Scott McCarthy

Brand founders - don’t let your 3PL tell you this half-truth. The ‘99%’ half-truth. Most brand founders are misled by logistics companies. The logistics companies will tell you something like: ”We ship 99% of our packages on time”. Yeah sure. - What happens to them when they leave your warehouse? - Do all of the 99% of orders make it to the customer on time? - Do all 99% of the orders you ship on time get shipped in good condition? - Do all 99% of orders that leave your warehouse on time go to the right destination? The problem is that brand founders are spread thin. So when the founders outsource logistics, they expect it to ‘just work’. There’s no time to keep close tabs. And the logistics industry knows that. So there’s no incentive to fix BIG problems. Instead, providers pass the blame around when things go wrong and sell their services on shaky foundations. Which is why the logistics industry is so broken. But there’s already a solution out there. I saw the solution first-hand when I ran Amazon Flex in the UK. Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) has solved the problem by connecting the dots. Rather than being exclusively a warehouse, exclusively a delivery company, or exclusively a sorting facility, they have taken ownership of the whole system, from order receipt to product delivery. I wanted to build a logistics company like that. So that eCom/DTC businesses who don’t want to use Amazon can still have that world-class approach. That’s why I built Bezos.ai. I’m now obsessed about the whole order journey, not just what leaves the warehouse. Quick question to DTC/eCom people: were you aware of this issue?

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Excited to talk about how AI is transforming grocery #supplychain at Grocery Doppio’s upcoming virtual event joining a panel alongside Alonso Vargas from Radius Networks | Flybuy, Tim Denman from Grocery Doppio, and Matt Van Gilder from SpartanNash to share insights on how grocers are leveraging #automation and AI to fulfill shopper demands more efficiently and outpace the competition Register using the link in the comments below Incisiv

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In addition to BOLS/PODS, our QuikCapture functionality will allow for collection and verification of important documents like the California Clean Truck Check Certs! INFO@QUIKSKOPE.COM if you have interest!

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What should you think about before you invest in trucking software? Ryan Schreiber, Chief Growth Officer at Metafora, discusses the importance of identifying the specific pains your trucking business is experiencing before seeking out the tools to fix them. Watch the full podcast episode here or listen on your favorite platform! https://lnkd.in/g4vwN-Kg #FreightFamous #TruckingIndustry #Technology

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Now launching Manifold Freight's newest feature - Click To Bid. Stop navigating multiple open tabs tracking shipper TMS systems or broker boards. Save time. Earn more money. Grow profit. sales@manifoldfreight.com #freight #truckload #trucking

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UniUni has closed a $50M Series C. <6 months after a $20M round. Total funding = $110M to date. In a down parcel market? Well, the domestic parcel market at least. China to US volume is booming. And UniUni is riding the wave for US expansion. Its early growth was spurred by Shein volume in Canada. Take a look at the coverage map. UniUni didn’t expand into the US until 2022. But has expanded quickly. Interested to see if UniUni can build on China volume. To establish a solid US presence. In a very, very crowded market. #ecommerce #retailing #logistics #fundraising #startups

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🎙️ Do you understand the freight recession and truckload market dynamics❓ In a recent Logistics Management podcast, Mike Regan from TranzAct Technologies dove into the current state of the freight recession and its impact on the truckload market. Your business could gain valuable insights into the driving forces behind these changes and what it means for the logistics industry. 🎧 The podcast discusses: - Analyzing the economic factors contributing to the freight recession. - Understanding how truckload carriers and shippers are adapting. - Preparing for what lies ahead in the logistics sector. How is your company navigating the current freight recession? Share your strategies and thoughts in the comments below! #Logistics #FreightRecession #TruckloadMarket #SupplyChain #TranzActTechnologies #IndustryInsights #LogisticsManagement

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As logistics diversifies carriers, putting great effort into which carriers are used (A.K.A. Carrier Rationalization), one of the areas that can be missed is that for every carrier added, the team is now adding an additional method for recovering costs on damaged and stolen shipments. Using third-party insurance can return the simplicity of those claims back to a single process. Not only would that reduce complexity, but it can increase the predictability of cost recovery.

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DOT Blitz is in full swing. For smart freight carriers, every week is DOT Blitz week. Smart carriers can choose to keep operating during the DOT Blitz week, sit out of the market, or choose to reduce operations and time their much-needed vacations while avoiding the inspection hassle. What they don't (and can't afford to) do is ignore their safety & compliance. Safety and inspection violations can be discovered at weigh stations, during minor/major accidents, traffic stops and at random roadside inspections. DOT violations can lead to serious penalties, including hefty fines and even the revocation of operating authority. Low safety ratings can also lead to loss of business. After all, what broker and shipper would think their freight is "safer" with a carrier who could not make their own fleet and drivers "safer" for and in the road? If you are a motor carrier looking for a comprehensive safety & compliance software, check out Miler at https://miler.com. Ask us about how Miler Software promotes a company-wide visibility and engagement for a better safety & compliance KPI, not just for safety managers but also for drivers.

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‘Delivery carrier SpeedX pursues growth with zone-skipping service’ Another alternative carrier is expanding its coverage. Seemingly defying soft market conditions. SpeedX launched a 2-3 day zone skipping service. A few highlights/callouts from Supply Chain Dive’s article. ➡️ SpeedX package volume = 30M [since 2022 launch] Most early volume was cross-border. [e.g. China inbound … sound familiar?] SpeedX expects 3x-4x growth over 2-3 years. Focused on domestic shippers/volume. ➡️ Service reaches 20 states and ~10K zip codes Expansion is planned in 2024. According to SpeedX, its coverage will overtake OnTrac this year. That’s aggressive expansion. As OnTrac is at 70%+ population coverage. ➡️ SpeedX partners with USPS for part of final mile delivery Most volume is in/near dense metro areas. [delivered by its own drivers+partners] But additional volume is delivered by the USPS. And inducted at the SCF, not the DDU. In the article, this was positioned as an advantage. [referencing pending USPS Parcel Select changes] Time will tell if that’s true. USPS performance from the SCF hasn't been as consistent as from the DDU. And I don’t expect DDU injection to disappear overnight. Changes will take time and will vary by provider. [based on negotiations with the USPS] ----- Alternative carriers aren’t exiting the market. [as many thought they would] But instead are expanding coverage. This time, it’s SpeedX. With plans to rival OnTrac’s coverage in 2024. #logistics #retailing #ecommerce

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It’s remarkable how much of enterprise sales is really just helping your client get a promotion, Oftentimes, we deal with startup founders looking for 3PL services, But 60% of our clients are big-time supply chain executives looking to save their company $$$$, So many deals came from an email or LinkedIn message asking us if we could find them a 3PL with better shipping rates, better storage rates, and better pick-and-pack rates, These executives don't have the time and often the resources to find better 3PLs for their company, so they come to us, And in the span of two weeks, they are switching to a 3PL in our network and saving close to 30% on their logistics costs, Imagine your company went from spending $1.5m on logistics to now spending $1.05m - that's $450,000 you just saved your company, Who's the hero?

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Why Are Brands Still Doing In-House Fulfillment When the Giants Are Using 3PLs? Shopify acquired Deliverr Inc., then sold its entire logistics arm to Flexport, a 3PL provider. They couldn't balance building a platform and managing logistics. SHEIN, which now offers 'Supply Chain As A Service,' didn't build out its own network of 3PLs; it just partnered with Flexport. Even TikTok doesn't actually fulfill orders for its shop. Instead, it partnered with ShipBob and Huboo (Avoiding Shopify's mistake). Scaling fulfillment is no joke, and 3PLs are experts. So, why are some brands still clinging to in-house fulfillment? Managing inventory, warehousing, and shipping is a complex beast. A good 3PL can handle everything, freeing you up to focus on what you do best: building your brand and selling amazing products. Is in-house fulfillment ever a good idea? Sure, for very specific situations. But for most growing brands, a 3PL partnership is the smarter move.

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Have we hit bottom in freight rates? A key variable is whether trucking capacity exits. Tom Nightingale said it best: “We are seeing the most prolonged bouncing along the bottom that I’ve seen in my 30-plus years in the industry." The consensus among senior executives, in The Wall Street Journal and in my own discussions, is the next 6 months will show a recovery. What do you think? #logistics #freightrecession https://lnkd.in/eKbXDfHS

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Longbow Advantage is going to Blue Yonder ICON 2024! We'd love to see you May 13–16 in Texas. Stop by and say hi. Learn a little more about how we help warehouses implement or optimize their WMS. Are you going to be there? Let me know in the comments. 👇 #supplychain #labormanagement #lms #wms

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The consolidation play by Private Equity has both pros and cons, and it cannot be denied that sometimes the consumer may suffer, but the quality of the provision may become higher. It's a trade-off that needs to be managed well in order for it not to become "vampire economics" #PrivateEquity #VentureCapital #ImpactInvesting #Economy #USEconomy #Investing https://lnkd.in/gtdk6d5v

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What’s your problem? In this episode of the Zipline Logistics TRUCK YEAH! podcast, Teddy and Jesse dive head first into the 8 most common logistics pain points that CPG shippers run into and how to solve them. The 8 most common problems: 1. Out-of-stocks 2. Creating a solid supply chain strategy 3.Understanding retail compliance 4. Logistics team spread too thin 5. Products damaged in transit 6. Little visibility and data 7. Cargo theft 8. Subpar service from current logistics providers Tune in to hear their solutions: https://bit.ly/3UOvcVq #logisticsproblems #supplychainproblems #logisticssolutions

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Michael Sternberg and I are thrilled to be back tomorrow on a new episode of 3PL Live Sessions, where we will discuss the importance of playing the long game.   Here at 3PL Systems, Inc, we are not focused on the short term, we're focused on the long term. It's easy for a business to chase the new shiny object, but what are you doing to plan for longevity within your organization?   Join us at 9:00 am PT tomorrow!   The link to attend is in the comments below. #3plsystems #brokerware #3pllivesessions

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