Amazon
Shopify Launches Boatload of Apps, Pushes into B2B
Shopify is pursuing a new avenue of attack against Amazon, launching 100 new/updated apps including tools for merchants to drive B2B sales while also turning on social commerce via Twitter, in an effort to boost slowing DTC ecommerce revenue growth. The company said Shopify Editions represents a “connect-to-consumer” focus.
Prologis to Acquire Duke Realty for $26 Billion
Prologis, the largest U.S. player in commercial real estate including warehouses and fulfillment centers, is acquiring Duke Realty in a deal valued at $26 billion, giving Prologis an additional 153 million square feet of active space plus another 11 million square feet under development in 19 markets. Investors were wary of the move.
Walmart Rolling Out Four High-Tech FCs
Walmart plans to open up four high-tech, automated fulfillment centers over the next three years, which when completed will enable it to reach 95% of the country in the Amazon Prime standard of two days or less, while streamlining fulfillment processes and increasing throughput. The news drops between a Q1 miss and Prime Day.
Ecommerce to Top $1 Trillion GMV in U.S. in 2022
Ecommerce sales will top $1 trillion for the first time this year, while Amazon will become the biggest retailer in the U.S. by 2026, surpassing Walmart with a 14.9% market share vs. 12.7%, according to a new report from Edge By Ascential. Costco and Home Depot will hold the number 3 and 4 spots, respectively, the report states.
Domestic Parcel Growth Much Slower in 2021
While U.S. parcel volume rose nearly 6% to 21.5B pieces in 2021, it was the slowest growth in five years, and considerably less than the massive 31.5% gain in a pandemic-driven 2020, according to Pitney Bowes’ annual index. It also showed smaller carriers growing rapidly but still holding a tiny percentage of the overall pie.
Shopify Grows, Amazon Slows: A Bellwether for Ecommerce’s Future
It’s impossible to ignore the fact that most if not all fundamental features and characteristics of DTC brands are not just different from Amazon, but diametrically opposed to it. While Amazon takes the word “monolithic” to new extremes, platforms like Shopify thrive by staying low to the ground and expanding outward.
