The Packet: What It Is And Why We Do It

Every Friday for the past 5 months, a chosen lot of lucky subscribers have received The Packet email newsletter of top e-commerce news and headlines. Together we’ve laughed, cried, and learned. But most importantly, laughed. Now, we’re expanding our audience to all of you!

The Packet’s mission is to get people excited about the world around them, with a focus on spicing up the e-commerce and logistics industry. There are so many stories to share about people who create, people who build, and people who lead. The Packet is your weekly bite-sized chunks of news so you can feel more knowledgeable and confident in the world around you, and also have something to talk about whenever dinner parties are a thing again.

Why The Packet?

With all the sources of news and information out there, who has time to parse through and find truly meaningful content while also trying to grasp whatever the author is saying (or paid to say). The Packet is free, fun and formulated out of love for the e-commerce and logistics industry. No ads, no sponsored segments, completely unbiased,  and we love poking fun at Daddy Bezos. (It’s like the Skimm but sometimes funny)

Like a Friend’s montage episode, let’s roll some top stories from weeks past. If you like what you see, join our community of Packeteers every Friday by subscribing here. And be sure to join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Youtube.

E-Commerce News and Headlines

The Packet

>>Suez Colonic

After tireless digging and tugging, the mega-ton blockage that has been constipating global trade for the past six days has finally been cleared from the Suez Canal. The global trade community has given a collective sigh of relief as vessels are now starting to pass through.

What caused this?

Besides a lack of fiber (kidding), a seasonal dust storm, known as the khamsin, blowing winds at 40 knots caused the Ever Given to veer too far right and become embedded in the canal wall. While this is the story for now, navigation experts and engineers at the Suez Canal Authority are investigating the crash for technical and human error — this could have massive insurance implications and lawsuits if a responsible party is identified.

How did they get it out?

A full moon emerged (you can’t make this up) and brought in a high tide that buoyed the engineers efforts to refloat the ship. If this attempt failed, the tide would have fallen and they would have been forced to spend weeks unloading thousands of containers to help the Ever Given sit higher in the water. In total, hundreds of thousands of cubic feet of sand were removed.

The Fallout

Shipping operators estimate $12 billion of cargo is stranded along the 120-mile canal or idling outside it. Other shipping operators have already re-routed ships around the Cape of Good Hope, adding weeks and fuel consumption to the voyage. Experts estimate that this will result in another jam once all the vessels reach their destination at the same time, and over 360 vessels are waiting to pass through the canal. As a result, shipping and oil prices have risen, and the already beleaguered logistics industry will likely face additional delays and costs.This post has been sponsored by: MiraLAX. Blockage in your canal? MiraLAX.”

>>Unwelcome to Walmart

Walmart announced that they will be repurposing one North Dallas location into a fulfillment center dedicated entirely to online delivery and curbside pickup, with no more in-store shopping. As a proverbial canary in the low-price coal mine, this could signal a permanent shift towards local delivery and curbside pickup over conventional brick-and-mortar shopping.

>>Busch Beer is for the dogs

Tired of sharing your beer with your dog? Busch Beer has announced a contest to hire a doggo “Chief Tasting Officer” for its popular Busch Dog Brew, and the winner could take home $20,000! To enter, post a picture of your pooch on social media with the hashtag #BuschCTOcontest… so animal services can come pick them up. JK sounds fun, good luck.

Where to Read the Latest E-Commerce News

For the entrepreneurs who like to stay on top of trends, for the curious who love to have a global world view, and for the intellectuals who live on the edge of levity, The Packet is for you.