California

Amanda L. Cole is the editor-in-chief of NonProfit PRO. She was formerly editor-in-chief of special projects for NonProfit PRO's sister publication, Promo Marketing. Contact her at acole@napco.com.

Amazon is testing deliveries via taxis in San Francisco and Los Angeles, according to the Wall Street Journal, as the Internet retailer explores alternative modes of delivery to speed up shipments while restraining cost.

Amazon is using the taxi-hailing mobile app, Flywheel, to ship parcels via licensed cabs, studying the feasibility of using taxi fleets more broadly as a delivery avenue.

The e-commerce company, stung by shipping delays last Christmas blamed on services such as UPS and FedEx, has been exploring various options from regional couriers to its own delivery vehicles.

Proper labeling of promotional products is a big deal. While sourcing, the proper risk assessment of any product must include planned usage group as well as delivery destination.

FedEx, the world's second-largest package-delivery company, was recently indicted in connection with a Justice Department investigation into illegal pharmaceutical shipments, according to a person with knowledge of the government's long-running investigation.

The case focuses on whether FedEx had appropriate safeguards to prevent online pharmacies from shipping drugs without prescriptions. The No. 1 shipper, UPS, paid $40 million last year as part of a settlement to avoid charges in the same investigation. The FedEx indictment was announced in California by the Justice Department.

A message seeking comment was left at FedEx's headquarters in Memphis.

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