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.
Going head-to-head with UPS and FedEx, which have owned the domestic space, DHL eCommerce, an arm of German logistics giant DHL, is launching a same-day delivery service in eight U.S. cities that some believe will have Amazon as a major client.
Amazon, JC Penney, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Toys R Us and Rent the Runway are among the companies active in recent distribution and fulfillment center activities. See who is expanding and where facilities are being planned.
In an omnichannel world where fulfillment has become an increasingly complex proposition, order sourcing is a critical success factor for any merchant organization. Alex Volakis, senior omnichannel strategy analyst with Abercrombie & Fitch, provides key insights into the tools, processes and practices that help the company optimize its sourcing strategy in the latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.
A former director of business development for Walmart claims in a lawsuit the company skirted rules and published misleading results that helped to inflate its ecommerce numbers, according to Bloomberg. Walmart denies the claims and said it will vigorously defend itself.
Abercrombie & Fitch reported a strong fourth quarter of 2017, returning to positive comp territory, besting revenue and profit estimates, right-sizing its store footprint, increasing direct sales and continuing integration of its omnichannel initiatives.
Target announced a number of initiatives to improve its omnichannel delivery and fulfillment services for customers as it continues to feel the heat from Amazon and other major competitors in retail and ecommerce.
Finding sufficient warehouse staff is a problem that’s not going away soon, so merchants are looking to maximize productivity and efficiency. This special report from Multichannel Merchant explores ways they are creating optimized warehouses to address labor shortages, including tactics like incentives, space optimization and investment in a modern warehouse management system (WMS).
Best Buy reported a strong fourth quarter, increasing same-store sales 9% over the previous year and boosting online comp sales by 18%. The company also made improvements to its BOPIS program and is testing an app feature that lets customers notify associates when coming to pick up a large item.
JC Penney, DSW, Amazon and Gilt are among those announcing distribution center and fulfillment center activity recently. See what is opening and closing in the domestic market for retail and ecommerce companies.
UPS has filed a lawsuit against the European Union’s antitrust agency, seeking $2.15 billion (1.74 billion Euros) for its 2013 decision which scuttled the carrier’s planned acquisition of Netherlands-based TNT Express. See what preceded the action and how UPS views its commitment to the EU market.