Who would buy 20,000 Mercedes-Benz vans?
Amazon would, actually. And they already did, according to one headline this week on Small Business Trends.
My guest this week on This Week in Small Business, John “Colderice” Lawson, says he believes the move to purchase all these fresh off the line Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans is a sign that Amazon is ready to take control of the whole process, from its warehouses to your front door.
(To be precise: This week’s show was recorded in his media studio, so I was his guest, in a way.)
We think two things are happening here. Amazon is moving forward with its plan to partner with local delivery and transportation companies to fulfill orders. And Amazon is taking over the “last mile” part of the order fulfillment process.
Right now, a lot of that business goes to the U.S. Postal Service. And it’s been reported — by some — that Amazon gets a good deal on postal rates but that may not always be true in the not-so-distant future.
Check out our takes on this move, especially, as it has the biggest impact on small business in the entrepreneurial sense.
John, the world traveler, schooled us all on why they’re going with the Mercedes-Benz vans, in particular.
“It sounds great on the surface, but if you go to Europe, all the vans are Mercedes-Benz vans. What people don’t know is that Mercedes-Benz makes vehicles and engines that are great for repeated use,” he says rather expertly.
On the rest of the show this week, John and I also discuss some of the latest SEO advice from Larry Kim and some tips on creating some top-shelf retail experiences for your customers.
Be sure to subscribe to the Small Business Trends YouTube channel to never miss another This Week in Small Business show and more.
For the rest of the week in small business headlines, check out this Small Business Trends news roundup:
Finance
New Discover it Business Credit Card Tracks Expenses and Has Cash Back Match
The new Discover it Business Card is going to give small business owners unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases with a dollar-for-dollar match. Discover it Business Credit Card In addition to the cashback offer, Discover (NYSE: DFS) is also providing free business and security features while at the same time getting rid of the annual fee for the first 12 months.
Small Business Loans
Two Thirds of Small Businesses Applying for Credit Today Get the Full Amount
With a score of 69.7, the MetLife & U.S. Chamber of Commerce Small Business Index (SBI) for Q3 of 2018 achieved the highest level in the history of the survey. MetLife and U.S. Chamber of Commerce: Q3 2018 Small Business Index The high level of optimism in the economy is in part also responsible for more businesses getting the full amount of financing they applied for.
Small Business Operations
Square Solutions Partners Service Aimed at Small Businesses
Square (NYSE: SQ) just announced a new Solutions Partner Program to help sellers connect with service providers that can help them with things like ecommerce integrations, scaling and choosing POS software.
FedEx Ground Now Running 6 Days a Week
With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) has announced it is expanding its US operations to six days per week year round. In the past, FedEx only ran six or seven-day ground operations during the busy holiday shopping season.
Social Media
Americans Are Cooling on Facebook, Should Marketers Worry?
Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) has had a rough year. Apart from taking major hits following the recent high-profile Cambridge Analytica data collection scandal, the platform has also had to endure a sustained #deletefacebook campaign urging people to ditch the social networking site.
Startup
Riding the Craft Beer Trend Successfully
Almost 13 percent of all beer sold in the U.S. meets the Brewers Association’s “craft brewer” definition, according to BrewBound.com. But if you look at these beers’ journey from brewery to your lips, it isn’t always direct.
Amazon Orders 20,000 Mercedes-Benz Vans for New Delivery Service
Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) is speeding up its delivery partnership program with local small businesses after purchasing 20,000 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans. When Amazon announced its Delivery Service Partners program just a little over two months ago, the goal was to bring in local small delivery business.
Technology Trends
5 Social Engineering Scams Your Workforce Should Know!
Employee awareness of social engineering is essential for ensuring corporate cybersecurity. If end users know the main characteristics of these attacks, it’s much more likely they can avoid falling for them. Today’s data threats don’t discriminate; businesses of all sizes are susceptible to attacks.
Avoid Holds On Your PayPal Money with Funds Now Feature
PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL) has just announced a new feature called Funds Now. As the name implies, it allows select businesses the ability to access the funds from completed sales right away. By eliminating the holds, delays, and reserves, PayPal gives small businesses the cash flow they need to keep their operations going without having to wait.
LogMeIn Has New GoToWebinar Features Ideal for Small Business Users
LogMeIn has revamped the GoToWebinar platform. There’s a new interface and additional features focusing on small businesses so you can showcase your goods and services under the banner of your personal style to scale. Small Business Trends talked with Daniel Waas, Director of Marketing for GoToWebinar, about what these changes can do for smaller enterprises.
Your Clients Increasingly Use Windows 10 as an Operating System and Chrome as Their Browser
Knowing the platforms your customers use can help your business better engage with them and also help you find new potential clients. The latest figures from NetMarketShare reveal Windows is still king when it comes to desktop operating systems and Chrome is the browser to beat. The lead Windows and Chrome have over their competition seems insurmountable at the moment.