March is Women’s History Month—a time to focus on the accomplishments and contributions of women who have helped shape the world. In honor of the occasion, we’ve decided to highlight some modern-day women who have used their knowledge, experience, and leadership skills to influence the world of logistics. This special episode features our women guests from seasons one and two of Unboxing Logistics. Although they all specialize in different areas of logistics—from warehouse management to shipping to supply chain technology—they share something in common. Each of them is helping to pave the way for women in a traditionally male-dominated industry. This episode contains key insights and advice from our women guests. To hear more, make sure to check out their individual episodes: Jessica Lowrance’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/how-to-fight-porch-piracy Kelli Martin’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/shipping-resources-for-small-businesses Jill Barron’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/building-better-supplier-relationships Nancy Seaboldt’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/navigating-the-erp-implementation-highway Kylie Schafer’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/navigating-omnichannel-commerce Gemma Shaw’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/leveraging-an-oms-for-growth Veena Harbaugh’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/sustainable-shipping-tips-for-small-businesses Kim Baudry’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/warehouse-automation-and-sustainability Jicara Gorski’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/carbon-neutral-shipping-how-does-it-work Ching Pei’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/leveling-up-product-management Anna Podolskaya’s episode: https://www.easypost.com/podcast/empowering-women-in-logistics

Last-mile delivery is one of the most important parts of the logistics process, playing a huge role in the customer experience. But it’s also one of the hardest things to get right—and carriers aren’t the only ones responsible. In this episode of Unboxing Logistics, Nicholas Daniel-Richards, CEO at Packiyo, lays out some last-mile challenges and explains how warehouse optimization streamlines the delivery process.Why the last mile mattersAs CEO of Packiyo, a warehouse management system, Nicholas is very familiar with the ins and outs of logistics. But when it comes to the importance of last-mile delivery, he shifts to his consumer mindset. “I'm still a consumer that's receiving packages … and I think the complications around last mile [involve] convenience. You know, do I have tracking information? Do I know when that package is going to arrive or when it has arrived?  Is it the right thing (or things) inside the package?”The answers to those questions can make or break the delivery experience—and mean the difference between loyal and lost customers.The hidden side of last mile logisticsWho’s in charge of making sure last-mile delivery goes smoothly? Nicholas says, “A lot of people put an emphasis on … the carrier. But ultimately, there is that step of how packages get to the carrier in the first place.”He explains that businesses are responsible for receiving customer orders, picking products, packing boxes, and coordinating shipping. If those tasks lead to inaccuracies or wasted time, the last-mile delivery experience suffers. How to improve last mile speed and accuracyWhen picking, packing, and shipping decisions are made in the moment by individual employees, there’s a lot of room for error. If it takes too long to pack boxes, last-mile shipping could be delayed. If the wrong product gets added to a package, you’ll face a frustrated customer. And the list of potential issues goes on.The solution? Make decisions before it’s time to prep packages, so warehouse workers know exactly what to do.Nicholas puts it like this: “You don't want to make decisions on how an order should be packaged and fulfilled and shipped at the time that you're trying to process the order. That’s a repetitive thing. [The] factors that affect that should be automated.”LinksConnect with Nicholas on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholasdr/ Visit Packiyo’s website: https://www.packiyo.com/

As businesses expand into new sales channels, order management gets complicated—and time-consuming. Gemma Shaw, head of partnerships at Order Desk, explains what order management systems do and shares tips for using yours effectively.Benefits of an order management system (OMS)What are order management systems, and how do they benefit businesses? Gemma explains, “An OMS enables businesses to centralize all of their orders. This is particularly beneficial if you've got multiple sales channels. [If] you're selling in various markets, maybe even globally, all of your orders are housed in one place for visibility.”Challenges when setting up an OMSOne major challenge when setting up an OMS? Identifying your workflow. Before diving into the implementation process, Gemma recommends determining what the system needs to do and how it needs to work. “Knowing exactly what you want to achieve with your OMS is helpful.”Gemma also notes that it takes time and patience to learn how OMSs work. She says, “There's a learning curve with any new piece of software. And with something robust and technical like this, there's a particularly steep learning curve at the start.” Getting the most from your OMSOMSs serve a very practical purpose: centralizing order information from various sales channels. But that isn’t all they’re useful for. As Gemma points out, these systems capture a lot of data: order volumes, inventory numbers, and much more. To get the most out of your OMS, “use that single source of truth to inform your strategic decision-making.”LinksConnect with Gemma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gemma-shaworderdesk/ Visit Order Desk’s website: https://www.orderdesk.com/unboxing-logistics/

Implementing a new ERP is a massive endeavor, and your business has a lot to consider. Which internal stakeholders should be part of the implementation project team? How will you get everyone else on board with the change?In this episode, Nancy Seaboldt, ERP practice lead for Summit Advisory Team, shares advice for making the ERP implementation process smooth and effective.The purpose of an ERP systemNancy begins by describing the purpose of an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system: “ERP systems come into play when companies outgrow running their business on spreadsheets. Spreadsheets can only take you so far. … In a nutshell, ERPs bring together the people, the core business processes, and the technology across the organization.”Getting buy-in on an ERP implementationWhile the technical side of software implementation is vital, change management plays an important role as well. Nancy says, “A change management plan … is defining the roadmap for going from A to B from a personal standpoint. It’s a communication plan.”Change management isn’t just a nice-to-have; Nancy emphasizes that it’s “critical to the success of the project.”Customization vs. transformationFor a new ERP to truly make a difference in your company, you have to be willing to embrace change. “[It’s a mistake] to make the new system meet the old way of doing things. … That's not transformation. That's customization. … Implementing the new ERP should be considered transformational. Avoid just replicating what's done today to keep the status quo.”LinksConnect with Nancy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancyseaboldt/ Visit Summit Advisory Team’s website: https://summitadvisoryteam.com/

As vice president of sales and solutions at Nimble, a fully autonomous 3PL, Jonathan Briggs knows just how powerful warehouse robotics can be. In this episode, he and Lori discuss the history of robotics in logistics, what companies are doing today, and how things will evolve in years to come.What are robots capable of?Jonathan explains that in the past five years, the development of sophisticated artificial intelligence has led to “full-task robotics, where a robot can now do a full task of a person end to end.”“It’s not just moving an item around a warehouse to make it a little bit more efficient. Now we can displace people because [robots have the same] functionality.”What about human jobs?Lori poses a tough question: If robots can replace humans in the warehouse, won’t that harm workers? Jonathan says no, explaining that robots aren’t necessarily leaving people jobless; they’re usually used when there isn’t enough human labor to meet logistics needs.Even more importantly? Robots can perform tasks that are often taxing and dangerous for humans. As Jonathan points out, “Everywhere you look, there's a shortage of labor, there's injuries and accidents. What we do is get rid of jobs that people aren't showing up for, are getting hurt doing, or don't want to do.”Save money on warehouse real estateOne often overlooked benefit of robots? They allow businesses to make their DCs smaller while maintaining efficiency. Jonathan says, “Most people look at automation through the lens of labor, labor, labor—cost of labor versus cost of machine. But you can add in another layer of dimension there: [you] can shrink the building, [you] can shrink [your] utilities.”LinksConnect with Jonathan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jdbriggs/ Visit Nimble’s website: https://www.nimble.ai/

When businesses first start out, developing their product is usually a reactive process—and it’s hard to tell which new features make a difference. Ching Pei, VP of product at EasyPost, explains what product managers do to make the development process more proactive and effective.The role of product teamsProduct teams are involved with every part of the business: customer success, sales, marketing, and more. Ching explains how she views product’s role: “I think of product as a center spoke of a wheel, with each of your departments surrounding it. [Product managers are] hearing feedback [from] external customers and internal customers, and it’s their job to come in and prioritize.”Meeting the logistics industry where it isIf you’re a logistics tech company, you know that the industry is traditionally slow to adopt new, innovative solutions. But product teams still have an opportunity to design technology that makes a difference.As Ching puts it, “Logistics [technology] is a little bit more tangible [than other types of software] … so you don't always get to push the boundaries of innovation. You have to meet the industry where it is. You may not be the forerunner in innovating and technology, [but] you're bringing in forward-thinking tech to an industry that has traditionally been a laggard in change.” How to get customer feedback Customers should be involved with product development from day one, but you don’t want to overwhelm them with requests for feedback. Ching’s team finds a balance by “piggybacking off of already existing calls with customer success or support. If support faces an interesting topic, we may say, can I jump on the call with the customer when you explain this?”“You should never be afraid to let your customers talk to your product team.”LinksConnect with Ching on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chingpei/ Visit EasyPost’s website: https://www.easypost.com/

Peter Klevecz, regional and global customer manager at DHL Express, has witnessed the carrier’s sustainability innovations throughout the years (including purchasing 800 million liters of sustainable aviation fuel). Now, he joins Lori on this episode of Unboxing Logistics to discuss the what, why, and how of sustainable shipping.What is a carbon footprint?Lori and Peter kick off the conversation by discussing what the term carbon footprint really means. Peter says, “[a] company's carbon footprint includes all of their direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions.”The importance of authenticityWhatever you do, don’t make false claims about your sustainability efforts. As Peter explains, doing so destroys consumer trust. “Building an authentic sustainable strategy is really the key to enhancing your brand image and gaining that competitive advantage in an ethical way.”Customers want sustainable optionsHow can you get customers on board with your sustainability efforts? The answer is simple: communicate! “You can actually share with the customer how their decision is impacting the globe. It's a small investment to make a big impact.”When you share your sustainability goals and initiatives, customers will continue supporting your brand. “Data supports that customers are willing and even happy to pay for sustainable options. They're more loyal to companies that provide them.”LinksConnect with Peter on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-klevecz-4632836/ Learn about DHL Express’s sustainability initiatives: https://www.dhl.com/us-en/home/about-us/sustainability.html Discover logistics sustainability trends in 2024: https://www.dhl.com/discover/en-us/global-logistics-advice/sustainability-and-green-logistics/sustainability-trends-in-logistics

The logistics industry has come a long way in 40 years—and the future holds many exciting opportunities. John Campo, vice president of government and carrier relations for EasyPost, shares some key insights into the evolution of logistics.2024 trends: carrier diversification and post-Covid market changesJohn and Lori kick off the episode with a discussion about the shipping market, where John points out that “carriers nationally have gone through some labor discord.” Although the threatened strikes were avoided, more shippers began trading their “one-trick ponies” for multi-carrier shipping strategies. Moving forward, John predicts that some logistics companies will go out of business now that the Covid-19 consumer shipping craze has died down. “During that time there was massive over-investment … I think there’s going to be a consolidation in the business. The strong ones, they’ll survive and thrive.”Importance of accurate delivery timesAs shipment tracking data improves, customers will be able to access automatic updates for every step of the delivery process. This proactive approach doesn’t just benefit consumers—it also saves carriers the cost of failed deliveries.John says, “if the delivery can be made as exact and precise as possible using data, then the customer wins, the carrier wins, the merchant wins, and it keeps costs down.”Understanding carrier performanceConsumers hold ecommerce businesses accountable for their shipping performance. That includes fulfillment activities like picking and packing orders, but it also includes carrier performance—something you often don’t have direct control over. Because of that, John says, “understanding carriers' performance [by] utilizing time in transit data is really critical.”LinksConnect with John on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-campo-88a10837/ Visit EasyPost’s website: https://www.easypost.com/

No initiative is an island—and that includes sustainability. By implementing efficiency-boosting changes like automation, your business will also limit its carbon footprint. Kim Baudry, market development director at Dematic, explains how automation helps people, profits, and the planet.Sustainability, labor, and automationBecause labor is a resource, sustainability includes making people’s jobs physically and mentally easier.Kim explains, “Automation brings everything to the level where you're not bending, you're not lifting. It can reduce the amount of time that you're walking back and forth. … We have to think about how we're treating [people] so we can retain and attract them.”How software helpsWarehouse automation isn’t all robotics; software plays an essential role. As Kim puts it, “Good software creates efficiencies in operations. When you have inventory tied to where it needs to be and where it needs to go, you're spending less time, which means less energy. You should be able to take up less space, and you have higher accuracy on your order. All of those things are good for sustainability.”Balancing the costs and benefits of eco-friendly practicesIs sustainability worth the cost? According to Kim, the answer is an unequivocal yes—when you look at the big picture. “It's a gut reaction to go, oh my gosh, this is going to cost me a lot of money. But you really have to look at the long term. If [automation] benefits your people, you're going to have a more stable workforce. You can avoid getting more space. If you can cube your trucks, you have fewer trucks on the road, fewer expenses.”LinksConnect with Kim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimjbaudry/ Visit Dematic’s website: https://www.dematic.com/en-us/

In this episode of Unboxing Logistics, James Sutton announces a new EasyPost solution: EasyPost Analytics. As head of the EasyPost Analytics engineering team, James has seen firsthand how crucial it is for shippers to have full visibility into their supply chain. He shares what EasyPost Analytics can do, who it’s for, and how it sheds light on complex logistics operations.Why use analytics software?Businesses that ship products to customers often have an extensive collection of technology: shipping software, TMS, WMS, OMS, ERP … and the list goes on. James explains that the goal of EasyPost Analytics is “to integrate all those systems' data,” giving supply chain professionals a full view of what’s working well and what can be improved. “Having the right visibility into performance metrics … can empower operations to be more efficient and save money, but also execute at a high level.”EasyPost Analytics modulesEasyPost Analytics has several modules, each focusing on a different aspect of shipping and logistics. James and Lori dive into the details of omnichannel operations, warehouse management, and parcel visibility. While each module can be purchased separately, James says it’s “pretty powerful if you have all of them, because then you have all the data in one place and can tell the whole story.”What’s the ROI? James explains that shippers see two major results when using EasyPost Analytics. “One is cost avoidance. … You don't have to pay for the data analyst to build and maintain the infrastructure to do [analytics] in-house. … Two, by having the right visibility, there are many operational improvements that can save you money."With these factors combined, most shippers see a 5 to 15 times ROI on their annual subscription. LinksConnect with James on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesasutton/ Visit the EasyPost Analytics page: https://www.easypost.com/analytics

In 2022 alone, porch pirates made off with 19.5 billion dollars worth of goods. As package thieves adopt new tactics, it’s up to merchants, carriers, and consumers to stay one step ahead of them. Jessica Lowrance, vice president of federal affairs at UPS, shares some of the most effective ways to fight back against porch piracy.Porch piracy—our new realityFor Jessica, it’s clear that porch piracy will never go away entirely. She says, “I think it's part of the customer buying experience now. And it's not the fault of the carrier or even the company you're buying from; it's just the reality of the world we live in today.”Federal and state porch piracy lawsWhile some porch pirates snag a package or two on a whim, others get organized. They’re known to follow delivery trucks, stealing an entire neighborhood’s packages in one fell swoop. Unfortunately, many of these criminals don’t face severe consequences for their actions. Jessica explains that “under current federal law, only [packages delivered by] the Postal Service are treated as a felony for porch pirates. [Packages delivered by other carriers] are up to local jurisdiction.” Nine times out of 10, [porch piracy] would be considered a misdemeanor.” She recommends getting involved at a state and even federal level to support new legislation that would make porch piracy a felony regardless of carrier. What can businesses do?Jessica offers practical tips to help merchants fight back against porch piracy:Use plain packaging. If a package is branded, thieves are more likely to snatch it.Offer signature proof of delivery. For high-value items, give customers the option to sign for delivery.Have a ship-to-store option. Let customers pick up their online orders at the nearest store location instead of having packages shipped to their homes.LinksConnect with Jessica on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-dauer-lowrance-813b36b/ Visit the UPS website: https://www.ups.com/us/en/Home.page

Chris Caplice has deep knowledge of supply chain management: he’s the executive director of the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics, chief scientist for DAT Freight and Analytics, and a Silver Family Research Fellow.To kick off the second season of Unboxing Logistics, Chris uses his wealth of experience to predict what 2024 has in store for the supply chain industry.An evolving relationship-building approachIn the old days, building business relationships involved taking someone to dinner or a sports game. Now, Chris says, the focus has shifted. The best way to establish great relationships with partners? Help them solve their business problems. “You need to have trust on both sides. And trust is only earned with repeated success.”Geopolitical tensions on the riseGeopolitical tensions have the potential to cause major supply chain disruptions, and they’re on the rise. As a result, Chris has seen organizations becoming more cautious when it comes to global trade. “The US and other Western countries have woken up to the idea that they need to be a little more self-sufficient. I don't think global trade is going away … but I think we're being more strategic there.”Preparing for the unknownIn the world of logistics, a million things can go wrong—how can you prepare? Chris suggests using a technique called scenario planning. While he goes into more detail in the episode, here’s the in-a-nutshell version: “You envision three to four worlds, the way the future can be … and then say, if this was the future, what should I be doing now to prepare? By doing that, you're preparing the organization to be flexible.”LinksConnect with Chris on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-caplice-1839/ Visit the DAT Freight and Analytics website: https://www.dat.com/ Visit the MIT Center for Transportation and Logistics website: https://ctl.mit.edu/

Whether you’re a small, medium-sized, or enterprise business, your customers probably expect an  omnichannel shopping experience. Kylie Schafer, practice lead at Summit Advisory Team, talks with Lori about the benefits of omnichannel commerce and gives some advice for getting started.Omnichannel in a nutshellKylie explains that omnichannel is all about “cross pollination” between sales channels. For example, customers might be able to buy something online and return it to the store, or view their online purchase history and in-store purchase history side-by-side. In a broader sense, though, omnichannel is “just good retail.” The best brands “meet the customer where they are [and] help them shop the way they want to shop.”Why invest in omnichannel strategies?Why use an omnichannel fulfillment approach? The answer is simple: “Your customers expect it. … They expect things to be fast. They expect things to be easy. They expect minimal friction.” Through every stage of the customer journey, from purchase to returns, buyers value a seamless shopping experience—and omnichannel is the best way to provide one.Getting started with omnichannel If you’ve never used an omnichannel strategy before, or want to level up your current processes, what should you do? Kylie offers the same advice for every business, regardless of size. She says, “The first thing I always encourage … is starting with a proper strategy. Why do you think you need to do this? What are your customers telling you? What are your main competitors doing? Where do you want to be?” LinksConnect with Kylie on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kylieschafer/ Connect with Summit Advisory Team on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/summit-advisory-team-llc/ Visit the Summit Advisory Team website: https://summitadvisoryteam.com/

According to Gartner, women make up just 39% of the logistics industry. At the executive level, that number drops to 21%. In this episode, Lori talks with Anna Podolskaya, product manager at EasyPost, about the value women bring to logistics and technology roles, how they can advance their careers, and why diversity matters.Challenges Anna has faced in the logistics industryIn the beginning of Anna’s career, people often assumed she was a secretary or executive assistant. While she recognizes the value in those roles, she also emphasizes the importance of recognizing women as subject matter experts: “They're like, can we ask someone technical? And I'm like, I am technical.”Tips for advancing your careerWondering how to jumpstart your career in a male-dominated field? Anna shares some of her most impactful activities:Network. Connecting with others in the industry (both women and men) can help you envision and achieve your ideal career path.Volunteer. Find local organizations where you can share your knowledge, and look for chances to mentor others.Attend conferences. Attend free or paid conferences to network and learn. How can men support women in the workplace?Lori and Anna discuss several ways men can support women in the workplace, including sharing constructive feedback and asking for feedback themselves. Anna sees the power of praise combined with questions: “Hey, you did a really great job. What would you want to do differently?”LinksConnect with Anna on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-podolskaya/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annapshares/ And X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/annapshares Check out the EasyPost site: https://www.easypost.com/

Many small businesses want to incorporate sustainability initiatives into their operations but aren’t sure how to get started. Veena Harbaugh, director of sustainability at Sendle, reveals that sustainable shipping doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive—even for the smallest organizations.Finding innovative solutions With limited time and resources, how are small businesses supposed to compete with larger ones? Veena believes they can use constraints to their advantage. “Where there is a barrier for small businesses, those are the exact entrepreneurs finding solutions. … They can embed that [sustainable solution] into the core of what they do.”Cutting costs and saving the planetDo you have to choose between sustainability and the financial health of your business? Surprisingly, no. While sustainable solutions are often seen as an “elite or more expensive option,” they actually go hand-in-hand with cost savings. By eliminating waste, businesses save money and minimize their carbon footprint at the same time. Three shipping sustainability tipsThe following sustainability measures are simple but can make a big difference. Rightsize packaging. Save money by not paying to ship half-empty boxes, and save the environment by packing trucks more efficiently. Cut down on returns. Keep products out of landfills and avoid paying for return shipping. Try improving product descriptions and sizing charts so people know what they’re getting.Work with eco-conscious partners. Solutions like Sendle and EasyPost offer 100% carbon neutral shipping at no extra cost. LinksConnect with Veena on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veenaharbaugh/ Visit Sendle’s website: https://www.sendle.com/en-us

International shipping is complex, but it opens the door to billions of new customers. Guy Gemmill, president and co-founder of APC Postal Logistics, joins Lori on this episode of Unboxing Logistics to explain how consolidators simplify cross-border shipping.Why use consolidated shipping?Guy explains that shipping consolidators “receive shipments from various merchants in the U.S. on a daily basis, [then] consolidate those shipments into drop areas overseas and into Canada.” The advantage of this system? “Because the economies of scale are better, the cost is going to be lower.” Merchants can save up to 60% on international shipping by taking advantage of a consolidator’s bulk discounts.Consolidated shipping vs. expedited shippingThe consolidated vs. expedited choice comes down to individual preference. Guy says, “[Some] consumers want products within a certain timeframe, and others are going to be shopping based on the cost and shipping rate.” When cost is the main concern, consolidated shipping is the way to go. When time matters most, expedited is the better option.When is it time to ship internationally? Is international shipping worth it for your company? According to Guy, you should turn to data to answer that question. “Understand what your website traffic is. Are international consumers hitting your website? Are they looking at your products? How long are they spending on your website?” If you have enough international traffic, it may be time to start tapping into that new market. LinksConnect with Guy on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/guy-h-gemmill-64b3481b/ Visit APC Postal Logistics’s site: https://www.apc-pli.com/

On this episode of Unboxing Logistics, Jeff Goeters and Jeff Skaistis unveil a new EasyPost platform for high-volume shippers: EasyPost Enterprise. “When out-of-the-box won’t do, that’s what we do,” says Goeters. Skaistis adds, “EasyPost Enterprise is a shipping platform that grows with you over time.” Challenges enterprise shippers faceEnterprise businesses have to run a tight ship when it comes to shipping—no pun intended. Jeff Skaistis explains why they don’t have room for error. After noting that enterprises ship hundreds of thousands of orders (or more) per day, he continues, “For these companies, shipping is a business-critical operation. You can't have your shipping system go down and expect to make your numbers.” When to invest in an enterprise shipping solutionSmall businesses usually start with an off-the-shelf shipping product, and it works great for a while. But as the organizations scale, things get more complicated. According to Jeff Goeters, many new factors come into play: additional retail locations, online returns, and more. That’s when “you need an enterprise product, which is designed to help you plug all those pieces together.”An enterprise shipping platform for the futureEasyPost Enterprise is built using new technologies, and it was created with flexibility and adaptability in mind. While many legacy enterprise products are suffering from age, says Jeff Skaistis, EasyPost Enterprise “gives us a lot of opportunity not to just build what has been built before, but to build new things for the future.” LinksConnect with Jeff Skaistis on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skaistis/ Connect with Jeff Goeters on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffgoeters/ Visit the EasyPost Enterprise site: https://www.easypost.com/enterprise

“You're never too small to ship or get great rates. You're not.”Kelli Martin is the digital marketing advisor at FedEx, but she likes to refer to herself as a small business champion. This week, she joins us on Unboxing Logistics to share advice for small businesses and highlight some of the resources FedEx provides to help them succeed. Small business challenges and trendsThe current economic climate makes running a small business challenging. Kelli shares the struggles she’s heard about from clients she’s worked with: “[One thing] we're all hearing about and experiencing in some way is inflation and the rising cost of everything … and just finding good labor.”Two things small businesses need to knowShipping can be overwhelming for small business owners! Two things that people often don’t get right? DIM weight and packaging. Kelli recommends, “Know your DIM weight … understand it. A lot of people think it's just the weight of the package that makes the difference. Like, no, no, no. It's the combination of the weight, the size, and the distance.”She adds, “I cannot stress enough the importance of proper packaging. If [a product is] breakable—fragile in any way—proper packing is so important to avoid damage.”Resources FedEx providesFedEx isn’t just for big companies—they want to help businesses of every size thrive. Check out these helpful resources:FedEx Small Business Grant. Ten FedEx customers will win a significant grant to grow their business. The application will open around March 2024. Small Business Center. As Kelli puts it, you can find “loads of information on just about everything under the sun,” including articles on optimizing your shipping, packing, and fulfillment.Making It Work podcast. The podcast doesn’t just focus on shipping—it covers all the complexities of small business operations, including hiring and firing, finding investors, and more. Post-Peak and Trends Reports. Next Spring, read these reports for a deep dive into ecommerce trends and statistics. LinksFollow Kelli on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-d-martin/ Visit the FedEx Small Business Center: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/small-business.html Listen to the Making It Work podcast: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/small-business/making-it-work-podcast.html

Jicara Gorski, principal product manager at EasyPost, explains how companies can achieve a net zero carbon footprint through carbon offsets. EasyPost announces carbon neutral shippingIn this special episode of Unboxing Logistics, Lori and Jicara discuss a major announcement from EasyPost: Starting on November 1, 2023, every shipment that comes through EasyPost will be carbon neutral, at no additional cost to shippers. Jicara explains, “This is not a light investment. … This is an effort in our continuing partnership with our customers—listening to them, understanding what their end customers are expecting of them, and coming to the table with a viable solution.”How do carbon offsets work?If trucks and planes continue to transport packages as normal, how can a company achieve carbon neutral shipping? While carbon offsets don’t eliminate greenhouse gas emissions, they do help balance them.Jicara explains how it all works: “[Packages are] going from point A to point B. So we take inputs based on the mode of transportation and the distance that they’re going, and we calculate the amount of carbon emissions that are associated with a particular parcel.”“At the end of the quarter, we'll take the amount of emissions that we've calculated for that particular period, and we will purchase a decarbonization project to offset those emissions.”The result? A 100% net neutral carbon footprint.Why focus on sustainable shipping?Sustainability is one of the most pressing issues for businesses today. Everybody’s talking about it, but many aren’t sure exactly what to do about it. As Lori points out, the numbers show it’s time to make a change: 11% of all global greenhouse gasses come from freight transportation.64% of consumers say they're willing to pay more for a company that uses sustainable products.81% of global consumers feel strongly that they should be helping the environment.Listen to the full episode to learn more about how EasyPost carbon neutral shipping works—and why sustainable shipping is so vital. LinksConnect with Jicara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jicara-gorski-8a110682/ Learn more about EasyPost’s carbon offsets: https://www.easypost.com/sustainability

In case you haven’t heard, October is cybersecurity awareness month! This episode of Unboxing Logistics focuses on the importance of cybersecurity in the ecommerce space.What are the risks? What responsibilities do businesses have to protect consumer privacy? Iskander Sanchez-Rola, director of privacy innovation at Gen, joins Lori to answer these questions and more.Web tracking—good or bad?Web tracking involves monitoring and collecting data about users' online activities. Tracking can have visible results (like targeted ads), but it’s also used in the background for data analysis or data sharing between companies.So, is web tracking bad? Not necessarily. As Iskander explains, everything comes down to choice and transparency. “I'm not explicitly saying that web tracking is bad, because it's not. What we are saying is that we should allow the users to decide what is happening.”The consequences of neglecting cybersecurityThough Iskander is quick to point out that he’s not a legal expert, he knows that neglecting cybersecurity is never a good idea. If an ecommerce store doesn’t protect their customers’ personally identifiable information (PII), they can face major legal repercussions—not to mention a damaged reputation. Is your data secure?Sometimes, business owners aren’t sure if their sites are secure—with cookie ghostwriting, it can be hard to tell if third parties are tracking user data. Iskandar recommends digging deep and looking for signs of unusual activity on the backend of your site.If bad actors do get away with tracking user data via your site, you could be in trouble. “[The trackers are] not controlled by you, which means they can … attack the privacy of your customers.”LinksConnect with Iskander on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iskander-sanchez-rola/ Visit Gen’s website: https://www.gendigital.com/us/en/