eCommerce by Macy's and Wal-Mart

Two stories show the rapidly heating up environment of eCommerce and how traditional brick & mortar players are moving in to the space. These stories follow the recent news of Jet.com launching publicly and even more news from Alibaba.  Very hot area.

First is news of Macy's expanding its same-day delivery service.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/22/us-macys-delivery-idUSKCN0PW14U20150722

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Macy's Inc (M.N) is expanding same-day delivery to several new U.S. markets this summer, one of the most aggressive pushes by a brick-and-mortar retailer in an area dominated by e-commerce giant Amazon (AMZN.O), according to a Macy's official.

Macy's, the nation's largest department store chain, already offers same-day delivery services in eight markets. By partnering with Deliv, an Uber-like startup that uses a fleet of contract drivers to pick up online orders from stores and malls, the retailer has found a cost-effective way to expand, said the Macy's official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Next is news of Wal-Mart opening a huge fulfillment center for its eCommerce capabilities:

http://supermarketnews.com/online-retail/walmart-opens-new-e-commerce-facility

Here is a snippet from that piece:

Wal-Mart Stores on Wednesday held opening ceremonies for a dedicated e-commerce fulfillment facility in Bethlehem, Pa.

The 1.2-million-square-foot center is part of a “next-generation” network to support Walmart’s rapidly growing e-commerce business. It features state-of-the-art automation and warehousing systems. Combined with another facility nearby, Walmart’s centers are expected to generate nearly 1,000 new jobs over the next few years.

Happy Reading,

J.W. Gant