Stay in Touch
Interlace Ventures managing partner Joseph Sartre spoke on the most recent episode of our Modern Retail Talk series about what headless commerce is and why he thinks it's going to be the future for online merchants -- especially now. Modern Retail Talk is our video series where we discuss the latest retail news, as well as dive into issues experts in the space are facing.
As the coronavirus continues to shift more retail spending online, more retailers are looking to remodel stores to double as fulfillment centers for online orders. Best Buy said on its earnings call yesterday that it would be piloting a new ship-from-store model next month, where 250 of its stores would be remodeled as "hubs" in order to ship out more online orders. Other retailers are likely to follow suit, as demand for online shopping will only pick up as the holidays get closer.
Earlier this week, the social video app announced a partnership with the commerce platform Teespring. While the details haven't been finalized, the two companies will be working together to create an integration that allows TikTok creators to sell their merchandise on the app. It's a small but important step for TikTok, as it tries to find ways to prove to brands that it's more than just a platform where teens share irreverent videos.
As more shopping moves online, some property owners are looking for new uses for dying malls or former department stores. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon was in talks with Simon Property Partners to turn some former stores previously occupied by JCPenney and Sears into fulfillment centers for the e-commerce giant. But converting stores into warehouses comes with its own set of challenges.
National distribution has always been a tough cookie to crack for scrappy, independent CPG brands. Without the distribution methods and supply chain of big brands like Coke and Pepsi, beverage startups have had a hard time scaling beyond health food stores and DTC sales. But the coronavirus has changed the playing field.
During the coronavirus pandemic in the U.S., e-commerce has become a lifeline for businesses to stay afloat when many non-essential stores were ordered closed in April and May. Now, changes being made to one of the backbones of the e-commerce landscape -- the United States Postal Service -- threatens to create a huge headache for retail and consumer startups .In mid-July, many businesses started reporting packages were taking longer to get to customers, which coincided with new cost-cutting measures that the USPS could implement. Every e-commerce business, from mom-and-pop shops all the way up to Amazon rely on the USPS in some way, and any changes in service or prices could wreck havoc on small e-commerce businesses.
Over the past several years, Kroger has been building out its own Amazon-style flywheel to protect its revenue growth as more grocery shopping moves online. So on Tuesday, it didn't come as much of a surprise when Kroger said it would be launching its own third-party marketplace. The grocer will likely find it challenging to match Amazon's reach online -- but retail analysts still say the marketplace could prove to be a boon if it helps Kroger subsequently grow its marketing business.
Goldbelly hit coronavirus gold. With restaurants closed, many iconic establishments have used the delivery platform to have their signature dishes shipped nationwide. But the question remains how long that will last. According to Goldbelly, it has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.
After posting record-high sales during its second quarter, Amazon is struggling to maintain enough space in its warehouses for inventory. That's creating headaches for sellers who rely primarily on Amazon's fulfillment service (FBA) to get the majority of their products to customers.
In a way, pre-sales and waitlists are counterculture to today’s “fast delivery” windows, but they can also be a vital tool in building a customer base during uncertain times. For new brands like direct-to-consumer A/C maker July, pre-orders gave them two benefits: the opportunity to make connections and manage the uncertainties, said co-founder
During Snap's second quarter earnings yesterday, CEO Evan Spiegel called out e-commerce advertising as one of the company's bright spots during the quarter, as consumers are spending more money online during the coronavirus. Snap's revenue overall grew 17% year-over-year, to $454 million. But, even before the pandemic, Snapchat was heavily focused on wooing new e-commerce advertisers, particularly with new ad formats.
Since launching Instagram Checkout a year and a half ago, which allows customers to buy products from participating retailers' websites, Instagram has made it a priority to get more well-known retailers using the feature. Now, the next step on the app's to-do list is to make shopping more visible on Instagram. That was signaled by the launch of a new Shop tab in Instagram Explore last week. But Instagram still has a ways to go until users think of it as a shopping destination first and foremost.
As more merchants have gone online, Shopify has only benefited. But its growth strategy has changed; it’s no longer the turnkey e-commerce platform for everyone, but the invisible giant trying to take control.
BigCommerce filed its S-1 earlier this week, providing a little more visibility into how its business works. Since 2009, BigCommerce has provided digital commerce services for merchants. It touts customers including Woolrich, Camelbak, Clarks and Gillette. While it's true that digital commerce is accelerating at an unprecedented clip, the platform faces stiff competition from companies like Shopify.
First came wine boxes, now it's time for curated cocktail kits. As the virus waves continue, services argue consumers are prepared to play home mixologists beyond the pandemic. Which is to say: craft cocktail kit delivery is having a moment.
New research finds that most millennial and Gen Z consumers would be willing to pay more for sustainable fashion and beauty products.
Expect to see fewer handbags in Kohl's stores in the future, and more laundry detergent and yoga pants. On Monday, Kohl's announced that it would be testing out a new shop-in-shop called the Wellness Market, which will carry products like vitamins, dish soap, baby wipes from brands including Seventh Generation and the Honest Company. It's part of the new strategic framework Kohl's announced last week, in which the department store chain said its focus going forward is to be the leading retailer for shoppers looking for products to support an active and casual lifestyle.
Read MoreThe Amazon Strategies Virtual Forum is a series of presentations, workshops and talks taking place over two days that’ll help you navigate and survive our current crisis and the acceleration of e-commerce that has come with it.
Register Now
