UPS Shipping Delays Show Perils of Stores Overpromising

[cheryl]

UPS Shipping Delays Show Perils of Stores Overpromising - Bloomberg

The failure of United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS) and FedEx Corp. (FDX) to deliver packages in time for Christmas has exposed the perils of retailers promising to get last-minute gifts to customers.

Merchants battling for market share during a ho-hum holiday season have been trying to outdo one another with deep discounts and promises that shoppers can wait as long as they want to order gifts online. While analysts say the shipping snafu is unlikely to make Americans abandon online shopping, they say parcel-delivery companies will have to boost capacity and retailers may need to seek alternatives to prevent a recurrence.

 

[Brown Dog]

Changes are definitely in order as online purchases are only going to grow exponentially. It's too easy, convenient, and time saving! And that's good for all of us in the shipping business. I'm hoping this snafu leads to less corner cutting during our most important time of the year, more emphasis on being adequately staffed and less drivers out past 5pm (in sometimes horrid conditions) on Christmas Eve. It won't make a difference to me, that was my last Christmas in Brown.