Amazon Inspire

Amazon Inspire Treads in TikTok Territory

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is launching a TikTok-like feature called Inspire that lets users scroll through short-form videos and hopefully buy stuff from brands, but industry observers don’t seem too inspired by the company’s latest venture into social commerce, an area that hasn’t really exploded. It’s the latest in a decade of social commerce experiments.

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Returns Rates Match for Stores, Ecommerce

| Mike O'Brien

The rate of returns from retail purchases is expected to remain relatively flat this year compared to 2021, at 16.5%, with store and ecommerce returns roughly equal as the latter figure has improved, according to a report from the National Retail Federation and Apriss Retail.

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Are NFTs The Future of Ecommerce?

| Sarah Kaminski

NFTs are currently the hottest thing in tech, and many ecommerce businesses are incorporating them into their business strategies. When we consider the staggering amounts some of them have demanded, this should come as absolutely no surprise. Are NFTs really the future of ecommerce? Read on to find out more.

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Pitney Bowes Investor Calls for Board Takeover, New CEO

| Mike O'Brien

Pitney Bowes will get a board makeover with an installed majority and a new interim CEO, if investor Hestia Capital has its way, actions that have led management to take defensive measures. The hedge fund said it’s taking these hardball measures after the company refused its offer last month to bring in three new outside directors.

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Amazon vs. Walmart Head-to-Head in this Infographic

| Mike O'Brien

While Amazon is the clear market leader in ecommerce sales, at $50.9 billion to $19.2 billion, arch-rival Walmart has been gaining in some respects in their ongoing retail industry cage match. Jungle Scout has developed a helpful infographic that details some key comparison metrics between the two behemoths. (image credit: Wharton/UPenn)

Macy’s Converts 35 Stores to Mini FCs

| Mike O'Brien

Ahead of peak season, Macy’s converted 35 stores into mini fulfillment centers, creating about 1 million square feet of space to handle online orders, lowering costs, speeding up delivery times and reducing the incidence of painful split shipments, executives said on a recent earnings call.

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The Future for Marketplace Aggregators

| Ben Eachus

While marketplaces have made it easier than ever to launch a digital-first brand, the process of getting products to a customer’s door has never been more complex, and marketplace aggregators will face challenges and frustrations handling the supply chain complications.

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FloorFound Expands Recommerce Network

| Mike O'Brien

FloorFound has expanded its nationwide recommerce network, including five facilities totaling 500,000 square feet of space and business intelligence software that helps retailers determine the best channel for maximizing resale value, plus an integration with project44’s supply chain platform.

Pitney Bowes Combines Scale, Label Printer for SMBs

| Mike O'Brien

Parcel consolidation and ecommerce firm Pitney Bowes has come with an innovative device that combines a label printer and scale. SMB shippers can process orders from Amazon, eBay and Shopify from their phones using companion software, compare discounted shipping rates, print labels and First Class stamps and track packages.