EU puts Temu and Shein in the hot seat for hazardous imports

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If you have an app and you want to monetize it this year, you may wanna consider promoting these trendy products. BTW, there’s no fidget spinner in the list (in case you’re thinking about it until now).

If you want to get updates on the global ecommerce state, you know what to do. 👇

• EU vs. Temu and Shein ☠️
• The must-join seller community of 2025 🤝
• Amazon’s massive AI investment 💰
• Last-minute Valentine’s Day marketing ❤️‍🔥
• Community influencer marketing 👥

ECOMMERCE NEWS

As reported by Reuters, the European Commission is holding Temu and Shein responsible for selling unsafe products. This is part of a bigger effort to stop the flood of cheap, hazardous imports from China. 📦

🔒 Consumer protection gets serious

In 2024, the EU received 4.6 billion low-value products (under $156). That’s around 12 million packages arriving every single day, with 91% coming from China. These imports often dodge safety checks, creating risks for consumers and unfair competition for EU sellers who follow strict regulations. 

Key changes coming:

• An e-surveillance tool will check if products are dangerous before they ship.
• A proposed handling fee will help cover the cost of monitoring imports.
• The Commission has called on EU countries to cut duty-free exemptions for low-value parcels under €150, following a similar recent decision by the U.S.

🗣️ What the brands say

The crackdown also extends to a joint investigation into Shein for potential violations of EU consumer protection rules. While Shein has pledged to cooperate, Temu—already under scrutiny since last October for other issues—remains silent.

For sellers, this marks an opportunity to compete on a more level playing field as the EU takes action against unfair practices from non-compliant imports.

As the investigation unfolds, the EU’s message is clear: safer shopping, fair competition, and a greener ecommerce are priorities that won’t be compromised.

What do you think—a good move or just more red tape? 🤔

TOGETHER WITH SELLER ALLIANCE

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Selling on Amazon isn’t easy. Surround yourself with people who are on the same journey and those who have already succeeded.

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BITES OF THE WEEK

• Valentine Catalogue: Here are 10 products you should sell this Valentine's Day.
• Post with Love: Check out these Valentine's social media post ideas to engage your customers.
• Hearts to Carts: Don’t focus only on couples if you want to boost your Valentine's Day sales.

AMAZON NEWS

Amazon bets $100 billion on an AI power play for 2025

Forget dialing it back—TechCrunch reported that Amazon has just raised the stakes in the AI race. Despite recent chatter about AI budgets cooling down, the tech giant announced a staggering $100 billion capital expenditure plan for 2025.

Yep, you read that right—$100 billion! 🤑

And most of it is heading straight to AWS, Amazon’s powerhouse cloud division.

💰 Why so much?

CEO Andy Jassy spilled the details during the Q4 earnings call, hinting that the $26.3 billion spent in Q4 2024 is just a warm-up. Multiply that by four, and you get over $105 billion in annual spending for AI advancements.

Some might wonder if all this investment is worth it, especially since AI is getting cheaper by the day. But tech leaders don't see it that way:

• Amazon's CEO Andy Jassy compared AI's growing demand to the early days of the Internet, saying lower prices won’t shrink the market. Instead, it would just make people want even more AI-powered solutions.
• Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, even tweeted a link to the Wikipedia page for Jevons Paradox—a fancy way of saying cheaper tech just makes people want more of it.

🤖 Not just Amazon

Amazon isn’t alone in this spending frenzy.

• Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised "hundreds of billions" in AI investments over time, with at least $60 billion lined up for 2025.
• Alphabet bumped its 2025 spending by 42% to hit $75 billion.
• Microsoft is in on it, too, with $80 billion allocated for AI data centers next year.

🟢 This is your cue

Whether all this spending will pay off is still up in the air, but one thing’s for sure: AI isn’t slowing down anytime soon. And Amazon? It’s putting its chips on AI and doubling down on the belief that demand will only grow.

If you're thinking about scaling your business, now might be the time to start exploring these AI advancements. The future's coming fast—are you ready to ride the wave?

ACTIONABLE ADVICE

6 tips for an effective last-minute Valentine's marketing

Valentine’s Day is creeping up fast. Whether you love the holiday or think it’s all just overpriced chocolate and tacky cards, one thing’s for sure—people spend big. Last year alone, shoppers shelled out nearly $19 billion, making it the perfect time to boost your sales.

BigCommerce has some savvy tips to help you win over those lovebirds (and their budgets). 🎯

• Plan your timing. Valentine’s Day shoppers are pro-level procrastinators. Start with early promotions on social media and email.
  • Tip: Take a peek at last year’s data. When did you see the most engagement? What posts and emails drove sales? Repeat what worked. Also, don’t sleep on those last-minute pushes.
• Valentine-ify your store. If you sell Valentine’s staples like flowers or chocolate, you’re already top of mind. But if not, use the holiday as an excuse to get creative. Think hearts, reds, and pinks—and make sure your Valentine’s goodies are front and center!
  • DYK: People spent over $700 million on Valentine’s gifts for pets in 2014. So yes, the market is wildly open.
• Simplify it with gift guides. People love being told what to buy, especially when they’re stressed. So, a gift guide is a game-changer. 🗒️
  • Tip: Include a variety of price points and themes and highlight your top sellers.
• Bundle items together. This not only saves your customers time but also boosts your sales. It's a win-win for both lovebirds and your bottom line.
  • Tip: Combine a best-seller with slower-moving stock and wrap bundles prettily.
• Gear up your secret MVP. Gift cards aren’t just a cop-out—they’re actually perfect for picky recipients and last-minute buyers.
  • Tip: Promote them as a stress-free option.
• Create urgency. Fear of missing out (FOMO) sells, especially during the holiday rush. Try flash sales, limited-edition items, or exclusive bundles to keep customers coming back for more. ⌛

💗 Love (and sales) is in the air

Valentine’s Day may be last-minute chaos, but it’s also the perfect chance to charm your customers and boost those numbers. So throw up some heart-shaped decorations, post that flash sale, and watch love (and your business) bloom.

TACTIC TALKS

What can community influencer marketing do for your brand?

Gone are the days when only celebrities dominated the marketing space. Today, the real magic happens when everyday people share their experiences with their community.

Bizcommunity believes that’s where community influencer marketing steps in. It's all about tapping into the voices of real consumers who spark conversations that matter.

🫂 What is community-generated content (CGC)?

CGC is authentic, purpose-driven content created by a brand’s community.

• Think of it as the modern-day word of mouth. But instead of one conversation, it's thousands happening online.
• This content ranges from honest reviews to storytelling, featuring influencer posts from bigger voices and UGC content from everyday folks.

Why it works:

• Relatable voices build social proof and foster trust.
• Fresh content keeps audiences interested and invested.
• Community-driven content often costs less than traditional advertising.
• UGC strengthens relationships with loyal customers.

✅ Keep it real

In a world flooded with polished ads, authentic content is what truly stands out. Community influencer marketing taps into the power of real voices, helping brands build genuine connections and stay relevant.

After all, nothing beats word of mouth—especially when it’s amplified on a massive scale.