Amazon launches under-US$20 online storefront to compete with Temu
Amazon has launched a low-cost online storefront featuring electronics, apparel and other products priced at under US$20, an effort to compete with discount retailers that have increasingly encroached on the eCommerce giant’s turf.
In a blogpost on Wednesday, the company said the new Amazon Haul storefront would mostly feature products that cost less than US$10 and offer free delivery on orders over US$25. Amazon plans to ship the products to US customers from a warehouse it operates in China, according to documentation the company provided to sellers. Amazon said Haul orders could arrive within one to two weeks.
Many of the available products on the storefront on Wednesday resembled the types of items typically found on Shein and Temu, the China-founded eCommerce platforms that have grown in popularity in recent years.
Shein’s core customers are young women enticed by the low-cost apparel sold on the site. Temu offers clothing, accessories, kitchen gadgets and a broad array of other products for bargain-hungry shoppers.
China’s Alibaba releases AI search tool for small businesses in Europe and the Americas
Chinese eCommerce giant Alibaba on Tuesday unveiled an artificial intelligence-powered search engine for small businesses in Europe and the Americas to source supplies.
It’s an attempt to leverage ChatGPT-like tech to increase sales. Initial tests showed businesses’ purchase intent using the new tool increased by 40% versus traditional search engines, according to Kuo Zhang, president of Alibaba.com and vice president of Alibaba International.
The product is called Accio, after the spell used in the Harry Potter fantasy series for summoning objects. The initial version is web-based and supports English, German, French, Portuguese and Spanish, according to the company.
With a few text or image prompts, businesses can use Accio to find wholesale products — including analysis on their popularity with consumers and projected profit, according to demos viewed by CNBC.
Examples shown included helping a sports entrepreneur to build a line of pickleball products. At the end of the search, the tool lists a number of procurement options for the business to discuss directly with each supplier.
Harrods in international online retail deal with Global-e as Loro Piana takeover launches at London store
Harrods is boosting its international direct-to-consumer online ops in a deal with Global-e, the platform that powers global D2C eCommerce.
We’re told the collaboration “will enable Harrods to bolster its eCommerce strategy in over 200 markets worldwide, offering customers around the globe a seamless online shopping experience”.
Just as the recently-launched DSquared2 partnership with ESW underlined, the stakes are high for any luxury business operating online and it’s important for such high-profile names to be able to offer a luxury edge in online retail ops that can often feel little more than merely transactional.
Global-e said the link-up “underscores [our] shared commitment to deliver a premium, online retail journey that is synonymous with Harrods' in-store service and reputation for excellence. [The] platform will ensure customers worldwide enjoy the same high-quality experience and personalisation that defines Harrods”.
Harrods will “offer an elevated, localised shopping experience for customers”. Key features include browsing and payment in local currencies, a wide range of local and alternative payment methods, attractive shipping offerings, advanced duty and tax calculations and prepayment for a guaranteed final cost of purchase, and an easy return process.