Sales of new single-family homes rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 759,000 units in September, gaining 12.3%, according to the Commerce Department. The increase is the fastest since February 2022. However, demand could be affected as mortgage rates continue to be elevated.
Retailers such as Joann, Walmart and Whole Foods Market are trying to improve profit margins by asking vendors to lower costs and negotiate contracts. Blue Yonder's Ben Wynkoop says more retailers are publicly sharing these typically closed-door strategies to create goodwill among consumers and shareholders and to put added pressure on suppliers, but Infosys Consulting's Mary Lou Gardner says the tactic could hurt supplier relationships.
MSC Industrial Supply reported just over $1 billion in fourth quarter sales, up 1.3% from a year earlier. MSC's annual sales topped $4 billion for the first time, up 8.6% from the previous year. The metalworking and MRO distributor posted $118 million in operating income in the fourth quarter and $484 million for the year.
Startups that promised to revolutionize shipping burst into the market during the coronavirus pandemic and seemed to do well for a while but after freight rates fell and diesel prices rose Convoy ceased operations and several of its rivals came under heavy pressure, according to PitchBook. "VCs are not entertaining disruptors in freight and last-mile delivery the way they had been in 2020 and 2021, perhaps recognizing that the Silicon Valley logic can't always be applied to old-school, capital-intensive industries like freight," writes PitchBook's Rosie Bradbury.
Mitigating supply chain fraud, especially with third-party accounts, requires companies to work closely with financial institutions, conduct double verification and document matching. The best way to fight financial fraud and cargo theft, however, is to implement a multistep verification process in which one party manages carrier vetting and another party is responsible for verifying the financial side of transactions, says Brad Stewart of Redwood Logistics.
Ensuring that collaborative robots can work safely with their human counterparts requires attention to creating a safe work environment in line with key safety regulations, according to Devin Murray of Schmersal, a supplier of safety switch gear devices and systems for personnel and machine protection. Murray reviews four standard-specified methods for collaborative operation, beginning with a step in which the cobot motion is halted while the operator is in the collaborative workspace.
Some 71% of business-to-business tech buyers feel let down by the quality of gated content, per Informa Tech, which is why B2B marketers must avoid five content mistakes that erode trust, Renae Gregoire writes. Publishing generic, stale, low-value content with recycled insights and an obvious sales pitch is the fastest way to lose trust and loyalty, Gregoire warns.
Logged-in environment targeting is favored over the anonymous open web by 66% of advertisers and 74% plan to increase their allocations towards email, social and other interfaces this year, according to LiveIntent. Amid the rise of data privacy and online anonymity, LiveIntent predicts increased logged-in testing, "scaling as success is either 'correlated' or directly attributable" and success among the channels that can glean valued first-party data that can be shared with brands.
An established process eases annual budgeting if it starts at least one quarter before the fiscal year begins and defines deadlines, strategic finance professional Sanjeev Parlikar writes. In addition, the right technology and data provide a structure for ongoing analysis and forecasting, Parlikar notes.
NAW's Billion Dollar Executive Roundtable event November 8-9 in Dallas offers an opportunity to join other wholesaler-distributor executives in discussions about topics that matter to you and your company. Attendees will hear from leaders in the industry and expand their networking circles. Learn more about this invitation-only event here.
Get ready to supercharge your organization at the Innovators Summit in Austin, TX, from November 14 to 16! Join us to connect with tech innovators, explore emerging trends, and harness cutting-edge technologies that will propel your organization to new heights of growth and transformation.
Experience three days of excellent networking opportunities, cutting-edge content, and educational programming for leaders in the wholesale-distribution industry at NAW's Exective Summit Jan. 30 - Feb. 1. Hear from world-class speakers and explore issues critical to the industry. Be prepared for what's next and learn new strategies to get there first. View agenda and registration information here.
