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.
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.
Israel Maynard, Senior Director of International Logistics and Fulfillment for outdoor gear and apparel retailer Burton, has been busy working with vendors overseas and partners here to get everything stocked and set for his peak season. We discuss all this in our latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.
UPS has ended a freeze on earned discount tiers based on large shipping volume drops caused by COVID-19 lockdowns, with some shippers seeing cost increases in the 10% to 30% range as they suddenly dropped two or three tiers, consultants and shippers report. The freeze ended as the lockdown effects are long over.
Ruby Has, a top 3PL, has launched an industry consortium aimed at helping both direct-to-consumer merchants and those providing support services to share expertise, resources and best practices aimed at benefiting all. Among the 100-plus charter members are DTC jewelry brand Ana Luisa and ecommerce platform firm Linnworks.
3PL Geodis has acquired Plano, TX-based freight forwarding company Velocity Transport from Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary McLane Company, to add to its forwarding capabilities across a range of modalities, including refrigerated and temperature-controlled freight, flatbed and LTL, intermodal, van and specialty options.
After a major software implementation, how do you deal with issues that inevitably crop up? Katie Langrock, VP of Operations at Vermont Teddy Bear and a panelist on this topic at Ecommerce Operations Summit 2021 (Aug. 17-18, Gaylord Opreyland, Nashville), talks about her team’s ERP journey in this MCM CommerceChat podcast.
Elevate Brands, one of a growing group of aggregators acquiring successful Amazon businesses and layering on economies of scale, has raised $250 million in new funding, bringing its 2021 hoard to $317 million as the category continues to superheat.
Seeing greater demand from customers for immediate fulfillment of ecommerce orders, Bath Bath & Beyond is expanding its same-day delivery to 700 stores covering nearly 16,000 ZIP codes, a near doubling, through a partnership with Roadie. The retailer is also allowing customers to pick up online orders curbside as early as 8 a.m.
As the pandemic settled in, many were looking to escape urban environs and get back to the land. Letitia Webster, Tractor Supply’s SVP of ecommerce, omnichannel and MDM, and a keynote at Ecommerce Operations Summit (Aug. 17-18, Nashville) talks about how her team met this new demand and improved processes along the way.
NewStore, provider of an omnichannel platform focusing on helping vertically integrated brands improve their customer experience, has raised $45 million as it expands in Europe and looks to fuel further growth. Stephan Schambach, founder and CEO of NewStore, said the pandemic “changed the sentiment” around omnichannel.