New year – but the same problems are plaguing the supply chain industries world-wide. Supply chain companies are under increased pressure to decrease delivery time without raising the cost of shipping. To add to that - organizations are scrambling to come up with solutions that will not only grow their business but retain qualified employees.

According to a Retail Touch Point survey, ““Two of the top three concerns among retailers are related to customers: expectations around delivery times at 49%, and expectations of free/low-cost shipping at 44%.” Demand for fast and affordable shipping has continued to grow. A decade ago it was normal for consumers to pay extra in order to receive their purchases within 2-3 days. Today Amazon and Walmart’s free two-day shipping has started the precedent that swift, reliable shipping shouldn’t cost extra. 

If you’re buying from an e-commerce shop this holiday season, they may be powered by Ottawa-based company Shopify. Shopify, an e-commerce platform enables small businesses to create their own branded store without having to rely on Amazon or other big marketplaces. Small business owners who have sold their products on Amazon have complained that Amazon controls their product’s price, their supply chain and even their company messaging. Some companies have even gone so far as to accuse Amazon of creating copycat versions of their products only to sell them at a cheaper price on Amazon.