Bringoz Industry Weekly 11/30

lack Friday set a new record. Aldi went on a store opening spree. Starship Technologies is partnering with Uber Eats to expand its robot delivery network. Read about these stories and more in our weekly industry news roundup.

U.S. shoppers spent a record $11.8 billion online on Black Friday, up 9.1% from 2024, according to Adobe Analytics. AI-powered shopping tools helped drive a surge in U.S. online spending, as shoppers bypassed crowded stores and turned to chatbots to compare prices and secure discounts amid concerns about tariff-driven price hikes. The spending surge sets the stage for an even bigger Cyber Monday, projected to drive $14.2B in sales. Read more.

Aldi went on a store opening spree, debuting 16 new locations across eight states in one day. The openings, which happened on Nov. 20, occurred mainly in states along the East Coast where Aldi already has an existing footprint. The discount retailer has been gaining momentum with over 180 store openings over the past year and plans to operate nearly 3,200 stores by 2028. Read more.

Starship Technologies is partnering with Uber Eats to roll out autonomous urban sidewalk robot delivery in the U.K. this December, in other European countries during 2026, and in the U.S. by 2027. Starship already runs its robots on many U.S. college campuses. Following the new rollout plan, Starship will scale up its current fleet of 2,700 units to more than 12,000 sidewalk robots by 2027. Read more.

In the competitive delivery landscape, businesses are under constant pressure to deliver faster, cheaper, and more efficiently. Delivery management software has become a critical tool for optimizing delivery operations. Here’s a look at how delivery management software delivers return on investment through cost savings, improved efficiency, and better service. Read more.

The landscape of last-mile delivery is rapidly evolving with innovations geared towards enhancing speed, efficiency, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. In recent years, the demand for faster, more convenient delivery options has spurred a wave of innovative solutions to tackle last-mile challenges, enable faster delivery, and enhance the customer experience. Here’s a look at some of the latest innovations revolutionizing last-mile delivery. Read more.

Online shopping growth has created both opportunities and challenges for third-party logistics providers, who play a critical role in enabling seamless order fulfillment. From startups to global enterprises, companies increasingly rely on third-party logistics providers to keep up with online shopper demands. Here’s a look at how the rise of eCommerce is driving changes in 3PL services. Read more.