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.
Omnichannel order fulfillment is complex and can overwhelm legacy systems, processes and personnel. See how an order management system (OMS) can help solve the challenges, and how two major retailers are addressing it.
If you think customer expectations are high overall in terms of ecommerce and direct-to-customer fulfillment, take a good look at the millennial generation. See what the research says, and what three millennial-focused brands are doing to go above and beyond and deliver a great customer experience for this key demographic.
With PetSmart becoming the latest company to offer same-day delivery, other merchants are likely asking themselves, when does this level of service make sense? The answer depends on demographics, product category and your ability to absorb the cost.
UPS, FedEx and the USPS are all projecting major growth in holiday shipping volume during the peak season, driven by the ongoing boom in ecommerce activity. See what kinds of increases the carriers are expecting.
Amazon has taken the unusual step of limiting Fulfillment by Amazon warehouses and services to existing sellers until Dec. 19, to deal with capacity issues. See what an industry analyst has to say about the significance of the move and its impact.
R² Freight & Logistics, Inc., a provider of intermodal, truckload, LTL and flatbed freight services, has acquired the transportation services division of Integrated Distribution Services, Inc. (IDS) in a management buyout. See what the new owner has to say about the rationale for the deal.
Once again, the folks at ShipStation have provided a useful infographic that provides the shipping cutoff dates for the various services provided by FedEx, UPS and the U.S. Postal Service. See what the latest dates are that packages can be picked up by major carriers in order to get to their destinations by Christmas Day.
Nordstrom, Costco and UPS have joined with a team from the University of Washington in Seattle to study solutions to last-mile delivery issues in urban areas. See what the group is charged with doing, and learn more on this topic in a session at Operations Summit 2017, March 27-29 in Pittsburgh, PA.
Amazon announced plans to hire more than 120,000 workers in 27 states to handle peak season demand at its 90+ distribution and fulfillment centers in the U.S., up 20% from 100,000 in 2015. This comes as major retailers and carriers are holding the line on holiday hiring.
The recent acquisition of Jet.com by Walmart for $3.3 billion will give the retail giant advantages like a more robust ecommerce platform, a stronger digital brain trust and an expanded online catalog, but it won’t appreciably close the wide gap between Walmart and Amazon. See what else ChannelReply CEO Michael Dash had to say about the deal and what it does for Walmart.