Home shopping giants take on niche little earners
Home shopping giants take on niche little earners
Read MoreTag: Amazon
Pitney Bowes – Chairman & CEO Interview
BECKY QUICK, CNBC ANCHOR: Next year is looking a whole lot greener for the U.S. Postal Service. An overhaul bill passed through the Senate over this last weekend. And that is set to relieve the Postal Service of billions of dollars in retirement expenses and keep the cost of postage down. Of course, the president still needs to give his stamp of approval on this whole thing. So let`s get into what is at stake for business with Michael Critelli. He is the chairman and CEO of Pitney Bowes.Michael, thanks for being with us today.
MICHAEL CRITELLI, CHMN. CEO, PITNEY BOWES: You are very welcome, Becky.
QUICK: You know, we have heard a lot about this bill that is out there. What is it actually? What would it do? And what does it mean for business?
CRITELLI: Well, you know, we are in a USD900 billion industry that employs 10 million Americans. It stabilizes the Postal Service financially by fixing and funding its retirement obligations. It sets an annual cap on price increases of the CPI, the consumer price index. And it gives the Postal Service the same ability that we are used to with utilities, airlines and other people, promotional rates, off-peak rates, discounts for other benefits to promote the use of mail, all of that that is now possible, that just wasn`t possible under the old law. And that will start to go into effect in 2008.
Read MoreAmazon joins online market for groceries
Amazon.com customers now can shop for groceries alongside lipstick, treadmills, textbooks, DVDs and auto parts.
The online retailer announced on Monday its entry into what industry analysts project will be a 4.2 billion USD market this year.
Amazon Grocery is selling more than 14,000 non-perishable grocery items and household supplies, mostly in bulk.
Read MoreOn line retail sales to reach USD 329 billion by 2010: Forrester
On line retail sales to reach USD 329 billion by 2010: Forrester
Read MoreFulfilment: Cross border fulfilment
Once you have your online orders the logistics of getting the product packaged, through customs and shipped must be planned well.
The ubiquity of the web means items can be ordered from anywhere in the world, by just a click of a mouse. And this is something a growing number of consumers are embracing. According to James Roper, chief executive of global e-tailing industry body IMRG, an estimated £100 billion will be spent online this year across the globe.
But going global isn’t just about installing a website and waiting for orders to flood in. The entire process – including packaging, customs clearance and charges – must be carefully planned and managed from beginning to end.
Read MorePost & Parcel Magazine
Post & Parcel Magazine is our print publication, released 3 times a year. Packed with original content and thought-provoking features, Post & Parcel Magazine is a must-read for those who want the inside track on the industry.