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Process Agents and Why it Pays for Exporters to Stick to Processes

agent
Archives, Global Trade Daily, Imports/Exports

Process Agents and Why it Pays for Exporters to Stick to Processes

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Picture the scene. Everyone’s happy with the commercials. Several drafts of the contract have been reviewed. The goods are already being prepared to meet the client’s near-impossible deadlines. At the last minute, the client’s general counsel refuses to sign the contract because there’s no process agent. You scratch your head and google: “what’s a process agent?”. Don’t worry, you’re not alone.

In some transactions, the term can come up early on when signing a non-disclosure agreement. But for many exporters, the first time they hear the term is at the contract stage when dealing with a larger buyer. It is often the final hurdle before the contract can be signed. We look at what exporters need to know about process agents, also known as agents for service of process or resident agents. Even if you have heard of the term before, the team at Elemental CoSec shares a lesser-known provision that could save your firm thousands of dollars a year.

What is a process agent?

Let’s say a US firm, with no UK presence, is supplying goods to England. If the buying firm needed to make a legal claim in the future they would have to file papers in the US. Clearly, this is time-consuming and fraught with difficulties and would put many buyers off. Fortunately, there is a provision in the UK civil procedure rules that allows the US supplier to appoint a process agent upon whom court papers may be served (if the contract is under the laws of England and Wales). A clause would then be added to the contract stating who the process agent is and their address details. This doesn’t just apply to the UK and many international countries will rely on the English Court system.

How to appoint a process agent

Appointing a process agent is a lot like trying to choose an insurance provider. There are seemingly loads of options online, they all seem to offer the same thing and you only really find out how good they are when things go wrong. Here are a few things to consider when appointing a process agent and how to read the small print.

Responsive – It will be the role of the process agent to receive communication on your behalf and to forward this to you as soon as possible. Check to see how responsive they are to your initial inquiry. If it takes too long, it’s not a great sign.

Reliability – The process agent service needs to be in place for the duration of the contract. Look to see how long they have been trading for. Though it is possible to add a contract clause in the event they stop trading this would put the onus on you to check their status and appoint a new one if anything were to happen.

Requirements – find out exactly what information your contracting party requires from the process agent to satisfy their requirements. In some circumstances, they may even have a specific format for the appointment letter.

Changes – ensure you keep the details of the process agent to hand, we recommend appending these to the contract and notifying the personnel responsible for corporate secretarial duties internally. If your company address changes, you should notify the process agent.

Fees – Finally, as an infrequent and sometimes last-minute purchase, this is often where buyers can get caught out. Check to see if process agents charge extra for multiple appointments. It is also worth checking what happens upon renewal, including if there is a renewal discount.

Global appointments

If you have appointed a process agent in the past or for firms that enter multiple agreements, you could be missing out on a way to save thousands of dollars a year by using a global appointment. A global appointment is one process agent service to cover all your English law contracts, anywhere in the world. To find out more about global appointments or other frequently asked process agent questions visit Elemental CoSec’s UK process agent page.

CCM CGM
Archives, Dispatches, Global Trade Daily

CMA CGM TO DEDICATE SIX NEW LNG-POWERED VESSELS TO SERVICE U.S. CUSTOMERS

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In our most recent edition of Dispatches, CMA CGM Group takes efforts in improving sustainable operations by designating a part of its shipping fleet to the U.S. market for use around the end of the year 2022.

Rodolphe Saadé, chairman and CEO of CMA CGM Group, announced in late February that he would dedicate six liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered containerships to the U.S. market as part of the global logistics company’s ongoing efforts to improve air quality and drive forward the energy transition of the shipping industry. Saadé made the announcement at the opening session of TPM,  which is the premier conference for the trans-Pacific and global container shipping and logistics community.

The first of these new vessels is scheduled to be delivered this October, and all ships will be fully operational by the end of 2022, according to CMA CGM. The six 15,000-TEU vessels will be deployed on CMA CGM’s Pearl River Express (PRX) line, which sails from China to the Port of Los Angeles. 

CMA CGM Group currently operates 12  of the LNG-powered containerships, a fleet that will grow to 32 containerships of various sizes by the year 2022, according to the logistics giant, which has an ambitious 2050 objective of carbon neutrality.

ports
Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

South Carolina Ports Shares Optimistic Outlook for 2021

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Pandemic or no pandemic, South Carolina Ports Authority (SCPA) continues to keep things moving throughout the supply chain. In February, the Inland Port Greer finished the month off with record numbers while Inland Port Dillon reported a 7.4 percent year-over-year increase in rail moves. These and other robust metrics released this week further confirm SCPA’s resilience and efficiencies in operations.

“As retail imports continue to boom during the pandemic, the ability to quickly move goods from ships to the hinterland via rail is paramount,” SC Ports CEO Jim Newsome said. “Cargo owners benefit from SC Ports’ fast-import transit to population centers — with intermodal imports arriving at the railheads within 24 hours — and overnight rail service to Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon.”

An increase in the automotive sector has also contributed to the Port’s success for FY2021. In February, the Columbus Street Terminal completed the handling of 17,555 vehicles, contributing to the year-to-date total of 165,528 vehicles. This number represents an increase of 11 percent compared to the same period last year. So far, SCPA reported an impressive 1.61 million TEUs handled in fiscal year 2021, of which more than 180,00 handled at the Port of Charleston’s Wando Welch and North Charleston container terminals in February alone.

“By investing more than $2 billion in terminal infrastructure, we are able to deliver unmatched vessel and cargo fluidity to our customers,” Newsome said. “We remain focused on providing congestion-free terminals and available berths to keep the supply chain fluid.”

agility
Archives, Global Trade Daily, News

Dubai Customs Confirmed for BAI’s Agile Organization Certification

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Competing against four private sector companies from around the world, government organization Dubai Customs achieved the highest agility rating by the American Business Agility Institute in addition to earning the organization’s coveted Agile Organization Certification. This represents a significant milestone for Dubai Customs as they are the first and only government organization to receive the certification.

“Dubai Customs has made great progress in building competencies to achieve the highest level of corporate agility,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman & CEO and Chairman of Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation. “Quick adapting to change and going the extra mile to build products and services that continuously exceed the expectations of their customers is what sets Dubai Customs apart. Businesses develop strategies to manage the future and predicating it, but this works well only in an unpredictable market. We no longer live in such a world. We have to be more agile to adapt to the change.”

BAI reported that Dubai Customs remained in the top 10 percent among the thousands of companies and organizations considered. Senior management in conjunction with corporate agility teams were cited as a significant driver behind Dubai Customs’ success and achieving this recognition.

As part of the process for evaluation, factors including agile mindset and culture, authorization and ownership, diversity, equality and integration, psychological wellbeing, individual development, vision and mission, client-focused services, agile operations, external stakeholders, transparency, and quality are all assessed for final determination.

“We continuously develop our levels of agility within our vision of developing the customs field to achieve the best results in facilitating global trade and protecting the society,” said Ahmed Mahboob Musabih, Director General of Dubai Customs.

“The standards of the Dubai Government Excellence Program and the corporate agility model serve as the roadmap that we follow to achieve corporate agility. This renowned certification is reflective of our persistence and hard work. There are corporate agility teams in the department that manage risks and stimulate innovation. This is the prerequisite for going into comprehensive development in the next 50 years. We have learned a lot from the current covid-19 crisis, this included our quick response to the emergencies and turning challenges into opportunities. We have dealt with it with professionalism and agility and managed to facilitate global trade and provide quality services during what has been a testing time for all.”

edible packaging
Air Cargo, Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

The Importance of Packaging Optimization in Supply Chain

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Packing is usually considered as one of the most boring, least impactful aspects of a supply chain. With logistics, transport methods, and keeping track of your freight shipments, why should you bother with packaging optimization in supply chain? Well, as it turns out, it can have some surprising benefits, especially when appropriately tackled. So, with that in mind, let’s take a more in-depth look into the importance of packing in supply chain management.

Packaging optimization in supply chain management- why it matters

Before we go over the importance of packaging optimization, we need to outline what packaging entails clearly. If you are new to supply chain management, you might think it is merely putting items into boxes. But, in actuality, there is much more to packaging once you get into it. There are various materials to consider, be it their cost or sturdiness, not to mention packaging design for branding and eco-friendliness of your packaging procedures. Therefore, even in a couple of sentences, we can give you an idea that packing is a significant issue and how useful it can be to optimize it with due care.

Safety measures

Safety should always be your primary concern. Whether you are dealing with something private or business-oriented, safety is paramount. With this in mind, you’d be hard-pressed not to consider packaging optimization. By handling your packing procedure, and everything that goes with it, you can ensure that your supply chain is safe. People often forget that proper packing requires in-depth knowledge of the whole chain. It is precisely because you know where the shipments are headed that you should do your part in preparing them.

It often happens that people pack and repack shipments during the supply chain. This is primarily because they are only worried about keeping the shipments safe during their segment. Tackling packing like this is not only cost-inefficient but also potentially dangerous. Since people mainly focus on short-term safety measures, they are unlikely always to follow the necessary packing procedure. By dealing with the whole aspect of packing in one go, you can use the right packing supplies and tape, label, and log items as necessary. While doing so might seem minute, it will play a prominent role in how safe your shipments are.

Cost optimization

As we have already mentioned cost optimization, let’s elaborate more on what role packaging optimization has in it. If you allow people who are not interested in cost optimization to pack your belongings, they will do a poor job. Sure, they will ensure the safety of your items. But, they hardly have the incentive to use packing supplies adequately. It results in half-packed boxes, poorly structured shipments, and considerable unused space. These are the main things that you need to avoid. Now, you might think that these things don’t add up as much. But, think again.

By handling all of these aspects with due care, you will optimize your packaging to the utmost cost efficiency. Keep in mind that even a slight increase in optimization can end up saving you a lot of money. All of the aspects that we have mentioned pile up, especially in large supply chains. So, the more of them you take care of, the better off you’ll be. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if you end up astonished at how much money you were wasting with improper packing.

Brand recognition

There is hardly a marketing strategist out there that won’t tell you about the importance of brand and brand placement. If you plan on running a decent marketing strategy, you need to develop a brand and use it in every facet of your business, from your online presence to your vehicles, worker uniforms, and even packaging. There is a reason why companies like Amazon invest in their packing supplies. Branding on them ensures that your customers see your logo, even before opening their products. Not to mention all the people that will be handling your boxes during the shipping procedure. So, all in all, know that investing in branded packing supplies is definitely worth the money spent, especially if you ensure that they are of top quality and that your packing is overall stellar.

Eco-friendliness

Having eco-friendly supply chains is becoming more and more necessary. The current situation requires us to do whatever necessary to protect our environment. Luckily, this is another aspect where packaging optimization has a role. True, it won’t have as big of an effect as utilizing carbon capture or using more eco-friendly fuels. But, the impact it does have is nothing to scoff at.

Using eco-friendly supplies will go a long way in protecting the environment and ensuring low waste. After all, the biggest problem with packing is that we use non-degradable materials like plastic and styrofoam and routinely throw vast amounts of it away. This has to change, and modern supply chains do whatever necessary to do so. Modern materials allow for the same safety while being biodegradable. At the same time, eco-conscious packing procedures ensure that we waste as little as possible.

Final thoughts

All things considered, you should have a decent idea of the importance of packaging optimization in supply chain. Without it, you not only risk losing money but also endangering your items and having a substantial carbon footprint. Know that even a small change in your packing procedures can have a long-lasting effect on your finances and the environment. So, invest your time into looking into it. Once you do some research, you will learn that we’ve come a long way from run-of-the-mill cardboard boxes. Modern packaging solutions give you a lot of freedom to explore how to make packaging as optimized as possible. So, do your best to make the most out of them.

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Amanda Anderson has been a relocation coordinator for various moving companies and marketing advisor for Capital City Bins. During her 15 years of service, she has learned a thing or two about shipping and how to prepare for it safely. Now she helps both professionals and amateurs handle shipping with due care.

dry bulk
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Ports

EXPECTATIONS ARE HIGH AS PORTS HANDLING DRY BULK SURVIVE AND EVEN GROW DESPITE PANDEMIC

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Charting trade waters brought to a turbulent boil by a raging global pandemic would be difficult to do in the best of times. But these aren’t the best of times.

COVID-19, an uncertain global economy, and challenges to commodity demands and supply chains have all contributed, at least in part, to variances in trade trends. 

Those trends have been very evident in the volatile dry bulk trade.

“The turbulence of the past year has in many ways clouded the underlying fundamentals in the dry bulk shipping market, but with 2020 now behind us, we are in a better position to establish an overview of expectations for 2021,” says Peter Sand, chief shipping analyst with the Baltic International Maritime Council (BIMCO), the world’s largest organization for shipowners, charterers, shipbrokers, and agents. 

“For dry bulk shipping, the year (2020) can be divided in two with lower volumes and earnings in the first half followed by a recovery in the second as China split from the rest of the world, boosting tonne [metric ton] and tonne-mile demand and sending freight rates to profitable levels,” Sand says. “June was the turning point as volumes reached their highest point of the year and earnings jumped, especially for capesize ships.”

The BIMCO analyst points to these statistics: In the first 20 days of 2021, there were 1,427 capesize trips, up 10.4 percent over the same period in 2020. That strong start was reflected in earnings that, after high volatility in 2019 and 2020, have averaged $22,015 per day since the start of the year, comfortably above the $15,300 per day needed for an average capesize ship to break even. Rates peaked at $26,489 per day on Jan. 13 and stood at $24,148 per day on Jan. 19.

A sampling of U.S. ports involved in the dry bulk trade brought varied reactions to evolving trends and changing markets.

“The dry bulk sector is an important backbone of Port Tampa Bay’s activities and a major factor contributing to its status as Florida’s largest cargo tonnage port, as well as being one of the most diversified ports in the country,” says Wade Elliott, the port’s vice president of Business Development.

Elliott pointed to 38 percent—or 12.4 million tons—of Port Tampa Bay’s total cargo volume in 2020 having consisted of dry bulk cargo. Among the major dry bulk commodities handled at the port are phosphate fertilizer products, limestone, cement, granite, gypsum, coal, grain, sulfur, fly ash, salt, slag, pumice and bauxite.

Despite the pandemic, Port Tampa Bay’s total dry bulk cargo volume increased by 3 percent last year, and,” the VP says, “we are expecting that trend to continue. The demand for building materials remains very strong driven by Florida’s continued strong population growth, which is fueling the real estate construction market. The outlook for Port Tampa Bay fertilizer exports is also positive as Florida phosphate products are shipped around the world helping farmers meet expanding demand.” 

As the port’s dry bulk sector grows, the port is working closely with its dry bulk tenants to support their expansion of terminal facilities to keep pace with the demand by adding additional berths and storage.

Port Milwaukee has also managed to stay the course in the dry-bulk trade by keeping up on new trends and market conditions, working closely and regularly with port tenants and key stakeholders and leveraging opportunities collaboratively, according to Maria Cartier, the Market Development manager at the Great Lakes port. 

An example of taking advantage of market conditions, Cartier says, “is our partnership with the DeLong Company in the planned development of a new $31-million agricultural marine export facility. This new facility addresses the increased global demand for dry distilled grain solubles, a by-product of ethanol used in animal feed.” 

The port also “participates in conferences, events and various forums that allow us to network with industry partners and helps keep us up-to-date on new market conditions and developments,” she added.

Port Milwaukee is optimistic that by staying in tune with trends and markets, it will promote cargo growth. 

“A strong demand for Wisconsin-based agriculture, investments in infrastructure and our role as a major supplier of road salt to the region will continue to support our position as a primary handler of dry bulk materials on the Great Lakes,” Cartier says.

Dry bulk commodities—salt, cement, bottom ash and grain—account for approximately 80 percent of Port Milwaukee’s overall commodity throughput, according to the marketing manager.

“COVID-19 has not affected our cargo throughput thanks to Port Milwaukee’s team of expert staff and long-term tenants,” Cartier says. “Through their collaborative efforts, we have maintained safe, efficient and healthful operations without commercial interruption.” 

Dry bulk cargoes comprise about 7 percent of the Port of Corpus Christi’s (PCC) overall volumes that include a variety of commodities such as barite, iron ore fines, DRI, pet coke, slag, sulfur, grain such as sorghum and wheat. 

Unlike some ports, PCC has not escaped the pandemic.

COVID-19 “has impacted our oil and gas cargoes such as barite and some construction activity on aggregates coming in,” notes Eddie Martinez, PCC’s Trade Development manager. “Drilling activity has slowed down, in part due to COVID, as has a slowdown in construction overall,”

Although COVID is a constant these days, it hasn’t stopped the Texas port on the Gulf of Mexico from moving forward with growth in mind.

“PCC continues to make investments in our terminals to improve overall logistics for dry bulk cargo,” says Martinez. “The port acquired a new Liebherr crane in late 2019 to improve our overall discharge rate. Bulk grains are active and should continue to remain active in 2021.” 

The expectation, he said, is that dry bulk cargo will remain steady with nominal gains. Amid unpredictable market changes in the trade sector, PCC’s strategy is to work “hand-in-hand daily within our departments for capital project planning to improve overall facilities for our current and new customers to include planning, operations, engineering and trade development,” Martinez says. “We are actively engaged with our customers on their annual expectations and trends affecting them and offer possible solutions where we might be able to support them with logistic and infrastructure that may require capital on rail or waterfront.”

Even without a global pandemic, building dry bulk markets brings challenges, he notes. “PCC has to analyze where our strengths lie when being approached on new dry bulk opportunities. Some of our facilities are showing their age, and PCC is making necessary investments to get them up to standard. 

“Further, not every cargo is suitable for our port. The commodity itself, destination or origin, air permit limits, rail and dock infrastructure all play a role in the selection of new dry bulk market development. The port reviews each opportunity and tries to identify if it’s a good fit for both the customer and the port. We want to create a relationship where the client can really grow their business model here in our area and region for years to come.”

SmartMove Suite
Archives, Dispatches, Global Trade Daily, Ocean Carriers

FROM FLYING CARS TO SEMI-AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING

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Buffalo, New York-based American Steamship Co. (AMS) has placed the first order for Wärtsilä Voyage’s SmartMove Suite that takes “the concept of automated dock-to-dock operations to the next level.” This news recently made an appearance in our latest Dispatches edition along with other up-and-coming innovations in transportation, including GM’s recent unveiling of the Cadillac-branded eVTOL at CES.

Fully retrofittable, the SmartMove Suite can soup-up existing vessels with next-generation capabilities to improve safety, efficiency, and productivity on the water, according to Wärtsilä Voyage, a Singapore-based subsidiary of Finland’s Wärtsilä. Rand-ASC Holdings LLC is the parent company of AMS, which installed the Wärtsilä SmartMove Suite on its MV American Courage, a self-unloading bulk freighter plying the Great Lakes with a cargo-carrying capacity of 24,300 gross tons.

“This is the largest ship ever capable of performing automated docking and dock-to-dock sailing operations,” according to Wärtsilä Voyage, which notes the technology will come in handy on “the winding, often narrowing Cuyahoga River in Ohio,” which “can be heavily congested, making it by far the most challenging of shipping routes for any vessel using automated sailing and docking technology.”

platforms
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

10 BEST E-COMMERCE PLATFORMS FOR YOUR RETAIL STORE

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E-commerce sales are growing at a rate of 13 percent year over year. In 2019 alone, the worldwide e-commerce sales were 18 percent higher. Competition in e-commerce is cutthroat. In order to stay relevant, you need to constantly upgrade your e-commerce platform. 

When you choose the right e-commerce platform, it instantly catapults your customer engagement rates, slashes down the operation costs and boosts your sales revenue. An important factor to consider is the ease of adoption. So effectively when you are shopping for the best e-commerce platform ask yourself: Can this software get you on the fastest lane to massive sales figures?

What follows are the 10 best e-commerce platforms, although even the best of the best can have issues, so we also list the pros and cons of each.

Shopify: Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms, offering users an easy-to-use space to manage their online business. Their admin panel allows you to easily manage all functions–from payments and marketing to shipping and customer engagements. It is one of the most widely used platforms because of its ease and comfort it provides. As per a report in 2019, Shopify has more than 100,000 registered businesses in approximately 175 countries. 

Benefits: 

1. Easy to set up and use

2. Highly secure and reliable

3. Incredible customer support team

4. Fantastic marketing tools available

Disadvantages: 

1. The monthly platform fee is quite high.

2. There are several other charges like credit card fees, transaction fee and add-on fees which make using Shopify a bit expensive for businesses.

BigCommerce: BigCommerce is a popular shopping cart software that is used by a large number of businesses to run their online stores. There are many incredible features that help these companies engage their customers well. The reliability and flexibility that this platform offers are unparalleled. It is best suited for those businesses that are looking for rapid expansion and a significant boost in sales. 

Benefits:

1. Advanced SEO tools

2. Allows sale across multiple platforms

3. Enables you to build mobile-friendly stores

4. Manage all payments, returns and other customer engagements easily

Disadvantages:

1. Advanced features add layers of complexity for first-time users

2. Delay in the time taken to go-live

Magento: Choosing the right e-commerce platform to build your business can be a tough decision but it’s highly relevant! Magento offers the business owners full control over the look, content and functionality of their online store. It is built on an open-source technology that is being used by more than 240,000 businesses around the world. It allows secure scaling options even to those shops that have limited product options. Magento is meant for those who aren’t app developers and want to use software that is not too complex. 

Benefits:

1. It’s a spacious and robust platform that can handle almost 500,000 products on one site and easily manage up to 80,000 orders per hour

2. Third-party integrations with platforms like PayPal, eBay, mail chimp, etc. are very easy

3. Versatile plug-in options can be used at highly cost-effective prices

4. Provides more than 50 payment gateway options

Disadvantages:

1. Consumes ample disk space while running, hence not suitable if you do not have a robust hardware

2. Works slower than other e-commerce platforms

3D Cart: 3D cart is a robust platform designed to help online businesses thrive in this highly competitive market. It was created to gather all the online companies under one roof, and as of now, they have been able to attract more than 17,000 users on their platform. This is ideal for mid-tier startup businesses. This highly versatile platform allows you to create and operate your online store and manage all your customers effortlessly.

Benefits:

1. There are no transaction fees which makes this platform highly cost-effective

2. It offers a wide variety of built-in marketing tools to help businesses grow

3. The platform is highly versatile

4. There is unlimited storage available

Disadvantages:

1. There are a lot of features and exploring them requires prior knowledge and experience

2. The customer service team is moderate

OpenCart: OpenCart offers a complete solution to all e-commerce businesses to build and manage their online stores effortlessly. It’s a free platform that provides all the functionality that you need for operating your online store. It’s very simple to learn and the interface it offers is highly user-friendly. In order to start using OpenCart, all you need to do is download the software from their website. The costs involved would be of the hosting plan that you choose and the domain name that you would purchase. Also, there are certain templates and features which come with a price tag. With OpenCart, you can take your business to greater heights effortlessly. 

Benefits:

1. Provides extensive reports about your business; available in easy to interpret formats

2. It is compatible with all payment gateways

3. Highly cost-effective platform

4. Many shipping mode options available for you to use

Disadvantages:

1. SEO customization requires specialized knowledge as the OpenCart platform creates multiple duplicate pages

2. As per customer experiences, the checkout process is comparatively slower

Big Cartel: Big Cartel is a website builder tool that allows small merchants having a fewer number of products to build a website to sell their items online. This platform is targeted toward artists, photographers, content creators, etc. who do not aim to reach millions of people but are limited to maybe hundreds.

The plans offered are Gold, the free base pack, Platinum for $9.99 per month, Diamond for $19.99 per month and Titanium for $29.99 per month.

Benefits:

1. The base pack offered is free, which allows the users to sell up to five items without paying anything

2. The website does not charge any commission on sales

3. The plans are economical

4. The user interface is not very complicated

Disadvantages:

1. Does not offer a lot of options in terms of themes and customizations

2. The base pack does not allow customization of templates

WooCommerce: WooCommerce for WordPress is an open-source e-commerce plugin. It is the most commonly used for creating a website since it offers around 330 extensions and more than 1,000 plugins. As per the reports for the year 2018, WooCommerce has more than 39 million downloads and is being used in by over 3 million websites worldwide. The themes provided by WooCommerce are being sold by other third party websites, too. Themeforest, WordPress.org and Mojo Themes respectively use 1135, 548 and 240 themes created by WooCommerce.

Benefits:

1. Being an open-source plugin, it can be used by anyone without paying any fee

2. It offers detailed order tracking and customer engagement tools, which gives it a professional touch

3. It is updated on a regular basis; thus, compatibility and security are not issues

4. It offers various customizations that can be used to make your websites stand out

Disadvantages:

1. Though the plugin is free, users might have to pay for using a specific set of themes

2. Since it is a plugin and not an entire platform, users first need to have some prior knowledge about the functioning of WordPress

Squarespace: Squarespace is a service provider that provides software as a service for building websites. It offers facilities such as pre-build website templates and drag and drop widgets, which enhances users’ ease and comfort. Squarespace rapidly grew from one employee in 2003 to raise a venture capital of $78.5 million in 2014. As of 2016, it hosts more than 1 million websites. It offers four types of plans which are: 

-Personal Plan for $12 per month.

-Business Plan for $18 per month.

-Basic Plan for $26 per month.

-Advanced Plan for $40 per month

Benefits:

1. It offers a variety of templates to the users, and these are both professional and beautiful

2. Being an all in one platform every plugin, template, etc. is wholly owned by Squarespace; thus compatibility isn’t an issue

3. It offers speed along with safety if the website of any of their user is hacked, it is Squarespace’s responsibility

4. They also offer 24/7 customer support through live chats

Disadvantages:

1. Though the customer support is provided 24/7, it can only be used via text as there is no phone support offered

2. Other than the export of data and blog data, it does not provide any other backup feature

PrestaShop: PrestaShop is a French company that provides open-source e-commerce solutions worldwide. It has more than 300,000 users and is available in more than 60 languages. It offers more than 300 built-in features for managing payments, shipping, etc. PrestaShop Cloud was launched in January 2015 as a free self-hosted version of the software. It received the Acteurs du Libre International Award in the 2019. Though the basic plugin is open source, it has support plans which are paid—starting $33.25 per month as the basic plan and $116.58 per month as the deluxe plan.

Benefits:

1. PrestaShop takes very little space, i.e. around 6 mbs, so it is easier and quicker to install

2. It provides a lot of flexibility in terms of customizations and addition or deletion of features

3. It uses secure payment gateways like Google Checkout and PayPal 

4. It is budget-friendly as the base plan is free

Disadvantages:

1. It is aimed at low budget stores only and hence lacks the finesse

2. Scalability options are limited 

EKM: Formerly known as Powershop, EKM is a company based in the UK that helps a user build an online store. EKM reduces the efforts of coding, web developing, etc. and provides user assistance at every step of website creation to ensure that the users are never stuck at any point. EKM is used by more than 5,400 websites, with more than 1,700 of those in the UK. The base plan for EKM starts at $29.99 per month.

Benefits:

1. EKM claims up to 99.99 percent uptime, i.e. the servers are rarely down; thus, the customers never feel disappointed

2. It provides online retailers with facilities such as live chat

3. Facilities such as free domain names are made available to the users

4.  A dedicated account manager is provided to every user

Disadvantages:

1. No free trial or free base plan is offered

2. They charge a substantial amount of around 20 percent as VAT in each of their monthly plans

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AuditShipment.com’s mission is to share the benefits of its homegrown shipping invoice audit process technology with shippers across the globe. “We believe in helping businesses focus on scaling their operations,” AuditShipment.com says, “while we dedicatedly work toward optimizing their shipping expenditure through automated audits.”

logistics
Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily

Logistics Challenges and Opportunities In the Post Covid-19 World

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The world had a good business run in 2019. March 2020 happened – when Corona ravaged globally erasing all the gains the economy had achieved. Lockdowns were affected in many countries, which significantly impacted businesses ability to carry out operations effectively, China – the world’s largest outsourcing hub, got locked down, crippling the majority of industries that relied on China’s cheap workforce to produce goods.

Ports and airlines were closed, effectively halting major transport of cargo, which impacted businesses negatively. People panicked and hid away in their homes, resulting in the closure of many businesses such as restaurants, entertainment joints, and theme parks that relied on people going out. Most businesses retrenched a lot of workers resulting in the economy performing poorly since most people had nothing to spend.

Governments all around the world started by limiting air and sea travel to avoid carriers of the disease entering and spreading further infections in their territories. This proved detrimental to airports and seaports since the majority of their revenue depended on ferrying people. Further, packages from China were suspected to carry the virus so sea freight was strictly halted. This led to air cargo taking on the mantle of transporting goods all over the world. Airports are now using this channel to recuperate profits lost during the Covid-19 onslaught. However, even as air freight becomes popular, the demand is too high the airplanes are having trouble fulfilling demand.

The biggest problem business faced when Covid-19 hit was supply chain disruption. This affected large businesses whose supply chain might run through different regions or countries. Most affected were companies that used China’s manufacturers to make their products. Most businesses lost suppliers due to various reasons caused by Coronavirus leading to them starting the search for new suppliers which obviously disrupted business operations. Suppliers resorted to collaboration with the few available other suppliers to satisfy the demand to mitigate this disruption.

Most businesses have now realized how vulnerable their supply chains are and are already looking to diversify, move from China, and find new suppliers close to home. Also, logistics companies have seen the unprecedented business from these companies who want greater visibility of their supply chain to avoid future disruptions.

Technology has been a major savior for companies during this period. Warehousing companies are now using robots to help them package and move packages in place of workers that are not available due to Covid-19. Embracing IoT to help monitor machines and packages remotely, robotics to provide labor around the factories, and AI to help in forecasting, analysis, and management of different processes in business has helped companies survive the pandemic. Logistics companies will have to know how to assist companies leverage technology to achieve an edge in the industry.

Another big transformation globally is the shift in focus to selling directly to customers. Businesses are finding it easier and more advantageous to sell directly to customers rather than using the normal distribution chains traditionally once relied upon. Modern technology; robotics, Saas software, ERP systems, and AI have made manufacturing simpler, easier, and more efficient. This shift is beneficial for both customers and manufacturers. Customers can now get new goods straight from factories very cheaply due to the elimination of the distribution chain bottleneck that added fees on products. Also, these businesses will enjoy more profits while having more control over their brand. They can now manage their brand visibility and have relationships with customers which will allow them to get feedback.

Online shopping practically exploded during the first months after Corona hit – March, June, and July. This is due to a major shift in consumer habits precipitated by a necessity to stay indoors for health security and a need to shop easily. Online demand was so high that most businesses could not fulfill this demand. Now every company worth its salt is working on its online presence and on how to effectively sell online including doing online marketing and having online content to attract shoppers.

Due to massive changes in every area of business operations, businesses will now need to optimize their operations. This is to ensure they are efficient in performing business activities. An example is the growth of online shopping which means a lot of deliveries are going to be made. However, delivery drivers are in short supply which means a business needs to optimize that operation to make sure there are enough drivers to fulfill customers’ demands.

Efficiency conscious companies are relying on sensors to make sure their operations run smoothly. Packages are now getting trackers so that they can be monitored from factory/warehouse to customer’s drop point. This is to ensure the package arrives safe and did not get tampered with along the way. Data from these sensors are being used to make delivery better and analyze package delivery times.

Effective business operations in many businesses now are due to Saas platforms that offer businesses of all kinds, large and small access to logistics that are agile, flexible, and can be used remotely in the same organization by multiple workers. Also, AI is helping by providing forecasts and analyses of markets to provide businesses with insights that can help them tweak or adjust operations in case of a market shift. For example, Amazon now knows demand will peak during black Friday and adjust operations in anticipation of these events.

The best thing that has happened during this pandemic is the adoption of last-mile contactless delivery. Businesses are making sure that packages reach their customers safely, without any contact so as to mitigate the spread of the virus and make sure packages arrive in perfect condition. Logistics companies will have to ensure most packages are delivered safely for the customer.

Also, logistics companies will now have to offer companies with digital solutions to manage customers and customer relationships.

Most companies now realize that in order to reduce shocks in business operations, supply and distribution chains will have to change. The best solution is to shorten supply chains, bring them closer to home and shorten delivery times.

Covid-19 presents a lot of opportunities in helping businesses recover from the pandemic and streamline operations to recoup losses made.

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Archives, Global Logistics, Global Trade Daily, Trucking

The Demand Supply Chain: How to Win as the Bar Continues to Rise in the Retail Industry

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The year 2020 was a year unlike any other, and supply chains were more front and center than ever before. This is especially true in the retail space, as a surge in ecommerce and pandemic-driven demand volatility increased the rate of change in an already rapidly evolving industry. For many, a complex global supply chain became even more challenging to navigate. As we kick off 2021, those complexities are still present, but with a new year comes new opportunities to innovate and address some of the biggest challenges for our retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) customers, such as:

-Planning environments are complex and can lead to costly surplus Days of Inventory on Hand (DOH)

-There’s a desire to meet and exceed heightened consumer expectations

-Industry volatility and logistical complexity creates a risk of high on time in full (OTIF) fines

-Increased reliance on the transportation spot market due to industry planning uncertainty

-Transportation requests for proposal (RFPs) are labor-intensive and can be out of alignment with customer needs

Annual transportation RFPs can take up to half a year to conduct and can become quickly out of date. This challenge has become more prominent as market unpredictability has continued to disrupt these plans. There are two main variables to blame: Changes in demand or sales, and shifts in supply and demand in the transportation market. But those two functions only come together once a year, if ever—when bids are being prepared and shippers are trying to predict what they have to bid out. After that, they really don’t talk to each other.

When demand for a certain product explodes, you can overload the carrier who signed on for less. You start paying more immediately for backup carriers, or worse, pay much more if you go to the spot market to procure trucks.

Retail and CPG shippers need innovative solutions to help them overcome these challenges and succeed today and into the future.

This is why I am excited about C.H. Robinson’s recent partnership with SAS, a trusted analytics powerhouse, to bring end-to-end supply chain processes and technology solutions that connect demand and inventory planning data with procurement and transportation data, in real-time. This solution is delivered through a powerful combination of C.H. Robinson’s information advantage and technology built by and for supply chain experts, and SAS’ demand planning and forecasting technology and expertise.

We’ve joined forces to unify two functions that have often worked in autonomous siloes, demand planning, and transportation optimization. Our partnership creates a first-of-its-kind integration of demand planning data and real-time transportation data that will drive smarter, more agile supply chains.

Steering a supply chain from a centralized operation like this will allow companies more fluid adjustments in scheduling, transportation optimization, and responses to changing consumer demand while inventory is still moving on the ground.

Our retail and CPG customers, both at C.H. Robinson and SAS, look to us for cutting-edge solutions that will help them succeed in the marketplace. As we continue to listen to the pain points within the industry, we are working together to create solutions that will enable shippers to reduce inventory, improve service, increase savings, and gain efficiencies.

Reduce inventory

-Reduce inventory levels with a demand-powered supply chain. Carrying inventory is a major expense. Some safety stocks are needed when it isn’t possible to plan and adapt to changing conditions in real-time, which this solution now enables you to do.

Improve service

-Provide more predictability to carriers in real-time, letting them know what is changing in demand.

-Align the largest pool of reliable transportation capacity to the specific needs of your demand plan.

Increase savings

-Spend less on spot market procured freight, by allocating your freight the way carriers want it. In most of 2020, spot market rates were around 30% higher than the previous year, and are usually much higher, at times double, than contract planned rates.

-Reduce fines for late, missed, or incomplete deliveries which can be common in retail.

Gain efficiencies

-Spend less time on your annual procurement event by taking advantage of SAS’ and C.H. Robinson’s technology tools that help you rely less on the static annual plan.

We are just getting started. Today, our solutions are focused within the retail space, but we recognize there are opportunities to expand beyond that as other industries face similar challenges.

I am looking forward to continuing to partner with SAS to bring innovative solutions to the table that will help shippers overcome industry challenges.

If you are interested in learning more, you can view our recent press release. And, if you are ready to discuss these solutions, connect with our experts.