This edition of Business News You Can Use highlights four articles that give insight into key factors influencing business.
1. A LOOK INTO THIS YEAR’S HOLIDAY CAMPAIGNS
Key Point: The holiday shopping season is underway, and Marketing Brew says, “Brands seem focused on addressing inflation and togetherness this year.” To back up that claim, Marketing Brew offers three points of brand agreement:
- Black Friday and beyond always signal a chance for shoppers to grab good deals on the items they want — but this year lower prices seem to be the focus.
- COVID drove us apart, and we’re past ready to reunite. “Togetherness” is a primary theme this shopping season.
- Brands are building more diversity into their media spend. Target, for instance, says the company will increase Black and Latino owned media spend by 30 percent this year.
Marketing Brew’s article isn’t lengthy, but it certainly provides insight to how end-of-year marketing strategies are engaging with customers.
2. BETTER UNDERSTANDING SHIPPING RATES, DEMAND
Key Point: While FreightWaves uses shipping costs of natural gas to tell the story, it provides a deeper understanding of “demand in all shipping segments, from tankers to bulkers to container ships.”
Answers to these questions and other points are delivered:
- What are ton-miles, and why do they matter?
- How can shipping rates increase when ton-miles decrease?
- How does the “impact of time” affect shipping rates?
If you want to increase your knowledge of shipping rates in general, don’t miss this FreightWaves article.
3. HOW RETAILERS ARE DEALING WITH SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES FOR THE 2022 HOLIDAY SEASON
Key Point: Consumers may feel the supply chain crisis is over, but SupplyChainBrain reports retailers “expect supply chain disruptions to continue during the 2022 holiday season,” and that 88 percent say the troubles are going to get even worse.
How will the 2022 holiday shopping season be affected?
Despite precautions, retailers are aiming to keep customers shopping in their stores — 66% said they have over-ordered or plan to over-order products; 55% said they have rush-ordered or plan to rush-order products; and 33% have invested or plan to invest in additional inventory management tools.
There’s also plenty more to consider here. Statistics in the SupplyChainBrain article are taken from an October 2022 survey by Coupa Software.
4. CONSIDERING LOCATIONS, IMPLICATIONS OF FUTURE WAREHOUSE HOTSPOTS
Key Point: COVID-induced supply chain issues have prompted companies to rethink their warehousing strategies and expanded distribution capabilities. Retail Brew says labor supply, proximity to customers, and cost are the primary concerns.
Long Beach and Newark rank as the top U.S. warehousing hubs, and that’s not likely to soon change, but new warehouse locations are being considered.
Where would new warehouses be constructed? Phoenix, Las Vegas, Savannah, and Dallas are top choices for warehouse hubs. But what about handling the cost of transportation from port to hub?
That’s an excellent question and one this article probes.
BONUS CONTENT
“7 Ways to Spot an Emotionally Intelligent Leader” (Fast Company)
“Macy’s Establishes Mini Distribution Centers at 35 Stores” (Supply Chain Dive)
“Amazon Introduces ‘Sparrow’ Robotic Arm That Can Do Repetitive Warehouse Tasks” (CNBC)