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Category: Retail & eCommerce

eCommerce, Online Retail & Retail News

  • Walmart and Paramount Reach Agreement for Streaming Bundle

    Walmart and Paramount Reach Agreement for Streaming Bundle

    Walmart has reached an agreement to bundle Paramount+ as part of its Walmart+ membership that aims to compete with Amazon Prime.

    News broke last week that Walmart was in talks with various streaming platforms to bundle one or more with its Walmart+ membership. The company is positioning Walmart+ as a competitor to Amazon Prime, even launching Walmart+ Weekend.

    It appears the retailer has reached an agreement with Paramount to bundle its streaming service, according to The Wall Street Journal. The deal will be a 12-month exclusive, and a two-year deal overall, and builds on the long-standing relationship the two companies have had, with Walmart selling Paramount’s entertainment products.

    The deal will provide the ad-supported Paramount+ service to Walmart+ members and should be available to Walmart’s customers in September.

    The deal should also be a major boon to Paramount+, which had 43 million subscribers as of last quarter. With Walmart+ believed to have more than 16 million subscribers, the deal could bring a significant number of new subscribers to the streaming platform.

  • Walmart Explores Streaming Deals With Top Platforms

    Walmart Explores Streaming Deals With Top Platforms

    Walmart is reportedly exploring deals with top streaming platforms with a view to adding them to its Walmart+ bundle.

    Walmart has been working to take on Amazon, most recently launching Walmart+ Weekend to rival Amazon Prime. The company appears to be trying to combat Amazon Prime Video by partnering with streaming services, according to The New York Times.

    The Times’ sources say Walmart has spoken with execs from Comcast, Disney, and Paramount. At this time, there is no indication if a deal will be reached, and none of the companies involved would provide a comment.

    If Walmart is able to strike a deal, it will give the retailer a major advantage in its battle with Amazon. As the Times points out, companies across industries are increasingly looking to bundle streaming services in an effort to be more appealing to customers. T-Mobile and Verizon are two such companies, striking deals with streaming platforms to help build customer loyalty and reduce churn.

    A Walmart+ membership currently costs $12.95 per month. Should the retailer succeed in striking one or more deals, it will likely have to raise the price of its membership bundle unless it plans on maintaining the same price as a loss leader.

  • Handy Tips For Ecommerce Success

    Handy Tips For Ecommerce Success

    If you’re an e-commerce store owner, you know the challenges of running an online business. There are so many moving parts to keep track of that it can often feel like your business is constantly in flux. In order to avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the different responsibilities that need to be taken care of, here are a few tips for keeping your e-commerce store successful:

    Choose your e-commerce platform wisely

    Choosing the right e-commerce platform is one of the most important things you can do to prepare for your store’s launch. As an entrepreneur, you have limited resources and time to devote to your business. You don’t want any part of your e-commerce project to be a burden or drain on any of those precious resources; you need it all directed towards maximizing sales and increasing revenue.

    To ensure this happens, select an e-commerce platform that’s easy to use and integrates smoothly with other services like email marketing software (MailChimp) and social media marketing tools (Buffer). The more seamless these experiences are, the better customers will feel about their experience interacting with you as a brand!

    Another thing to consider is whether or not this platform will scale as sales grow—and if so, how easy will it be? Some platforms offer plugins that make scaling much easier than others—so make sure it’s one of those before committing long-term!

    The last thing worth mentioning here is that platforms that allow for quick updates also help manageability for staff members who might not be tech-savvy but still need access to run their teams efficiently.

    Invest in quality images

    If you want to create an engaging brand, then you need to invest in your visual assets. The best way to do this is through consistent, high-quality photos of your products. A good picture will help your customers visualize what it would be like if they owned that item, which will likely make them more likely to click “Buy Now!”

    Having a solid tech stack with the best tools for e-commerce will help you keep up with such needs and more.

    Optimize for mobile

    Mobile is the future of e-commerce, and if you want to be a part of that future, you need to make sure your site is optimized for mobile.

    Make sure your site is responsive.

    Responsive design means that the layout of your website adapts based on how it’s being viewed. The full version will load if accessed from a desktop computer. If it’s accessed from a mobile device (phone or tablet), then smaller images will be shown, and text will be easier to read. It’s important that whichever way someone accesses your site, it looks good and works well at all times, so they have an enjoyable experience every time they come back!

    Use social proof

    Social proof is a great way to build trust with your customers. To demonstrate social proof, you may include reviews, testimonials, case studies and product ratings—all of which will help customers decide about buying from you.

    Another great thing about social proof is the positive results it can have on your Ecommerce store’s conversion rate. You should create a strategy to get more reviews from happy customers on your website. Not only does this help increase trustworthiness, but it also gives potential customers an idea of what they can expect when they make a purchase from your store.

    Conclusion

    Ecommerce is an exciting venture, but it can also be challenging. You need to invest time and energy into your business, as well as have a clear plan for what you want it to accomplish. These tips will help you get started on the right foot and give you some ideas about where to go next once you’ve got your feet wet with online sales.

  • Supply Chain Issues May Be Constraining Azure Server Availability

    Supply Chain Issues May Be Constraining Azure Server Availability

    Supply chain issues may be negatively impacting Microsoft’s Azure cloud service, constraining the supply of available server resources.

    Customers are reportedly having issues with the number two cloud provider, including an inability to subscribe to new services. The Information ran a piece claiming Microsoft is running out of server capacity, and The Register says the problem may lie in the broader supply chain issues that have plagued the computer industry since the beginning of the pandemic.

    According to the reports, even if customers in UK South and UK West can sign up for subscriptions, they cannot deploy compute solutions. Capacity in Washington State appears to be impacted as well.

    One likely explanation is the effort Microsoft is exerting to help the Ukrainian government, with the company moving its IT operations to the cloud and helping to combat Russian cyberattacks.

    These various factors, in combination with general supply chain constraints, are pushing Azure’s capacity to the limit.

    Microsoft told The Register it was experiencing “unprecedented” demand, adding that it would use capacity restrictions as needed to cope with the issue.

    “With this surge, coupled with macro trends impacting the whole industry, we’ve taken steps to address customer increases in capacity while also expediting server deployment in our datacenters. Our priority remains ensuring business continuity for customers. In addition to managing and planning for growth, we actively load balance as needed.

    “If it does become necessary to put capacity restrictions in place, we will first restrict trials and internal workloads to prioritize growth of existing customers,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in a statement.

    Interestingly, at least some customers say these constraints are nothing new and have been a long-term problem for the cloud provider. One thing is certain: If Microsoft wants to build on the momentum it currently has, and continue to gain ground on AWS, it will need to address its capacity issues one way or another.

  • Supply Chain Woes Leave GM With 95,000 Vehicles Waiting for Parts

    Supply Chain Woes Leave GM With 95,000 Vehicles Waiting for Parts

    Supply chain issues continue to plague the auto industry, with GM currently waiting for parts for some 95,000 vehicles.

    Since the early days of the pandemic, automakers have struggled to keep up with demand as semiconductors and other components have been in short supply. Despite the pandemic easing, the supply chain issues continue to be a major problem, with GM still not able to secure enough semiconductors.

    As a result, GM will hold about 95,000 vehicles manufactured without certain components in company inventory until they are completed and will recognize revenue when they are sold to dealers, which is expected to happen throughout the second half of 2022. The impact of these events, which is not expected to impact GM’s full-year earnings guidance, is discussed in an SEC Form 8-K filed today.

    Despite the news, the company is still bullish on its overall outlook, based on its past quarters and its upcoming lineup.

    “GM’s sales and market share have grown each of the last three quarters, even with lingering supply chain disruptions,” said Steve Carlisle, GM executive vice president and president, North America. “Our long-term momentum will continue to build thanks to the launches of groundbreaking new EVs like the GMC HUMMER EV and Cadillac LYRIQ, and the tremendous customer response to the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra.”

  • CloudBees: 45% of Execs Are Only Halfway Through Securing Supply Chain

    CloudBees: 45% of Execs Are Only Halfway Through Securing Supply Chain

    The latest report from CloudBees is bad news for the cloud industry, with many companies still not fully securing their supply chain.

    Supply chain attacks have become increasingly common, with hackers viewing them as a high-reward attack vector. Rather than trying to compromise individual targets, a single, successful attack against a vendor whose software or APIs are used by thousands of companies can yield far greater results.

    Unfortunately, many companies have yet to fully secure their supply chain, according to CloudBees. Of the C-suite executives surveyed, 93% believed they were well-prepared for an attack. A deeper dive, however, showed a different story.

    A whopping 45% of execs say they are only halfway through the process of securing their supply chain, with only 23% nearly done. Even worse, a disturbing 64% say they don’t know who they would turn to first in the wake of an attack.

    “We discovered that as software becomes the primary source of customer experience and value, supply chain security is getting the attention it deserves and at the proper levels in the organization,” writes Prakash Sethuraman, Chief Information Security Officer, CloudBees. “However, this study reveals gaps that indicate supply chain security is not well understood, nor are systems as robust or comprehensive as they should be.

    “Bottom line, the results reinforce the concept that software supply chain security needs to go beyond “shift left” to “shift security everywhere” — with automation. The software you are developing must be as secure as possible, but it doesn’t stop there. The delivery process itself must be protected, and you have to be able to detect and instantly mitigate problems in production to consider your software supply chain as secure.”

  • Who Needs M-Commerce Applications?

    Who Needs M-Commerce Applications?

    In a world where physical outlets are shrinking and apps are helping businesses drive sales growth, the smartphone is one of the most powerful tools to connect with your target audience. Almost every adult has it, and online giants are scaling their ecosystems by developing mobile shopping. In this article, we will discuss the viability of cooperation with mobile app developers for modern business.

    Does your business need an app?

    Almost all retailers are thinking about developing their own mobile solution for growth in m-commerce. Everyone wants to be in trend, but it can be difficult to decide and seriously change the entire sales system. Creating an m-commerce product requires research and understanding of new retail customer trajectories on the way to purchases, creating infrastructure in the company itself, including organizing logistics, working with CRM systems, and developing support and loyalty programs.

    However, there is definitely a business for which the creation of m-commerce applications is most relevant.

    1. Food delivery services.

    Trading networks. The application provides not only sales but also helps to build loyalty. This is especially true for local players, for whom it is important to keep regular customers in their area of ​​the city or their region. This also includes non-grocery chains – hardware stores, cosmetics, and electronics stores.

    1. Traditional online stores and product marketplaces.

    E-commerce is moving to mobile applications, as this allows you to build a trusting relationship with the buyer. The application gives more opportunities for interaction and helps to control the needs and desires of buyers.

    1. Advertising companies.

    Such a powerful advertising resource as social networks are increasingly adapting to smartphones and tablets.

    1. Medical, administrative, and social institutions.

    The use of m-commerce tools will reduce the burden on employees and simplify interaction with visitors.

    The main tasks mobile applications for retail solve

    The main questions that customers of m-commerce applications have are: “Why should I spend money on development? What can the application give me that the client cannot do on the site or live? Why would customers download my app, and what will the company get from downloading it?”

    A good mobile application should be useful enough for the buyer to install and keep it in the smartphone’s crammed memory between photos, videos, games, and instant messengers, and at the same time bring benefits to the seller. Only in this case, buyers will leave the application after the first session, and the company will recoup the costs of its creation. We noticed that all the functions of mobile applications that are important for retail solve 4 main tasks:

    1.  Increase sales.

    Setting up product selection, sales, and payment services is the most important thing in a mobile application. In addition to the list of goods directly and the ability to order them directly from a smartphone, the seller has the opportunity to offer customers the items that he is most often interested in, and offer discounts on popular goods via push. By the way, “smart” push notifications are one of the most requested features over the past year. It is worth adding detailed product descriptions and links to manufacturers or quality certificates to the m-commerce application. Integration with internal CRM systems is in high demand.

    1.  Direct communication with the buyer.

    It is always useful for the seller to know what the buyer thinks about the product and the company in order to optimize his work and resolve the inevitable conflicts. For the consumer, feedback is equally important. It’s good if the user has the opportunity to get answers to questions, solve a problem, and leave feedback in the application. For this, convenient and simple feedback forms are introduced or a chatbot is added.

    1.  Organization of work within the retail company.

    An in-house application can save a retailer both time and money. Using the application, company employees can quickly find the right product in the database, check availability in stock and upcoming deliveries, including batch sizes, control promotions, and price changes, and recognize information from price tags…

    1.  Increasing customer loyalty to the retailer.

    If the client installed and re-launched the application, it means that he already trusts you. The task of the company is not to lose, but to strengthen this sympathy. For this, special promotions are used, available only to users of the application.

    What do users expect to see in the app?

    Many believe that a company’s mobile application must be creative so that nothing like this has ever happened before. Of course, the uniqueness of a product is always important, but its user-friendliness is much more important. There are several “classic” features that can be used when developing a retail mobile application:

    Product catalog and prices

    It is very convenient for customers to see what is available and select products according to specified characteristics (for example, color, size, collection). In a word, all the benefits of shopping users get in a smartphone or tablet.

    Coupons and discounts

    It probably shouldn’t be repeated that everyone likes specials. Mobile applications allow users to immediately learn about the “hot” products of the seller – and have time to get the best at the lowest price. After all, not only sellers compete with each other, but also buyers.

    Customer support

    There can be a lot of things here: the opportunity to postpone the product you like before coming to the store, ask a consultant a question and leave feedback. By the way, many prefer communication with online consultants, not with real sellers.

    Scan codes

    It is very convenient to find out prices and information about products by scanning barcodes. No need to waste time asking sellers or looking for help. In addition, in mobile development, you can provide the option to compare products.

    Search for the nearest outlet

    For retail chains, it is important to show the customer that the store or restaurant is nearby. If you help find the way to your establishment, be sure that customers will appreciate it.

    Instructions and useful materials

    This is especially important if you are selling a fairly complex or specific product. Then the mobile application can become a mini-reference book. In addition, an offline catalog can be very useful for company partners.

    Interactive elements

    Even if the main purpose of the application is to stimulate demand, and build a sales channel, it is quite possible to supplement the development with interactive content. What could it be? For example, the opportunity to evaluate the combination of different sets of clothes, create your own pizza toppings or play with another user of the application. This is where creativity comes into play!

    It turns out that the functions of the application can be assembled together, like a house made of bricks. First, the goals are determined, then the functions and the way they are implemented. If you find the right combination of them, you can be sure that your customers will appreciate your application.

    Wrapping up

    With the help of smartphones, users search for special offers, compare products, make purchases or choose services – the use is becoming more and more advanced. Such dependence is only beneficial for companies: in finding additional points of contact with the target audience, mobile applications can bring many benefits and opportunities for business growth. The main thing to remember is that m-commerce should solve specific problems and contribute to the development of the company. Therefore, contact a reliable software development company like Intellectsoft to create an application. The team of specialists will help you plan the work and make a list of necessary functions for future applications.

  • Amazon Partners With Retail Chains to Offer Same-Day Delivery

    Amazon Partners With Retail Chains to Offer Same-Day Delivery

    Amazon has announced partnerships with local retail chains to help them provide same-day delivery to their customers.

    Amazon Prime is loved by customers for its fast shipping on products ordered from the company’s website. Amazon is now expanding that perk to local retail companies, such as PacSun, GNC, SuperDry, and Diesel. Customers in more than 10 cities can order products and have them delivered the same day.

    According to the company, some stores will also provide in-store pickup.

    Some stores also offer the option to buy online and pick up in store. The service is free for U.S. Prime members who spend $25 or more on qualifying items and $2.99 for members who spend below $25. Additional retailers joining the service in upcoming months include Sur La Table and 100% Pure.

    Amazon clearly sees the partnerships as a way to extend its reach and provide customers with an even wider selection.

    “The expansion of Amazon’s Same-Day Delivery to include beloved brands delivered directly from nearby retail locations is just another way we are offering customers even greater selection, at faster speeds,” said Sarah Mathew, director of Amazon Delivery Experience. “We are excited to see this new model come to life and look forward to adding more brands, stores, and locations to the program.”

    The sentiment was echoed by Amazon’s new partners.

    “We see high potential in our expanded seller partnership with Amazon, which includes delivery directly from select PacSun retail locations,” said Mimi Ruiz, vice president of ecommerce at PacSun. “This is one more way for us to offer our customers the styles they want and love, when they want them.”

  • Bosch Calls for Reinventing Automotive Semiconductor Supply Chain

    Bosch Calls for Reinventing Automotive Semiconductor Supply Chain

    Bosch, the world’s largest automotive parts supplier, is calling for changes in how the supply chain operates as a result of the semiconductor crisis.

    The COVID-19 pandemic sparked a chain of events that have led to a massive semiconductor shortage. It began with factories shutting down as a result of lockdowns and continued due to pandemic-fueled increases in demand for computers, tablets and gaming consoles. The impact has spread beyond the computer industry and is wreaking havoc on the automotive industry as well. Many automakers have had to close plants, reduce production, delay models or ship vehicles without their usual complement of electronics.

    Bosch’s management believes the inherent nature of the supply chain is a large part of the problem, according to CNBC.

    “As a team, we need to sit together and ask, for the future operating system is there a better way to have longer lead times,” said Harald Kroeger, a member of Bosch’s management board. “I think what we need is more stock on some parts [of the supply chain] because some of those semiconductors need six months to be produced. You cannot run on a system [where] every two weeks you get an order. That doesn’t work.”

    Kroegen also emphasized the fact that cars are becoming even more dependent on semiconductors than in the past, making these issues more likely to occur in the future.

    A company as large and important to the industry as Bosch calling for improvements is sure to get attention, and may very well lead to the kind of changes the industry needs.

  • How the Supply Chain Can Get its Resiliency Back

    How the Supply Chain Can Get its Resiliency Back

    The pandemic put an unprecedented strain on the supply chain, revealing the need for new technologies and strategies to overcome bottlenecks.

    Shipping delays and material shortages continue making headlines as manufacturers worldwide struggle to meet consumer demand for everything from auto parts to pharmaceuticals.

    COVID-19 exposed a glaring lack of agility in supply chains which, if left unchecked, will both sabotage the economic recovery and put lives in danger.

    Before 2020, many people would have described US supply chains as resilient. However, the past 18 months added a less desirable set of adjectives to the list, such as brittle, inelastic, fragile, and vulnerable. While the need for critical care medications surge, manufacturers lack the necessary insights to respond to site closures and impaired transportation routes that immobilize supply chains.

    Business Intelligence: Better Supply Chain Resiliency is Found in The Data Story

    Historically, data initiatives falter because of the massive number of spreadsheets and reports data scientists must read through and decipher before presenting actionable takeaways. Without access to real-time, actionable intelligence, decision-makers are stuck waiting for analysts to explain their findings.

    Bottlenecks like this hinder agility, making it impossible to adapt to unforeseen events in a timely manner, sacrificing productivity and efficiency.

    In hybrid work environments, stakeholders in disparate locations need self-service access to analytics to facilitate the kind of quick problem-solving customers demand, especially when they’re waiting for life-saving medications and other high-priority shipments. Business intelligence (BI) dashboards, accessible as-a-service, are quickly becoming the go-to tools for enterprises that count on real-time data intelligence for survival.

    Pharma manufacturers, logistics and distribution companies are fortifying their supply chains by augmenting BI dashboards with artificial intelligence like natural language generation (NLG). NLG technology augments data visualizations by “narrating” all underlying data in BI dashboards.

    Companies like Arria NLG embed no-code NLG plug-ins into BI dashboards, accelerating data understanding and informed decision-making.

    According to Gartner, 90% of the world’s top 500 companies will have converged analytics governance into broader data and analytics governance initiatives by 2023. Likewise, by 2025, data stories will be the most widespread way of consuming analytics, and 75 percent of stories will be automatically generated using augmented analytics techniques.

    Analytics presented in everyday vernacular extend data understanding across all lines of business. This not only gives supply chain and logistics companies a better understanding of their data, but it also makes actionable insights available more quickly to a broader range of decision-makers, not just the data scientists.

    Data storytelling communicates real-time insights in plain English to distribution and fulfillment managers into daily loads against capacity commitments, for example, exposing areas in which demand consistently outpace the committed capacity. In addition, the democratization of data enables companies to make faster, better-informed decisions and know what’s happening, what may be coming, and what to do next.

    Cloud-based, self-service analytics also represent an important milestone in AI adoption, with data-driven solutions at the center.

    As we saw in the early stages of COVID-19 vaccinations, manufacturers and treatment centers were ill-prepared to manage the flood of people seeking vaccinations. Leadership teams need real-time visibility of operations to align production sites, distribution centers and material flows.

    Transparency is the key to accounting for unexpected events that could affect supply and demand and lead to drug shortages. To move quickly from insight to action, pharma supply chains – from manufacturer to distributors and delivery – must have ready-access to the same real-time, actionable intelligence.

    Augmented analytics provide the answers to pivot without sacrificing productivity. Such adaptability and flexibility are the cornerstones of agility and supply chain resilience.

    According to Bain, Pharma companies that integrate flexibility and redundancy into the entire value chain, and that improve visibility, will be best positioned to predict chain disruptions and respond to them rapidly. Resilient supply chains bolster problem-solving capabilities throughout their organization and at manufacturing sites, empowering local organizations to make decisions that prevent disruptions in business continuity.

    Simply put, the sooner they can alert carriers to their need for more capacity, the better they can fill the gap.

    Closing Thoughts

    Supply chain resilience will be vital to navigating an increasingly turbulent market over the coming decade. Augmented analytics, which combines business intelligence and natural language AI, empower supply chains with data-driven, actionable intelligence to prevent manufacturing and shipping delays, which can have life and death implications.

    Supply chain and logistics companies don’t need to collect any more data to achieve better resiliency. They just need a way to more quickly extract, process and communicate the insights from their data so they can respond faster.

    Business intelligence and augmented analytics can make that goal a reality.

  • How eCommerce Brands can Expedite the Checkout Process to Increase Conversions

    How eCommerce Brands can Expedite the Checkout Process to Increase Conversions

    With over 263 million Americans shopping online yearly, it is no surprise that shoppers are constantly looking for the most efficient eCommerce sites to make their shopping experience seamless. Having the ability to buy your favorite items from the comfort of your own home is a great feeling and shouldn’t be ruined by an inconvenient checkout process. In fact, approximately 50 percent of US shoppers are less likely to buy something online if the entire checkout process takes more than 30 seconds. Having a rapid checkout can make or break a shopper’s experience; by streamlining the checkout process, merchants have the potential to increase their conversion rates up to 35 percent. However, while some merchants are unsure of how to go about this, others are not using mobile app developers that support these capabilities adequately.

    The setback for some merchants is their failure to find the right mobile app developer when they initially launched. As their brands grow, their mobile stores’ needs become more specific. Retail brands with apps that directly fulfill the experience that shoppers desire are on a solid path to success; this is why finding the right app developer is imperative.

    Find the right mobile app developer for brand needs

    Third-party developers like Tapcart, the no-code app developer for Shopify, allow merchants to customize their checkout settings to create a frictionless checkout experience while enabling tools to help increase conversions. With the aid of these third-party developers, merchants can implement features like single-page checkouts and pre-filled shipping forms that allow for a quick checkout experience. Conversion features including checkout navigation, which automatically navigates customers to checkout when they add products to their cart, have contributed to Tapcart’s popularity amongst retail giants like Fashion Nova and Pier 1 Imports. 

    Reduce the number of form fields

    Over 18 percent of shoppers will abandon their cart if the checkout process is too long or complicated. In order to combat this, merchants should reduce the number of form fields so that shoppers have less to fill out. Fewer form fields ensure a frictionless checkout experience that increases conversion rates up to 160 percent. 

    On average, merchants include 2 times more form fields than necessary. With these large amounts of forms, it can be tedious for a shopper to complete them for just one or two items. Reducing the typical number of checkout form fields can result in fewer abandoned cart rates, a checkout process that takes just  5 seconds to complete, and ultimately a significant jump in sales.

    Accept various payment methods

    With the rise of alternative payment methods, shoppers are no longer solely opting for credit and debit cards. In fact, 31 percent of shoppers say that they are more likely to use alternative payment methods (APMs) since the start of the pandemic. Providing APMs, like buy-now-pay-later (BNPL), which can be implemented through companies such as Affirm and Quadpay, allow eCommerce customers the freedom to choose their preferred payment method, ultimately resulting in a more streamlined checkout experience that caters directly to consumers.

    Adding various payment methods is a simple way to attract new customers who, on other eCommerce apps, might not be able to use their preferred payment method. As a result, customers will flock to merchants’ mobile apps with the knowledge that they don’t have to change their choice of payment and instead can focus on their excellent shopping experience. 

    Allow customers to shop as guests or create accounts

    Having a customer account on an eCommerce website can provide prefilled shipping info, order history, and real-time order tracking, making a customer’s shopping experience optimal for quick and simple transactions. However, some customers prefer the guest checkout experience, as it requires less commitment and leads to faster first-time purchases. With a guest checkout feature, a shopper doesn’t have to fill out forms and create an account to purchase on a website, allowing a swift shopping experience without all of the extra steps involved.

    Implementing an expedited checkout will increase customer loyalty to eCommerce mobile apps  and further success by decreasing cart abandonment rates. If the conversions aren’t meeting the quota initially intended, effectuating one or more of these tips is a great way to begin boosting numbers and meeting eCommerce goals.
    To ensure your eCommerce store is having all of its needs met for maximum success, it is imperative that merchants find the right mobile app builder. Launching a high-converting mobile app can be easy with the right mobile app builder that offers features to ensure the most frictionless checkout experience.

  • Shopify Will Lay Off 1,000 Employees After a ‘Bet That Didn’t Pay Off’

    Shopify Will Lay Off 1,000 Employees After a ‘Bet That Didn’t Pay Off’

    Shopify is the latest victim of a changing economy, with the company revealing it is laying off roughly 1,000 employees.

    Shopify, like many companies, experienced something of a boom during the early days of the pandemic, as people stayed at home and shopped online. As CEO Tobi Lütke explains, the company bet the surge would permanently alter the industry:

    We bet that the channel mix – the share of dollars that travel through ecommerce rather than physical retail – would permanently leap ahead by 5 or even 10 years. We couldn’t know for sure at the time, but we knew that if there was a chance that this was true, we would have to expand the company to match.

    Unfortunately for the company, as things returned to normal online shopping also began to dip.

    It’s now clear that bet didn’t pay off. What we see now is the mix reverting to roughly where pre-Covid data would have suggested it should be at this point. Still growing steadily, but it wasn’t a meaningful 5-year leap ahead. Our market share in ecommerce is a lot higher than it is in retail, so this matters. Ultimately, placing this bet was my call to make and I got this wrong. Now, we have to adjust. As a consequence, we have to say goodbye to some of you today and I’m deeply sorry for that.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, the layoffs will impact 10% of the company’s staff or roughly 1,000 employees.

  • Skilled Labor: The Next Supply Chain Issue for Chipmakers

    Skilled Labor: The Next Supply Chain Issue for Chipmakers

    The last two years have been difficult for the semiconductor industry, but chipmakers are facing one of their biggest challenges yet: a skilled labor shortage.

    Chipmakers the world over have been struggling to keep up with demand since the outset of the global pandemic. Lockdowns in regions of China responsible for much of the industry’s manufacturing took their toll, as did general, pandemic-fueled supply chain issues.

    According to The Wall Street Journal, via AppleInsider, the industry is now facing a shortage of skilled labor. As with supply chain issues, the labor shortage is being driven by the pandemic.

    Eager to avoid the kind of issues that arose at the outset of the pandemic — and with cybersecurity increasingly becoming a national security issue — many governments are wanting to promote local semiconductor production. Unfortunately, because the industry has been focused in China and Asia for decades, there is a shortage of skilled workers outside that region. The WSJ estimates 70,000 to 90,000 silicon workers will be needed by 2025 in the US alone.

    To make matters worse, the labor shortage comes at a time when demand for workers is at a high across many different industries. As a result, employees are becoming far more selective about the jobs they take and are leaving undesirable jobs. This trend has been so widespread it has been called the “Great Resignation.”

    The WSJ says chipmakers are “stepping up [their] game” in an effort to attract more talent, increasing wages, improving recruitment, and developing closer ties with universities. With software and services getting all the limelight, however, it remains to be seen if these measures will be effective.

  • Russian Invasion of Ukraine Threatens Fragile Semiconductor Supply

    Russian Invasion of Ukraine Threatens Fragile Semiconductor Supply

    In the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, experts are concerned the conflict could significantly impact the semiconductor supply chain.

    Semiconductor manufacturers have been struggling to keep up with demand since the outset of the pandemic. Early lockdowns and quarantines impacted supply, while people working from home and avoiding public activities drove up demand.

    According to VentureBeat, research firm Techcet attributes Ukraine with supplying 90% of the neon gas used in the lasers the US semiconductor industry relies on to manufacture chips. Further complicating the issue, Russia supplies 35% of the palladium for US chipmakers.

    CNBC is reporting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Russian troops have been stopped “in most directions,” as of early Friday morning. It’s unclear if the situation will stabilize, or if it will continue to deteriorate.

    One thing is certain: The longer the conflict goes on, the more likely the semiconductor supply chain will fall further behind.

  • Amazon Sues More Than 10,000 Facebook Group Admins Over Paid Reviews

    Amazon Sues More Than 10,000 Facebook Group Admins Over Paid Reviews

    Amazon is taking its battle against paid reviews to a new level, suing Facebook group admins for paying people for fake reviews.

    Amazon has struggled with fake reviews for years, with an entire cottage industry thriving around securing those reviews. According to the Daily Mail, Amazon is suing more than 10,000 Facebook group admins that are acting as “brokers” for fake reviews.

    “Our teams stop millions of suspicious reviews before they’re ever seen by customers, and this lawsuit goes a step further to uncover perpetrators operating on social media,’ said Dharmesh Mehta, Amazon’s vice president of selling partner services.

    “Proactive legal action targeting bad actors is one of many ways we protect customers by holding bad actors accountable.”

    In addition to protecting customers, Amazon is facing increased pressure from government officials. The UK’s Competition and Market Authority has investigated whether Amazon is doing enough to combat fake reviews.

    The company’s latest action should go a long way toward putting those concerns to rest.

  • 3 Digital Marketing Methods Every Business Needs

    3 Digital Marketing Methods Every Business Needs

    As a business owner in the 21st century, it’s important to take advantage of the tools and technology available when engaging with your customer base. Not only will this help you reach wider audiences and maximize your revenue,  but it will also help you to stay competitive and current.

    One of the great things about digital marketing is it can be done from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection and a laptop. Check out these options for travel laptops.

    As marketing methods such as print advertising and direct mail have begun to be phased out and a greater number of people consume content online a traditional approach alone will no longer cut it. If you are reluctant to embrace the digital age, or don’t know where to begin, this article has outlined three digital marketing strategies to help you connect with your customers and capture the attention of new ones.

    Content Marketing

    Content marketing is a type of marketing strategy that focuses on creating and sharing valuable, relevant  and consistent material in order to stimulate interest and attract and retain customers. By distributing high-quality material such as blogs, emails, videos, podcasts, articles and eBooks, a business can engage with its customer base while indirectly generating interest for its brand.

    Well-written content which is relevant and informative can reveal more to your customers about your business, its values and ethos as well as the products and services you offer. Content marketing can even help you present yourself as an authority in your field.

    Coca-Cola’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign is a good example of content marketing that used personalization to increase customer engagement. By establishing stronger relationships with your potential customer base you can also help build brand awareness and loyalty.

    SEO

    Search engine optimization (SEO) is a process of improving your website to increase the quality and quantity of traffic to it. As a result, it will rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs). As your business becomes more visible online, you will improve your chances of attracting more customers and increasing your revenue. 

    As well as more potential clicks to your webpage, SEO is also beneficial when it comes to establishing the credibility of your business, as sites that rank more highly on SERPs are considered to be of higher quality and seen as more trustworthy than those that rank lower. Strategies to boost SEO include keyword optimization, building backlinks and removal of zombie pages. 

    Email Marketing 

    By building a relationship with your email subscribers through relevant and personalized content, you have a low cost way to deliver targeted messages to an already engaged audience. This is also advantageous for gauging feedback on ways to improve your service, better meet customer needs and develop new products.

    Email marketing can also help you to nurture leads by sending personalized messages in set intervals designed to convert readers into paying customers.

    By implementing the digital marketing methods mentioned in this article you can help your business reach a wider audience while retaining and nurturing the valuable customer base you already have.

  • Get Ready for Ads on Your Phone’s Lockscreen

    Get Ready for Ads on Your Phone’s Lockscreen

    A Google-backed startup plans to bring its lockscreen platform to the US within a couple of months, turning lockscreens into another way to serve ads.

    Glance is a subsidiary of InMobi Group, the Indian ad giant. The company introduced a way to display news feeds, ads, games, and more on Android lockscreens. As a result, users are bombarded with content before they unlock their phones. The company claims its software is preinstalled on some 400 million smartphones, with its previous focus being the Indian, Asian, and EU markets.

    According to TechCrunch, the company is now in talks with US carriers to bring its platform to US phones within the next two months.

    It’s hard to fathom users actually wanting to be bombarded with ads on their lockscreens, especially when they’re already paying for both the wireless service and the phone they’re using.

    As we have stated many times at WPN, it’s one thing — and entirely expected — for a company to rely on ads when it is providing a user with a free service. It’s a completely different story when companies that are already making billions of dollars in sales and services want to degrade the user experience by placing ads atop those paid products and services.

    Perhaps the most unsurprising factor in this whole story is Google’s involvement. The company already has a near stranglehold on the online advertising market. It should surprise absolutely no one that the company is backing Glance.

    Here’s to hoping US carriers provide a way to opt-out of Glance’s “service.”

  • College Station, Texas, Residents to Receive Amazon Drone Deliveries

    College Station, Texas, Residents to Receive Amazon Drone Deliveries

    College Station, Texas, is the second market slated to receive Amazon drone deliveries as the company looks to expand its program.

    E-commerce and retail stores are increasingly turning to drones to make deliveries to customers, providing a fast, cost-effective option. Amazon is one of the companies leading the adoption, with Lockeford, California being its first market. College Station now joins Lockeford, with Amazon contacting customers to lay the groundwork for drone deliveries later this year.

    “Amazon’s new facility presents a tremendous opportunity for College Station to be at the forefront of the development of drone delivery technology,” said College Station Mayor Karl Mooney. “We look forward to partnering with Amazon and Texas A&M and are confident that Amazon will be a productive, conscientious, and accountable participant in our community.”

    “Being one of the first drone delivery locations for Amazon puts College Station at the forefront of this exciting technology. What happens here will help advance drone delivery for the rest of the country and perhaps the rest of the world,” said John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System. “We welcome Amazon to our community and stand ready to assist however we can.”

  • Why KYC is Important in Growing Customer Base

    Why KYC is Important in Growing Customer Base

    As your business grows, it is important to keep track of your customers and ensure that you follow all the necessary regulations. One way to do this is to verify Know Your Customer (KYC). A strong KYC program helps ensure that a business is only doing business with legitimate customers, which protects the business from fraud and other risks.

    What is KYC?

    KYC stands for “know your customer” and is a process that businesses use to verify the identity of their customers. The KYC process typically involves collecting customer data such as name, address, date of birth, and ID type (For example, passport or driver’s license) and then verifying this information against a reliable source. In many cases, businesses will also perform additional checks, such as asking for proof of address or running a credit check.

    By completing the KYC process, businesses can be sure that they are dealing with legitimate customers and reduce the risks associated with fraud and money laundering. KYC stands for “know your customer” and is a process that businesses use to verify the identity of their customers.

    The benefits of implementing a KYC process include:

    1. Compliance with Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Regulations

    KYC is important because it helps businesses comply with anti money laundering compliance regulations and prevent fraud. By verifying the identity of their customers, businesses can be sure that they are not dealing with criminals or terrorists.

    2. Reduced Fraudulent Activity

    KYC can help businesses avoid fraud by verifying customer identities. It helps businesses save money and protect their reputations.

    3. Improved Customer Relationships

    Customers appreciate it when businesses take measures to protect their personal information. Implementing a KYC process can show customers that you value their privacy and security.

    There are several steps you can take to improve your KYC verification process:

    1. Collect the Necessary Information Upfront

    When a customer first interacts with your business, collect the necessary information for KYC verification. It includes the customer’s name, address, date of birth, and ID number.

    2. Use Multiple Verification Methods

    Don’t rely on a single verification method, such as checking ID documents. Use multiple methods, such as phone calls or email confirmation, to verify customer identities.

    3. Keep Updated KYC Records

    Make sure to keep updated records of your customer customers’ KYC information. It will help you quickly resolve any issues that may arise.

    4. Use Technology to Automate KYC

    Various software solutions can help businesses automate the KYC verification process. It can save time and resources and improve the accuracy of customer identity verification.

    There are some challenges that businesses may face when implementing a KYC process. These include:

    1. Time-Consuming and Resource-Intensive

    The KYC verification process can be time-consuming and require extensive resources. However, various software solutions can help businesses automate KYC verification. It can save time and resources.

    2. Customer Satisfaction

    Customers may not be happy with the extra steps required for KYC verification. To overcome this, ensure to communicate with customers about the KYC verification process. Explain why it is necessary and how it will benefit them in the long run.

    3. Technology

    KYC verification can be complex and require specialized software solutions. Employees need to be properly trained on using KYC verification software and tools. It will help ensure that the process is carried out correctly.

    Conclusion

    Any business that wants to expand its customer base needs to look closely at its KYC (Know Your Customer) processes. In today’s world of increasing regulation, businesses need to demonstrate that they know who their customers are and that they are legitimate.

  • Uber Eats Now Accepts Shiba Inu and Dogecoin

    Uber Eats Now Accepts Shiba Inu and Dogecoin

    Fans of the most popular dog-themed cryptocurrencies have a new place to spend their crypto, with Uber Eats now accepting Shiba Inu and Dogecoin.

    Uber Eats doesn’t directly accept any crypto, but it does via its integration with the BitPay service. BitPay made the announcement via a blog post.

    BitPay offers a variety of options for purchasing prepaid gift cards with crypto. Gift cards can be bought with cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), Bitcoin Cash (BCH), Dogecoin (DOGE), Shiba Inu (SHIB), Litecoin (LTC), XRP (XRP), Dai (DAI), Wrapped bitcoin (WBTC), Gemini USD (GUSD), USD Coin (USDC), and Binance USD (BUSD).

    Despite starting as a meme, Dogecoin has become a major player in the crypto market. Shiba Inu, the “Dogecoin killer,” has similarly captured the hearts and wallets of users.

    BitPay’s expanded support for both coins will make it much easier to use them for everyday purchases.

  • Netflix Taps Microsoft to Help It Roll Out an Ad-Supported Tier

    Netflix Taps Microsoft to Help It Roll Out an Ad-Supported Tier

    Netflix is moving forward with its plans for an ad-supported tier, tapping Microsoft to help it develop the necessary infrastructure.

    Netflix has been looking for ways to increase growth, especially after the company reported its first subscriber loss in nearly a decade. One of the main options the company has been looking at is an ad-supported tier, but rolling it out requires an infrastructure that Netflix does not currently have.

    After earlier reports indicated the company was looking at Google or NBCUniversal for assistance, the company has chosen Microsoft instead.

    “Today we are pleased to announce that we have selected Microsoft as our global advertising technology and sales partner,” writes Greg Peters, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Product Officer.

    “Microsoft has the proven ability to support all our advertising needs as we work together to build a new ad-supported offering. More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members.”

    The announcement is a big win for Microsoft and will hopefully help Netflix turn its fortunes around.