Work, work, and more work. Many of us forget that it’s important to take some time for ourselves. Self-care September is a great reminder that our mental and physical health is not something to be neglected, even in a retail industry heading quickly toward the all-important Q4. These past couple of years, many businesses, small and large, have faced unprecedented obstacles due to the pandemic. On the eCommerce front, the industry has experienced a massive increase in consumer adoption, leading businesses from manufacturing to retail to logistics to step up to meet the demands. This unexpected turn of events, for…
Ocean Freight Crisis: Supply Chain Experiences Unforeseen Ripple Effects of Covid-19
Since the start of the pandemic, eCommerce has rapidly been adopted by shoppers across the globe. With such a high volume of sales now occurring online, the demand for products from overseas has increased, putting a massive strain on the ocean freight industry. This has led to delays and a major increase in costs for containers, with some parts of the country’s coastlines paying almost 500% more per container than they were a year ago. As of August 2021, ocean freight lines, especially those in Oakland, CA, and Long Beach, CA, have come to a near halt. Until recently, the…
Dorm Room Space-Savers & Essentials
Fall semester is right around the corner and dorm rooms are notoriously tiny. But don’t worry, we got you covered. Check out these space-saving products to maximize the space you have. Space Savers This LED desk lamp has a small footprint making it perfect for small desk spaces. With its adjustable arms, this lamp makes it easy to maximize the space you have. This lamp also proved 3 color temperatures along with 7 brightness levels. It also comes with a USB charging port to make sure your devices are always charged and ready to go. The Homestead Lada Laptop Tray…
Breaking into U.S. eCommerce in 2021: How Should You Handle Fulfillment?
If you’re an international vendor looking to sell in the U.S., one of the hurdles you’ll have to solve is getting your products into the hands of your U.S. customers. Building your own fulfillment solution, with warehouse and personnel investments, can be costly, and if you have multiple stores on different platforms, it can become difficult to keep track of all your orders. In this post, we’ll break down three factors of great logistics: shipping & fulfillment; warehousing; and channel integration. Let’s get started. Shipping & Fulfillment You’ve decided on which retailer(s) you want to partner with. What are your…
5 Ways to Make Your Products Stand Out (feat. David Denenberg)
AndMakers Chief Revenue Officer Lily Chan recently spoke with David Denenberg, eCommerce exec and former Merchandising VP of Bed Bath and Beyond, on how you can effectively earn great visibility for your products. Check out this video interview or read on for major takeaways from Lily and David’s interview. Buy Keywords Do some research and see what keywords the top-selling products in your category are advertising on, then look at add modifiers relevant to your product. This goes for any platform with the keyword-based option (Google Shopping, Amazon, etc.). There’s no need to make more work for yourself when someone…
The Company I Always Wanted To Build
This was a stepping-stone to a career that, to this point, has included positions of all kinds, many in the retail industry. Each company has taught me an incredible amount about the power of partnerships, team dynamics, leadership, commerce, supply chain inefficiencies, and how to cultivate teamwork organically. As a 3rd-generation entrepreneur, I’ve also benefited from many behind-the-scenes moments from my parents’ journey. And for better or for worse, whether because of incredible mentors or business successes or company values that didn’t align with my own, I’ve also learned a ton at every stop about the company I would build…
AndMakers: Highlights from a Wild Year – and What’s Coming Next
At AndMakers, we entered 2020 hoping to grow our business and prove our concept of blending technology, fulfillment, and partnership expertise to enable retail entrepreneurs around the world to achieve scale and success. Just like everyone else, we had no idea what was actually about to happen: a global pandemic that changed the retail landscape forever. —- Before I dive into our 2020 highlights and what’s on the horizon for 2021, I’d like to give a heartfelt thanks to our partners (both suppliers and retailers) and to the hard-working (and fast-growing) team driving our achievements. Our team hustled and pivoted…