Author: Francois Maingret (Page 3 of 10)
Have you found yourself needing a toaster-shaped desk lamp? How about a $1.28 keychain stapler? Or a 200-pack of men’s ankle socks? If so, I’ve got you covered. Temu has it all, and quickly became one of the most downloaded shopping apps in the US, offering millions of relatively inexpensive products shipped directly from China, targeting low-income Americans.
In recent news, Temu announced they would open their marketplace to US and European sellers. While this sounds like an obvious way to expand their operation, this information surprised me and made me wonder about Temu’s long-term strategy. Will they still pursue low-cost items, or are they attempting to diversify their offer?
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I see the value proposition as the cornerstone of a successful business, something I often go back to when I discuss important business and e-commerce concepts. Another key part is marketing and how to communicate this value proposition to the world. However, I believe an often overlooked aspect is addressing the right target demographic.
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Below is one of my recent LinkedIn Post. I wanted to also share it here on my blog, as I think the data I collected and charts I built can be insightful to those of you selling on Amazon.
Is Amazon saturated? I don’t have the answer, but I do have some interesting anecdotal data (and some good news if you’re in the market for a massage gun).
I looked at a random product, massage guns. First, the evolution of the sale price for the current top 5 massage guns on Amazon. Most launched in 2020 (the first few months of data isn’t always available).
I recently saw a news article about a surprising innovation in my home country: fitting rooms at the post office. What does fashion have to do with shipping packages? You guessed it, ecommerce returns. Why would I want to change and try on clothes in a post office? Well, in some cases it could make sense. Beyond the unique aspect of this move, I thought it was a good reminder of why local specificities still matter in an ever more connected ecommerce world.
Continue readingIf you’re selling on TikTok Shop, or if you consider doing it, you’ve probably heard the big news: Referral fees will increase from 2% to 8% per transaction. TikTok Shops will also cut some of the subsidies they previously offered. While some immediate reactions following the announcements were dramatic, with people claiming the death of TikTok Shop, I feel that most people still see the platform as a viable channel.
My opinion is that TikTok Shop is a unique channel, with a strong value proposition. The lower fees were a tactic to increase the number of sellers on the platform and grow the marketplace. However, it isn’t for every business and some will be more impacted by the new fees than others. I also believe that the importance of the subsidies cut was downplayed, and will have significant consequences this year.
Let’s see how these fees compare with other marketplaces and what I think will be the consequences for businesses.
Continue readingBack in December, several Linkedin posts caught my eye: these were about Zulily laying off part of their workforce, updates by former employees. I have heard of the company and knew it was a significant player in the ecommerce space, but I did not know they were going through a rough time. My initial thought was that they were merely downsizing, like many other tech companies over the last couple of months.
Continue readingAs we get closer to Christmas, many of us prefer to order our presents online and skip the long lines in grocery stores. I make the same mistake every year, waiting until the very last minute to start shopping. And every year, I ask myself the same question: Will my stuff be delivered before Christmas?
For businesses, the holiday season is often a very important time, and setting the right expectations for customers while maximizing sales is key. Let’s take a look at how big retailers do it, what we can learn from them, and what the best practices are.
Continue readingIf you’re selling on Amazon and plan to continue doing so next year, I advise you to stock up on aspirin. Amazon has announced changes to their fee structure, and it will become a lot more complicated to figure out your cost structures when selling on the marketplace.
Some fees will decrease, others will increase, and new fees will be introduced. While selling on Amazon in 2023 could be a little confusing for new entrepreneurs, I imagine that even veterans will need time to adjust to these new fee structures.
Let’s go over the December 5th statement from Amazon explaining what changes will be made, and see who will see their expenses increase the most (and maybe the lucky ones who may pay less than in 2023). I will summarize the fees and try to make them as easy to understand as I can.
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My name is François, I’m the author of this blog. I love writing and talking about business and ecommerce. I hope you enjoy my work, feel free to contact me for any suggestion!