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.
While the USPS gets tossed around like a political football and threatens insolvency without more federal aid, the agency continues to report poor results as already lower mail rates have fallen through the floor due to coronavirus. Meantime, Trump ally, donor and fundraiser Louis DeJoy will be the new Postmaster General.
We all can use some extra help sometimes, reaching out to our “bench” with tough questions, situations or challenges. In the latest edition of Multichannel Merchant’s “Ask the Experts,” we address reader questions about increased order returns and ways to maintain warehouse safety for workers during the COVID-19 crisis.
On the same day it was announced Deliv was winding down its operations this summer, it came out that Target is in talks to snap up some of Deliv’s technology assets to bolster its local ecommerce fulfillment and bring founding CEO Daphne Carmelli onboard, NBC reported. Others had reportedly been looking at Deliv, including grocers.
Neiman Marcus Group, owner of the 43-store chain of the same name as well as two Bergdorf Goodman locations and Last Call discount shops, has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection as expected, in the process securing $675 million in loans from creditors. The filing also calls for a long-term plan to eliminate $4 billion of debt.
Retailers that have invested in inventory management tools that supply real-time visibility across channels are faring much better than those that didn’t as tactics like ship from store and curbside or counter pickup are proving to be survival factors, industry experts agreed.
How should brands be managing their messaging at this sensitive time, expressing empathy without overdoing it?
Deb Gabor, CEO of brand strategy consultancy Sol Marketing, has led brand and crisis strategy engagements for Dell, Microsoft, HomeAway and others. She discusses brand messaging do’s and don’t’s in the days of COVID-19.
Chinos Holdings, parent of preppy clothing retailer J. Crew and women’s apparel and accessories seller Madewell, filed Chapter 11 as part of a restructuring plan that calls for converting $1.65 billion of its debt to equity and securing $400 million in loans. This is the first major retailer to file for bankruptcy during the coronavirus crisis.
Retail was a mixed bag this week, as over a dozen states have begun to slowly reopen, working to come out the other side of the COVID-19 shutdown. Some retailers and malls are doing the same, hoping that enough returning shoppers and their pent-up demand for goods will help with massive cash flow and viability challenges.
A decision by the leadership team at jewelry retailer Kendra Scott to invest in an order management system ahead of last year’s peak season was a critical element enabling the company to quickly turn its fleet of stores into fulfillment centers and initiate curbside pickup, after shutting them down to the public due to COVID-19.
In this MCM CommerceChat podcast, we talk to Matthew Cowan, general partner of Next47, a Siemens-backed venture firm that has invested in startups including last mile platform Bringg and on-demand transportation mapping service provider rideOS, about the critical need for real-time data sharing across supply chain partners.