Shipping Patented By E Commerce Giant

Also, Amazon has emphasized on building “several distribution centers around the world to hasten deliveries”(Hof and Himelstein, 1999). Coupled with its software it provides a “laser-like focus on the buying experience”(IT Business Edge, 2012). Such a system and service is what draws customers towards Amazon and subsequently retains them.

​Competition within the internet sales industry is fierce and innovation is the way internet retailers are looking to grab the top spot. Internet retailers such as Walmart are following in the path of competitors and building fulfillment centers left and right to allow for faster delivery to customers. Many internet retailers have explored the possibilities of drone delivery, using customers to deliver products to other customers on their way home, and allowing customers to pick up products out of lockers in stores so they don’t have to wait in line; these competitive strategies internet retailers are seeking to implement illustrate how far firms are willing to go to gain the upper-hand on one another (Forbes, 2012).

FedEx created overnight delivery service and second-day delivery service in order to satisfy customers’ need in a way that its competitors cannot. Both services guaranteed delivery time to every customer, they willing to pay the premium price. In this case, customers self-select the option based on their preferences, depending on the relative values of prices or their situational needs. If there is an urgent package, the customer can select overnight service. However, a second-day delivery is a cheaper choice for customers if they do not need to send the package right away. However, these services are still not much different from its rival such as UPS or DHL. FedEx has to add capacity control strategy, which allows it to maintain its revenue.

According to Misra and Choudhary (2010), advanced information and communications technology such as virtual private networks, allows organizations to reduce cycle times and operational costs. Target utilizes an efficient ready-to-ship process to get their products out to thousands of vendors. Technology links all the vendors into a customized online community with extensive reporting and management systems. Vendors can easily and efficiently order shipments from regional distribution centers. Technology has streamlined costs in this process by eliminating thousands of faxed documents from vendors. Target is also able to fill trucks with more products at lower prices (“Target Corporation”, n.d.).

Delivery to a customer is a key component to retail business, whether online or in a store. Measuring delivery cost efficiency, the total cost of delivery from the stock(s) to the customers’ homes or to the desired store for pick-up is evaluated. The delivery cost is the key measurement for this metric. The

If there is a delay with the delivery of a parcel, it is difficult to track it without the help of a computer network providing real-time information. As the company expands, the volume of paperwork will increase, and the current system will not be able to cope.

In the past there was no thing as overnight express delivery for packages or freight. Then the top 3 competitors in the delivery service industry that held 85% of the market were Airborne Express (AE), United Parcel Service (UPS) and Federal Express (FedEx) and, the remaining market share was among six second-tier companies. In the past few years, the express mail businesses had grown extremely fast due to the ability to provide and fulfill overnight shipping accompanied by next-morning delivery services for both individuals and businesses customers. By 1996, this segment of the expedited shipment delivery had grown to a $16-17 billion dollar industry business in the US alone.

By 1976, at a volume of 1,300 packages per day, FedEx’s Courier Pack service was only fulfilling one tenth of a percent of the “emergency rush” market, which totaled 870,000 packages delivered per day. By comparison, at 13,400 deliveries per day, the company’s Priority One “emergency rush” service accounted for one percent of the total market. Clearly both services have potential to gain more share of the rush delivery market, but the Courier Pack’s untapped potential is nearly limitless. Surely, the remaining 98 percent or so of customers using competing services for emergency rush delivery, including Emery Air Freight and USPS Express Service, are not familiar with Fed Ex’s less expensive, and more consistent Courier Pack service, and would switch brands with heightened awareness gained through careful marketing.

United Parcel Service (UPS), is the world’s largest express package delivery firm that handled more than 4.7 billion packages and documents in 2015. This global transportation and logistics service provider operates in more than 220 countries, and offers an array of supply chain management solutions (UPS Fact Sheet, n.d.). The firm has diversified its products and/or services to include freight forwarding and logistics services via air, ground, rail, and sea. U.S. Domestic Package operations, International Package operations, and Supply Chain and Freight operations are the three operating segments UPS. Through technology advancements UPS delivers online package tracking, e-commerce services, and specialized

A FedEx employee picks up the customer’s box and scans it so FedEx recognizes it. Now the product is registered and traceable. The product is then taken to a sorting center where it is classified according to its destination. The package is put on a belt where it is measured and a price tag is determined. In the next step, the packages are put into containers. These containers are loaded in aircrafts directed by a control

Trends and opportunities of the parcel service industry include globalization, e-commerce, and supply-chain management. Internet logistics was FedEx and UPS’s fastest growing business. The internet enabled customers to link directly to retailers and their manufacturers. In 2001, parcel carriers served almost all of the online market. They were able to provide information on packages to customers through tracking systems on the web. This allowed customers to plan ahead and decrease delays in deliveries. It also allowed for faster transactions and lower communication costs. Parcel companies created partnerships with large Internet retailers. These partnerships allowed parcel service companies to expand its overall delivery volume. Parcel companies improved tracking by implementing several technological innovations. These included “laser scanners and bar codes, state of the art software programs, satellite and cell phone communication equipment, electronic information interchanges, and the Internet.”

UPS has been in the package delivery business for 95 years, providing services to businesses and consumers worldwide in more than 200 countries. In 1994, UPS began to investigate the potential of e-commerce and started an internal group focused on enabling e-commerce. UPS redefined its core business and found ways to change its structure and processes, forming new businesses to take advantage of new opportunities. UPS was interested in finding ways to leverage their extensive infrastructure and expertise in basic transportation of goods, services, and

With a fast changing supply chain in the 21st century, companies need an effective delivery system, which attract new customers daily, and keep the current customers happy with their current service. Amazon is a very popular ecommerce company that delivers thousands of products daily. In the past few years, they have been trying to develop drone technology that could account for a large portion of their deliveries which would also provide substantial cost savings. I will discuss all of the benefits along with the drone technology system that Amazon hopes to put in place in the near future.

E-commerce is transactions conducted via electronic means such as the internet, email and SMS. It is considered to be one of the most important aspects of the internet to appear. As a result, people are able to exchange goods and services immediately regardless of their geographic location and time. More and more businesses conduct transactions on line, with some trading purely on-line thus reducing overheads and administrative costs.

With the help of technology, TNT allows customers to track and trace their items through their website and short message system (SMS) and this would help ease the minds of customers. (http://www.tnt.com/express/en_sg/site/home/shipping_tools.html). The advance system allows 24/7 service with the lowest manpower to work.