During the first year of the pandemic, online shopping surged as more consumers sought an alternative to crowded marketplaces. According to Digital Commerce 360 (DC360), e-commerce sales experienced an astounding 32.4% year-over-year growth in 2020. Last year, however, the widespread availability of vaccines and periods of lower COVID-19 cases led more shoppers back out into the brick-and-mortar environment.

Consumers and companies alike are more conscientious about their environmental impact than ever before. Every day, organizations are expected to meet increasingly strict sustainability standards.

And supply chains are particular objects of scrutiny.

The meteoric rise in e-commerce over the last several years has led to unprecedented retail sales. Unfortunately, it has also led to an unprecedented number of returns. It’s estimated that 30% of online orders are returned, as opposed to just under 9% for goods purchased from a brick & mortar retailer. Tracking these aftermarket activities can provide insight into your overall logistics management. Which is why shippers and suppliers alike need a sound reverse logistics plan.

The term ‘Transportation Management System’ has become increasingly common in the logistics industry as companies look for ways to remain competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace.

When it comes to volume shipments, distribution can become complex. From managing multiple pickup and delivery points across less-than-truckload and truckload operations, finding ways to increase efficiency and reduce overall costs is an achievable goal. Utilizing cross-docking services is a prime example of how shippers can find ways to save time, money and paperwork.

Many shippers have modified their operations to adapt in a COVID-19 world. In some cases, that’s meant responding to supply challenges. In others, it’s meant changing their manufacturing process to produce badly needed safety equipment.

This will certainly go down in history as one of the most challenging years shippers have ever faced.  However, it is the events that may unfold in the months ahead that will be written about in articles and industry textbooks for years and even decades to come.

E-commerce represents one of the single greatest factors impacting the future of LTL freight. In just two years — from 2017 to 2019 — e-commerce grew from roughly 11 percent of retail sales in the U.S. to nearly 17 percent. And that number will only continue to rise.

As demand has risen in both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce supply chains, shippers have been faced with a challenge. Smaller and more frequent orders mean shorter lead times and less product to fill a truck. That forces consumer packaged goods (CPG) shippers to use less-than-truckload services more often.