Amazon Logistics Prime truck feature

Amazon Lowers Q4 Outlook, Misses Q3 Revenue Estimate

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon reported third quarter revenue under estimates and provided a lowered fourth quarter outlook on Thursday, causing yet more jitters on Wall Street and in the industry as retail swings into the home stretch of the peak holiday season, and sending shares down 20% after hours.

returns process

Returns Should Not Be Just a Business Cost: Report

| Mike O'Brien

Despite all the attention paid to skyrocketing returns, most retailers in 2022 still treat them as simply the cost of doing business instead of as a strategic focus area and opportunity for a stepped-up customer experience, and the numbers of a new report bear out that approach.

coupon codes Fondue illustration feature

Fondue Looks to Replace Coupon Codes With Cash Back Offers

| Mike O'Brien

Fondue, an Israeli startup that just received $10.5 million in a seed round, is looking to “crush” the prevalent coupon code system and replace it with a cash back program it says is more profitable and higher converting for brands. Shoppers are given options to redeem offers as cash back, as a site credit or as a higher-value gift card.

alt-commerce livestream shopping feature

Livestream Commerce Needs a CX Upgrade

| David Fletcher

Livestream commerce became more popular during the pandemic lockdowns, and there are new reasons why it’s seeing some pickup. Some high-profile shakiness in the U.S. (see Facebook, TikTok) means brands need to understand what their audiences want and need, instead of trying to apply here what worked in other markets.

automation Geodis-Maurices exterior feature

Automation and Robotics: Moving Past Limitations to Gains

| Mike O'Brien

This special report from Multichannel Merchant explores the issue of automation and robotics through the lens of project timelines, lead times on equipment, ROI and performance gains. Industry experts provide perspectives on the business case, implementation and integration considerations, shelf life and future proofing and what’s next.

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Ecommerce Winter or Digital Shelf Spring? Your Call

| Joe Gaudreau

The digital shelf is the ecosystem of how consumers interact with brands and retailers to discover, research and purchase products. To win there and convert more buyers, brands must provide consistent, relevant and up-to-date product information across digital touchpoints, including stores, ecommerce, DTC and social.

Kroger curbside feature

Putting Kroger and Albertsons in Context

| Mike O'Brien

Last week Kroger announced it was acquiring Albertsons for $24.5B, a major deal on the order of Amazon buying Whole Foods in 2017 that immediately reshaped the power structure in grocery. Neil Saunders, managing director and retail analyst at GlobalData Retail, helps us put the deal in context in our latest MCM CommerceChat podcast.

Amazon Prime box feature

Amazon Expands, Promotes Discount Prime Program

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is relaunching its discounted version of the vaunted Prime subscription, aimed at providing lower-income consumers perks normally reserved for the full offering but at a lower monthly price, during a period of economic hardship for many as inflation continues unabated.

Delivering Personalized Experiences to Better Connect with the Customer

| MCM staff

By delivering personalized experiences to better connect with its customers, LAWLESS Beauty has become one of the fastest-growing makeup brands in the world. In this Multichannel Merchant webinar, LAWLESS President Rachel Shelowitz and Amber Fullerton of One World Direct discuss the brand’s winning formula for CX success.

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Growing Social Commerce Starts With Customer Trust

| Rafael Lourenco

Retailers should consider the impact their social strategy elements have on customer trust. This includes your choice of social platforms, the payment methods you accept, how you screen orders for fraud and how you safeguard your brand presence on social media. Identify the platforms your customers trust the most.