Microsoft and FedEx say they hope to “transform commerce” in the age of COVID-19. The two companies have announced a partnership to help better track and deliver packages.
It comes as high e-commerce demand is overwhelming shippers.The announcement by FedEx and Microsoft is a welcome one for many online shoppers. More Americans are buying products online, and the demand is overwhelming shippers. FedEx, like other delivery companies, has had to limit or delay the number of items shipped from major retailers.
Evan Dash is a New York City based business owner and CEO of StoreBound. His company sells healthy food appliances online and to major retailers like Target and Bed Bath & Beyond. He says his online business grew by at least ten to fifteen fold since March.
“We’ve seen a lot of shipping delays, a lot of slowdowns, missed pickups, but by and large we’re dealing with thousands of end consumers. The amount of real complaints we are getting I could probably count on both of my hands,” Dash said.
Many companies are asking you to be patient when it comes to shipping, and to expect delays.
“We’ve heard from some of our customers whose stores are closed that their e-commerce business is offsetting the business that they were doing when all of the stores were open. So, if you think about the amount of packages, you can see why the supply chains are starting to get choked,” Dash explained.
The U.S. Postal Service is launching a review to reassess what the agency charges companies like Amazon, UPS, and FedEx to deliver products on their behalf. President Donald Trump has accused the postal service of undercharging some companies like Amazon.