A future is coming where environmental stewardship is not just a choice but an absolute necessity.

While recent actions won’t end the issue of forced labor entirely, this may well be a meaningful milestone in the long-running effort.

The solution is not eliminating free returns, but fixing convoluted supply chains and collaborating with shippers to make reverse logistics more affordable.

2023’s peak season will have seen supply chain professionals both relying on tried-and-true peak season strategies and testing next-gen solutions.

While retailers and shippers may balk at the prospect of altering the functional status quo, making concrete changes to protect workers will pay dividends in the long run.

It’s important to stay vigilant during the busy season to ensure operations continue running smoothly and employees stay safe on and around material handling equipment. 

As retailers navigate headwinds this holiday season and forecast for the coming year, three key trends will define retail planning in 2024.

For the past few years, the topic of the microchip shortage dominated media headlines. Now, another shortage is creating obstacles on the path to equilibrium in the semiconductor supply chain: talent.

Although the global business community has been confronting modern slavery for years, it hasn’t been able to slow its rise. But there is an opportunity for that to change.

For most brands, 2023 hasn’t been a stellar year, and instead has been more one of consolidation and treading water. That’s not likely to change soon.