Walmart is upping its retail game with a new, powerful self-checkout tool that can effectively target young shoppers, especially Gen Zs. The feature currently works for in-store shopping, but with technology, it’s not impossible to see a fully virtual version.
Speaking of upping games, we have some intel today you can use to upgrade yours.
- Amazon vs. India 🔻
- Reach millions of potential customers 💡
- An epic ecommerce event is coming ✉️
- Amazon x TikTok 🤝
ECOMMERCE NEWS
Amazon’s global expansion plans are impressive but also daunting. The retail giant even had to pause launches in several countries due to cost-cutting measures.
And recently, TechCrunch reported that Amazon is also struggling with regions they’re already in, particularly in the Indian market.
📋 Why the struggle?
- Wrong choice. One of the key reasons Amazon fumbles in India is its choice not to enter the quick commerce market in the country. Indian customers, especially in urban areas, favor quick commerce over traditional ecommerce.
- Rising rivals. Top players like Blinkit, Zepto, and Swiggy’s Instamart are on track to generate $4.5 billion in sales, about a fourth of Amazon India's sales.
- Walmart also responded by launching its own quick commerce service, Flipkart Minutes, to capture urban customers.
- Meesho, a social commerce platform, has gained a strong foothold in smaller Indian cities, surpassing Amazon in mobile app usage.
- Regulatory and operational hurdles: Amazon has faced regulatory challenges in India, including stricter ecommerce rules. There’s also slow merchant adoption and competition in other areas like mobile payments and food delivery.
Can Amazon survive and thrive?
Well, only time—and Amazon’s next move—can tell. India is now the most populous country in the world, so the retailer should have a good game plan to tap into its huge market.
Although it might be a tad harder because India isn’t the only country giving Amazon a hard time. FYI, the company is still trying to find footing in its recently launched South African market. 🦶
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BITES OF THE WEEK
- Second Chance Sales: Your returns can have a second shot now with FBA Grade and Resell.
- Google Getting Better: Google ‘update galore’ features Google Lens desktop, AI-powered product searches, and comparison page generator.
- Frame Fiesta: Instagram is expanding its Carousel feature to include 20 frames.
HOT TOPIC
Canada’s first and largest ecommerce conference is coming this September
You heard right—eCom North 2024, a huge, awesome ecommerce event, is coming to town! 🎊
And as we promised yesterday, here are the details you need to know about it:
1. When and where will the event be?
- It’ll hit Canada on September 6, 2024 in the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel.
2. What’s the event for?
- To help brands become 8-figure ecommerce empires through tailored content and experts’ success stories.
3. Who’s gonna be there?
- The target attendees: Ecommerce leaders, founders, executives, and VP-level marketing and operations professionals.
- The speakers: The brightest minds in the ecommerce industry, including founders and executives, directors, and high-rank managers.
4. How much is it?
- FREE for brands! Yup, no need to pay for access to the conference and evening reception.
- $699 for a VIP ticket, which includes priority seating and exclusive VIP dinner and networking sessions with speakers and big brands. If you have at least 2 companions, you can avail this at $599/ticket.
- $5000 for an Exhibitor ticket, available only to service providers of ecommerce DTC brands.
5. What’s gonna happen in the event?
- A lot of fun and insightful activities from day to night! What they are is yours to find out. 😉
The final must-know: Should you join the event?
100% YES!
Because more than just a gathering, it’s a “labor of love” and compassion from those behind it—designed to raise a new batch of people who’ll continue doing it for others.
SOCIAL PULSE
Amazon shoppable ads are now on TikTok
ICYMI, TikTok now lets users shop Amazon ads directly in the app. This means millions of potential buyers can see and buy your products right from their TikTok feed! 🔍
How does it work?
- Recommended Amazon products will appear on the “For You” page (FYP) of users.
- Buyers are then given a choice to link their Amazon account via a quick, one-time setup. This not only allows them to directly buy the product on TikTok but also gives a glimpse of the products’ pricing, Prime benefits, and delivery details.
- Once they’ve decided to buy an item, buyers can complete their purchase without leaving TikTok. Of course, they can also unlink their accounts anytime.
🫵 What’s in it for you?
- You can now promote your Amazon listings on TikTok for Business. You can easily showcase your products to millions of potential buyers who are already engaged and scrolling through their feeds.
- Plus, with Prime eligibility and real-time delivery estimates shown in-app, shopping is smooth and convenient for your customers.
🤔 And what’s in it for TikTok?
Just between us, this “unofficial” partnership may be part of TikTok’s strategy to dodge the possible U.S. ban. But of course, that’s only speculation.
In the meantime, just enjoy this win-win scenario for you and your customers.
