As the shift to e-commerce shopping grows, consumers are more confident in what they purchase online. It’s become normal to buy large items like mattresses, treadmills, electronics or other home furnishings via the Internet. This way, shoppers can have their order delivered directly to their home instead of handling heavy items themselves.
Thirty-eight years of service, 442 employees, 197 dock doors and a 24/7 operations schedule describes our well-established ABF Freight® distribution center (DC) in Little Rock, Arkansas. With an average of 10,000 inbound and outbound shipments per week, this location plays a critical role in order fulfillment and supply chain management for ArcBest®.
In 2016, the United States-Canada trade market exceeded $600 billion, making Canada the United States’ second-largest trade partner after China. Though trade between these two North American giants is common, for those new to international shipping, the process can seem overwhelming. With regulations to follow and documentation to complete, shippers have a lot to consider. That’s why using a company like ArcBest®, with cross-border shipping certification and relationships with trusted customs brokers, is crucial.
The movement of freight seems simple to a consumer — they order something, and a short time later it arrives. But, those who work in the shipping industry know the process is a little more complex. How one shipment is packaged may not be safe for another, and the type of equipment required for one may differ from another (e.g. an oversized shipment needs a flatbed while pharmaceuticals may need temperature controlled). Understanding basic shipping information can help simplify this multifaceted process.
While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been working to implement electronic logging devices (ELDs) across the commercial transportation industry since 2015, the mandate will be strictly enforced beginning April 1, 2018. As carriers prepare for this deadline, here’s what you need to know about the ELD rule and how you can help avoid shipment delays:
We’ve all done it — researched a product we wanted to buy, read some reviews, selected an item, put it in our cart, and provided our payment information. We may have even paid extra for faster shipping. When we finished, we closed the tab (or the app) and waited for the product to arrive. It’s a simple process that most of us do regularly, but any e-commerce retailer knows that getting a customer to click the “buy” button is only half the work. Now it’s time to fulfill the order and get the product where it needs to be.
Online shopping makes it easy to get everyday items delivered to a home or business, but it can be even more useful for large purchases. When consumers buy items like furniture and equipment in-store, tasks such as finding a big enough vehicle and providing safe transportation become their responsibility — things not everyone wants to handle, especially in large cities where traffic can be difficult to maneuver.
Looking to be a trade show exhibitor this summer? Because you want to avoid attending a show that provides little value in the way of new business contacts or sales opportunities, it’s important to find one that meets your company’s business goals. Start planning your schedule by reviewing this curated list of upcoming shows in May and June. If you need to ship your booth, contact ArcBest® for help managing the trade show services you need.
For at least the last 20 years, industry experts and trade magazines have talked about a looming driver shortage and trucking capacity crunch, and I believe it’s finally come to fruition.
Consumer buying behavior has changed. As the convenience of ordering products online continues to increase, expectations for faster deliveries increase, too. Customers are no longer willing to wait weeks to receive deliveries or pay high shipping fees. Instead, the growth of e-commerce has led to customers asking for same-day and next-day delivery at the lowest possible rate. So, how can shippers keep up with this frenzy of ordering and ever-increasing demand, all while keeping customers happy? By consolidating shipments.