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.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into past political fundraising efforts of Louis DeJoy, the embattled Postmaster General of the U.S. Postal Service, raising the volume of Democratic calls for his ouster even as he works to enact major postal reforms.
Pitney Bowes is rolling out a new series of smart lockers that can be used either in office or apartment buildings, college campuses or retail stores that can be configured to use as parcel boxes for individuals to send and receive items, or for picking up ecommerce orders and processing returns.
Shipping platform firm Shippo has raised another $50 million in capital, just three months after its last $45 million round, doubling its valuation in that time to over $1 billion as it claims 100,000 ecommerce customers and looks to expand internationally via marketplace and platform partners.
Perch, part of a growing wave one of Amazon brand rollups in the hottest space in retail, just raised $775 million, bringing its war chest to over $900 million as it looks to add to a portfolio of 70 brands acquired in just 18 months and considers product launches. The company opened its own FC and is eyeing Asia and South America.
Flytrex, an Israeli maker of delivery drones, has been awarded an FAA waiver to fly its drones over residential sections of Fayetteville, NC, en route to backyard wire drops of groceries and other items at up to 2,000 homes. They are coming from Walmart as well as local cafes and restaurants including Dairy Queen and Starbucks.
FedEx announced a new round of rate increases starting June 21, including bumps in additional handling, peak surcharge and residential delivery charges, leaving beleaguered ecommerce shippers to wonder where the increases will end. The carrier is also leaving in place a peak oversized charge of $30 per package from January.
FarEye, maker of a delivery management platform that gives shoppers delivery windows as short as an hour, has raised $100 million in a new round. The company plans to further its platform capabilities and expand in Europe and North America. Customers include Dominoes, Walmart, DHL eCommerce, Finland Post and Singapore Post.
Vertex, a provider of sales tax automation software, has acquired Irish payments and tax solution provider Taxamo for $200 million in an all-cash transaction, positioning it to address compliance with new European Union tax requirements impacting remote sellers going into effect July 1.
Seven years after its launch, Amazon plans to discontinue the Prime Now app for fast delivery of grocery and other goods, folding it into its main Amazon app and website by the end of 2021, the company said. Amazon said the same level of same-day delivery service, in many cases two hours, will continue for Prime members.
Dave Clark, CEO of Amazon’s consumer business, was behind efforts to ask the U.S. Postal Service to install a special temporary ballot mailbox outside the company’s Bessemer, AL fulfillment center where a union vote was taking place, numerous outlets reported. The NLRB is hearing testimony as part of a union challenge to the vote.