 million in support of Hurricane Maria relief. This is in addition to its previous commitment of $35 million in response to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma.  

Amazon is building another fulfillment center in the Buckeye State.   The online giant will open a new 650,000-sq.-ft. warehouse in Euclid, Ohio — its fifth in the state. The company recently announced upcoming fulfillment centers in the cities of Monroe and North Randall, and it currently operates warehouses in Etna and Obetz.  

FedEx will have new shipping rates starting January 1, 2018.   All subsidiaries, FedEx Express, FedEx Ground and FedEx Freight, will increase their shipping fees by an average of 4.9%. The company is also imparting additional surcharges across other services.   For example, FedEx Express shipping rates will spike by an average of 4.9% for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. FedEx One Rate pricing will increase by an average of 3.5%.  

As it expands online and opens stores offline, Untuckit is looking forward to its biggest holiday shopping season to date.   

Amazon continues to bolster its distribution fleet.   The online giant will be adding a new 1 million-sq.-ft. fulfillment center in Monroe, Ohio — its fourth warehouse in The Buckeye State. Amazon will hire 1,000 associates to manage the picking, packing and shipping larger customer items, such as sports equipment, gardening tools, and pet food.    Amazon already operates fulfillment centers in the cities of Etna and Obetz, and is preparing for the opening of a new facility in North Randall.

Eager to get merchandise into shoppers’ hands the same day they place an order, 65% of retailers will offer same-day delivery within two years.   This was according to the “2017 Digital Commerce Benchmark Survey,” from Boston Retail Partners (BRP).   

Amazon is further bolstering its presence in The Wolverine State.   The online giant will open a new, 1 million sq. ft. fulfillment center in Shelby, Michigan. The building is set to open in 2018.   The warehouse will focus on picking, packing and shipping large items, like household decor, sporting equipment and gardening tools. These operations will be managed by approximately 1,000 associates, according to Amazon.  

Amazon is looking to take advantage of Mexico’s growing e-commerce industry.   The online giant is planning to open a 1 million sq. ft. warehouse near Mexico City, according to Reuters. Scheduled to open next year, it would be the company’s third distribution center in the country.