Hello, eStore owners! Brace yourselves for a deep dive into the dynamic world of online retail with our exclusive eCommerce Digest, crafted just for you.
Consider this your complimentary ticket to the latest in eCommerce insights. In this edition, we’re curating the most noteworthy highlights from December 2023, providing essential context to navigate the ever-evolving eCommerce landscape. Just as a savvy shopper stays attuned to trends, a successful eStore owner remains informed in this bustling digital marketplace.
So, grab your preferred beverage, settle in, and let’s unravel the eCommerce marvels that unfolded in December, shaping the way forward for your online retail venture.
Table of Contents
Featured news
Web.com introduces an AI builder for websites.
Web.com just released a tool called AI Builder to help small businesses and entrepreneurs build websites quickly. All users have to do is answer three questions, and the AI Builder puts together a website with pictures and content in less than a minute. It also includes AI Writer for making social media posts, email campaigns, blogs, and other content.
Salesforce and AWS (Amazon Web Services) broaden their partnership.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Salesforce have expanded their partnership, enhancing integrations across data and artificial intelligence (AI). As part of this collaboration, Salesforce will make its products, including Data Cloud, Service Cloud, Sales Cloud, Industry Clouds, Tableau, MuleSoft, Platform, and Heroku, available on the AWS Marketplace. Salesforce will also provide support for Amazon Bedrock, a managed service offering foundational models through a single API.
Furthermore, Salesforce Data Cloud will broaden its support for data sharing to include additional AWS technologies. This extended partnership aims to deepen the integration and interoperability of Salesforce’s suite of products with AWS services, offering customers a more seamless and comprehensive experience in utilizing data and AI capabilities.
Amazon Web Services (AWS) reveals new supply chain capabilities.
Let’s take a look at these four new AWS capabilities:
- Forecasting and Planning: AWS Supply Chain assists customers in forecasting, planning, and replenishing both components and finished goods. This capability helps optimize the supply chain process.
- N-Tier Visibility: This feature streamlines communication between customers and multiple tiers of suppliers. It enhances visibility across the supply chain, making it easier for different stakeholders to collaborate and coordinate.
- Supply Chain Sustainability: This capability allows customers to request, collect, and audit sustainability data in a central location. It supports efforts to incorporate sustainability considerations into the supply chain management process.
- Amazon Q in AWS Supply Chain: Amazon Q is a generative AI assistant included in AWS Supply Chain. This AI assistant is designed to assist and optimize various aspects of the supply chain through generative capabilities
These new capabilities aim to enhance the efficiency, visibility, sustainability, and intelligence of supply chain operations for AWS Supply Chain customers.
For Amazon sellers
The new AWS Supply Chain capabilities can benefit Amazon sellers by
- improving supply planning,
- enhancing visibility into multiple tiers of the supply chain,
- supporting sustainability efforts, and
- providing a generative AI assistant for better decision-making.
These features aim to
- optimize inventory,
- reduce costs,
- ensure compliance, and
- increase overall efficiency in supply chain management.
GoDaddy introduces email automation for custom campaigns.
GoDaddy has introduced automation features for email marketing campaigns. This tool enables businesses to automate the customization, scheduling, and triggering of various email communications using templates.
These communications include welcome emails, confirmations, cancellations, appointment bookings and reminders, abandoned cart emails, and more.
Users have the flexibility to personalize the emails by incorporating imagery, tone, and recipient-specific details such as name and email address.
This automation feature aims to simplify and enhance the effectiveness of email marketing for businesses using GoDaddy’s platform.
Bonanza marketplace introduces a website builder.
Bonanza, the online marketplace, has unveiled Vercado, a comprehensive website builder and business hub. With Vercado, users gain the ability to sell products on various marketplaces, including Bonanza, Etsy, eBay, and Amazon, all while managing orders from a single centralized location.
The platform also facilitates the comparison of shipping rates from major carriers like FedEx, UPS, and USPS. Bonanza highlights that Vercado offers integrated financial tools, unlimited storage for digital goods, and analytics capabilities, providing users with a robust set of features to streamline their online business operations.
Maileroo debuts a transaction email platform featuring real-time tracking.
Maileroo has introduced an email delivery platform specifically designed for brands sending transactional emails. The platform offered by Maileroo incorporates real-time tracking features, enabling businesses to assess the immediate impact of their email campaigns promptly.
With this capability, businesses can respond quickly and make necessary adjustments based on the real-time data provided by the platform. This focus on timely insights and responsiveness enhances the effectiveness of transactional email campaigns, allowing brands to optimize their communication strategies.
Emerging Tech
The product discovery platform Zoovu introduces Gen AI for e-commerce.
Zoovu, an AI-powered product discovery and eCommerce experience platform, has launched Advisor Studio.
This platform combines generative AI with large language models and enriched product data to provide shoppers with personalized recommendations and product detail pages based on their preferences.
Additionally, Advisor Studio allows companies to integrate an AI-enabled assistant named ZOE onto product pages. ZOE can answer questions and assist customers in their product discovery journey, enhancing the overall shopping experience.
Google has introduced Gemini AI, a substantial language model.
Google has just released its new language model called Gemini in three versions.
- Gemini Nano: This is a lighter version meant to work on Android devices, even without an internet connection.
- Gemini Pro: A more capable model that will soon be used for regular Google AI services and is a key part of something called Bard.
- Gemini Ultra: Google’s most powerful version designed for big tasks in data centers and businesses.
So, Google is offering different versions of Gemini for different uses, from simpler tasks on your phone to heavy-duty work in big companies.
The SMS marketing platform Postscript introduces Onsite Opt-In.
Postscript has introduced Onsite Opt-In, a feature that enables merchants to collect phone numbers compliantly without requiring visitors to navigate to their phone’s messaging app for confirmation.
With Onsite Opt-In, brands have the capability to enhance SMS opt-in rates on popups, thereby increasing their subscriber list growth and keeping shoppers engaged. This feature aims to simplify the opt-in process for customers, improving the efficiency of collecting phone numbers for SMS marketing.
Postscript’s Onsite Opt-In is designed for online stores, particularly those using the Shopify platform. It helps e-commerce businesses collect phone numbers from website visitors more efficiently and increases SMS opt-in rates.
This tool is tailored to the needs of online retailers to enhance their digital marketing strategies and engage with customers through messages.
MikMak enhances its platform to assist brands in measuring the impact of digital marketing.
MikMak, a global software company specializing in ecommerce and analytics for multichannel brands, has unveiled MikMak 3.0.
The updated platform includes new features and is complemented by a partnership with Circana, a consumer behavior advisor.
With these enhancements, MikMak aims to provide brands with insights into how digital marketing impacts their offline sales lift, helps prevent cart abandonment, and facilitates shopper conversion.
The collaboration with Circana is expected to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior and the effectiveness of marketing efforts across channels.
ShopBack and Runa have joined forces to offer enhanced cashback rewards to consumers.
Runa, a payouts infrastructure company, has expanded its partnership with ShopBack, a cashback and rewards platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
Through this partnership, ShopBack offers cashback on purchases from over 4,000 online, in-store, and gift card brands, including major names like Amazon and eBay. Businesses utilizing Runa can now send payouts to Australia and over 35 countries, providing an extended range of payout options. This includes 29 payout types in Australia and 121 in Singapore, enhancing the flexibility and reach of payout services for businesses using the platform.
TikTok is experimenting with new desktop-based tools designed for creators.
TikTok is working on enhancing tools for content creators, with a focus on a new Creator Center User Interface (UI) designed for the desktop version of the app.
This update aims to offer creators more detailed analytics insights and improved discovery tools, utilizing conversational AI technology. Recently, TikTok introduced a conversational chatbot guide within the Creative Center to assist users in navigating the app more effectively. The revamped Creator Center format is currently undergoing testing with a select group of users, while the new chatbot is already accessible within TikTok’s Creative Center .
SaaSQL launches a free website chatbot specifically designed for local businesses.
SaaSQL, a digital marketing agency and technology provider, has recently rolled out a complimentary website chatbot tailored for local businesses. This AI-powered chatbot is designed to effectively represent a local brand’s products and services. Operating in real-time, the chatbot engages with website visitors by offering personalized assistance and information to aid in decision-making processes. The primary goal of the chatbot is to guide consumers toward specific outcomes, whether it be making a purchase, initiating a phone call, or completing a form. This tool aims to enhance the user experience on local business websites by providing valuable and tailored interactions.
Global Trend
Amazon introduces the Fit Insights tool for apparel and shoe brands.
Amazon has introduced Fit Insights, a tool designed to provide apparel and shoe brands with access to fit-specific information about their products.
The aim is to help brands meet customer sizing expectations and reduce returns. Fit Insights analyzes returns data, size charts, and customer feedback on fit, quality, and price.
Based on this analysis, the tool recommends improvements to size charts and product listings. Fit Insights is available to companies enrolled in the Amazon Brand Registry, provided they have sold at least 100 units in the last 12 months. The tool aims to enhance the accuracy of sizing information and ultimately improve customer satisfaction and reduce return rates.
Meta initiates a partnership with India’s ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce) to support small businesses.
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has joined forces with India’s Open Network for Digital Commerce to support smaller merchants in conducting business on WhatsApp.
This collaboration facilitates and educates small businesses in creating conversational buyer and seller experiences on the WhatsApp platform, utilizing a network of solution providers. Meta plans to initiate the partnership by providing training to micro, small, and midsize enterprises in India through its Small Business Academy. The aim is to empower these businesses to leverage WhatsApp for their commercial activities effectively.
eBay introduces a social caption generator utilizing AI to assist sellers.
eBay has introduced a new generative AI feature to aid sellers in crafting social media posts. When sellers visit the Social page in Seller Hub, they will find a “Use AI Caption” button next to the text entry box for adding a social media caption.
This generative AI feature is designed to automatically create a post about the listed item, complete with relevant hashtags and emojis. Sellers have the option to prompt the AI to rewrite captions and also manually customize them according to their preferences. This tool aims to simplify and enhance the process of creating engaging social media content for eBay sellers.
Byteex launches personalized video email communication for e-commerce.
Byteex, a specialized agency in integrating artificial intelligence and ecommerce, has unveiled a groundbreaking AI-driven solution that customizes video emails for the online retail sector.
This innovative AI tool aims to revolutionize how ecommerce merchants engage with their customers through personalized video communication. In addition to this cutting-edge offering, Byteex provides a range of services, including search engine marketing, pay-per-click services, eCommerce development, UI/UX design, and expertise in AI and machine learning development.
GroupBy’s product discovery platform is now accessible on Shopify.
GroupBy, a product discovery platform, has recently unveiled its AI search and discovery app on the Shopify App Store.
This AI-powered application enhances search results by considering factors such as inventory status, customer preferences, and click stream data. The result is a personalized and relevant customer search experience. Merchants using this app can actively manage the search experience, implementing dynamic filters to assist customers in finding the products they desire. The features of GroupBy’s app extend to analytics data, real-time data syncing, and visual reports that provide insights into key website metrics for merchants using the Shopify platform.
ChannelEngine reveals integration with the Reverb marketplace, benefiting musical instrument retailers.
ChannelEngine, an ecommerce marketplace integrator, can now connect brands and online retailers with Reverb, a marketplace for new, used, and vintage musical instruments.
With ChannelEngine, music retailers can link their systems with Reverb and multiple other marketplaces. ChannelEngine states that its marketplace integrator now facilitates the sale of over 11 million products on more than 700 online sales channels.
Innovations in The Digital Payment Landscape
Square introduces tap-to-pay functionality on iPhone throughout the U.K.
Square has introduced tap-to-pay functionality on iPhones in the U.K. This feature is available on Square Point of Sale, Square for Retail, and Square Appointments iOS apps.
With tap-to-pay on Square, sellers can accept contactless payments directly from their iPhones (XS or iOS 16.4 or higher). Importantly, this service does not require any extra hardware and comes at no additional cost to the sellers.
ISX Financial expands its open banking solution, PaidBy, to Wix’s U.K. merchants.
ISX Financial, the developer of the open banking payment platform PaidBy, has formed a partnership with website builder Wix. Under this collaboration, Wix’s merchants based in the U.K. gain access to PaidBy’s open banking payments service.
With PaidBy, customers of these merchants can make payments directly from their current banking app or web portal. The service utilizes the U.K.’s open banking network, connecting to some of the largest banks in the country. This partnership aims to provide a seamless and efficient payment experience for merchants using the Wix platform in the U.K.
B2B payments platform Mondu collaborates with Mangopay to serve marketplaces in Europe.
Mondu, a B2B payments company, has announced a partnership with Mangopay, a marketplace infrastructure provider. Through this collaboration, the two companies aim to provide tools for B2B marketplaces across Europe to manage payment flows, including features like buy now, pay later.
Mangopay has a track record of supporting over 2,500 platforms and marketplaces with programmable e-wallets and payment infrastructure, and this collaboration with Mondu seeks to enhance B2B payment capabilities for businesses operating in the European market.
Bold Commerce unveils a dynamic payment feature.
Bold Commerce, a headless checkout platform for omnichannel retailers and direct-to-consumer brands, has introduced a dynamic payment feature.
This technology allows brands to broaden their payment options and customize which payment methods are shown during checkout for each shopper. The customization is based on factors such as the shopper’s device, the channel they are coming from, and their previous payment methods. This dynamic payment feature aims to enhance the flexibility and personalization of the checkout experience for customers, providing them with a tailored set of payment options based on their preferences and history.
Payway launches a WooCommerce payment gateway plugin.
Payway, a payment processing platform, has introduced a plugin for WooCommerce, enabling merchants to accept immediate payments on their online stores.
The Payway Payment Gateway plugin is designed to ensure secure transactions and simplify the checkout process by allowing customers to pay directly on the website. The checkout experience is PCI-DSS compliant, meets security standards, and is further protected by Payway’s fraud detection tools, including bin filtering and 3-D Secure, to enhance security and prevent fraudulent activities.
Airwallex and Woo collaborate on cross-border commerce.
Airwallex, a global payments platform, has teamed up with Woo, an open-source ecommerce platform built on WordPress.
Through this integration, Woo merchants can utilize Airwallex to accept cross-border payments at checkout. This includes global cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and over 60 local payment methods. The Airwallex extension is accessible on Woo’s official marketplace, providing Woo merchants with a seamless solution for processing international payments and expanding their reach.
Payoneer unveils new payment processing features.
Payoneer has rolled out significant updates to its online payment processing platform, introducing several new features
- Pre-Dispute Alerts: The platform now includes pre-dispute alerts designed to assist small and medium-sized business (SMB) merchants in avoiding costly chargebacks. These alerts can provide merchants with early notifications, allowing them to take proactive measures to address potential issues before they escalate.
- Native Shopify Checkout Feature: Payoneer has integrated a native Shopify checkout feature, enhancing the user experience for merchants using the popular e-commerce platform. This integration streamlines the payment process for Shopify users on the Payoneer platform.
- Batch Payment Requests: The updated platform now supports batch payment requests, enabling merchants to handle up to 200 transactions simultaneously. This feature is designed to improve efficiency and convenience for businesses managing multiple payments.
- Batch Payment Transfers: Another enhancement includes the ability to initiate batch payment transfers to 500 Payoneer accounts simultaneously. This is particularly beneficial for businesses with a high volume of transactions, simplifying the process of transferring funds to multiple recipients.
Additionally, Payoneer is set to introduce a Role Management Feature soon. This upcoming feature will allow users to set up roles for staff members, providing more control and customization in managing access and responsibilities within the platform.
These updates collectively aim to offer Payoneer users enhanced capabilities, efficiency, and flexibility in managing their online payments and transactions.
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