Wayfair+2: The Impact of Marketplace Facilitator Laws Gone Wild

| Megan Higgins

Moving forward, one thing is certain: Marketplace facilitator laws will continue to evolve. We’re already seeing some changes in the U.S., with Louisiana going after high-volume 3P sellers during COVID-19. But states are also going to great lengths to pursue lodging and communications platforms and even food delivery services.

Shogun Raises $10M to Help Ecommerce Brands Battle Amazon

| Douglas P. Clement

Shogun, a drag-and-drop ecommerce website builder, has raised $10M in Series A funding from Initialized Capital, VMG Partners and Y Combinator to expand its platform and launch a new product helping sellers compete with Amazon and do headless commerce. Major brand clients include Leesa, MVMT and K-Swiss.

Report: Most Brands Seeing 4x ROI on Amazon Advertising

| Douglas P. Clement

With Amazon largely credited for the 115% spike in third quarter 2019 ecommerce ad spend, it’s no surprise that Feedvisor’s annual brand report shows 75% of brands selling on Amazon also advertise there. Feedvisor found 83% of brands advertising on Amazon saw a 4x return on ad spend, with half seeing 7x.

Amazon Pursuing Pay-With-Your-Hand Biometric Checkout Technology

| Douglas P. Clement

Amazon’s latest expansion into the consumer biosphere will enable brick-and-mortar shoppers to pay for purchases with a mere wave – or scan – of their hand. The Wall Street Journal said Amazon is creating a system of hand-scanning terminals for retailers, with a focus on venues like coffee shops with lots of return customers.

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.

Identity Marketing Firm SheerID Raises $64 Million

| Douglas P. Clement

SheerID, whose software quickly verifies a person’s status as a member of a particular consumer “tribe,” has raised $64 million in an equity round. It defines identity marketing as a form of personalization focused on winning over consumer tribes that align with the brand’s promise. Clients include Target, Amazon, Lowe’s and Urban Outfitters.

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Amazon Drives 115% Rise in Ecommerce Ad Spend During Q3

| Douglas P. Clement

Spending on ecommerce ads rose 115% in the third quarter compared to last year, and was up 51% over Q2, driven largely by Amazon, a seasonal surge for Prime Day and a strong back-to-school season. A new Q3 report from Marin Software also showed that mobile continues its dominance.

FTC Steps Up Investigation of Amazon Over Anti-Competitive Charges

| Mike O'Brien

Investigators from the FTC have begun interviewing merchants selling on Amazon’s third-party marketplace in an attempt to ascertain if the ecommerce giant is using anti-competitive practices, according to a report in Bloomberg. They’re asking merchants how much business they do on Amazon.com vs. other major marketplaces.