Shiphero Blog

Walmartville USA, Historic Inauguration, Employees Paid for Vaccine...

Front and Center Walmartville, USA GamesĀ like Tycoon City, MineCraft and SimCity just don't cut it for this guy… Marc Lore, the head of Walmart eCommerce US, hasĀ announcedĀ that he is leaving Walmart at the end of January to start a ā€œcity of the futureā€ built on a "reformed version of

In this article
The end of seller shipping
The Solution: Integrated TikTok Shop logistics
Critical action for Shopify users
Join us before the deadline and save

Front and Center

Walmartville, USA

Games like Tycoon City, MineCraft and SimCity just don't cut it for this guy… Marc Lore, the head of Walmart eCommerce US, has announced that he is leaving Walmart at the end of January to start a ā€œcity of the futureā€ built on a "reformed version of capitalism."

The vision statement for the project reads: ā€œImagine a city with the vibrancy, diversity and culture of New York City combined with the efficiency, safety and innovation of Tokyo and the sustainability, governance, and social services of Sweden. This will be our New City.ā€ Nobody tell this guy about Disney world...

So what will it look like?

For starters, each road leading into the city will be stationed with a senior citizen in a blue vest greeting you as you drive in… kidding. Details about the city have not yet been released, but Marc has promised that more information will be released over the coming months.ā€œ

This is going to be a lifelong project,ā€ Marc says. ā€œIt’s the thing I’m most passionate about.ā€ He plans to write a book and create a TV show to cover his city-building escapades. You can watch him describe his vision in the full interview here.

Who is future mayor Marc Lore?

Marc Lore is a serial entrepreneur that most famously founded Jet.com, a major competitor to Amazon, who then sold it to Walmart for $3 billion USD cash in 2016. He and his executive team arrived at Walmart with inside knowledge of Amazon, having previously sold his company Quidsi, a collection of online shopping sites best known for Diapers.com, to Amazon for around $550 million in 2011.

Since joining, Walmart eCommerce has seen tremendous growth, and Walmart.com became the second biggest ecomm site after Amazon in the US, quickly shedding its past reputation as an ancient relic in the new digital age of commerce.

Is this bad news for Walmart?

No. Walmart president and CEO Doug McMillon announced to the company that Marc will remain a partner and advisor for the company.

Back of the Packet

Inauguration

Aaaaaand they’re off! Our 46th President Joe Biden and our 49th VP Kamala Harris didn’t waste any time on their first day in office. President Biden signed at least 17 executive directives on things like COVID-19, the economy, climate change, and racial inequality.

Notably, Biden rejoined the Paris climate deal, while disallowing the permit for the Keystone XL pipeline. He also placed a mask mandate on all federal property, and issued to Americans a challenge… not to dump ice water on your heads or inhale a spoonful of cinnamon, but instead to mask up for 100 days. Sounds do-able.

As for the inauguration ceremony, Lada Gaga with such beauty and grace kicked off the 2021 Hunger Games.

At the same time, Bernie kicked off a global fashion craze. Our professional advice for the fashion and accessory industry is that people will be going gaga over giant brooches and earth-tone plaid print gloves.

Vaccine Stipend

A growing number of grocers are offering their employees paid incentives to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

This week, Aldi announced to employees that they would receive compensation for getting vaccinated, two hours of pay for each of the two vaccine doses and that they would be paid their hourly wage on top of that. Not a bad deal.

Aldi joins the ranks of Trader Joe’s, Dollar General, Instacart, and others that are incentivizing their employees to get the vaccine.

"Providing accommodations so employees can receive this critical vaccine is one more way we can support them and eliminate the need to choose between earning their wages and protecting their well-being," said Jason Hart, CEO of Aldi U.S.

ShipHero News

We’ve Invented the Wheel

It’s no secret that today’s world of ecommerce is changing rapidly. Third party logistics (3PL) and fulfillment providers that don’t find a way to keep up with, if not surpass, the pace of growth during this ecommerce boom is at serious risk of getting left behind.

That’s why we invented The Fulfillment Innovation Wheel: a list of twelve capabilities and service offerings that 3PLs need to implement in order to be successful, as well as the capabilities and service offerings that retailers and brands should look for when partnering with a 3PL.

ā€Stay tuned as we break down each of the twelve capabilities, starting with Designed for Returns.

Get Featured

We are reaching out to our Packet community. Would you like to share with us stories about your ecommerce experiences, whether it’s how you started your business, what opinions you have on the stories we share, or if you just feel like venting… we’re here for you.

Email us at thepacket@shiphero.com and you could be featured on an upcoming edition of The Packet, or if you’re lucky, you could be invited to join one of our many Podcast episodes or featured on our Blog!

Check out the packets you missed here and Subscribe below so you don't miss the next one!

the process

Explore more of our features

Shiphero logo on a grey background
April 2, 2024

Best 3PL Companies in Canada You Should Know About

Explore the top 3PL companies in Canada and learn how third-party logistics providers play a vital role in optimizing supply chains. Discover the benefits of partnering with a 3PL, key services offered, and steps to start working with a 3PL in Canada.

Read more
Arrow icon
Shiphero logo on a grey background
April 2, 2024

Top 5 Best Third-party Logistics (3PL) Companies

Discover the top 5 best third-party logistics (3PL) companies for your business needs, offering extensive networks, advanced technology, and superior customer service. Learn about the benefits of 3PL services, how to choose the right provider, and avoid common mistakes.

Read more
Arrow icon
Shiphero logo on a grey background
April 2, 2024

What is a 3PL Warehouse Management System?

Discover the role, benefits, key features, requirements, and implementation of a 3PL Warehouse Management System (WMS) for optimizing warehouse operations. Learn about scalability, integration, real-time visibility, and customization options to choose the best solution for your business.

Read more
Arrow icon
Shiphero logo on a grey background
July 15, 2026

How ShipHero MCP Turns Live Warehouse Data Into Real-Time Answers

Connect ShipHero to your favorite AI client. Ask operational questions in plain English and get instant, read-only answers from your live warehouse data.

Read more
Arrow icon
Shiphero logo on a grey background
April 7, 2026

5 Top Hurdles Our Prospects Face Before Signing With ShipHero

Discover the 5 biggest hurdles warehouse operators face before adopting a new WMS, and how ShipHero's high-velocity infrastructure helps you overcome them seamlessly.

Read more
Arrow icon
Shiphero logo on a grey background
March 2, 2026

Meet Tap-to-Pack: Eliminate Packing Errors and Speed Up Your Pack Line

Why Keyboards Are Killing Your Pack Line (And What to Do About It). Stop losing throughput to keyboards and mice. ShipHero's Tap-to-Pack replaces screen navigation with an 8-button industrial controller built for 99.9% packing accuracy.

Read more
Arrow icon