Extending Free Shipping to Outside Sellers Can Strengthen Online Marketplaces
Extending membership-based free shipping programs to third-party sellers can strengthen online marketplaces rather than cannibalize them.
In the run-up to the 2026 midterm elections, the political parties in many states are working to redefine their congressional district maps to gain every possible edge. From California and Texas to Tennessee and Virginia, redistricting efforts have taken center stage. The Supreme Court has sanctioned partisan gerrymandering, and the system has evolved to one in which state legislature majorities get to determine who is most likely to fill those seats in Congress.
In short, gerrymandering has become a central feature of the system, not a bug. But what if we rethink the structure entirely?
Fake Hermès Birkin bags and other counterfeit luxury goods are popular not only with people on a budget, but also with those with deeper pockets, a new study suggests.
Researchers from the National University of Singapore analyzed millions of counterfeit purchases by American consumers from more than 24,000 U.S. zip codes on a major cross-border, e-commerce platform. They found that both lower- and higher-income individuals are “significantly more likely” to buy fake luxury items than middle-income consumers, according to a press release by INFORMS on Monday.
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Extending membership-based free shipping programs to third-party sellers can strengthen online marketplaces rather than cannibalize them.
The finalists for the 2026 Franz Edelman Award innovate in supply-chain replenishment, food distribution, cloud fulfillment and carbon-aware high-performance computing.
“We are going to see [an] impact on AI innovation, for sure,” said Subodha Kumar, a professor at Temple University’s Fox School of Business. “How much it will happen — the intensity and magnitude — we cannot say right now.”
For states, data center incentive programs are almost always tax losers, said Subodha Kumar, founder of the Center for Business Analytics and Disruptive Technologies at Temple University. But because most states have similar programs, it’s something industry leaders say is needed to remain competitive.
“ More hospitals are closing every year than are opening because they cannot stay financially viable,” Carri Chan of Columbia Business School said. “A lot of the things that both sides are struggling with are going to keep arising.”

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