Best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year from the entire Logistics Plus team! As a reminder, our U.S. operations will be closed for the holidays on December 24th and 25th, and on January 1st.
If you worked with us this past year, we thank you for being our customer, carrier, partner, or agent — please tell us how we’re doing.
Logistics Plus Named a Multichannel Merchant Top 3PL for 2019
Second Consecutive Year Logistics Plus Has Been Named to the List
ERIE, PA (December 18, 2018) – Logistics Plus Inc., a leading worldwide provider of transportation, logistics and supply chain solutions, is proud to announce it has been named a Multichannel Merchant Top 3PL for 2019 and has been included in a listing of leading third-party logistics providers selected by the editors of Multichannel Merchant.
Given the explosion of ecommerce and the increasing number of 3PLs in the marketplace, Multichannel Merchant has created this unique resource to vet 3PL providers as a value-added service for its audience. The online resource is a searchable directory for merchants looking for a qualified 3PL. The company profiles in the MCM Top 3PL listing include vital information to help merchants in their selection process, including key capabilities, average annual client order volume, top merchandise categories handled, facility locations and more.
“3PLs have become an increasingly important resource for ecommerce and direct-to-customer merchants who don’t have the capital to invest in their own distribution networks,” said Mike O’Brien, Senior Content Manager of Multichannel Merchant. “This is especially critical due to the ongoing lack of available commercial space for such facilities. We developed our Top 3PL listing as a valuable resource for merchants. Each company on the list has been selected based on its industry experience, range of capabilities and ability to handle high order flow during peak periods.”
“Ecommerce continues to be an important driver of growth for Logistics Plus and our Logistics Plus Fulfillment Solutions division,” said Jim Berlin, founder and CEO of Logistics Plus. “Today we have world-class pick, pack and ship fulfillment capabilities at multiple warehouses across North America. Being named a top 3PL provider once again by the respected editors at Multichannel Merchant is an honor for us, and a confirmation that we’re doing the right things needed to serve the needs of the merchant community.”
About Multichannel Merchant Multichannel Merchant reaches key decision makers responsible for ecommerce, management, marketing and operations at companies that sell merchandise through multiple channels — including ecommerce, mobile, social, and catalog. Multichannel Merchant delivers original research, as well as in-depth analysis of trends and best practices, news, tactical/how-to, executive summaries, technology and supplier comparisons, tip sheets and resource information to help companies sell & deliver products wherever and whenever the customer wants them – at home, work, store or other locations.
About Logistics Plus Inc. Logistics Plus Inc. provides freight transportation, warehousing, fulfillment, global logistics, business intelligence, technology, and supply chain management solutions through a worldwide network of talented and caring professionals. Founded in Erie, PA by local entrepreneur, Jim Berlin, 22 years ago, Logistics Plus is a fast-growing and award-winning transportation and logistics company. With a strong passion for excellence, its 450+ employees put the “plus” in logistics by doing the big things properly, and the countless little things, that together ensure complete customer satisfaction and success.
The Logistics Plus® network includes offices located in Erie, PA; Little Rock, AR; Los Angeles, CA; Riverside, CA; San Diego, CA; San Francisco, CA; Visalia, CA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; Detroit, MI; Lexington, NC; Buffalo, NY; New York, NY; Olean, NY; Akron, OH; Cleveland, OH; Charleston, SC; Nashville, TN; Dallas, TX; Fort Worth, TX; Houston, TX; Laredo, TX; Winchester, VA; Madison, WI; Australia; Bahrain; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; China; Colombia; Czech Republic; Egypt; France; Germany; Hong Kong; India; Indonesia; Kazakhstan; Kenya; Libya; Mexico; Netherlands; Poland; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; South Sudan; Taiwan; Turkey; UAE; Uganda; and United Kingdom; with additional agents around the world. For more information, visit www.logisticsplus.com or follow @LogisticsPlus on Twitter.
In case you missed it, Jim Berlin, Founder and CEO of Logistics Plus, was featured in a recent airing of Business Spotlight on WPSE AM 1450/FM 107.1 Radio. Business Spotlight is a 30-minute program airing Fridays at noon. Each segment focuses on a business or organization that is making an impact across the region.
In this segment, Jim discusses the beginning days of Logistics Plus, the tremendous growth of the company, the successes of 2018, and more. You can listen to a replay of the interview on the Logistics Plus YouTube Channel below.
Maintaining order fulfillment as an in-house operation can cause major headaches. As a result, many companies are transitioning to outsourced order fulfillment services in order to expand and grow their business. An outsourced order fulfillment service includes a third-party logistics provider that fulfills orders on behalf of its clients. Typically, these clients include online retailers, e-commerce businesses, and physical store locations that don’t have access to their own warehouses or distribution centers. The order fulfillment service should provide the receiving, processing, and delivery of all orders for its clients. Fulfillment is a huge commitment for any company because it involves a lot of time and resources that could be used elsewhere. As your business starts to grow, a third-party order fulfillment service will grow with you.
Let’s take a look at some of the reasons to use an order fulfillment service.
Reasons to Use an Order Fulfillment Service
1.)Reduce Operating Costs: Working with an order fulfillment service provider can reduce infrastructure and logistical costs. Most businesses experience seasonal fluctuations and this is especially true for order fulfillment. During peak seasons, additional workers may be needed and rent and storage prices tend to increase. Many businesses don’t have the ability to hire temporary workers or purchase new warehouses that are necessary for an order fulfillment operation. By using an order fulfillment service, you eliminate the need for new infrastructure, and this ultimately reduces operating costs.
2.)Lower Shipping Costs: Most order fulfillment companies have the ability to offer lower shipping costs because of contracts with regional, national, and international shipping companies. The discounts that an order fulfillment service can offer is something to take advantage of. Also, many order fulfillment services have locations across the country which allows for cheaper shipping due to location and delivery times. Be sure to choose a fulfillment service that complements your sales markets.
3.) Reliable Customer Service: Customer service improvements can greatly impact the efficiency of a business. A call center that maintains customer interaction is a huge benefit of an order fulfillment service. Customer support that is readily available and also deals with return and refund policies can save you the hassle. Order fulfillment companies give the peace of mind knowing that your customers are being taken care in a timely manner.
4.) Expand Your Market: Often, small or new retailers have trouble expanding their business nationally or globally. Global trade tariffs and compliance issues can be complex and daunting. An order fulfillment service should give your business the ability to ship anywhere in the world due to its’ distribution networks and global expertise. By using a fulfillment company’s platform, you can take your business to the next level and increase sales in new locations and markets, even selling on Amazon.
5.) Utilize Technology: Gaining access to a warehouse management system (WMS) that keeps track of inventory is an invaluable tool for order fulfillment. Being able to process, manage, handle, and integrate technology with a sales system is sure to drive growth. This type of technology can be very expensive to implement, making it an appealing feature of using an order fulfillment service.
6.) Scalability: Flexibility is one of the top reasons for using a fulfillment company. It will allow you to choose the location where inventory is stored, while only forcing you to pay for the portion of space you are using. It will also allow room for growth and won’t cost you extra if business picks up and you need to hire another employee. An order fulfillment service gives you the flexibility your business needs to run effectively.
7.) Time: By choosing to work with an order fulfillment service provider, focus can be put on growing the business. Other areas of business such as marketing, promotions, and sales will have more time to focus on specific goals, rather than being weighed down with fulfilling orders.
As customer shopping preferences continue to shift towards e-commerce, having an order fulfillment provider will help you keep up with demand. Outsourced fulfillment and warehousing has the potential to add tremendous value for any business looking to grow. If you believe an order fulfillment service can benefit you, contact Logistics Plus today. Our fulfillment and warehousing experts ensure that from start to finish, every order is executed successfully.
Please see the attached Disposition bulletin from the recent meeting of the Commodity Classification Standards Board. All subject items were approved as docketed or modified as reviewed by the CCSB with the exception to Subjects 5 and 6 which were deferred until the February 2019 meeting. The supplement with the changes to the NMFC will be published on November 29th, 2018 with an effective date of December 29th, 2018. Please review the entire disposition bulletin as many commodities have changed classification.
Among all of the changes, please make note the following changes for more common commodities that may impact many shipments/customers:
Subject 1: NMFC Item 28160; Boots, NOI, Footwear, NOI, other than hosiery, Shoes, NOI. Will change from a straight class 150 to a two-tier density break. Less than 6 pcf is class 200, 6 pcf or greater is class 125.
Subject 2: NMFC Item 123550; Machines, ice making. Will change from a straight class 92.5 to a three-tier density break. Less than 6 pcf is class 250, 6 but less than 10 pcf is class 150, 10 pcf or greater is class 92.5.
Subject 8: NMFC Items 61900; Fans, exhaust or ventilating and 61920; Fans, NOI are cancelled. New NMFC Item 61910 is created to encompass exhaust/ventilating fans and fans, NOI. This item will have a two-tier density break, less than 6 pcf is class 200, 6 pcf or greater is class 110.
The United States will hold off on raising China tariffs to 25 percent as President Trump and President Xi of China have agreed to a 90-day truce. The White House announced that “President Trump has agreed that on January 1, 2019, he will leave the tariffs on $200 billion worth of product at the 10 percent rate, and not raise it to 25 percent at this time.”
This Global Trade Alert is for the third tranche of China tariffs only. Tranches 1 and 2 will remain at 25 percent.
Best wishes for a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year from the entire Logistics Plus team! As a reminder, our U.S. operations will be closed for the holidays on December 24th and 25th, and on January 1st.
In case you missed it, 
Maintaining order fulfillment as an in-house operation can cause major headaches. As a result, many companies are transitioning to outsourced 
