U.S. Retailers Continue with Canadian Invasion
When upscale department store chain Nordstrom Inc. announced in September that it would open four locations in Canada beginning in the fall of 2014, it joined a growing list of U.S. retail chains that...
View ArticleShould-Cost Modeling Helps Control Costs
Let’s say you’re the purchasing manager for your company, and you buy a fair amount of customized products. Word has come down that costs need to be reduced by 15-20 percent. Oh, and of course you...
View ArticleHalloween! The Kick-Off to Holiday Shopping
Retailers that tailor their holiday logistics plan based upon the traditional “Black Friday” start to the shopping season may be in for a surprise this year, as industry experts predict that bargain...
View ArticleGovernment Resources for US Businesses Looking to Export
Here’s a startling statistic: According to the International Trade Administration (ITA), of the more than 30 million small businesses in the United States, less than one percent export to another...
View ArticleDoing Business in Canada? Understand the Marketplace
When a U.S. retail giant opened its first Canadian stores in Fall 2012, questions were raised about the slow path the company took to its northern expansion. After all, dozens of U.S. businesses had...
View ArticleBorder Delays Cost US and Canadian Businesses
A study by the departments of economics at Ontario’s University of Waterloo and Wilfrid Laurier University found that border delays cost the U.S. and Canadian economies as much as C$30 billion each...
View ArticleRetailers Have Reason for Cautious Optimism
While many are still figuring out the winners and losers of the fiscal cliff resolution, retailers are hoping consumers will shrug off some of the concern that kept them from spending in the final...
View ArticleSupply Chain Visibility – Essential to Efficiency & Results
If your supply chain is a network of closely aligned moving parts, then doesn’t it make sense that if a breakdown occurs, it’d be easier to fix the problem if you could tap into each individual part to...
View ArticleACE: Easing Cross Border Clearance Process
As anyone who regularly brings commercial goods into the U.S. knows, U.S. Customs Border Protection (CBP) has been involved in a years-long undertaking to enhance border security by automating and...
View ArticleWhen it comes to Exporting – Logistics is Local
According to data from the U.S. Commerce Department, less than one percent of U.S. companies’ export – and of those that do, 58 percent export to only one country, typically to Mexico or Canada. U.S....
View ArticleCanada Continues to Draw U.S. Retailers
U.S. businesses continue to enter the Canadian market at a brisk pace, with apparel retailers Express Inc., Ann Taylor, and Tory Burch opening stores in recent months. These fashion retailers join a...
View ArticleBorder Compliance Provides a Competitive Edge
Growing frustrating about the increasingly complex U.S./Canada border clearance process has been well documented. But some affected businesses seem to be turning the lemons of border compliance into...
View ArticleReturn on Investment Doesn’t Always Mean Lowest Cost
It used to be when a business looked for return on investment (ROI) from its logistics provider, the provider would be expected to find the lowest cost carrier. End of story. Now however, it’s not...
View ArticleU.S. – Canada Price Discrepancies Focus of Senate Inquiry
Speculating about why consumer goods cost more when purchased in Canada has become something of a national pastime for some Canadians. For the past several years, Canadian media outlets and blog posts...
View ArticleHelp Wanted: Supply Chain Candidates with Communication and Technology Skills
Considering a career in supply chain or logistics management? If so, then it might be helpful to know what types of experience and education are most helpful in landing the job. A recent study...
View ArticleCloud Technology Leaves Americans Fuzzy
A study by Gartner technology consultants found usage of cloud-based solutions within the supply chain management sector increased by 40 percent during 2012. Further, the study projects cloud usage...
View ArticleTrade Programs Expedite the US-Canada Border Process
A study of U.S./Canada border crossing delays found the average wait was 29 minutes. But for participants in the U.S./Canada “Free and Secure Trade Program” (FAST), the wait time was only eight...
View ArticleConsumers Show Little Patience for Late Deliveries
“Hell hath no fury like a consumer with a late delivery,” could be the new mantra for today’s businesses. After all, expectations for fast, on-time and free shipping have never been greater, with more...
View ArticleLack of Carriers keeping US Businesses out of Export Market
A not so well kept secret – less than one percent of U.S. businesses engage in some type of export activity. This is despite the fact more than 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the...
View ArticleCanadian Sites Vie for Share of Ecommerce Market
Despite signs that Canadian consumers may be losing patience with Canadian retailers’ slow progress at introducing online shopping venues, more than a few local firms are rising to the challenge, and...
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