The Most Amazing Anti-Amazon Strategy … That Will Never Happen

| Richard Metzler

It is the synthesis of things Amazon does so well that makes it seemingly invulnerable. To me, trying to beat Amazon on just logistics without a symbiotic combination of brand, merchandising, marketing, technology and a financial war chest is just pure, unadulterated sophistry. Is there such a thing as an effective anti-Amazon strategy?

Black Friday mobile commerce feature

Holiday Ecommerce Up 18.8%; Retail Up 3.4%; Amazon Sets Records

| Douglas P. Clement

Ecommerce holiday sales rose 18.8% over 2018, driving 3.4% overall growth in seasonal retail, delivering a very merry season for merchants, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse holiday report. Ecommerce growth was up slightly from an 18.4% gain in 2018, accounting for 14.6% of total retail, according to Mastercard.

FedEx Express truck feature

Amazon Tells 3P Sellers: No FedEx Ground; Complains of Service Issues

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is telling 3P sellers they can’t use FedEx Ground for Prime deliveries this holiday season, citing performance issues, according to the Wall Street Journal, saying the policy will remain until there are improvements. UPS and other carriers stand to benefit in the short term if they can find room in their networks.

Payoneer Acquiring Digital Payment Platform optile

| Douglas P. Clement

Digital payment platform startup Payoneer, which is doing battle with PayPal and other major players, is acquiring Munich-based optile, a tech firm that streamlines the payment acceptance process for merchants. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Accel Robotics Raises $30 Million In Series A Funding

| Douglas P. Clement

Accel Robotics, a startup using AI and computer vision to enable checkout-free stores, has raised $30 million in a Series A round led by SoftBank. The system lets shoppers in grocery and convenience stores, quick service restaurants and drugstore chains grab items and go, getting a receipt sent via text or app to their phone.

Amazon Enables Holiday Laggards With Last-Minute Offerings

| Douglas P. Clement

Amazon is enabling Prime customers in eligible areas to shop millions of products on Christmas Eve, and receive them in time for gift exchanges with free same-day delivery if ordered by 9:30 a.m. local time. Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market purchases on Christmas Eve in those eligible areas offer free two-hour delivery.

Walmart Testing Autonomous Grocery Delivery in Houston

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart is testing autonomous grocery delivery in Houston with robotics partner Nuro to a select group of shoppers that opt into the pilot program, the company announced. The test will involve Nuro’s R2 robotic vehicle as well as some autonomous Toyota Priuses, also powered by Nuro’s technology.

Old Navy Adds Same-Day Holiday Delivery to Compete with the Big 3

| Douglas P. Clement

Old Navy is partnering with Postmates to provide same-day delivery in 4,000 U.S. markets as it competes with Amazon, Walmart and Target for the holiday retail joy of robust sales driven by aggressive delivery fulfillment.
Delivery will be free from Dec. 21-23 as an incentive for last-minute consumers to buy its casual clothing.