by Mediateam | Sep 23, 2020 | Export Tips, Partner News
Great opportunity is developing for business in Africa as the e-commerce market is growing, driven in part by the continent’s demand for international brands. E-commerce is vital for the US$25 trillion (€19 trillion) global retail industry. This was particularly true in the first quarter of 2020, as Covid-19 lockdowns around the world drove a rise in online shopping.
Countries with growing middle-class, urban populations such as China, India, and South Africa are seeing a rise in demand for e-commerce. Zooming in on Africa, research projected that consumer spending would reach US$2.1 trillion by 2025, the region’s “single largest business opportunity”. Millennials in particular are driving this trend and opportunity exists for international sellers to make the most of this demand.
Read more about this article from our partner, DHL >
Looking for a ‘freight-forwarding’ service to bolster your exports? Simply call our friendly and helpful team on: +44 (0) 1709 610 000, send a message or complete our IFS Shipment Note >
by Mediateam | Sep 2, 2020 | Freight Industry News
Back in March 2020, the Covid-19 pandemic changed the world. In the logistics industry, supply chains were instantly disrupted by closed borders, restrictions on importing and exporting goods from certain countries, and barriers to sourcing products normally acquired from areas affected early on by Covid-19, such as China.
Even on the front line, final-mile delivery drivers had to learn how to make increasing numbers of safe, contactless deliveries.
On top of this, demands for personal protective equipment (PPE) and essential goods such as food increased exponentially, with businesses and the UK’s NHS needing to protect staff and supermarkets wanting to mitigate the effect of panic buying. Read more > from the Loadstar, a multimodal news resource for the logistics industry.
by Mediateam | Aug 17, 2020 | Global News
Following the continued disruption to global supply chains due to the Covid-19 pandemic, international trade finance provider Stenn, has announced the launch of a $500 million fund to support the restart of global trade.
Stenn is a UK-based data and financial technology company providing flexible financing to companies engaged in cross-border trade.
Developed to ensure the liquidity of international trade, this $500m program is for importers in the US, EU and beyond and is designed to help their suppliers. Importers can return to pre-Covid-19 payment terms while suppliers are paid at shipment, meaning liquidity is no longer locked in inventory or transport and suppliers get their money fast.
For further information and to apply for funding visit: www.c19-trade-recovery-program.com
Looking for a ‘freight-forwarding’ service to bolster your exports? Simply call our friendly and helpful team on: +44 (0) 1709 610 000, send a message or complete our IFS Shipment Note >
by Mediateam | Aug 3, 2020 | Exports, Partner News
From virtual cooking classes to digital theatre, the pandemic has prompted a rapid growth of the experiential e-commerce sector. In this article, our partners, DHL, explore some of the exciting and innovative ways businesses have pivoted online to survive, and what their long-term futures may be.
The pandemic has affected businesses of every type, all over the world. In this series on Pandemic Culture, DHL took a detailed look at how many offline retailers have begun selling online in order to survive. But for experience-based businesses, the move into the e-commerce arena has been more of a challenge. In this article, we look at how they’ve adjusted.
The global pandemic arrived like an uninvited whirlwind, causing devastation and mayhem on a scale not even the most pessimistic of people could have predicted. Read more >
by Mediateam | Jul 10, 2020 | Global News, National news
The threat of digitalisation is no threat at all says the Director General of the British International Freight Association (BIFA), Robert Keen.
As Covid-19 accelerates digitalisation there has been fear that traditional freight forwarding may lose its niche in the market. Over the last five years reports have suggested the rise of software start-ups would mean the end for forwarders. But is this really the case? History often repeats itself as the saying goes…
“There’s this idea that if forwarders do not adapt, they will die – but you just need to look back at the sector’s history, it has always adapted. One forwarder I know – a family-owned European firm – has in their archive a letter from a great-grandparent proclaiming the company’s demise with the arrival of rail in the mid-1800s… it’s still going strong.
We keep hearing the usual spin from digital start-ups on how their presence in the sector will lead to the death of traditional forwarders, it’s a load of rubbish. We have strong empirical evidence showing what our members are up to in regards to digital transformation of their role in the supply chain. BIFA members are already developing and delivering technology-led products and services that will meet their customers needs more effectively, enhance their experience and cut their costs.” – Robert Keen
Read more at UK Hauler’s website >:
