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.
Are you still uncertain about GenAI ’s ability to enhance visual ecommerce experiences? Can it effectively meet rising customer expectations and drive tangible business results? Join our webinar on Wednesday, Aug. 30 at 2p, where media experts will delve deep into generative AI-powered imagery and video capabilities.
Fast fashion retailers Shein and Forever 21 struck a major deal aimed at cross-promoting brands to a similar audience of younger apparel shoppers heading into a closely-watched holiday season. It’s a marriage of mall, retail and brand experience with a production and distribution machine driven by tech and social savvy. But there’s a shadow cast by concerns over Shein’s business practices.
Ecommerce demand may not be exploding like 2020 and 2021, but retailers are increasingly looking at automated solutions like goods-to-person (GTP) systems to help future-proof their operations as conditions fluctuate. Automated storage and retrieval (AS/RS) and autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are gaining serious traction, with rapid market expansion projected between now and 2030.
The Government Accounting Office (GAO) issued a harsh critique of the U.S. Postal Service and its efforts thus far to implement a 10-year strategic plan aimed at improving performance and turning around mounting losses that run against a government mandate for the USPS to be self-sustaining. The agency took issue, saying its strategic process to implement the plan was “robust and effective.”
As expected, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters voted overwhelmingly to ratify a new five-year contract with UPS, giving the 340,000 members at the carrier higher wages for part- and full-time workers, and eliminating a hated two-tier system of driver classification. More than 86% of union members voting said yes to the new contract, the Teamsters said, a record for a UPS deal.
Amazon will start charging a 2% per-item fee to merchants using Seller Fulfilled Prime (SFP) starting in October, Bloomberg reports, while the company is offering influencers the equivalent of $25 a video to populate content promoting its listings as it seeks a bulwark against Chinese social giant TikTok.
It’s undeniable that artificial intelligence is having a major impact across industries. But what does that mean in dollars and cents? IHL Group has estimated the business impact of AI, GenAI and machine learning on the retail and restaurant sectors through 2029 at $1.5 trillion. IHL also ranks companies on AI readiness and projected business impact. IHL president Greg Busek breaks down their findings.
Target reported weaker Q2 sales, acknowledging it was partly due to backlash over its annual pride month collection in May, first from shoppers who reacted negatively to items like children’s clothing in front-of-store displays, then from LGBTQ groups angered by the company’s response. However, Target’s earnings beat expectations, efficiency efforts including automation and lean inventory.
With generative AI adoption being so widespread across industries, one key application and business process of the technology near and dear to the hearts of retailers is finding ways to reduce the expense, hassle and poor customer experience of ecommerce returns that grow year after year. Hear how leading retailers are leveraging GenAI and machine learning to reduce returns and boost CX.
Amazon has been quietly growing the volume of orders going out boxless, which the company says represented 11% of items shipped in 2022, a move that some see as a sea change in reducing packaging materials that will be imitated across retail. Amazon customers can choose to add an external “smiley” box at checkout, but boxless is now the default, with more apparently opting for it.