Front and Center
Dirty Porch Pirates
E-commerce has certainly been in the spotlight this past year, but who has really been stealing the show? Thieves, of course. Package theft is on the rise, as illustrated in a recent report, which showed that approximately 43% of Americans reported having a package stolen, a 7% increase from 2019. Of these theft victims, 64% of them say they’ve had packages stolen more than once. What’s to account for the rise in theft?
More Opportunity
Approximately 59% (+5% YoY) of Americans receive a package at least weekly, and 10% (+5% YoY) receive a package daily. That’s way more packages being left on the doorstep, and although the average value of the items has decreased, this does not seem to stop porch pirates from throwing up their hood and grabbing what they can.
http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_TSR_v07m0
ICYMI: Watch the amazing Glitter Bomb 2.0 vs Porch Pirates video
Who’s liable?
“YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!” you may have exclaimed to the heavens when you watch a thief grab your $3 toe clippers on your home security system. “But, who actually pays for this?”, you may have wondered as you pace around with your hawk talons clacking against the hardwood floors. (true story)
Well the answer is, if the shipper says that the package was delivered and the buyer states that it was not received, the seller is no longer liable. However, in most cases of a stolen package, the retailer or seller issues a refund or agrees to replace the item to preserve their customer experience. Amazon’s A-Z Guarantee program pretty much guarantees that purchases made from their retail partners will almost always be refunded or replaced if the package goes missing.
Some businesses may ask customers to file a claim with the shipper before issuing a refund or replacement.
What about package insurance?
For sellers, traditional shipping carriers such as UPS, USPS, and FedEx offer optional shipping insurance for a fee; however, this only covers so much. FedEx caps their liability at $100 and will only increase this if the package is packed and shipped at a FedEx location. Even then, it only increases to $1,000 for items like jewelry, artwork, collectibles, and antiques.
What can brands do?
Ultimately, the brands are responsible for making sure that their products reach their customers. So besides installing guard dogs as a nice ‘gift with purchase’, the most effective way that brands can combat package theft is to offer customers more ways to receive their products. The most common have been curbside pickup and local delivery. You can also schedule for in-person delivery and require signatures.
When deciding to outsource your fulfillment, be aware of your 3PLs Terms and Conditions surrounding stolen goods, and ask what your fulfillment provider can do. For example, in the case of stolen goods, ShipHero files claims with Carriers on your behalf, up to a certain value. Read more about ShipHero Fulfillment’s stolen goods FAQ here and our T&Cs.
Back of the Packet
Ammonia Side Here
According to the International Maritime Organization, international shipping contributes ~3% of annual carbon-dioxide emissions. To combat this, shipping companies seek to replace petroleum with a new fuel source, ammonia (NH3).
Why ammonia? Well… *deep breath in* this colorless fuel emits no carbon dioxide when burned, It’s abundant, it can be made using renewable electricity, water, and air, both fuel cells and internal combustion engines can use it, it doesn’t have to be stored in high-pressure tanks or cryogenic dewars like hydrogen, and it has 10 times the energy density of a lithium-ion battery.
The only problem is that no shipping carriers today are equipped to use ammonia as a fuel source. But by 2024, Viking Energy is set to become the first shipping vessel propelled by ammonia fuel cells, powered by several Norwegian-based companies.
NASA Perseverance and an Early Easter
NASA successfully landed their Mars Rover, Wall-e — I mean, Perseverance on the Red Planet last week. The videos of the landing immediately went viral, and in typically nerdy fashion, people began uncoding Easter Eggs hidden throughout the footage. In one such hidden message, the parachute was allegedly stitched in binary code that read “Dare Mighty Things”, a quote from President Teddy Roosevelt.
USPS Unveils New Trucks
ShipHero News
NEW CASE STUDY ft. Spotted by Humphrey
What would you do if your dog became an internet sensation? Well, that’s what happened with ShipHero customer Yong-Soo and his French Bulldog, Humphrey!
Spotted By Humphrey – “with its quirky name for a shop that has the personality to match” – is a community-driven online destination for dog parents around the world who are looking to find something special and unique for their dogs.
Learn how they turned Instagram fame to a successful ecommerce business with our newest doggone ShipHero Case Study.
Gains, Bro
Need a sick pump for your e-commerce business? Learn how the dietary supplement industry used three simple strategies to get bulging revenue gains of over 40% this year, outpacing overall e-commerce by 12%… and they say it’s “all-natural”.
Multimodal vs. Intermodal Transport
These days, your products probably travel more than you do… But don’t be jealous, multimodal and intermodal fulfillment options are becoming more common as technology allows for seamless communication between carriers. On our Shipping Methods Explained series, we deep-dive into Multimodal vs. Intermodal fulfillment options, so you can determine if it’s right for your business.
ShipHero’s Innovation Wheel: Automation
Are you bogged down by the day-to-day tasks of running a business, desperate for time to focus on your strategy? Automation is the answer you need, and your fulfillment provider should be just the one to provide it. In ShipHero’s Fulfillment Innovation Wheel series – Automation, we give a glimpse into our Automation Cookbook to show you how automation can improve your speed and efficiency.
