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Recently, Chariot published a blog about the phenomenon known as "double brokering." If you operate within logistics circles, you are likely familiar with this term and the effect it's had on the logistics industry. Double brokering has cost trucking companies tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars and has become so prevalent that it has sparked the development and release of several prevention tools from major software developers.

E2open is powered by a strong global network of problem solvers and innovators driven by strong values and our company culture. Together, we are focused on doing what’s right in business and in our communities. Every month, we will shine a spotlight on an exceptional team member who is helping us transform the supply chain industry. This month, we held a Q&A with Gerald Stacy, Logistics Manager at e2open.

For retailers and consumer goods companies, the calendar is not measured in months but in peak seasons. Rather than the Earth’s movement or the Lunar calendar, events and traditions (mainly with religious roots) determine the peak seasons. Christmas, Diwali, Easter, Eid, Hanukkah, Halloween, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. Some are linked to the social and work calendar: Back-to-School, Summer holidays; yet others are political like Guy Fawkes Day, national independence anniversaries, and more. And others are artificially created to stimulate sales between: Black Friday, Amazon Prime Day, and Cyber Monday. Whatever the nature of it, being ready for the rush is a success and survival matter for retailers and consumer goods companies.

You are not alone if you are anxious about how the recent round of EU sanctions against Russia might affect your business. Many companies face challenges navigating the complex and changing regulatory landscape, sanctions regime, complying with multiple jurisdictions and authorities, managing risks and costs, and maintaining healthy customer relationships.

Peak season is the most demanding and profitable time of the year for many businesses, especially those in the e-commerce and retail sectors. However, it also comes with additional challenges and uncertainties, especially in the parcel logistics domain. How can you ensure your parcel logistics team is ready to handle the peak season's increased volume, complexity, and customer expectations? Let’s dig into some of the critical parcel trends in 2023, the challenges that may impact this peak season, and some preparation strategies and tips to help the parcel logistics team sail with success.

At a high school science fair, a student proceeded to put five metronomes on a single piece of wood. As each metronome was started, the metronome needles bounced back and forth, independent of the others and definitely not in synch. “Behold,” the student said as she placed the platform of metronomes across two cylinders. Within a minute, all five metronomes followed the same tempo in complete synchronization.

For many supply chain leaders, planning for peak season logistics started six to twelve months ago, or more for some specialized companies. Now those orders are beginning to move. Logistics is the workhorse for shipping peak season orders from the origin port to the destination port, from the port to the distribution center, and from the distribution center to the store/consumer. Through this period of increased demand and potential capacity constraints, shippers need to deliver orders on time while maintaining exceptional customer service and, at the same time, optimizing transportation spend. Peak season happens every year. Some years are more intense, demand is very high, and capacity is minimal, but that wasn’t the case in the past year. Logistics executives are predicting another muted peak season for 2023. But even with those predictions, shippers must be ready for the uptick in demand, even if it is less than in past years.

E2open is powered by a strong global network of problem solvers and innovators driven by strong values and our company culture. Together, we are focused on doing what’s right in business and in our communities. Every month, we will shine a spotlight on an exceptional team member who is helping us transform the supply chain industry. This month, we held a Q&A with Chad Toupin, Managing Director, Rail at e2open.

By now, retailers have forecasted their revenue for the holiday season. Whether brick-and-mortar or selling wholly online, the supply chain process remains the same. They have found finished goods suppliers and placed orders that ensure they have the correct quantity of the right product at the right time. This is how business works…in retail.  But what if you are upstream of this retailer buying frenzy? As a brand owner, the picture is quite similar, but it has been set in motion for some time now. The brand owner has already anticipated what orders they will receive from the retailer, and they have processed this forecast into a supply plan that allows them to build the finished goods in time for the shipment to retailers or on an even earlier timeline for businesses like distributors and other sales channels.