Digi-Key Electronics has completed a 2.2 million-square-foot distribution center expansion in Thief River Falls, Minn., making the warehouse one of the 10 largest in the country and as big as 22 football fields. The project cost $400 million and includes 27 miles of automated conveyor systems.

Distributors that want to pursue mergers and acquisitions should take the time to evaluate a target company's culture and processes to ensure compatibility, according to consultant Amira elAdawi. "The gaps can't be things that you cannot possibly bridge," elAdawi said.

Amazon is raising its third-party seller fees for Fulfillment by Amazon users by 35 cents per item between Oct. 15 and Jan. 14 for goods sold in the US and Canada. Amazon says it's introducing the holiday season surcharge to offset rising costs.

Congestion at West Coast ports and resultant shipping delays have led importers to seek relief from East Coast and Gulf Coast ports, adding bottlenecks. Increased inbound cargo has stretched land-side operations and has pushed storage capacity to the brink, industry officials say, with Lori Fellmer of the National Industrial Transportation League calling the situation "a horror show."

"[S]ophisticated, industry-specific models" are the best approach to adjusting supply networks, as the wrong approach can turn your network from a sail into an anchor, four McKinsey analysts write. Models for consumer electronics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and apparel show how the various trade-offs work best for different industries.

HubSpot Blogs research reveals 66% of consumers have watched video content, such as product demonstrations and reviews, to learn about a brand or product, and do so primarily for relaxation (32.8%), entertainment (26.3%) and to explore a passion or interest (13.3%). Production value is at least somewhat important to 64% of consumers, while videos lasting one to three minutes are favored over other lengths.

Salespeople need to know when leverage can be at play -- on their side or the potential customer's -- sales trainer Clint Babcock writes. Sales leaders can talk to teams about ownership, skill, time and five other leverage levers, and Babcock explains how to use them wisely.

With more employees over the age of 55, ergonomic practices should be considered a worthwhile investment by organizations, writes Ariel Jenkins, assistant vice president for risk services at Safety National. Ergonomics practice means reducing fatigue and discomfort in work, including "repetitive motion, bending, stooping, overreaching and wrist deviation," writes Jenkins, who discusses steps companies can take.

Writing out a speech before you deliver it can help generate new ideas and better ways to tell the story you want to relate to your audience, writes Jim Anderson. "The great thing about writing your speech out is that when you are both the writer and the speaker, you may end up motivating and inspiring yourself, as well as your listeners, to greater heights," Anderson writes.

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