A group of analysts recently got to wondering: "What if Amazon.com wanted to buy FedEx?" The reason, they speculated, would be to control every leg of a product's journey from the shelf to the end user.
While Commercial Appeal logistics reporter Max Garland says that it was mostly just "food for thought," he adds that FedEx has been introducing what looks like some same-day home delivery competition in the form of a robot. FedEx has recently partnered with companies such as Walgreens and Pizza Hut to test whether a rolling mailbox will catch on here and in other cities.
Meanwhile, robots -- at this point -- can't replace FedEx's constant need for overnight workers at its Memphis hub. It has taken to busing in upwards of 200 workers from Cleveland, Mississippi, a pilot program that could soon be expanding.
