March, the month of snow, spring, snow, spring, a bank holiday and the following not-to-be-missed eCommerce news:
Let’s Take That Offline
In January we announced Amazon’s first checkout-less store, in Seattle and rumour has it that there are six more waiting in the checkout line. The bricks, mortar and online mashup concept sees physical stores that allow you to scan products using your smartphone and leave without physically paying (that happens automatically via the app). Watch this space.
What Goes Up Must Come Down
Twice. In January, marketplace giant eBay moved its sellers’ sales banners (buy one get one free, 25% off etc.) from the top of the page to the bottom, underneath the listing description. Their research showed that there was an increase in sales when promotions appeared close to descriptions but sellers weren’t happy and eBay listened. Banners will now appear both at the top of the page and under the listing description. Saving face.
HR Will See You Now
Three-day delivery, one-day delivery, same day delivery, two-hour delivery, one-hour delivery…the options are endless and so, it seems, are the workplace interruptions. Amazon is great when you have something that you need ASAP but their army of delivery drivers are becoming too familiar-a-face at many UK companies. So much so that some London firms have had enough. Deutsche Bank is the latest of a number of city-based employers limiting the stream of personal deliveries from Amazon and other online marketplaces.
Smile, Say Cheese
Amazon Logistics have started taking photographic proof of exactly where they’ve left your Amazon delivery, in order to assist both you and customer services with troubleshooting just exactly where that missing Amazon parcel might be. One maybe not for the family album.
Wave Your Hands, Come On Wave Your Hands…Superman!
The Brits weren’t only battling some baffling snow in March; they were also voting eBay as the 2018 Superbrand. Judged for quality, reliability and distinction, the “definitive benchmark for brands” awarded eBay the Retail – Marketplaces, Tickets & Exchanges category. eBay: Saving the world one auction at a time.
And When eBay’s Not Wearing Its Cape
Etsy shoppers are. Etsy released its 2018 top wedding trends and among the rings, embroidery and veils were wedding capes. With a 44% increase in search popularity, the shoulder-covering solution will have bride-to-be-buyers saying I do whilst saving the world. On a more serious note, wedding planning season is now and Etsy is the perfect platform to sell your cutsy, crafty and creative products on.
Let’s Get Personal
Amazon has brought Amazon Custom to the UK, allowing sellers to offer quick and easy item customisation such as text, image or product configuration. Any products allowing for customisation must be fulfilled by you (not Amazon) and, as of yet, wine and media products are not allowed but otherwise, products are treated as any other listing – all you need to do is sign up here.
Like I Needed An Excuse
Last month eBay released a new feature called Why to Buy – using signal intelligence to provide browsers with useful prompts on why they might want to buy a particular item. One such prompt is “seller responds to offers in 1 hour” – which sellers aren’t taking too kindly to. eBay estimates the response time based on seller behaviour over the past year but sellers are concerned that reasonable factors such as being asleep or being exceptionally busy during events such as Black Friday, may skew these results. Let’s watch this working progress.
Money, Money, Money
We heard it on the grapevine that Amazon has its eye on bank accounts – specifically your customers’. Using an existing bank as a service provider if this were to happen, Amazon could truly be the one-stop-shop.
And Then…
If Easter wasn’t early enough this year, Amazon decided to make it even earlier by launching their Early Easter Sale; eBay went vogue, lazy summer evenings arrived and Expandly spent some time catching up with its customers at the Internet Retailing Expo .