Roadrunner Freight Blog

Your business is growing and you’ve scored a deal with your first retail store - a big step in your business goals! Now you’ll have to iron out supply chain details, such as how you’ll arrange shipments to the retailer’s distribution center or stores and how to meet their “Must Arrive by Date” window.

When coordinating product deliveries to big box retailers, shippers need a reliable way of exchanging data. Carriers must comply with consumers' demands for increased visibility and transparency and often use EDI and API technology to do so.

As consumer needs grow, big box retailers must meet the product demands, and thus they have created stricter delivery expectations for shippers. To meet the retailers' delivery expectations, shippers must implement new strategies and technology to manage their transportation networks.

Suppliers working with today’s largest retailers are required to comply with strict delivery and compliance regulations, with one of the most common being the Must Arrive by Date delivery window.

A big box retailer scorecard presents a holistic view of a vendor or supplier’s performance when working closely with these industry partnerships. The scorecard may also reflect the vendor’s compliance with retailers’ policies.

There are many expectations involved when shipping into big box retailers. As a vendor, using an experienced, cost effective and reliable freight carrier is an important business decision, but Roadrunner Freight is here to help.

Shipping into a retailer requires a strong understanding of their compliance, expectations and what you, as a vendor, will be measured upon. Whether you are new to the retail vertical or a seasoned supplier, following these best practices will be sure to provide some helpful guidance. 

In recent years, carriers started using new technology in service centers to ensure the accuracy of weight, size and classification of freight. Dimensioners (sometimes referred to as dimensionalizers) and forklift scales allow carriers to scan and weigh all freight to confirm NMFC numbers and classifications.

Did you know that the transportation industry is the largest source of carbon emissions in the U.S.?

Large companies such as Brown Paper, Pactiv and others are shipping LTL to make the most of their 2020 transportation spend. As these companies maintain their expert status in the retail packaging industry, Roadrunner Freight is here to be the expert on the best ways to package that packaging. Keep reading to learn four best practices for successfully shipping your packaging materials!