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IHA’s blog features informative posts written to keep the housewares industry educated and informed about key strategic issues and IHA member services.

Container Spot Rates Reach Record Highs

There appears to be no end in sight to the recent surge in spot rates on containers moving from Asia to the United States. The market has seen six straight weeks of spot rate increases buoyed by increased demand. The August 1, 2020 spot rate to move a container from Asia to US West Coast ports has reached a 10-year high of $3,167. This represents a 121% increase over the August…

COVID Liability Protection and OSHA

For Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and congressional Republicans, the “COVID 4” bill that Congress and the White House hope to pass by early August must contain liability protection from frivolous lawsuits for businesses, medical workers, schools and other entities. According to the Daily Mail, more than 770 COVID-based lawsuits had been filed by May 4 against…

Global Retail Intelligence – July

July 20 – Walmart Canada Announces Major Investment Walmart Canada has announced that it will invest CAD 3.5 billion on growth acceleration and customer experience over the next 5 years. Among the investment plans announced are renovations to 150 stores, a digitally connected shopping experience, growth in ecommerce scope, renovation of an existing distribution center and…

Container Spot Rates Spike in June

Shippers are fed up with the carriers so-called capacity management strategy. The strategy of canceled sailings has resulted in thousands of US-bound containers being delayed in Asia. The lack of space available on ships has quickly driven spot rates to a 52-week high. The spot rates from Asia to US West Coast ports increased over $1000 in the last three weeks topping out…

“COVID 4” Legislation

From March through early June, Congress passed five bills to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic that became law. In order of passage they are: H.R. 6074, the Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (“COVID 1”); H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“COVID 2”); H.R. 748, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security…

Global Retail Intelligence – June

June 15 – Aldi UK Extends Home Delivery Trial In partnership with Deliveroom, Aldi UK has extended is home delivery to London through a store located in Camden. An online offering of more than 200 items will be deliverable to customers within two miles of the store with newly added delivery as soon as 30 minutes following delivery. Aldi confirmed that if the trial…

Container Space Tightens from Asia to US

Due to lack of demand, carriers cancelled 20% of Asia to US sailings for the month of May. They have already announced plans to cancel 20% of their Asia to US sailings for the month of June. The containers already booked for June sailings reinforces that demand is starting to rebound. The uptick in container volume is a positive sign for all stakeholders but also presents…

Covid-Related Business Tools – CARES Act

Employee Retention Credit (Section 2301 of the Act): Refundable payroll tax credit equal to 50% of up to $10,000 in wages per employee, including health benefits, if employer operations were fully/partially suspended due to a COVID-19 governmental shutdown, or if gross receipts declined more than 50% in a quarter compared to the same quarter in 2019. Credit applies…

Global Retail Intelligence – May

May 18 – Indian Retailers See Spike as Pandemic Easing BeginsRetailers in India, including Metro Cash & Carry, Lots Wholesale Solutions, Future Group and V-Mart Retail have seen a spike in purchases of fast moving consumer goods and high-value items as measures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been eased and more stores are open to customer walk-ins. Retailers have…