Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

newsworthy

Rakuten Americas names new CEO and COO

Patel and Coulson to foster collaboration among e-commerce giant's business units, including 3PL Rakuten Super Logistics, firm says.

Japanese e-commerce marketplace Rakuten Inc. has tapped two executives to lead its Rakuten Americas division, in a move the company says will "foster greater collaboration among business units."

San Mateo, Calif.-based Rakuten Americas' 10 divisions include Rakuten Super Logistics (RSL), the third party logistics provider (3PL) that acts as an order fulfillment arm both for its corporate parent Rakuten.com and for other e-commerce platforms like Shopify, Amazon, Magento, Walmart Marketplace, and eBay.


Las Vegas-based RSL has been expanding its reach through new investments in recent months, acquiring two Salt Lake City-based e-commerce solution providers in March and deploying 100 picking robots from warehouse automation startup inVia Robotics Inc. at a fulfillment center in April.

Rakuten Americas will now be led by Amit Patel as chief executive officer and Adrienne Down Coulson as chief operating officer, the company said today.Both executives will also continue in their current roles with the company, where they hold the same titles at Rakuten Rewards, the firm's shopping loyalty program that was formerly known as Ebates.

In addition to RSL and Rakuten Rewards, the Rakuten Americas division includes eight other units: Rakuten Marketing, Rakuten Intelligence, Rakuten Kobo, Rakuten Ready, Rakuten Viki, Rakuten Marketplace, Rakuten Brazil, and Rakuten OverDrive.

The Latest

More Stories

U.S. shoppers embrace second-hand shopping

U.S. shoppers embrace second-hand shopping

Nearly one-third of American consumers have increased their secondhand purchases in the past year, revealing a jump in “recommerce” according to a buyer survey from ShipStation, a provider of web-based shipping and order fulfillment solutions.

The number comes from a survey of 500 U.S. consumers showing that nearly one in four (23%) Americans lack confidence in making purchases over $200 in the next six months. Due to economic uncertainty, savvy shoppers are looking for ways to save money without sacrificing quality or style, the research found.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

CMA CGM offers awards for top startups

CMA CGM offers awards for top startups

Some of the the most promising startup firms in maritime transport, logistics, and media will soon be named in an international competition launched today by maritime freight carrier CMA CGM.

Entrepreneurs worldwide in those three sectors have until October 15 to apply via CMA CGM’s ZEBOX website. Winners will receive funding, media exposure through CMA Media, tailored support, and collaboration opportunities with the CMA CGM Group on strategic projects.

Keep ReadingShow less
xeneta air-freight.jpeg

Air cargo carriers enjoy 24% rise in average spot rates

The global air cargo market’s hot summer of double-digit demand growth continued in August with average spot rates showing their largest year-on-year jump with a 24% increase, according to the latest weekly analysis by Xeneta.

Xeneta cited two reasons to explain the increase. First, Global average air cargo spot rates reached $2.68 per kg in August due to continuing supply and demand imbalance. That came as August's global cargo supply grew at its slowest ratio in 2024 to-date at 2% year-on-year, while global cargo demand continued its double-digit growth, rising +11%.

Keep ReadingShow less
littler Screenshot 2024-09-04 at 2.59.02 PM.png

Congressional gridlock and election outcomes complicate search for labor

Worker shortages remain a persistent challenge for U.S. employers, even as labor force participation for prime-age workers continues to increase, according to an industry report from labor law firm Littler Mendelson P.C.

The report cites data showing that there are approximately 1.7 million workers missing from the post-pandemic workforce and that 38% of small firms are unable to fill open positions. At the same time, the “skills gap” in the workforce is accelerating as automation and AI create significant shifts in how work is performed.

Keep ReadingShow less
stax PR_13August2024-NEW.jpg

Toyota picks vendor to control smokestack emissions from its ro-ro ships

Stax Engineering, the venture-backed startup that provides smokestack emissions reduction services for maritime ships, will service all vessels from Toyota Motor North America Inc. visiting the Toyota Berth at the Port of Long Beach, according to a new five-year deal announced today.

Beginning in 2025 to coincide with new California Air Resources Board (CARB) standards, STAX will become the first and only emissions control provider to service roll-on/roll-off (ro-ros) vessels in the state of California, the company said.

Keep ReadingShow less