Bringoz Industry Weekly 12/25

nline holiday shopping makes a big comeback. Online returns could total as much as $82.1 billion in the U.S. this holiday season. Uber Freight partners with Torc Robotics to further development and deployment of autonomous trucks. Read about these stories and more in our latest industry news roundup.

After a two-year slump below its pandemic high, online shopping made a comeback this holiday season. The CNBC All-America Economic Survey finds 57% of Americans naming online shopping as their top one or two destinations for Christmas gifts. In 2006, online shopping accounted for just 18% of responses. It hit an all-time high in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, then scaled back to 51% last year. But this year, it hit yet another all-time high. Read more.

Online returns could total as much as $82.1 billion in the U.S. this holiday season, according to new data from CBRE and Optoro. Many retailers already started making consumer-friendly changes ahead of the holiday season. Optoro found that 87% of retailers revised their return strategy in 2023 to include additional drop-off locations, charging for returns, allowing customers to keep certain returns, policing fraud and providing an online returns portal. Read more.

Uber and Torc Robotics announced the formation of a strategic partnership under which Uber Freight would incorporate its logistics network into Torc’s ongoing development and future deployment of autonomous trucks. Torc said the information gathered will be used to inform its autonomous freight network design and expansion strategy. That includes determining optimal lanes and the management of autonomous loads with transfer hubs. Read more.

The big and bulky delivery market is growing, driven by the rise of eCommerce, technology advancements, and changing customer expectations. As more consumers shop online for large items, retailers are redefining the way they handle oversized items to meet changing consumer demands. Here are some of the key big and bulky delivery trends to watch in the coming years and how consumer shopping habits are driving industry growth. Read more.

Optimizing fleet utilization ensures automotive rental managers are maximizing their fleet’s potential. The key is to stay proactive, use data wisely, and prioritize the customer experience. Here’s a look at some valuable tips to help automotive rental companies maximize fleet efficiency and stay ahead in the rental market. Read more.

Reducing operating costs can significantly impact the profitability and sustainability of a rental business. With a multitude of costs including maintenance, insurance, and vehicle depreciation, keeping costs down is a constant challenge. Here’s a look at some ways that can help rental fleet managers reduce operating costs and boost their bottom lines while providing excellent service to customers. Read more.

Happy and satisfied customers not only become repeat clients but also promote your rental company through positive word-of-mouth and online reviews. As the industry continues to expand, enhancing the customer experience is key to meeting customer expectations and adapting to customers’ evolving needs. Here’s a look at some strategies that automotive rental companies can implement to increase customer satisfaction. Read more.