Trucking Technology Report - Sept. 8
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Both the online report and e-mail are sponsored by @Track Communications, a supplier of wireless communications and dispatch services.
Today's Technology Headlines:
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Fulfillment Challenging, Expensive in E-Commerce Industry
Online retailers striving to bolster their fulfillment systems are finding the task extremely difficult. E-fulfillment and customer service has become more important, yet also more challenging, for e-commerce companies. E-fulfillment costs are 11% higher than more traditional, catalog-based fulfillment systems. It is also expensive for e-tailers to attract and retain customers in a flooded consumer market, and dot-coms contend with high overhead and low margins.
"Most traditional companies that stub their toes when they go online are too concerned with channel conflict," says Bass. "We don't care which way people shop."
Yet Lands' End's success also reflects the fact that catalog firms have made the smoothest transition to e-commerce because they already have excellent fulfillment systems in place. Other companies hoping to improve e-fulfillment find that inventory management, outsourcing, and pick-up arrangements at local retail stores are the most popular options, yet little consensus has been reached concerning the most useful model. Financial Times - Information Technology (09/06/00) P. 15; Grande, Carlos
NextLinx, G-Log in Partnership
NextLinx Corp. and Global Logistics Technologies are teaming up to provide online custmers with single-click information for landed costs of products they order. The "Global Enterprise Transportation" partnership brings together NextLink software that calculates landed costs and tracks customs regulation with Global Logistics' online management of logistics. Journal of Commerce Online (09/07/00)VoiceStream Takeover Advances Under Congressional Criticism
Deutsche Telekom's $46 billion takeover of U.S. operator VoiceStream Wireless still faces possible obstacles from U.S. regulators despite having been cleared by the Justice Department yesterday. Deutsche Telekom, which is majority owned by the German government, still must deal with one of the toughest critics of the deal. Sen. Ernest F. Hollings (D-S.C.) is the leader of a group of 30 senators who oppose the takeover. Hollings has introduced legislation that would bar any company that is more than 25% foreign government-owned from purchasing a U.S. business.
The companies have sought to placate some of Hollings worries by announcing that the German government will reduce its holdings to 44% if the acquisition is approved. Some lawmakers and trade authorities are concerned that blocking the deal could harm the United States' relationships within the World Trade Organization. Washington Post (09/08/00) P. E3; Srinivasan, Kalpana
Lucent, Start-up Bring Streaming Video to Cell Phones
PacketVideo, a wireless start-up, and Lucent Technologies have agreed to join resources for the development of an improved streaming video technology for mobile devices. Both firms will attempt to install PacketVideo's cell phone video software into microchips produced by Lucent. The microchips are designed to be used in mobile phones.While PacketVideo continues its strategy to supply video for mobile phones, the company has decided to refrain from going public for now. According to a company spokesman, the firm will consider a variety of options to raise money in the future, including private funding or even an eventual public offering. PacketVideo raised $16.5 million in funds in May. CNet (09/08/00); Borland, John
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