Air Business Global e-Commerce Logistics is excited to announce a strategic partnership with Hurricane Commerce, the leading provider of cross-border data solutions, already trusted by numerous global logistics providers to help navigate the increasing complexity of international trade with speed and accuracy. This collaboration enhances the Air Business Global e-Commerce logistics landscape by integrating Hurricane’s cutting-edge technology into Air Business’s comprehensive logistics services.

Empowering Global Trade with Advanced Data Solutions

The partnership will enable Air Business to offer its customers Hurricane’s innovative data solutions connected to the Kona API. Hurricane’s game-changing Kona API simplifies cross-border trade by ensuring that every shipment has complete and accurate data. This includes duty and tax calculations, restricted goods screening, as well as denied parties checks, all within a single API call. This integration reduces customs delays and improves operational efficiency for Air Business customers.

Commitment to Compliance and Operational Excellence

Global trade data and regulations are becoming more stringent, with non-compliance leading to delays, fines, additional costs and increased scrutiny. By integrating Hurricane Commerce’s data compliance solutions, Air Business ensures its customers meet key regulatory requirements, such as the EU’s ICS2 and the US Entry Type 86, ensuring smooth, compliant and efficient customs clearance for its customers.

Benefits for Customers and Partners

The collaboration between Air Business and Hurricane Commerce brings numerous benefits, including:

Enhanced Data Accuracy: Ensuring complete and accurate data for seamless cross-border transactions.

Operational Efficiency: Streamlining processes to save time and reduce costs.

Regulatory Compliance: Meeting global regulatory requirements to avoid penalties and delays.

Strategic Growth: Enabling customers to expand their global reach with confidence.

Andy Haylar, Global e-Commerce and Technology Director at Air Business, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Hurricane Commerce to bring their world-class data solutions to our customers. This collaboration underscores our commitment to providing the best possible service and ensuring compliance with international trade regulations. Together, we are poised to drive significant growth and innovation in the global e-Commerce logistics sector.”

Martyn Noble, Co-Founder, Executive Chairman and CEO of Hurricane Commerce, added: “Cross-border trade has never been more complex, and businesses require scalable, robust and compliant solutions to stay ahead of evolving regulations. By working with Air Business, we make it easier for them to trade internationally confidently, ensuring their shipments are compliant, cost-effective, and delivered without disruption.”

Social commerce is revolutionising the E-Commerce landscape by merging social media, online shopping and growing influencer culture. Andy Haylar, Global e-Commerce and Technology Director at Air Business discusses the unique challenges and responsibilities global e-commerce logistics companies face in this dynamic market.

“Social commerce is prevalent with paradoxical traits. On one side, it offers unprecedented opportunities for engagement and sales. On the other, it presents significant risks that can negatively impact a company’s reputation and operational efficiency. This article explores the dangers and pitfalls of social commerce and how logistics companies can navigate them responsibly.

1. Data limitation, privacy, and security risks

Whilst my technology teams see me as a data-driven obsessed dictator demanding KPIs and data-driven decisions, outside of my technology responsibilities, I contradict this approach. I believe you should not build your business initiatives on data alone. Data is essentially from the past and does not account for human unpredictability and emotion. Innovations and disruptive products that gain mass adoption happen not by focusing on the ‘average’ but by focusing on the extreme or minority.

If we rely on the same average data set as everyone else, we’re just blending in with the crowd. Stand out, by leveraging the human touch and applying lateral thinking to uncover unique insights that sets us apart from our competitors. The other side of data (particularly in social commerce) is the potentially business-ending kind if we get it very wrong.

Consumer data vulnerability: Social commerce platforms collect vast amounts of consumer data, which can be vulnerable to breaches and misuse. Logistics companies must implement robust data protection measures to safeguard this information and maintain consumer trust. A notable example is the Target data breach in 2013. Hackers stole credit and debit card information from 40 million customers and personal details of 70 million customers.

Regulatory compliance: Navigating complex data privacy regulations, such as GDPR and CCPA, is essential. Logistics companies must ensure compliance to avoid legal repercussions and protect consumer data. Let’s not forget the eye-watering penalties imposed by the UK authority (ICO), whereby under GDPR, the ICO can issue fines up to £17.5 million or 4% of the total annual worldwide turnover, whichever is higher, for serious breaches.

This has been a particular challenge for us at Air Business given our multi-territory presence, resulting in differing data protection laws. We have managed to mitigate this by ensuring our proprietary global software employs state-of-the-art data security measures to protect consumer information and ensure compliance with data privacy regulations. Additionally, we conduct self-auditing and provide in-depth training for all staff and champions.

2. Dependence on social media platforms

Whilst the title immediately reminds me of my continually ignored rhetoric to my children, there is also a growing trend of reliance from small to medium businesses on social media platforms for sales. Over-reliance can lead to a loss of control over customer interactions and data and profit. Algorithms are continuously (and mysteriously) learning and changing which will affect how your business reaches its audiences and manages sales.

A recent relevant case involves the European Commission fining Meta (Facebook’s parent company) €797.12 million ($842 million) for violating antitrust regulations. The EC found that by tying Facebook Marketplace to Facebook and imposing unfair trading conditions on other online classified ads service providers, this case underscores the risks of putting all your ‘eggs in one social media basket’.

Logistics and Retail companies would be wise to diversify their sales channels across a variety of mediums to mitigate this risk and maintain a broader reach. Whilst social commerce has a large young potential customer base, confining yourself to social media platforms potentially excludes customers who prefer traditional E-Commerce channels. Logistics companies must balance their strategies to cater to all customer preferences.

Often, Air Business has partnered with SMEs and the less digitally evolved to not only manage their end-to-end logistics but also to enable to sell across all sales channels as we love to support up and coming businesses.

“Data is essentially from the past and does not account for human unpredictability and emotion.”

3. Navigating Negative Feedback: Protecting Your Brand Multi-Carrier Logistics

Negative reviews and feedback are highly visible on social media including sites like Google and Trustpilot which can quickly damage a brand’s reputation and retention of customers. Logistics companies must have effective strategies for managing and responding to negative feedback, particularly if you are a logistics company that ‘white labels’ carriers and conveyance partners and does not have direct control over the operation.

My mitigation to this is simple. I am a strong believer that it is not enough to offer just white label carrier services. It is critical to ensure excellence through performance metrics. We achieve this at Air Business through our proactive data Control Tower. In addition, we only partner with top-tier carriers who share our values and commitment to quality. This isn’t the easy route – it’s tempting to cut costs by choosing cheaper partners. But we believe in investing in relationships that guarantee superior service. It’s a long game, but one that pays off in reliability and customer satisfaction. After all, in logistics (as in life), you get what you pay for.

We have all seen social media’s viral nature (a certain delivery driver throwing a computer monitor over a fence does spring to mind) meaning that any misstep can spread rapidly, leading to widespread backlash. Logistics companies must be proactive in their communication and crisis management and have a continuity plan in place and an existing relationship with the review forum to manage the reviews mistakenly associated with your company.

4. Managing Logistics and Fulfilment Challenges During High-Volume Social Media

Remember the Call of Duty Modern Warfare game release of 2019 where major carriers wished they had a ‘respawn’ capability? Handling the logistics of social commerce can of course be challenging, especially during peak times or viral campaigns like Black Friday. Logistics companies should ensure their operations can scale to meet demand. However, it’s also critical to uphold the promise of delivering your agreed service. Establishing quotas and managing large volumes from high-demand clients (we all know who), such as those driven by popular online marketplaces, is crucial to ensure that our bread-and-butter customer base – which sustains us all year round – remains unaffected. Moreover, the high return rates associated with impulse buying on social platforms can strain logistics and fulfilment operations. Companies must be prepared to handle the increased volume of returns efficiently, which can be resource-intensive and costly. The challenge lies in balancing the benefits of social commerce with the need to maintain robust operational processes and safeguard your brand’s reputation and margins.

The rise of circular logistics adds another layer of complexity. Efficiently managing returns, refurbishments and recycling requires advanced logistics solutions and can be resource and space intensive. The temptation to shortcut these best practices in the pursuit of high-volume, low-margin traffic must be avoided.

My policy is simple: we do not overcommit and chase the dollar! We stay loyal to our core customers and only onboard new customers if we are 100% confident, we can deliver the best possible service for them. This sometimes means making tough decisions to turn down additional traffic, but it guarantees that we maintain the highest standards of service and efficiency. This approach has paid us back dividends through a long-standing and loyal customer base.

5. Our Responsibility in Circular Logistics

Myth or fact? The younger generation (Gen Z, Gen Alpha or Y) on social commerce platforms are ‘sustainability conscious’…. I suspect the majority are not and still opt for cheaper brands delivered on trucks with red diesel. This is understandable in times of a cost-of-living crisis. Regardless of market trends, we have a responsibility to educate, collaborate and provide accessible solutions. Let’s not forget that the younger generation will lay the path to the common norm.

With forthcoming regulations and penalties, logistics companies will be forced to adopt sustainable practices, such as using eco-friendly packaging, optimising delivery routes to reduce carbon emissions, and promoting recycling and reuse. Beyond regulation, there are interesting business opportunities that also send a powerful message about your brand’s commitment to sustainability.

One key opportunity is supporting the circular economy. Social commerce often leads to higher return rates due to impulse buying. By embracing circular logistics, companies can support a circular economy where products are designed for longevity, reuse, and recycling. This approach minimises waste and promotes sustainability and resource efficiency, which is increasingly important to socially conscious consumers. The surge in returns from social commerce requires logistics companies to be more agile and efficient in managing returns, refurbishments, and recycling processes. The responsibility to handle these returns sustainably falls on logistics companies, making it essential to implement advanced technologies and robust systems to manage the flow of goods in a circular economy.

“By embracing circular logistics, companies can support a circular economy where products are designed for longevity.”

Logistics companies and retailers should educate consumers about the benefits of circular logistics and encourage sustainable shopping habits. Offering a green lane service and information on returning products for refurbishment or recycling can enhance consumer participation in sustainability efforts, especially in social commerce where engagement is high. Additionally, helping retailers join the circular economy by providing tools and support to implement sustainable practices can further drive this initiative. By integrating these efforts, both consumers and retailers can contribute to a more sustainable future. Data BI on sustainability impact, such as CO2 calculations, achieved through tracking from the carrier or a pre-calculated impact, is becoming a prerequisite but can also be a lucrative value add for logistics companies. It can help retailers meet their sustainability mission statement.

To conclude, in the coming year, I am passionate about solidifying our presence in circular logistics. We utilise advanced technologies to manage the complete end-to-end view of the sustainability ecosystem, returns and promote recycling. Additionally, we aim to empower individuals to facilitate refurbishment and quality control in their own homes, achieving ‘return to sale status’ without relying on expensive facilities and services. This commitment not only reduces waste but also enhances sustainability and customer satisfaction.”

For many years Air Business has provided global distribution solutions for Mark Allen Group’s publications. This relationship has grown from strength to strength during that time, enabling Air Business to earn an opportunity to demonstrate their expertise and experience within the events arena.

Mark Allen Group is hosting the Aerospace Test & Development Show in Toulouse in September and the Consumer Electronics Test & Development Expo in Amsterdam in October.

This announcement follows the recent expansion by Air Business of its global event logistics team, with Tony Farrow joining as Head of Event Logistics as part of ambitious growth plans driven by increased customer demand. Many publishing and media brands are increasingly focusing on in-person events as a method of engaging with audiences, as part of diversified business strategies.

Lenka Booker, Strategy & Transformation Director at Air Business, added, “We are thrilled at this opportunity to work with Mark Allen Group as their official event logistics partner. Our mission is to bring a whole new level of customer service to the events sector, ensuring that we take away any hassles so that organisers and exhibitors alike are able to enjoy the show, stress-free.”

Air Business, the award-winning global logistics and technology business, has announced the renewal of its strategic partnership with the Professional Publishers Association (PPA) for 2024.

The 15th year of the partnership will see Air Business as a lead partner of the PPA Festival in April and the PPA Awards in June, as well as the sole sponsor of the PPA Member Reception later in the year. They will also be supporting the PPA’s celebration of young talent, the Next Gen Awards, and the PPA Independent Publisher Awards this Autumn/Winter.

Air Business is renowned for providing publishers and media businesses with high-quality solutions for their logistics and technology challenges. Always seeking to innovate and develop their range of services to support the ever-evolving needs of customers, this year Air Business is expanding its global event logistics services and launching a new eCommerce shipping platform, Consero, to further serve the diverse requirements of the industry.

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, commented: “We are excited to renew our partnership with the PPA for another year and we look forward to continued collaboration with publishers and media businesses throughout 2024. We hope that our expanded services, particularly in event logistics and eCommerce technology, will provide a springboard for our clients to achieve their growth targets.”

Sajeeda Merali, PPA Chief Executive Officer, added: “Air Business has been a great supporter of our sector for many years and I’m delighted to see our partnership continue. They are a trusted partner for many of our members and are always striving to stay ahead of the curve to deliver for their clients.”

Air Business has a well-deserved reputation for providing its customers with quality solutions to meet their logistics and technology challenges, continually innovating and developing their range of services to support the evolving needs of clients.

The expansion of the Air Business global event logistics team comes as many publishing brands are accelerating new face-to-face experiences for their audiences. Many clients and their exhibitors face complex logistical challenges which create inertia and distraction from the events themselves, leading to negative experiences and making renewal in subsequent years more challenging.

Tony joins a dedicated team with a proven track record in events and freight logistics, strengthening their combined expertise and enabling the expansion of services to address growing demand. Tony is a seasoned professional who brings with him more than 30 years’ experience in international and domestic transportation and logistics and has focused on events for the last 15.

Lenka Booker, Strategy & Transformation Director at Air Business, commented, “We are delighted to welcome Tony to our team. His experience will prove invaluable in our objective of delivering a highly personalised, secure and reliable service which is so important in event logistics. Our ethos of high service quality and customer experience is central to our business success and growth, a key part of our culture and a core element of our goal of being your trusted partner.”

Tony Farrow, Head of Event Logistics, added, “I am excited to join Air Business and look forward to helping to expand our services. Our aim is to take away the hassle for event organisers and exhibitors so that they can focus 100% of their attention on the show. We understand that happy exhibitors are crucial to successful events and this remains the primary focus for our team.”

Sarah joins Air Business from Marks & Spencer, having worked at both an operational and strategic level across both generalist and specialist HR roles within the group. She brings with her a wealth of experience from a range of disciplines including employee engagement, wellbeing, coaching, talent & succession planning, inclusion & diversity and learning & development.

Sarah’s role will see her lead the company’s HR function and take on responsibility for managing Air Business’ sustainability plans.

Sarah Manlow, Chief People & Sustainability Officer, commented, “I am excited to join Air Business and believe that the best commercial outcomes are achieved through a positive workplace culture, built on a foundation of values, engagement, and high performance. I collaborate with teams to build and execute HR strategy and innovation, delivering pragmatic solutions that aim to bring out the best in the workforce today and prepare for the workforce of the future. On the sustainability side, I am focused on building on the excellent work that Air Business has already done to identify, measure and reduce its environmental impact.”

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, added, “We are delighted to welcome Sarah to Air Business and we look forward to her playing an integral role, both in developing how we manage and look after our people, and in driving forward our ongoing sustainability efforts.”

ISO 27001 certification demonstrates that an organisation has invested in the people, processes, and technology to protect its data and provides an independent, expert assessment of whether that data is sufficiently protected.

Following a recent audit, Air Business was noted to be continuing to maintain and improve processes effectively, with highlights including leadership and commitment, a comprehensive Cyber Incident Management process, and strong information security awareness demonstrated during staff interviews.

Andy Haylar, Group IT Director at Air Business, commented, “We are delighted to achieve recertification for the ISO 27001 standard, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to global best practices in information security. We know that our clients truly value the reassurance provided by this accreditation.”

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer at Air Business, added, “We take the security of our data and that of our customers incredibly seriously, so to be recognised as continuing to fulfil the required standards and audit criteria is welcome news indeed.”

Peter served as Chief Executive Officer at Brill, a leading publisher in the fields of Humanities, International Law and Social Sciences. Prior to that, he held senior roles at Springer Nature Group and Kluwer Academic Publishers.

This appointment follows significant investment in technology and systems over the past few years, which has seen Air Business continue to develop its service offering to meet the ever-evolving needs of all its customers, with specific customisation for academic publishers. As a long-standing supplier to the market, Air Business’ subscriptions arm was previously owned by Reed Business Information, part of what is now the RELX Group, demonstrating a rich heritage in the sector.

Peter’s vast experience and understanding of the sector will be fundamental to his role at Air Business, where he will provide insight and expertise across sales and marketing strategy, product development, service delivery and customer experience.

Adam Sherman, Chief Executive Officer, Air Business, added: “Peter is a fantastic addition to our academic team and his appointment will build on the investment that we have made in this sector in recent years. Peter brings with him an enormous wealth of knowledge and experience which I am sure will prove invaluable to our clients.”

Peter Coebergh, Advisor for Academic Development, Air Business, said: “I am thrilled to be joining Air Business to help drive growth in the academic publishing market. Having worked directly with Air Business in the past, I have been extremely impressed by the expertise demonstrated by the team, and the high-quality services they provide, from migration through to the general day-to-day business of supporting complex academic clients.”

Air Business, the award-winning global distribution, subscriptions and e-commerce management company, is pleased to be the distribution partner for NME’s relaunched print magazine, available this summer. Air Business has been selected as a distribution partner due to their successful history of distribution management for numerous publications and handling mailing worldwide.

The early 2000’s was a challenging time for printed magazines as many publications chose to move away from print and over to digital distribution methods. There has, however, always been a demand for print magazines as some readers still enjoy flicking through pages and experiencing the look and feel of a physical magazine in their hands.

NME ceased printing of their magazine to focus predominantly on digital releases in 2018 but the brand has taken the positive decision to return to print for 2023. Their multigenerational audience are not 100% digital natives and still really care about the quality of experience that only physical media can bring.

“Print has always been a cornerstone of the NME brand, and we are thrilled to announce the return of an icon,” said NME Networks’ Chief Operating & Commercial Officer of NME Networks Holly Bishop. “Our new global magazine will curate the very best of NME; championing emerging artists and bands and serving as the definitive voice in pop culture.”

Paul Hatch, Group Customer Director at Air Business, added: “We are delighted at the return of NME to print and to be involved in the relaunch of such an iconic brand as their distribution partner.”