Jacksonville’s Cost Advantages Attracts One of the World’s Largest Online Retailers

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Online home furnishings retailer Wayfair announced in 2018 that the company will open a 1 million-square-foot distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida, as it begins to scale its Florida logistics operations to support a growing customer base.

Wayfair’s Large Parcel Home Delivery Operation at Alliance Florida at Cecil Commerce Center, a development of Dallas-based Hillwood, will allow the e-commerce retailer — who offers 14 million items including home furnishings, décor, home improvement, housewares and more — to better serve the growing Southeast U.S. market.

In a press release announcing the DC in December 2018, James Savarese, Chief Operating Office of Wayfair said, “We are excited to join the Duval County community as we continue to scale our logistics operations in the state of Florida to support the incredible growth of our business.”

Jacksonville’s location is an attractive quality to retailers looking at sites for a DC operation.

Northeast Florida features available land and 130 million square feet of warehousing and distribution space, and the region’s strategic location allows shippers to reach a market of more than 70 million consumers within a one-day truck drive. Import distribution points receive cargo from JAXPORT’s three marine terminals, which enjoy worldwide carrier services and are capable of handling every type of freight.

Furthermore, the Jacksonville region offers a strong talent pipeline, consisting of thousands of graduates from more than a dozen major colleges and universities, and thousands of military veterans deciding to work in the area each year. Jacksonville’s median age is equal to that of the nation overall and the current working-age population is 845,000+ people.

Beyond Northeast Florida, the state is also on the move, with 21.6 million residents and a growing population expected to reach 28.2 million by 2045. In addition, 126 million people visit the state each year, adding to the consumer base.

Economic studies show that the total landed cost of cargo transported from Southeast Asia through @JAXPORT to the upper half of the state represents a shipper’s lowest cost port option.Click To Tweet

Economic studies show that the total landed cost of cargo transported from Southeast Asia through JAXPORT to the upper half of the state represents a shipper’s lowest cost port option, equaling a savings of up to 17% depending on the current U.S. port utilized.

With a shipper’s choice of intermodal services, dozens of ocean carriers, a growing consumer base and outstanding highway and rail connections – retailers are finding that Jacksonville offers a transportation combination simply unmatched in the Southeastern United States.

Furniture retailers: Connect with JAXPORT’s commercial team to learn how to lower your overall cost to market.

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From startups to large retailers, more and more businesses are choosing JAXPORT to optimize their ecommerce supply chains.

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