Today's Pickup: Amazon Reportedly Tests Inventory Staging For Merchants

Good day,

Amazon.com, Inc. AMZN is reportedly testing a new service that allows merchants to stage inventories near fulfillment centers to meet holiday demand 

Amazon is piloting the new service, called Storage and Replenishment, in Ontario, California, and plans to expand it elsewhere in the U.S., Bloomberg reported on Dec. 2, citing documents it reviewed. 

The e-commerce giant is looking for a way to handle larger holiday volumes. The service aims to alleviate pressure off its primary facilities while minimizing restocking times.

It also comes as Amazon faces growing criticism for its warehousing model. A recent report by Reveal Center for Investigative Reporting and The Atlantic  found serious injury rates double the national average at some Amazon facilities. 

Did you know?

Highway 401 in Ontario, Canada, is considered the busiest highway in North America, with as many as 500,000 vehicles traveling on it per day. The provincial government is spending the equivalent of almost $500 million to expand an 11-mile stretch of 401 near Toronto.

Quotable:

"The use of post and parcel services to transport drugs is… expanding rapidly, following the rising trend of online shopping in Europe and the movement of larger volumes of goods."

—  2019 EU Drug Markets Report. Read more about how criminals are increasingly exploiting Europe's supply chains.

In other news: 

Cyber Monday shoppers to hit record $9.4 billion

Online shoppers are expected to hit a Cyber Monday record with $9.4 billion in purchases. (CNBC)

GLP launches $2.1 billion Chinese logistics fund 

A new fund from warehouse investor GLP focuses on China's logistics sector. (APAC Real Estate)

Poland issuing additional freight permits for Ukraine carriers 

Poland plans to give 5,000 more freight permits to Ukranian carriers for 2019. (Ukranian National News Agency) 

Lion Electric grows heavy-duty truck offerings

Canadian electric vehicle maker Lion Electric is expanding its offerings into work trucks. (Trailer/Body Builders)

Hong Hong unicorn Lalamove pushes logistics platform into India

Lalamove is expanding into India after raising nearly $500 million and growing its on-demand logistics platform across Asia. (YourStory)

Final thoughts:

Amazon's foray into staging inventories comes as it faces increased competition in fulfillment and warehousing – particularly from Shopify. 

Shopify Inc's SHOP nascent Fulfillment Network is leveraging newly acquired technology from 6 River Systems that will make it easier to bring third-party warehouses with unused capacity into their fold. 

Hammer down everyone!

Image by kirstyfields from Pixabay