Mike O'Brien
Mike O’Brien has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for … well, quite a while. At Multichannel Merchant he focuses on the world of direct-to-customer operations and fulfillment, editing MCM’s weekly O+F Advisor newsletter, and programs the annual Ecommerce Operations Summit conference. Previously Mike was a senior account executive for Marx Communications, a boutique public relations firm working with marketing and advertising technology companies. Other past work includes stints as a media relations consultant for a concert promoter, a marketing communications specialist for a pharma software firm, a research analyst covering corporate e-learning and a daily newspaper reporter on every beat imaginable – except sports.
A group of Revlon lenders has filed a lawsuit alleging the iconic beauty retailer, now in bankruptcy court, conspired with banks and lenders to steal away first-priority liens on Revlon’s well-known brands and intellectual property in order to secure new capital as the company was failing.
Amazon reported third quarter revenue under estimates and provided a lowered fourth quarter outlook on Thursday, causing yet more jitters on Wall Street and in the industry as retail swings into the home stretch of the peak holiday season, and sending shares down 20% after hours.
Despite all the attention paid to skyrocketing returns, most retailers in 2022 still treat them as simply the cost of doing business instead of as a strategic focus area and opportunity for a stepped-up customer experience, and the numbers of a new report bear out that approach.
Fondue, an Israeli startup that just received $10.5 million in a seed round, is looking to “crush” the prevalent coupon code system and replace it with a cash back program it says is more profitable and higher converting for brands. Shoppers are given options to redeem offers as cash back, as a site credit or as a higher-value gift card.
Companion bills in the U.S. House and U.S. Senate aim to amend the 1938 Fair Labor Standards Act, removing the overtime exemption for truckers. Predictably, it’s opposed by shippers and rail carriers, and supported by unions, trucking associations and safety groups. A spokesman for a major auto carrier explains why he supports it.
UPS posted strong Q3 financial results, falling a bit short on revenue vs. the analyst consensus but beating on earnings, as the company was lauded for successfully making network adjustments to falling volumes, unlike rival FedEx’s report about a month ago. The brown carrier also expects peak season volume to be lighter than 2021.
Days before its third quarter earnings report, UPS matched rival FedEx by announcing a general rate increase of 6.9% for 2023, an unprecedented figure for both major carriers set as a benchmark for pricing shipper contract rates. FedEx took heat last month in announcing its rate increase last month, as it reported a painful quarter.
This special report from Multichannel Merchant explores the issue of automation and robotics through the lens of project timelines, lead times on equipment, ROI and performance gains. Industry experts provide perspectives on the business case, implementation and integration considerations, shelf life and future proofing and what’s next.
Senators are asking for a hearing and FTC oversight to review the proposed $24.6 billion mega deal merging Kroger and Albertsons into a grocery powerhouse, expressing concerns about its impact on the competitive landscape and on consumers dealing with soaring prices. The FTC has its work cut out with a hot political football.
Last week Kroger announced it was acquiring Albertsons for $24.5B, a major deal on the order of Amazon buying Whole Foods in 2017 that immediately reshaped the power structure in grocery. Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, helps us put the deal in context in our latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.