Here Comes Cyber Monday, Couriers Offer Retailers Same-Day Delivery

Cyber Monday is almost here and shoppers are ready. Mobile commerce is growing, with a 66% increase on Thanksgiving this year. Following a big Black Friday, e-retailers are happy and expecting for the new popular sales day to be the same.

Cyber Monday is expected to generate online sales of roughly $1.5 billion this year, which is up from $1.2 billion from 2011. CNN Money reported the forecast from Andrew Lipsman, industry analyst expert. Last year's record for Cyber Monday hit $52.4 billion, which includes days beginning on Thanksgiving up to Cyber Monday. Retailers started this year revealing their online shopping deals on Thanksgiving, which IBM Benchmark shows sales increased by 17%.

IBM Benchmark also reported in the article online sales were up 24% on Black Friday by evening time. E-Retailers are making a big push to promote online shopping throughout the 4-day frenzy. Jay Henderson, IBM Strategy Director stated, "We've absolutely seen this whole weekend turn into one big promotional event. Black Friday deals are no longer just for the [brick-and-mortar] store, and Cyber Monday deals are no longer just for Monday." Retailers such as Wal-Mart and Best Buy, stated their online sales even before Thanksgiving.

Retailers have definitely stepped outside the box to capture shoppers' attention for Cyber Monday. Online retailers also are stepping outside the box testing markets to offer same-day delivery for online sales. Retailers understand that shoppers desire to receive what they buy faster than ever. It's not enough to have a great deal, but the shopper has to wait days to receive it. The company that can meet the delivery demand will be the retailers that comes out on top.

Same-day couriers like A-1 Express can help retailers provide same-day delivery on Cyber Monday. This New York courier has a a national footprint and the expertise to meet any same-day delivery demand. A-1 Express can also be partnered with to respond to immediate delivery returns of merchandise, resulting in high level of customer responsiveness. From small packages to large freight, A-1 Express delivers every time!

References: 11.23.12, CNN Money, Julianne Pepitone, Cyber Monday starts early this year

Black Friday Starting Thursday, Couriers Can Help Holiday Sales Thrive

The shopping holiday season is about to officially begin, as Thanksgiving arrives. Black Friday, the day afterwards, is the big day shoppers are waiting for. However, the way retailers have viewed Black Friday this year, all the gloves are off and many are beginning to offer their deals sooner than the traditional Black Friday.

Retailers are actually rolling out their deals on Thanksgiving Day. CNN Money reported Black Thursday could be the newest trend beginning this year. This results from retailers jockeying for position to be the first store to open for the holiday sales season. Wal-Mart and Toy-R-Us will be opening at 8pm on Thanksgiving night. Target will be opening at 9pm also. This means many shoppers will shorten their turkey night to go and catch the deals. Others my use the shopping experience as a time to bond and have fun with their families.

The Black Thursday shopping day my be good for retailers, but is being opposed by employees. They will have to cut their Thanksgiving Day short in order to work. The article mentioned Target employee Casey St. Clair that has taken a stand, receiving 170,000 supporters to close stores on Thanksgiving evening. This issue will probably be the difference maker in whether Black Thursday will stand or buckle in the years to come.

Regardless, There is still positive signs for this year's sales on Black Friday. The National Retail Federation forecasts holiday sales will increase 4.1%, which is not as high as the 5.6% from last year. Online sales increased by 24% in 2011 and are expected to see growth as well. More shoppers are using their iPads and other mobile devices to find and purchase the best deals. Many large corporations are seeking to make online retail as convenient as possible, even testing markets utilizing same-day delivery to get products to their customers a lot faster.

Same-day delivery is what can help retailers meet the shopping demand this holiday season, especially to increase their online sales. Same-day couriers like A-1 Express can assist any company with their order fulfillments nationwide. This Phoenix courier can pick up and delivery your holiday products fast! A-1 Express can create a courier logisitics solution for your company just in time for the holiday rush and help your business thrive.

References: 11.12.12, CNN Money, Emily Jane Fox, Black Thursday is the new Black Friday; www.nrf.com

Panic At The Pump After Sandy Storm, Couriers Expect To Soon Operate

Amid the Superstorm Sandy aftermath, there are a number of challenges the New York, Connecticut and New Jersey residents are having to face to make ends meet. One of those was gas, but it is not now. However, residents are behaving as if there will be a gas shortage and there is a panic occurring in many hard hit areas.

CNNMoney reports of panic at the pump because people fear there will be a gas shortage headed their way this week. Many people by the droves are at gasonline lines to full up their tanks, not in only in their cars, but also walk-ins. There has been lines formed with cars and a separate lines for walk-ins with gas containers. Some people are even waiting 4 hours to fill up with gas. Police have to keep the peace. It is a response of fear that all the gas will be gone.

There are many reasons this happens. In the report, an oil and gas expert stated usually after large storms this type of behavior occurs is such places like Florida. People anticipate a gas shortage and they rush to the pumps all at one time. A week later after Superstorm Sandy, this is exactly what is happening. Also, social media has in part in sparking panic and fear about gas. Many people hear about gasoline availability and they all rush there at the same time. Everyone needs gas, but this makes it difficult to be spread where everyone can readily obtain it.

Inspite of the panic, there is said to be plenty of gas in NY. The Jersey turnpike and other NY terminals have gas right now. They have bulk storage tanks of 10 million gallons. It is a matter of receiving the electricity required to access the gas. The panic should be subsiding this week and signs of this is already being seen in South New Jersey. Currently, some gas stations are rationing gas using license plates, just to make sure everyone gets there immediate share. This eliminates wait time at the pump, due to the gas station itself having to refuel.

Many people and business in the storm-hit areas are pursuing to get back up and running. Courier services such as A-1 Express are working hard to be right along with them to assist in their delivery needs. In several areas, continual gas supply is what the same-day couriers are facing to start back running, yet should be seeing signs of complete recovery. A-1 Express is helping transport, from other cities, various products into some areas. We are proud to be a leading provider of same-day delivery services nationwide, and we are in full support of storm relief and recovery.

References: 11.4.12, CNN Money, Jennifer Liberto, Behind the gas panic: One expert explains

U.S. Postal Service Testing Same-Day Delivery, Helping E-Retailers Before Holidays

From its' inception in 1792, the United States Postal Service has always provided mailing services to millions, but never on the same day. With the latest financial crisis due to a lower consumer use of small mail, the USPS looks for a new strategy to develop sales growth and they may have found it.

The US Postal Service filed with the Postal Regulatory Commission they will begin testing same-day delivery for e-retailers beginning in November reported the Internet Retailer last week. The service is going to be tested with certain e-retailers around November 12th, which is right before the holiday rush. The USPS stated, "The volume of packages continues to grow along with the growth in e-commerce. Providing this service is a way for us to help increase revenue by increasing our package business and also provide better, faster service for our customers." This was the one element of the Postal Service that deterred most consumers with quicker delivery demands.

The USPS will be helping e-retailers delivery their products during the testing period between 4pm and 8pm. The online orders from participating e-retailers will be made between 2pm and 3pm that day, then delivered by the Postal Service. The price of the same-day service will be determined by each of the e-retailers. To be one of their participating e-retailers, the company must have at least 10 physical locations nationwide and at least one location within the metro post.

The exploring of a new course to generates sales comes after the company reached its'$15 billion borrowing limit from Congress. The Postal Service is facing insolvency by next spring and is desperately in need of the government to step in to assistance. Their cash reserves are low. Although regular mail sending has declined, they are expecting for the increase of holiday mail to keep their employees and contractors paid. It is no coincidence the USPS has turned to seeking after same-day delivery to increase their revenue.

Many large companies are currently performing various types of testing of same-day delivery in San Francisco as well as other cities in the US. EBay began testing their same-day deliveries earlier this year with e-retailers such as Macy's, Target, and Best Buy. Amazon has increased building of their order fulfillment centers, foregoing their sales tax break. Many experts believe the online giant is setting up itself to perform same-day delivery nationwide. Even Wal-Mart has weighed in, which already performs same-day delivery in China and testing the service in several US markets like Philadelphia and San Jose as well.

Same-day delivery has become a reality in e-commerce now. Any company engaging in online business is going to need same-day delivery of its' products to compete. A company does not have to have the capability to perform the deliveries themselves. Your business can utilize a courier to perform same-day deliveries for you. Nationwide couriers such as A-1 Express can assist any company to meet their online demand and delivery their products door-to-door. A-1 Express can quickly implement a courier solution to delivery your products fast! With the USPS getting involved in same-day deliveries, e-retailing is definitely changing and a courier can help your company change as well.

References: 10.17.12, www.internetretailer.com, U.S. Postal Service will test same-day delivery for e-retailers

EBay Announces New Site Design and Same-Day Delivery Service

Online business starts with having a functional and modern website for customers to come, recline and spend their cash. This goes for any company, even eBay. Their current website just wasn't modern enough in comparison with their competitors, so the online retailer has unveiled a new upgraded site.

EBay released yesterday in New York City their new and enhanced redesign of their website reported by CNN Money. Their redesign decision was in response to competition, but mostly mobile commerce. With iPhones and other types of smart technology, customers are able to shop quickly and it is key to have a site that can cater to convenience. "We will continue to make shopping more intuitive, more convenient and more relevant," he said. "This is just the beginning", said eBay President David Wenig. EBay currently has 150 million users, and of course, is steadily growing.

The site has a number of improvements. The main improvement is the home page. It has a more modern and simpler design. Visitors can follow brands, product types, and more. After which, they pop up on the home feed page and also other eBay products. It has Google-like search option functions also. The site's improvements are geared toward peaking visitor interests to shop around on the site, just as if they were in an actual retail store. "Online shopping killed much of the pleasure of shopping ... the emotion, the excitement of discovery," said Chief Tech Officer Mark Carges. The new site has already launched in the US and will go international next year.

At the unveiling, eBay also discussed eBay Now. This is their new mobile app that offers shoppers on-demand delivery service for purchases. The app is already available on Apple iTunes, however, it is only running in San Francisco. This is the first city eBay began to test their same-day delivery service. Customers can place an online order and have their purchase is delivered the same day. eBay also currently has top retailers such as Macy's that they have partnered with to provide same-day deliver of their products as well.

The new eBay site's objective is to bridge the gap between online shopping and brick-and-mortar locations. The experience of shopping is a great trait implemented into the new design. eBay Now also accomplishes the same objective relative to delivery. It allows customers to receive what they bought fast as possible, just like travelling to the store and physically making the purchase themselves. This is what same-day delivery is doing via online business and mobile commerce. Online sales are up 16% this year. To be able to meed the convenience demand of the shopper is valuable as the way conduct retail worldwide changes.

EBay's redesigned site, as with any company online, will not be succeed without a solid delivery system to match. Online business is on the fast track of same-day delivery. Nationwide couriers like A-1 Express can assist any company to provide same-day delivery of retail products and meet their online demand. This San Francisco courier has the courier expertise for development same-day delivery solutions just right for you. With a courier, your business can excel, quickly expand into new markets and thrive online.

References: 10.10.12, CNNMoney, Julianne Pepitone, EBay unveils major redesign and same-day delivery service