This article was published on June 4, 2013

Fan-to-brand-ambassador company Needle installs ex-Amazon Webstore chief as President and COO


Fan-to-brand-ambassador company Needle installs ex-Amazon Webstore chief as President and COO

Needle, the chat startup for business that connects fans with brand ambassadors, has hired Amazon’s former general manager Scott Pulsipher as its new President and Chief Operating Officer. In this capacity, he will help evolve the company and help lead it to realize its big vision — being able to give consumers the ability to find the perfect item online at the right time.

Pulsipher has been the general manager of Amazon’s Webstore since 2009 where he helped launch the current iteration of it in the US and in Europe. It’s said that he managed to scale it so that it now supports the e-commerce business of tens of thousands of companies.

The Amazon Webstore manages the branded e-commerce websites for businesses like Marks & Spencer, Lacoste, Samsonite, and MTV. His role there, according to his LinkedIn profile, was to define the overall vision and business strategy, and “direct execution to achieve growth and profitability goals.”

E-commerce and customer service seems to be certainly be Pulsipher’s forte as previously was the VP of Global Product Management at Sterling Commerce, an IBM company, and also was the VP of Product Management & Product Marketing at Yantra Corporation, before that company was acquired by Sterling Commerce. But each of these companies focused on collaboration and helping businesses connect with not only their customers, but partners and suppliers.

“Needle is the first mover in a space that desperately needs innovation, and frankly, Needle’s platform is something e-commerce companies will need to remain competitive,” says Pulsipher. “Community-based guided shopping will transform how customers are serviced online, and I’m excited to play a key role in taking it to the next level.”

Needle was started in 2010 by founder and former CEO of Logoworks Morgan Lynch and former Blue Coat Systems Chief Scientist Mikko Valimaki. It helps turn a company’s most ardent fans and trains them to become evangelists. The platform also offers customers a live chat feature that allows them to have a face-to-face conversation with a “connection-focused” salesforce to help answer any questions.

The company has raised $15 million in funding from investors like Shasta Venture and Rembrandt Venture Partners.

Photo credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images

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