US consumer confidence dropped the most in over three years in September, with the Conference Board's gauge falling to 98.7, down from 105.6 a month earlier. The decline was driven by widespread and growing concerns about jobs and business conditions, particularly among those aged 35-54 earning less than $50,000. Inflation concerns persist, with consumers' 12-month outlook rising to 5.2%, and consumers' assessment of current conditions fell more than 10 points.

The US is facing a "perfect storm" of supply chain disruptions, with a looming strike at East and Gulf Coast ports coinciding with ongoing Red Sea and Panama Canal issues. These ports account for more than half of the country's containerized imports and exports, and a strike could exacerbate existing supply chain issues in the Red Sea and Panama Canal. Shippers are pulling shipments forward and diverting vessels to West Coast ports, but significant disruptions are expected if the strike occurs.

Distributors looking to establish a culture of innovation need to start at the top. Leaders must set the tone for the rest of the organizational culture to follow and avoid micromanaging, a "culture killer" that can deter innovation, productivity and morale, according to Tracie Sponenberg, a human resource consultant who spoke at the recent SHIFT 2024 conference. Additional steps distributors can take include establishing robust internal and external communication, allowing HR to guide digital adoption and training that empowers employees and encourages risk-taking.

Earlier deals and cost concerns contributed to 48% of people in a Bankrate study planning to start their holiday shopping by Halloween. Online shopping will also play a larger role for 20%, with inventory and security concerns as well as price factoring into customers' choices.

Amazon sees generative AI as an important key to helping small- and medium-sized businesses compete, says Mary Beth Westmoreland, vice president of worldwide selling partner experience, citing its ability to increase efficiency. Generative AI provides immediate access to customized metrics while helping improve product recommendation personalization, provide more creative content and generate video advertisements.

Spot rates continued to decline last week, but at a slower pace as Drewry Shipping Consultants reported rates of $4,682 per 40-foot container on the Shanghai-Rotterdam leg. Some long-term ocean contracts have nearly doubled, such as the Vietnam-Rotterdam route, which Xenexa reports has moved to just over $3,600 per 40-foot container compared to its $2,000 rate in July.

Jim Connell, chief procurement officer at JPMorgan Chase, shares how the company uses AI tools such as Large Language Models in a Q&A. "For supply chain professionals managing thousands of supplier contracts, reports, and financial statements, LLMs can be a game changer, providing faster and more comprehensive access to critical information," says Connell, who will give a keynote speech on Oct. 8 at the SIG 2024 Fall Global Executive Summit.

Headlines in content marketing should be relevant to the target audience, contain emotion-evoking power words, follow popular formats, be easy to read and hit the optimum of between 6 and 13 words, writes Syed Balkhi, founder of WPBeginner. Balkhi also explains how to use headline analyzers, which assess content and suggest improvements.

Several Federal Reserve officials have indicated that further rate cuts may be needed to support the US economy. Chicago Fed president Austan Goolsbee, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic and Minneapolis' Neel Kashkari all said they support the decision to cut rates by half a point. "If you're restrictive for too long, you're not going to be at that sweet spot on the dual mandate for much longer," Goolsbee said. While none indicated they favor doing this again, all reiterated upcoming data would support their decisions.

Wisconsin-based distributor Packer Fastener's expansion into neighboring states highlights the importance of strategic planning and operational readiness. President Jason Ledvina outlines key considerations such as market research, logistics and legal compliance, as well as the need for a clear vision and adaptability when growing a business.

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