Unybrands, a Miami-based aggregator of successful brands both on and off Amazon, has raised another $300 million to pursue its manifest destiny of acquiring 20 companies in 2021, building out its platform and doubling headcount to 50. Unybrands CEO Ulrich Kratz said the company is tracking ahead of its acquisition goal.
Prime Day 2021 is in the books with a record $11 billion in sales, according to Adobe’s Digital Economy Index, up 6.1% from $10.4 billion in 2020, when the event was held in October, but was not a winner for retailers not named Amazon, based on data from SalesForce. Wall Street wasn’t impressed with flat growth over the 2020 event.
Prime Day one on Monday saw total online sales in the U.S. surpass $5.6 billion, up 8.7% from 2020, surpassing Thanksgiving Day last year which rung in at $5.1 billion, according to data from the Adobe Digital Economy Index. Toys saw the deepest discounts, while appliances and electronics proved most popular, Adobe reported.
Amazon has revoked the 200-unit limit for new FBA sellers and changed how it assesses sellers’ storage limits. New sellers can start with 500-1,000 units depending on their storage type. It also now subject all sellers to new restock limits. Eytan Wiener, CEO of Getida and a former Amazon power seller, helps us break down the changes.
Perch, part of a growing wave one of Amazon brand rollups in the hottest space in retail, just raised $775 million, bringing its war chest to over $900 million as it looks to add to a portfolio of 70 brands acquired in just 18 months and considers product launches. The company opened its own FC and is eyeing Asia and South America.
Dave Clark, CEO of Amazon’s consumer business, was behind efforts to ask the U.S. Postal Service to install a special temporary ballot mailbox outside the company’s Bessemer, AL fulfillment center where a union vote was taking place, numerous outlets reported. The NLRB is hearing testimony as part of a union challenge to the vote.
Amazon has increased its capital expenditures by 80% in the past year, including continuing expansion of Amazon Logistics such as new cargo planes, trailers and linehaul trucks and adding to its massive Delivery Service Partner (DSP) program. All told, Amazon has increased its logistics capacity by 50% in the past year alone.
Amazon is expanding its Amazon Key program, which lets its delivery drivers access a Prime customer’s garage to drop off orders, to more than 5,000 U.S. cities and towns, wherever its grocery delivery services are available from Amazon Fresh or Whole Foods Market. The program, free to Prime members, was first tested three years ago.
Berlin Brands Group, started in Germany in 2005 when its founder sold disc jockey equipment, has raised $240 million in debt-free funding to finance acquisition of successful third-party sellers on Amazon primarily in the U.S., growing off its European roots. It plans to invest $300 million in the coming months in acquiring profitable sellers.
The union that was unsuccessful in its effort to organize workers at an Amazon fulfillment center in Alabama immediately challenged the April 9 outcome as expected, claiming the ecommerce giant illegally interfered with the election. The complaint was filed with the NLRB, asking it to investigate Amazon’s tactics.