Did you know that consumers throw away an estimated 60% of clothes within a year of purchase? This is shocking to me, as I still own a T-shirt or two from my high school years. The fashion industry is responsible for about 10% of global carbon emissions, more than international flights and maritime shipping combined. Companies mass-producing a continuous flow of new, cheap designs like Shein have a disastrous impact on the environment. Some experts also claim that fast fashion has a negative impact on customers’ mental health, leading to feelings of inadequacy if they don’t regularly purchase new items, to impulsive buying decisions, followed by regret and guilt. We have all bought something online and regretted it weeks later, but the fast fashion industry takes it to the next level.
Continue readingAuthor: Francois Maingret (Page 8 of 14)
In this super competitive world, everyone wants to see how they rank. Which football team is leading this season? What are the top 5 best-selling smartwatches? Which car has the best 0-60 times? In reality, the most important question is arguably, “Am I doing well compared to my competition?” That’s where benchmarks come in, and they’re everywhere – from tech, health, and of course the business world.
Continue readingI remember watching videos of people rushing through the store and fighting for flat-screen TVs on Black Friday. Fortunately, when I was old enough to buy myself a large TV, online shopping had taken over, and there are now much easier ways to enjoy great deals.
For digital marketers, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the Super Bowl of online shopping. The 2023 period did not disappoint, with record-breaking sales that show how E-commerce is still growing. While I won’t go into details about this important time (thousands of others have done it successfully), I still want to communicate to my readers the most important insights for this season.
Continue readingIn my opinion, one of the main reasons behind Amazon’s success is its attractiveness for 3rd party sellers. The large amount of traffic and the easy way to generate sales (profitability is another story) certainly helped. Another big reason is their fulfillment network, notably their FBA program. When I didn’t know much about Ecommerce, I thought the idea of 3rd party logistics programs was genius and a huge opportunity for ecommerce entrepreneurs. It is no surprise that Walmart, a serious contender in the US Ecommerce space, launched their marketplace along with their WFS (Walmart Fulfillment Services) program.
Continue readingAmazon sells millions of different products: clothes, food, lawnmowers, toilets, and even houses. Not much is missing, especially now that we’re almost able to buy cars on Amazon. Starting in 2024, Amazon plans to revolutionize car buying by enabling customers to purchase Hyundai vehicles online directly from its platform. Amazon’s latest move, in partnership with Hyundai, may significantly impact the auto industry. The news was strong enough to impact the stock prices of companies like Carvana and Autotrader in mid-November. This move is a natural progression for Amazon and its digital showrooms, presenting an unprecedented offer to consumers.
Continue readingI could write a whole article on the Ad that turned Dollar Shave Club into a billion-dollar company. The ad was hilarious, but also communicated the company value proposition very well : quality razors delivered to your door at a fair price. But instead, I want to go over Unilever’s announcement to sell the majority of its stake in Dollar Shave Club to Nexus Capital Management.
Continue readingHave you ever wondered how Santa gets gifts to every home so quickly? He’s got a secret weapon: a brown sleigh with the letters U-P-S on the side. When the reindeer are overworked, UPS is out there, making holiday wishes come true. UPS and other carriers will be busy this holiday season, as up to 80% of customers say they plan on shopping online.
But hold on, we aren’t there yet. Let’s take a moment to go over UPS’s Q3 performance. It’s a big deal in the world of e-commerce, and things haven’t quite lived up to what we were hoping for. UPS isn’t just sitting around, though. They’re on the move, making changes and taking action. Let’s jump into the numbers, UPS strategy, and the outlook on the upcoming Christmas season.
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Remember when the ecommerce world was the Wild West? Back in the early 2000s, when companies could collect any data they wanted, and there were little standards for online transaction security. Times have changed, but threats are still there, and we now see new regulations every day. Authorities and regulators must ensure that consumers are protected, and the business environment is fair for all its actors. You can hear about it in the daily news. The Federal Trade Commission is going after Amazon, the Indonesian government is taking action against social media, etc. The legal environment has a massive impact on competitive dynamics, and it is important that entrepreneurs understand the current regulations where they operate.
Continue readingAh, Halloween. That time of the year when children are allowed to trespass with a mask on, and take candy from strangers. It’s also the time when adults either wear the cheapest, last-minute costume, or go crazy and compete for the most elaborate outfit. Although there are major differences in how much each customer spends, the Halloween season is still an economic powerhouse. It is estimated that the average consumer will spend $108 in 2023, up from $100 last year. Halloween is a major event for retailers, and customers’ interest does not decrease. Let’s see how customers shop during the season and how businesses can plan for it.
Continue readingEveryone has a few products they love, but only buy when they are on sale. Whether it’s electronics, luxury fashion, or even our favorite candies, sometimes we just refuse to pay full price, but are quick to pull out our credit card when we see a good deal online. For me, this product is Liquid IV. I feel like it really helps me not be dehydrated after a long flight. I wasn’t surprised when I heard that Liquid IV products were among the top sellers during the successful Prime Big Deal Days event on October 10-11.
Continue readingAbout This Blog
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!