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.
To remain competitive and boost flagging store sales in a tough retail environment, Kohl’s is continuing to invest in omnichannel operations, executives said in a Q2 analyst call. See what else executives had to say about digital initiatives and the impact of Macy’s announced store closures.
Online home goods seller Wayfair reported net revenue of $787 million for the second quarter, up 60% year-over-year, and $756 million in direct-to-customer sales, as it implements a shift to more insourcing of logistics, enabling faster, more efficient fulfillment.
The U.S. Post Office continued the trend of strong growth in its parcel business while showing losses in mail delivery in its third quarter results. But help may be on the way in the form of a postal reform bill that would lessen the burden of mandated pre-funding of retiree health benefits.
Top retailers use innovation to deliver an outstanding customer experience and set themselves apart. Here’s why Ulta Beauty won MCM’s Innovator of the Year.
Ever-rising expectations call for retailers to be increasingly tuned in to customers’ needs and wants across channels, while consistently delivering on promises and being more flexible and responsive when issues arise. See why Bonobos once again won the award for Customer Experience Leader.
UPS is continuing to push for increased efficiency through hub automation projects and its ORION route optimization system. The company reported Q2 revenue growth of 3.8% to $14.63 billion, with profit up 3.2% to $1.27 billion. Its ecommerce business is on pace to grow faster than expected through the end of the year, officials said, based on strength in U.S. consumer spending.
Vivino has grown from a popular wine selection and review app to a business with global ecommerce designs, after implementing the BigCommerce platform. See how Vivino has leveraged its 18 million app users into a growing ecommerce operation.
Under Armour will begin selling products at 1,100 Kohl’s locations next year, and plans to open a store at the iconic FAO Schwartz location in Manhattan. The Kohl’s deal is intended to make Under Armour products more available to consumers, particularly women, at malls and other suburban locations.
As it continues to hit roadblocks in the U.S., Amazon has announced a partnership with the UK government to experiment with drone delivery of small parcels through its Amazon Prime Air unit. Meantime 7-11 has beaten Amazon to the punch, delivering Slurpees and other essential items to a family in Reno, NV in the first U.S. commercial drone delivery.
How you handle returns goes a long way toward defining how customers perceive your brand and how loyal they will be. So what are some of the key elements that make up a great returns experience? See why Nordstrom won the 2016 Excellence in Customer Experience award in this important category.