Grainger's online-only Endless Assortment segment, which includes Zoro.com, had 2021 sales of $2.58 billion, up 18.3% from 2020. Zoro's product count reached 8.7 million stockkeeping units in the fourth quarter, up from 6.1 million a year earlier.

Digital orders at Walmart stores increased 170% in the past year and the company plans to add more in-store market fulfillment centers to increase pickup and delivery capacity by 35% this year. The fulfillment centers use automated bots that retrieve some items from shelves to speed up order assembly, but fresh items such as produce will still be hand-picked by personal shoppers.

Distribution e-commerce sites have two main options: offer value-added capabilities or focus on specialized products, even if that means a lower count of stockkeeping units, writes Ian Heller of Distribution Strategy Group.

Russia's invasion of Ukraine means manufacturers are facing increased costs for transportation and fuel, fewer options for moving goods and the need to understand sanctions and export controls against Russia and Belarus, writes Lauren Pittelli of Baker Logistics Consulting Services. Companies must also be diligent with contracts and the risks of ongoing or new activities in those countries, Pittelli writes.

Sales teams must look beyond primary prospects and establish a wide variety of connections within the larger industry and local community as they forge relationships today, writes Colleen Francis. "It's a mistake to just settle on connecting only with people who like what you're selling," Francis writes.

Amanda Malko, chief marketing officer of G2, explains the importance of customer voice, which can be captured via social media, reviews, surveys and other methods. Malko urges business-to-business marketers to not only use customer voice to inform marketing strategies, but to foster trust by amplifying brand champions and user-generated content.

Being more authentic in your career requires understanding your principles, breaking out of negative habits, writing your vision story and putting plans into action, write executive coach James Kerr and therapist Mandy Morris. They offer guidance on how to create an action plan, as well as an example.

Achieving team harmony and high morale is about helping people be their best, work through change and overcome pessimism, but some leaders try to keep everyone happy and end up achieving less as a result, writes Kate Nasser. Managers or team members who are consistently insecure and negative, however, might need to be replaced by people dedicated to achieving team success, Nasser writes.