Import prices inched up 0.3% in February, spurred by rising fuel and food imports. Core import prices, which exclude fuel and food, increased 0.1% from the previous month and dropped 0.7% from a year earlier. Year-over-year import prices have declined 0.8%.

Customers expect business-to-business buying experiences to be intuitive and straightforward and allow seamless movement from inspiration to purchase, writes Mohan Natarajan, a services practice leader at software provider DCKAP. Natarajan details the path distributors can take to implement such properties, including understanding where current systems fall short and identifying what customers want in an ecommerce experience.

US business inventories were unchanged in January after increasing 0.3% a month earlier, as a 0.4% increase in retail inventories was offset by a 0.3% drop in wholesale inventories and a 0.1% decline in manufacturing inventories, according to Commerce Department data. Inventories increased 0.4% compared with a year earlier.

Warehouse owners should tailor automation, AI and other emerging technology to improve employees' safety, well-being and productivity and complement their skills, all of which can lead to greater staff retention, writes Malcolm Druce, a managing partner for BPS Global Australia. "[R]ather than merely responding to incidents, the right technologies allow pre-emptive action. Data facilitates continuous upgrades to safety standards over time, while intelligent infrastructure and workflows maintain these high standards," Druce writes.

Advanced technology and shifting supply chain dynamics will force distributors to become more resilient and adaptable this year through strategies including broader supplier networks, flexible procurement models and integrating advanced technologies, writes Michelle Duffy, a solution strategist with Pricefx. With predictive analytics, "[d]istributors can make data-driven decisions in pricing and procurement, fine-tuning their strategies to align with market dynamics and customer expectations," Duffy writes.

Earnest's Georgie Everitt urges business-to-business copywriters to embrace generative AI as a tool, explaining why the technology will never replace the creativity and expertise of humans. "AI shows us the derivative, the dull, and the done so that our brains can use that as a springboard to real creativity," Everitt writes, noting, "I believe that words in the hands of humans hit differently."

States have lined up to sue the Securities and Exchange Commission over its climate risk disclosure rules, with 10 states filing suits last week and another nine entering the fray this week. The Chamber of Commerce is joining those efforts, saying the final rule "makes substantively harmful changes to 50 years of corporate governance precedent." Meanwhile, the environmental group Sierra Club filed a lawsuit arguing that the SEC arbitrarily weakened the final rule, stripping out the reporting of Scope 3 or indirect emissions.

According to Caitlin Murphy, CEO of Global Gateway Logistics, five major factors affect the global logistics industry in 2024: hedging ocean rates, environmental and geopolitical challenges, US port infrastructure, railroads and technology. This article details Murphy's key points from this week's American Feed Industry Association Purchasing and Ingredient Suppliers Conference speech.

Get a better read on people to enhance communication and connection by watching for emotional cues in their body language -- if they fidget or cross their arms -- using empathy to understand their point of view and asking open-ended questions to learn more about them, writes Steve Keating. Check your own biases and preconceptions and stay open-minded in all your interactions, Keating advises.

The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors enthusiastically supports a federal court's decision to vacate the National Labor Relations Board joint employer rule. NAW, which has advocated for a legislative fix to the issue, said the Texas court ruling is "a significant triumph for both businesses and workers."

Research shows the benefits are clear: Companies that invest in their employees' professional development experience increased employee retention, improved performance and enhanced innovation. Join a select group of high-caliber professionals for an exclusive program designed to accelerate your career in wholesale distribution. This intensive, 5-day certificate program, led by seven expert faculty members from The Ohio State University, will equip students with the strategic skills and knowledge to navigate industry challenges, drive growth and lead with confidence. The Spring Session is April 29 - May 3, 2024. Learn More.

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