Business
An ecommerce site is a business. Our Management & Finance category addresses online payments, funding needs, employee issues, merchant profiles, key metrics, multichannel and omnichannel strategies, cross-border analyses, inventory management, accounting topics, sales taxes, and much more.
Amazon & Marketplaces | B2B | Cross-border Selling | Finance | Fraud Prevention | Inventory | Local Business | Payments | Shipping & Fulfillment | Staffing-
Finance
Charts: Retail Banking Trends 2022
August 10, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
Consumers' preference for digital tools is upending retail banking. In this week's Charts, we look at the evolution of banking — from traditional branches to mobile alternatives.
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Finance
AWS Boosts Amazon’s Q2 2022 Results
August 7, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan
Amazon reported mixed results for Q2 2022. Product sales fell, but revenue from Amazon Web Services and subscriptions grew (a lot). We dive into the details.
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Business
Charts: Ecommerce in U.S. Grocery Industry
August 3, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
A survey from McKinsey found that many U.S. consumers prefer online grocery shopping, but grocers feel unprepared for the transition. We tell the story in this week's charts.
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Business
Ecommerce Product Releases: August 2, 2022
August 2, 2022 • Sig Ueland
This installment of "Ecommerce Product Releases," our twice-monthly rundown of new services that could help merchants, includes updates on social commerce, live stream video, fulfillment, and more.
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Finance
The Details of Shopify’s Massive Q2 2022 Loss
July 31, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan
Having posted a massive $1.2 billion loss in Q2 2022, Shopify effectively reset its financial outlook. Longtime contributor and analyst Marcia Kaplan looks at the details.
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Business
Spiceology Founder Pivots to CPG Startups
July 29, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Having successfully launched Spiceology, Pete Taylor semi-retired in 2019, contemplating his next venture. Fast forward to 2022, and that company is Midas Brands, a DTC seller of consumer packaged goods.
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Business
No Ecommerce Company Is an Island
July 28, 2022 • Christopher Dobroth
Trusted partnerships with affiliates, vendors, and more make or break an ecommerce business. That's according to Chris Dobroth, a longtime merchant.
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Payments
Charts: Cryptocurrency Trends in Ecommerce
July 27, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
Less than 20% of U.S. consumers have used cryptocurrencies for retail purchases. Most of those shoppers are younger and plan on increasing the use. We tell the story in this week's charts.
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Amazon & Marketplaces
FBA Seller, Tired of Storage Fees, Launches 3PL
July 22, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Mark Taylor is a former Fulfillment-by-Amazon seller weary of paying expensive long-term storage fees. His solution is Warehouse Republic, a 3PL serving mainly Amazon sellers, which he launched in 2018.
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Finance
Charts: Global State of Venture Capital Q2 2022
July 20, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
Global investment funding declined materially in the second quarter of 2022. Our analyst tells the story in four charts — total deals, top regions, and more.
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Shipping & Fulfillment
How to Price Shipping and Handling Fees
July 18, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Today's consumers expect free shipping for most items. But it's not always obvious for merchants to know when and how to offer it. Here's our all-new update for analyzing shipping costs and free delivery.
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Amazon & Marketplaces
Prime Day 2022 Recap: Sales, Categories, More
July 18, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan
Amazon's Prime Day has evolved into an industry-wide event. Since 2017 we've published an annual analysis and recap. Our 2022 installment looks at U.S. growth, average order values, and more.
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Business
Ridge Wallet CEO on Influencer Turmoil, iOS 14.5
July 15, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
The year 2021 produced dramatic escalations in influencer marketing rates and upheaval in Facebook ad performance. Both are critical marketing channels for Ridge Wallet, the maker of metal-clad billfolds.
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Business
Charts: Ecommerce Penetration of Global Retail
July 13, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
Ecommerce continues to rise across all global retail sectors. In four charts, we tell the story.
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Shipping & Fulfillment
How to Offer Free Shipping without Going Broke
July 11, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Online consumers expect free shipping. But small and mid-size merchants sometimes struggle with the cost. Here are innovative approaches to meet shopper expectations without losing money.
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Business
Guatemalan Entrepreneurs Are Gay, Married, Successful
July 8, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Hans Schrei launched Wunderkeks, a direct-to-consumer cookie company, from his mom's kitchen in Guatemala in 2012. Amid obstacles, he immigrated to Austin, Texas, with his husband in 2019. Here's their story.
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Payments
Does Ecommerce Need a New Payment System?
July 7, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Ecommerce payments in 2022 largely involve a Byzantine setup of intermediaries. Is now the time for a more efficient method of exchanging value?
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Business
Charts: Global AI Stats and Trends
July 6, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
The global adoption of artificial intelligence continues. In four charts, we show the leading countries and industries as well as tasks most suited for AI use.
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Business
Ecommerce Product Releases: July 4, 2022
July 4, 2022 • Sig Ueland
Twice monthly we publish a rundown of new products, updates, and services that could help merchants. This installment includes updates on live stream shopping, sales analytics, social commerce, and more.
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Business
Custom Teeth Guards Propel Online Dental Lab
July 1, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Selling custom-fitted teeth guards would seemingly involve in-person visits from customers. But not for Pro Teeth Guard. It sells made-to-order guards online. Co-founder JP Ji explains.
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Finance
For Global Unicorns, It’s Growth and Volatility
June 30, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan
The availability of private capital allows companies to delay going public. The result? More than 1,000 private companies worldwide are now valued in excess of $1 billion. But it's not always smooth sailing. We explain.
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Fraud Prevention
Charts: Cybersecurity Stats and Trends
June 29, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
The rise of global cyber fraud has promoted elevated prevention expenditures by businesses and a flurry of funding in cybersecurity firms by investors. We tell the story in this week's charts.
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Business
5 Predictions for the 2022 Holiday Shopping Season
June 27, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Since 2013 senior contributor Armando Roggio has predicted ecommerce sales for the upcoming holiday season. His 2022 predictions consider inflation, which he believes could have multiple impacts.
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Business
Lessons from Shopify 2.0 Upgrade, New Theme
June 24, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Host Eric Bandholz's company, Beardbrand, recently migrated to Shopify 2.0. Jenny Durre, Beardbrand's in-house designer, managed the entire process. She describes it in this conversation.
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Amazon & Marketplaces
SEO: Amazon Keyword Research Tools
June 23, 2022 • Ann Smarty
Consumers conduct more product searches on Amazon than on any other site, including Google. Hence understanding those search terms on Amazon informs merchants not just on that platform, but for Google optimization, too.
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Shipping & Fulfillment
7 Reasons to Consider USPS Flat Rate Shipping
June 22, 2022 • Armando Roggio
Merchants in North America have many carrier choices for delivering goods to customers. The U.S. Postal Service's flat-rate shipping boxes can save money in certain instances. We compare prices in this post.
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Amazon & Marketplaces
Ecommerce Briefs: Google Marketplace; Walmart; Drones
June 19, 2022 • Marcia Kaplan
This installment of "Ecommerce Briefs," an occasional series, includes developments on Google ecommerce, Walmart fulfillment and infrastructure, and drone deliveries.
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Amazon & Marketplaces
Charts: Walmart’s Ecommerce Sales, Outlook
June 15, 2022 • Adel Boukarroum
Will Walmart's physical stores become "shoppable fulfillment centers"? That's the assessment of the company's new chief ecommerce officer. This post tells the story in four charts of Walmart's ecommerce progress.
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Inventory
Supply Chain Bottlenecks from the Trenches
June 13, 2022 • Christopher Dobroth
Contributor Christoper Dobroth, a longtime ecommerce manager, purchases inventory for his employer, a seller of lighting and home decor items. He explains his reality of keeping goods in stock in mid-2022.
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Business
PostPilot Is Klaviyo for Postcards
June 10, 2022 • Eric Bandholz
Apple's iOS 14 privacy changes have upended Facebook advertising performance, forcing merchants to seek alternative marketing channels. Direct mail is back.