Working to Avoid Another Holiday Shipping Disaster
Experts and executives talk about steps being taken to avoid the holiday shipping snafus that caused delays and angry customers in 2013.
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.
A Same-day Delivery Believer
I’ve been skeptical about the need and demand for same-day delivery services, mostly because of the price that I thought would be required for the service. All that changed, when I got this email from Amazon.
Google Teams Up with Barnes & Noble to Take On Amazon
Aiming for Amazon, Google adds Barnes & Noble to its Google Shopping Express same-day delivery program in Manhattan, San Francisco, West Los Angeles.
Canadian Online Shoppers Love Global Brands
Canadian online shoppers love U.S., international brands, and are under-served by domestic retailers, making it a popular market with ecommerce merchants.
Amazon to Open 15 Sortation Centers in 2014
Amazon’s plans for new sortation centers are part of its larger goals of getting close to the customer, Sunday delivery and competing with major carriers.
UPS Spending $175M to Add Holiday Shipping Capacity
UPS plans to spend $175 million to increase holiday shipping capacity, including adding 50 new hub sorts and going from limited to full operations on Black Friday.
Competition, Opportunity Behind UPS $1B Euro Investment
UPS’ decision to invest $1B in Euro operations was based on Germany’s surging economy, growth in healthcare spending and competitors’ logistical build-out.
In France and Germany, Ecommerce a Matter of Trust
Merchants who want to conduct cross-border ecommerce into France and Germany have to grapple with a common issue – trust in the online channel.
Canada, Australia Top Choices for Cross-Border Ecommerce
Canada (84%) and Australia (54%) are the top choices for cross-border ecommerce, followed by Japan and New Zealand (39% each), according to the results of Multichannel Merchant’s MCM Outlook 2014. Here’s why U.S.-based merchants are high on doing business in those countries.
WMS vs. WCS: Which Do You Need?
As operations and fulfillment technology continues to evolve, merchants face a decision of implementing a warehouse management system (WMS), a warehouse control system (WCS) or both.