Do you believe the future of ecommerce isn’t just on Amazon?
If you’re serious about growth, it’s time to zoom out, because while everyoneās watching Amazon, Walmart is quietly becoming the next frontier for online sellers.
Now, thereās finally a newsletter built just for that. Say hello to Walmart Insiders.
- UK watchdog cracks down on fake Amazon reviews šµļø
- Walmart Marketplace is 2025ās hidden gem š
- TikTok steals 35 hours of customer time ā±ļø
- Fraud is bleeding ecommerce dry šø
BIG IDEA
Did you know nearly 90% of UK shoppers use reviews to make buying decisions, influencing Ā£23B in spending? That means fake reviews arenāt just shady tactics, theyāre powerful enough to tilt the playing field.
But the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is pushing back. According to The Guardian, Amazon has now pledged to crack down harder on fake reviews and catalog abuse.
šµļø After a years-long investigation
The CMAās investigation kicked off in 2021. Fast forward to 2024, and:
- The UK has officially banned fake reviews under its new Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act.
- Now the CMA has real power to enforce penalties and demand actionāno court required.
š Amazonās new checklist
The retail giant claims itās already ahead of the game, saying 99% of reviews are authentic, and that it blocked 275 million fake reviews in 2024 alone.
But with new powers, the CMA now has teethāand Amazonās making moves to stay compliant, including:
- Stronger detection systems (AI + human moderation)
- A crackdown on catalog abuse (copy-pasting reviews to unrelated products)
- Easier ways for shoppers to report suspicious reviews
- Impose serious sanctions on sellers and reviewers involved in fake reviews, including:
- Seller suspensions and bans
- Deletion of reviews
- Potential legal action
šØ For sellers, the message is clear:
This is your signal to clean the house. No shortcuts. Review manipulation isnāt worth the risk anymore.
And if youāre playing fair? These changes help level the field so your real ratings can shine.
TOGETHER WITH WALMART MARKETPLACE
Selling on Walmart Marketplace is one of 2025ās smartest investments
For eCommerce brands looking to diversify their sales and expand their footprint, thereās no better time to join Walmart Marketplace.
Right now, Walmartās New-Seller Savings event is offering new sellers up to $75K in incentives, which includes up to 75% off base referral fees and generous credits toward advertising and fulfillment.*
Walmart is one of the world’s most recognizable brands with over 255 million customers and members shopping at Walmart online and in-store around the world each week. New-Seller Savings run from sign up to January 31, 2026, so donāt waitāthe faster you start, the more opportunities youāll have to save.
To take advantage of this unprecedented offer and the endless opportunities on Walmart.com.
*Conditions apply.
Join Walmart Marketplace Today.
BITES OF THE WEEK
- Distribution Not Discovery: Shoppers don’t discover billion-dollar creator-led brands on Amazonāmarketplaces are just for distribution.
- Cash On The Clock: TikTok influencers make approximately $15,000ā$25,000 depending on metrics (engagement, followers, views, etc.)
- Like-new Luxury: Walmart Marketplaceās Pre-Loved Luxury Fashion program gives Walmart shoppers access to high-end brands.
- Plunging Numbers: Chinese-U.S. exports and imports are down 34.5% and around 18% respectively as tariffs only paused this May.
SOCIAL PULSE
TikTok is hijacking 35 hours of your customers’ time
If you feel like TikTok is everywhere, itās because it is. According to Exploding Topics, users are spending more time than ever glued to the app, and the growth isnāt slowing down.
š Hereās what the numbers say
ā±ļø TikTok Screen Time by the Numbers
- Average daily usage: 55 minutes and 48 seconds
- Monthly usage per person: 34 hours and 56 minutes
- Average visit length: Users open the app 15+ times a day with an average visit lasting nearly 16 minutes
32% of all U.S. social media time goes to TikTokāmore than Facebook and Instagram combined
š Where TikTok is really taking over
In 2024, these countries led in total time spent on TikTok each month:
- š²š½ Mexico: 45h 25m
- š®š© Indonesia: 44h 54m
- šŗšø U.S.: 43h 53m
TikTok isnāt just growing, itās gripping. With nearly an hour of daily screen time per user and 1.8B+ monthly visitors, itās the most attention-rich platform out there.
Translation? Itās prime real estate for ads, product drops, and viral momentum. If TikTok isnāt part of your 2025 strategy, you’re already behind.
ACTIONABLE ADVICE
Fraud is now one of ecommerce’s biggest expenses
Ecommerce fraud has already cost us $44.3B in 2024 alone. Whatās worse? The damage is projected to grow to $107B by 2029.
MEMCYCO recently listed some of the most commonāand dangerousātypes of ecommerce fraud, along with actionable solutions.
- Impersonation and fakes. Fraudsters clone your website or create fake e-shops and social media accounts to lure customers into buying from them.
- Solutions:
- Monitor your digital footprint (web, social, marketplaces)
- Engage and educate through your authentic (and exclusive) brand channels
- Embed code-level protection to flag scam sites as soon as they go live
- SEO poisoning. Scammers exploit popular keywords to manipulate search rankings and promote malicious sites.
- Solutions:
- Audit branded search terms regularly
- Watch for suspicious traffic or keyword spikes
- Use SEO poisoning detection tools
- Solutions:
- Phishing attacks. Phishers send deceptive emails, texts, and even calls to steal shopper information.
- Solutions:
- Train customers and employees to recognize scams
- Enforce strong authentication protocols
- Deploy tools that detect phishing sites and decoy data theft attempts
- Solutions:
With billions at stake, protecting your brand isnāt a luxury. Donāt wait until a fake site torches your reputation.