Brands are challenged with finding a way forward even when traditional DTC models threaten to crack—and thinking outside the box to find the post-coronavirus formula for success. Fortunately, DTC doesn’t just mean selling on your own site. Here are some of the strong benefits of adding marketplaces to your DTC channel mix.
The key is to work like Amazon rather than with them. Despite the retail giant’s head start, it has never been easier for companies to adopt 3rd party services and platforms that let them offer a service comparable to Amazon’s. Here is how retailers can set themselves apart in an Amazon world.
Amazon launches new rewards program for Prime members which allows 2% cash back rewards every time they reload their gift card balance with their checking account or debit card. See why this is a win for Amazon and Prime members.
To address customer demand in the New York metro area, Amazon announced plans to open three new fulfillment centers in New Jersey totaling nearly 3 million square feet. This is in addition to an existing 1.4 million-square-foot facility in Robbinsville, NJ that opened in 2014.
In a move designed to save on shipping costs while offering flexibility to customers, Walmart will begin offering discounts when shoppers opt to pick up an online order in store. See what industry observers have to say about the move, including Walmart’s positioning against Amazon.
eBay is wading into the fast shipping wars, taking on Amazon Prime and Walmart with its new Guaranteed Delivery offering that will launch this summer on its selling platform with more than 20 million eligible items. Shoppers on eBay will also be able to search and filter items by one- and two-day delivery.
In a quick counter-salvo, Amazon recently lowered the free shipping threshold for non-Prime members from $49 to $35, a response to Walmart’s move earlier this month.
The speed with which Amazon changed its policy is an indication of just how seriously it is taking ecommerce competition from the world’s largest retailer.
Firing yet another salvo in its ongoing ecommerce war with Amazon, Walmart is eliminating its fee-based ShippingPass program that was designed as a counter to Amazon Prime, instead offering free two-day shipping on 2 million items at a $35 order threshold.
Amazon shipped over 2 billion items worldwide in 2016 for third-party sellers on its marketplace using its fulfillment services – more than double the figure from 2015. See what other milestones the company achieved in 2016 and during the holiday season.