NEW YORK: Retailers and carriers are preparing for an online holiday shopping surge that could tax shipping networks and lead to delivery delays.
FedEx and UPS are ramping up their holiday hiring while expanding their weekend operations and asking retailers to use their shipping network when there is more slack. And stores are pushing shoppers to buy early and are expanding services like curbside pickup to minimize the need for delivery.
For the last few years, many retailers had been using their own physical stores, in addition to their distribution centers, to fulfill online orders. But now they are designating some of those stores to handle even higher volumes. Best Buy, for example, converted space in 250 of its 1,000 stores this fall to manage online orders.
The moves come as most of the carriers have been at full shipping capacity for months as shoppers shifted their buying online during the pandemic.
“We are warmed up for what we’re calling the ship-a-thon,” said Brie Carere, chief marketing and communications officer at FedEx. “Like everything else in 2020, this is going to be an unprecedented peak season. We’ve actually seen three years of growth in e-commerce pulled forward. So we are expecting a ton of volume.”
Carole B. Tome, CEO of UPS, told analysts last month she expects “a pretty peaky peak.”
Amazon, which has been growing its own delivery network so it doesn’t have to rely as much on UPS and the US Postal Service, is nonetheless warning shoppers not to wait until the last minute to buy gifts. While the world’s largest online retailer delivers more than half of its packages itself, it still relies on other carriers to get orders to shoppers.
“It’s going to be tight for everyone and we will all be stretched,” said Brian Olsavsky, Amazon’s chief financial officer. “And it’s advantageous to the customer, and probably the companies, for people to order early this year.”
Satish Jindel, the president of ShipMatrix, which analyzes shipping package data, predicts 7 million packages a day could face delays from Thanksgiving to Christmas. That’s because he’s expecting a total shipping capacity for the industry to be 79.1 million parcels a day during the 34-day period, with 86.3 million packages looking for space. Last year, total capacity was 65.3 million packages with demand at 67.9 million packages a day.
Right now, Jindel is predicting delivery delays of one or two days for parcels.
US online holiday sales are expected to shatter previous records. Adobe Analytics, which measures sales at 80 of the top 100 US online retailers, predicts a total of $189 billion in online holiday sales, a 33% increase compared to last year. That’s equal to two years worth of holiday e-commerce sales growth shoved into one season.
But even with the online surge, overall holiday sales are expected to see only modest gains compared to recent years. Consulting firm Deloitte expects total sales, including online, to rise between 1% and 1.5% during the November through January period. That’s compared with a 4.1% increase last year for the November and December period, according to an analysis by the National Retail Federation. The trade group says it won’t be coming out with a forecast until this month given so much uncertainty.
Retailers can’t afford to upset shoppers with delayed deliveries or gifts that come after Christmas so they’re stepping up their game.
Kohl’s says it has tens of thousands of items on its website available for curbside pickup. The retailer doubled the number of drive-up parking spaces at its store locations to support increased demand. Likewise, Target has also doubled the number of parking spaces for its drive up services, to 8,000.
Meanwhile, carriers have added holiday surcharges to certain packages, a blow to retailers already struggling with higher costs during COVID. Jindel says the US Postal Service might be a good alternative for retailers now that it has gotten through the deluge of mail-in ballots during the elections. He estimates that the Postal Service’s temporary surcharges mostly range from 25 cents to 40 cents per package is considerably lower than $1 to $5 per package at major carriers.
“Our network is designed to handle temporary and seasonal increases in volume and we have the ability to deliver those additional holiday packages in a timely manner,” said Kimberly Frum, a spokeswoman at the US Postal Service.
For the holidays, FedEx is hiring 70,000 workers, while UPS is in the throes of hiring more than 100,000 temporary employees.
Lee Spratt is the Americas CEO for DHL eCommerce Solutions, a division that specializes in processing small packages for mid- to large-size shippers. He predicts online shopping to be up to 50% higher this holiday season compared to the year-ago period. The division has already been grappling with a 40% surge in online orders since the pandemic began.
It’s hiring 900 more permanent workers to its current labor force of 3,000. It also will hire 1,400 temporary workers, about the same as last year because the company is investing in more permanent workers instead.
In September and October, it also upgraded and some cases added new sorting machines in six key cities including Baltimore and Atlanta, in order to process more parcels.
Online shopping surge could lead to holiday delivery delays
https://arab.news/8rmhz
Online shopping surge could lead to holiday delivery delays
- Companies already at online capacity due to the coronavirus disease pandemic
UAE, Saudi Arabia ranked as leading global entrepreneurial ecosystems
RIYADH: The UAE and Saudi Arabia have been ranked first and third respectively in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report for 2023-2024.
The report, which assesses the entrepreneurial ecosystems of countries worldwide, is highly regarded by international bodies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and various UN organizations,
Saudi Arabia showed significant progress in its entrepreneurial environment, with its National Entrepreneurship Context Index score increasing from 5.0 in 2019 to 6.3 in both 2022 and 2023.
This reflected the country’s successful efforts to diversify its economy and foster a supportive climate for entrepreneurship, said the report. A notable highlight was increased female entrepreneurship, with eight women starting new businesses for every 10 men in 2023.
The country also has the highest proportion of adults who know an entrepreneur, perceive ease in starting a business, recognize good business opportunities, and believe they possess the necessary skills and experience to start a business.
However, despite high acknowledgment of opportunities and capabilities, there remains a considerable fear of failure, the report concluded.
Additionally, a significant percentage of Saudi entrepreneurs are expected to leverage digital technologies and focus on minimizing environmental impacts and maximizing social impacts, indicating a readiness for future challenges.
Meanwhile, the UAE set a record with its National Entrepreneurship Context Index score of 7.7, the highest in the report’s history.
The report also positioned the UAE as the best environment in the world for starting and conducting new business ventures, surpassing many advanced economies. It also ranked third globally in terms of physical infrastructure.
Significant strides have been made in entrepreneurship education within schools, emphasizing skills like creative thinking, problem solving, opportunity recognition and risk assessment. The country ranked among the top five out of 49 in this aspect.
Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan discuss climate action cooperation ahead of COP29
- Two ministers discussed opportunities for work and cooperation between their two countries in the field of climate change
JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman met with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Mukhtar Babayev on Thursday.
Babayev has also been appointed president of the UN COP29 climate talks which will be held in Baku in November.
During the meeting, the two ministers discussed opportunities for work and cooperation between their two countries in the field of climate change. They also talked about joint efforts to achieve the goals of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, the Kingdom’s ministry said in a statement.
They reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts and initiatives in dealing with the effects of climate change, such as exploiting renewable energy sources, and managing, reducing and eliminating emissions through the Saudi and Middle East green initiatives.
In addition, the ministers discussed implementing the circular carbon economy approach and its technologies, which was developed by the Kingdom during its G20 presidency and endorsed by leaders, along with other national and regional programs and initiatives.
Saudi Arabia unveils Green Finance Framework in sustainability push
RIYADH: Public and private participation in climate financing in Saudi Arabia is poised to receive a boost with the introduction of the Green Finance Framework.
This initiative, launched by the Ministry of Finance, is aimed at propelling the nation toward its sustainability goals and achieving net-zero emissions by 2060, Saudi Press Agency reported.
The framework is expected to contribute to the efforts aimed at reducing emissions through a circular carbon economy approach, along with positioning Saudi Arabia as a regional leader in sustainable finance.
It was in October 2021 that Saudi Arabia announced its ambitious goal to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060.
With this framework, the Kingdom aims to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 278 million tonnes annually by 2030, aligning with the commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change that was produced in 2015 and compels signatories to work toward limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
The Kingdom has been spearheading several initiatives including the Saudi Green Initiative to combat the adverse effects of climate change over the past few years.
On March 27, the Kingdom celebrated its first Saudi Green Initiative Day highlighting the importance of fostering a sustainable legacy for future generations.
The celebration was organized under the theme “For Our Today and Their Tomorrow: KSA Together for a Greener Future” and it highlighted the collaboration of more than 80 public and private sector projects that are part of the SGI.
To date, Saudi Arabia has deployed 2.8 gigawatts of renewable energy to the national grid, powering more than 520,000 homes, with additional projects underway to increase capacity.
Moreover, more than 49 million trees and shrubs have been planted throughout the Kingdom since 2021, and extensive land rehabilitation efforts have been undertaken.
Additionally, energy giant Saudi Aramco, in collaboration with the Kingdom’s Ministry of Energy is building a carbon capture and storage hub in Jubail, which will have 9 million tonnes annual storage capacity upon its completion in 2027.
Closing Bell: Saudi main index slips to close at 12,565
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Tadawul All Share Index slipped on Thursday, losing 42.09 points, or 0.33 percent, to close at 12,565.89.
The total trading turnover of the benchmark index was SR10.53 billion ($2.8 billion) as 54 stocks advanced, while 170 retreated.
Similarly, the Kingdom’s parallel market, Nomu, dropped 385.72 points, or 1.43 percent, to close at 26,622.88. This comes as 20 stocks advanced while as many as 42 retreated.
Meanwhile, the MSCI Tadawul Index rose 7.54 points, or 0.47 percent, to close at 1,599.02.
The best-performing stock of the day was Modern Mills for Food Products Co. The company’s share price surged 9.46 percent to SR68.30.
Other top performers include the Mediterranean and Gulf Insurance and Reinsurance Co. as well as Al Yamamah Steel Industries Co.
On the announcements front, Red Sea International Co. announced its annual consolidated financial result for the period ending Dec. 31.
According to a Tadawul statement, the entity’s revenues reached SR1.37 billion in 2023, reflecting an increase of 241 percent when compared to 2022 figures.
The rise in sales is mainly attributed to the strategic acquisition of a 51 percent stake in Fundamental Installation for Electric Work Co., or First Fix, with the recognition in RSI’s consolidated financial statements starting in the final quarter of the year.
Additionally, the company has tactically increased its focus on enhancing its supply chain and adopting competitive pricing strategies while advancing procurement techniques.
On a similar note, the firm’s net profits during the same period hit SR2.17 million, up from a net loss of SR198 million, which was recorded in the same period in 2022.
This rise is mainly linked to positive impact of the First Fix acquisition, in addition to the improvement in revenues and operating performance.
Moreover, Riyadh Steel Co. has also announced its annual financial results for 2023.
A bourse filing revealed that the firm’s net profit reached SR11.14 million in the period ending on Dec. 31, reflecting an increase of 118.8 percent compared to the corresponding period a year earlier.
The increase in net profit is primarily attributable to a reduction in the cost of revenue and secondarily to a rise in other income in comparison to the previous year.
Furthermore, Al-Baha Investment and Development Co. also announced its annual financial results for the period ending on Dec.31.
According to a Tadawul statement, the company’s net profit hit SR4.94 million in 2023, up from the net loss of SR8.09 million that was recorded in 2022.
The increase was owed to a 39 percent surge in the group’s revenues and reduced financing costs by 73 percent, among other reasons.
Saudi Arabia leads the charge toward energy transition: report
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is emerging as a proactive leader, pioneering green initiatives to mitigate economic challenges posed by the transformation toward sustainability, according to the International Monetary Fund.
A recent report by the IMF highlighted the intricate dynamics at play and underscored the Gulf Cooperation Council and Saudi Arabia’s strategic positioning in this evolving scenario.
Titled “Key Challenges Faced by Fossil Fuel Exporters during the Energy Transition,” the study discussed climate change mitigation efforts in many fossil fuel exporting countries.
As Saudi Arabia and its GCC counterparts continue to lead the charge toward sustainability, they set a precedent for the global community.
By embracing green initiatives, investing in renewable energy, and fostering economic diversification, these nations are paving the way for a sustainable future, balancing economic prosperity with environmental responsibility.
The report emphasized that the Saudi Green Initiative launched in 2021 aimed at combating climate change and reducing carbon emissions.
It explained: “The Green Initiative is centered around three objectives, including targets for increasing the share of renewable energy in electricity generation up to 50 percent by 2030 and the deployment of circular carbon economy technologies, including carbon capture utilization and storage.”
Key challenges
The IMF stressed the need for economic diversification to effectively mitigate the impact of declining fossil fuel revenues.
Highlighting Saudi Arabia’s progress in economic diversification, the report explained: “The non-oil sector growth has accelerated since 2021, reaching 4.8 percent in 2022 spurred by strong domestic demand, especially in the wholesale, retail trade, construction, and transport sectors.”
Similarly, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE are diversifying their economies away from hydrocarbons, the study added.
In the UAE, non-hydrocarbon GDP was expected to grow by 5.3 percent in 2022, driven by tourism and FIFA World Cup impacts.
Progress on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements will further boost trade, attract foreign direct investment, and enhance integration with global value chains, according to the report.
The IMF highlighted that in Saudi Arabia, “the share of high-skilled jobs has increased to more than 40 percent in 2022, and female labor force participation doubled in four years to reach 37 percent in 2022.”
In its report, the Washington-based lender said the governments heavily reliant on revenues from fossil fuel exports face challenges in maintaining fiscal sustainability as these revenues decline.
“Countries with significant exposure to the fossil fuel industry may experience higher financial sector risks, including balance sheet effects, asset devaluation, and increased vulnerability to international market fluctuations,” it said.
The report added that transitioning away from fossil fuels may result in job losses in the fossil fuel industry, necessitating retraining programs and support for affected workers.
It called for structural reforms to address all the issues. “Accelerating structural reforms to diversify export bases and develop alternative industries is critical for mitigating the adverse macroeconomic effects of the energy transition,”the report said.
The IMF stressed the need for coordinated global efforts to overcome all these challenges. “Collaborative efforts can help ensure a smooth transition, mitigate transition costs, and support affected countries in diversifying their economies,” the report said.