Tag: USA

Direct Marketing Association (DMA) Unveils Free Online Service

Posted by | Jan 8, 2008 | |

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) today announced plans to enhance DMAChoice, with the latest evolution of DMA’s Mail Preference Service (MPS), and remove the USD 1 verification fee online, to help consumers decide what catalogs they receive in their mailbox. The USD 1 charge had been an integral part of the MPS validation process.

For the first time, DMA will allow consumers to opt out of mailing
lists by individual brands for free online through DMAChoice, accessible to
consumers at http://www.dmachoice.org. In addition, consumers will be able to
select the catalogs they do wish to receive. DMAChoice has been enhanced to
provide consumers greater choice and will assure the catalog community with
the most reliability, security, authenticity, and control.

The service will allow consumers to choose individual brands and
catalogs they no longer want to receive through the website, an extension
of the service already available to consumers via mail.

DMAChoice is part of DMA’s broader initiative to meet consumer concerns over volume and choice in the receipt of mail. DMA recently announced its new Commitment to Consumer Choice (http://www.dmaccc.org/Home.aspx), a set of guidelines that apply to all DMA members using mail to communicate with consumers. The DMA Board also adopted the Green 15 (http://www.the-dma.org/Green15Toolkit/), a resolution calling all members to implement 15 business practices to deliver environmental benefits.

Read More

Polar Air Cargo hires Thomas Betenia as Vice-President Sales and Marketing, Americas

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. announced that Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc. (Polar) has hired Thomas Betenia as Vice President Sales and Marketing, Americas, effective January 7, 2008. Mr. Betenia, who will be based in Purchase, NY, comes to Polar from Lufthansa Cargo AG, most recently as Director of Sales and Handling for the U.S. Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

At Polar, Mr. Betenia will oversee all sales and marketing activities in the Americas. This will include building on Polar’s existing business with its scheduled-service customers while leveraging the Company’s added express capabilities on behalf of current and prospective customers. As part of its commercial agreement with DHL Express, Polar will begin offering express service for DHL in October, 2008, requiring close network and geographic integration.

Mr. Betenia, 47, joined Lufthansa Cargo AG in 1980. During his first 15 years there, he held positions of increasing responsibility in areas as diverse as accounting, flight operations, network planning, and sales and marketing.

Randy Clark, Chief Operating Officer, Polar Air Cargo Worldwide, Inc., said, “Our operations in the Americas get a huge lift from the addition of Tom to Polar. We have planned for scheduling and staffing to accommodate the high-quality, high-reliability service required in the express business. At the same time, we will continue to serve our freight-forwarder customers with convenient schedules on existing routes. Tom’s experience will benefit both our express and scheduled service operations.”

Read More

UPS launches new global air freight portfolio

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

UPS launched a simplified global portfolio for shipping air freight, including a substantially expanded express freight option with guaranteed door-to-door service.

The new air freight portfolio features a greatly expanded international express service called UPS ExpressSM Freight. It more than triples the number of express lanes currently served and provides guaranteed time-definite, overnight-to-three day door-to-door delivery including routine customs clearance to major global metropolitan areas.

For less time-sensitive global movements, UPS offers two non-guaranteed alternatives: UPS Air Freight DirectSM is a one-to-three day airport-to-airport service, and UPS Air Freight ConsolidatedSM is a three-to-five day airport-to-airport service. Both services are available worldwide and offer pickup, delivery and customs clearance as optional features. Freight shipments may move on either UPS or third-party aircraft, providing the ultimate in flexibility.

By combining the capabilities of the world’s 9th largest airline with UPS’s position as a global freight forwarder with access to other airlines, UPS becomes the only transportation and supply chain provider offering guaranteed integrated air freight services in a single portfolio. And from an operational standpoint, UPS is introducing automatic online day-specific scheduling for customers whose freight shipments are moving on third-party aircraft. This level of predictability has been an important missing link in the air freight forwarding market.

Moreover, the new freight portfolio represents another step in UPS’s drive to offer customers a complete range of U.S. domestic and international package and freight shipping options along with supply chain and logistics services, all available worldwide from one trusted source.

Read More

GSI acquires Zendor.com

Posted by | Jan 7, 2008 | |

US e-commerce provider GSI buys UK fulfilment and e-commerce vendor Zendor.com at knock-down price.

US E-commerce provider GSI Commerce has finalised its acquisition of Manchester-based provider of fulfilment, customer care and e-commerce solutions Zendor.com and now glories in the ridiculously long URL www.zendorgsicommerce.com.

With the acquisition, GSI grows its global e-commerce partner base to approximately 85. GSI will acquire Zendor.com for approximately USD 7.9 million in cash, about GBP 4 million in real money and a bargain considering the size of Zendor and the nature of its clients and it’s 2007 turnover of GBP 3.8 million.

Zendor.com was formed in 1999 as a subsidiary of parent company N Brown Group, a business with over 140 years experience in catalogue and shopping. Zendor’s client list before the sale included Woolworths, River Island and Early Learning Centre and the just announced deal with Peacocks.

Zendor operates two fulfilment centres with approximately 245,000 square feet of space and a brand new 50-seat customer care centre that opened in September of 2007 and it claimed at launch time that there was “capacity to reach 150-seats for Christmas peak trading should client growth and new business development meet company expectations.” In addition the company employs approximately 100 employees.

Read More

FedEx to meet with IRS

Posted by | Jan 5, 2008 | |

FedEx will meet with the Internal Revenue Service audit team in the spring to discuss a tax assessment regarding the classification of owner-operators at FedEx Ground.

On Dec. 20, the IRS tentatively concluded that FedEx Ground’s pick-up-and-delivery owner-operators should be reclassified as employees for federal employment tax purposes. The IRS indicated that it anticipates assessing tax and penalties of USD 319 million plus interest for 2002. Similar issues are under audit by the IRS for calendar years 2004 through 2006.

FedEx said Dec. 21 that it would vigorously defend its position that the drivers are independent contractors. On Jan. 3, the carrier said it is preparing an initial response for a meeting with the audit team. The company said it expects final resolution to take a long time.

Read More

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

P&P Poll

Loading

Have you noticed a decrease of non-EU inbound parcel volumes since the implementation of the new €3 charge?

Thank you for voting
You have already voted on this poll!
Please select an option!


View ResultsHide Results

Post & 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.

Subscribe to the Magazine

 

Pin It on Pinterest