Skip to content
Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

Big gains for trade management software

According to the research firm ARC Advisory Group, sales of global trade management software totaled US $503 million in 2007 and will reach US $814 million in 2012.

Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
By Supply Chain Quarterly StaffSep 19, 2008
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
See Full Bio

One sure sign that global supply chains are expanding: Sales of global trade management (GTM) software are soaring. According to the research firm ARC Advisory Group, sales of this application totaled US $503 million in 2007 and will reach US $814 million in 2012.

One reason why ARC forecasts a 10percent compounded annual growth rate is that companies need help keeping up with changing global trade regulations. GTM software also helps with navigating trade finance, often provides shipment visibility, and assists with procuring ocean and air shipping services. Adding to its popularity is that some vendors offer it under a "software as a service" model. This allows users to "rent" the software, which is delivered over the Internet, avoiding the headaches that come with buying and installing licensed packages.

Article Figures
[Global trade growth boosts software sales]


[Global trade growth boosts software sales]Enlarge this image

Although enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor SAP is the largest player in the GTM market, "best of breed" vendors also offer top-rated solutions, says ARC. "This is an interesting market, where the growth of ERP suppliers with global trade management solutions does not come at the expense of certain types of best-of-breed solutions," said analyst Steve Banker.

[Source: Global Trade Management Worldwide Outlook: Market Analysis and Forecast Through 2012, ARC Advisory Services, July 2008]

Article
quarter 3 2008
Article
quarter 3 2008

Recent

german courthouse
Move

Deutsche Bahn claims victory in “air freight cartel” settlement

boxes on a conveyor
Store

Amazon adds Adidas as its latest e-commerce 3PL customer

Report: 65% of consumers made holiday returns this year
Featured

Report: 65% of consumers made holiday returns this year

Industry Press Room

Mitsubishi Logisnext Americas Group Announces UniCarriers® Forklifts’ Premier Club Winners for 2024

More Stories

Just 29% of supply chain organizations are prepared to meet future readiness demands

Just 29% of supply chain organizations are prepared to meet future readiness demands

Just 29% of supply chain organizations have the competitive characteristics they’ll need for future readiness, according to a Gartner survey released Tuesday. The survey focused on how organizations are preparing for future challenges and to keep their supply chains competitive.

Gartner surveyed 579 supply chain practitioners to determine the capabilities needed to manage the “future drivers of influence” on supply chains, which include artificial intelligence (AI) achievement and the ability to navigate new trade policies. According to the survey, the five competitive characteristics are: agility, resilience, regionalization, integrated ecosystems, and integrated enterprise strategy.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

photos of white house and a loaded containership
Plan

Supply chain groups push back on Trump tariff plan

A generative AI image of a future warehouse with two figures looking at digital overlays of traditional warehousing racks. An autonomous mobile robot is nearby.
Store

Strategic planning and smart investments: Unlocking the potential of automation

US customs agent inspecting agricultural goods
Finance & Strategy

Industry groups: Reciprocal tariffs show “incomplete thinking”

photo collage of containers and ports
Plan

DHL Supply Chain expands offerings in returns, multi-shoring

chart of consumer spending
Plan

Consumers “took a breather” on January spending after holiday rush

chart of GenAI impact on workforces
Technology

Gartner: GenAI tools create anxiety among employees

screen shot of returns apps on different devices

Optoro: 69% of shoppers admit to “wardrobing” fraud

With returns now a routine part of the shopping journey, technology provider Optoro says a recent survey has identified four trends influencing shopper preferences and retailer priorities.

First, 54% of retailers are looking for ways to increase their financial recovery from returns. That’s because the cost to return a purchase averages 27% of the purchase price, which erases as much as 50% of the sales margin. But consumers have their own interests in mind: 76% of shoppers admit they’ve embellished or exaggerated the return reason to avoid a fee, a 39% increase from 2023 to 204.

Keep ReadingShow less
robots carry goods through a warehouse

Fortna: rethink your distribution strategy for 2025

Facing an evolving supply chain landscape in 2025, companies are being forced to rethink their distribution strategies to cope with challenges like rising cost pressures, persistent labor shortages, and the complexities of managing SKU proliferation.

But according to the systems integrator Fortna, businesses can remain competitive if they focus on five core areas:

Keep ReadingShow less
shopper uses smartphone in retail store

EY lists five ways to fortify omnichannel retail

In the fallout from the pandemic, the term “omnichannel” seems both out of date and yet more vital than ever, according to a study from consulting firm EY.

That clash has come as retailers have been hustling to adjust to pandemic swings like a renewed focus on e-commerce, then swiftly reimagining store experiences as foot traffic returned. But even as the dust settles from those changes, retailers are now facing renewed questions about how best to define their omnichannel strategy in a world where customers have increasing power and information.

Keep ReadingShow less
artistic image of a building roof

BCG: tariffs would accelerate change in global trade flows

Geopolitical rivalries, alliances, and aspirations are rewiring the global economy—and the imposition of new tariffs on foreign imports by the U.S. will accelerate that process, according to an analysis by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Without a broad increase in tariffs, world trade in goods will keep growing at an average of 2.9% annually for the next eight years, the firm forecasts in its report, “Great Powers, Geopolitics, and the Future of Trade.” But the routes goods travel will change markedly as North America reduces its dependence on China and China builds up its links with the Global South, which is cementing its power in the global trade map.

Keep ReadingShow less
Copyright ©2025.