François Maingret

Tag: sales channels (Page 1 of 3)

Selling Private Labeled Items from Alibaba on Amazon Is the Fast Lane to Failure

May 12, 2024 /

I recently saw an intriguing article in my recommendations. It was a guide on how to find products on Alibaba to resell on Amazon. I wondered why Google would recommend articles from 2017? But no, the article was published recently by a major company that sells market research software.

I get it, everyone is looking for the easy, quick, and risk-free way to get rich. And people have been selling that dream since commerce was a thing. We’ve seen it with dropshipping, with “Alibaba to Amazon” private labeling, or with the millions of pyramid schemes out there. Hell, I am sure people in ancient Greece were selling courses on investing in olive oil and wine.

Even though the article doesn’t present itself as a “get rich quick” guide, I found it overly optimistic. I don’t blame the company; it was well-written and probably does a great job at selling their software. And it isn’t misleading either; there is a lot of good and useful info in there. But because I know there are aspiring entrepreneurs reading my content, I’d like to discuss the risks of this strategy. The market has changed drastically since people started selling products sourced from Alibaba on Amazon, and I think it is necessary to understand these changes.

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Etsy Q1 Earning Call Review – Interesting Initiatives but Poor Threat Assessment?

May 4, 2024 /

“Etsy? Who cares about Etsy Q1 earning call when we can review Amazon’s?” Believe it or not, the world of ecommerce is more than just Amazon. Etsy is a large marketplace that is much more relevant than Amazon for many small business owners. I found that Etsy is working on relevant projects over the last year. And as the competition from Chinese giants is threatening many companies, I thought it would be interesting to see if/how Etsy approaches it. 

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TikTok Getting Closer to a Ban in the US: My Top 3 Consequences for Brands

May 1, 2024 /

Some people say Gen Z will riot if TikTok gets banned in the US. For me, I think business owners and marketing managers have more reasons to be upset. While the major news focuses on geopolitics and the assumed threat regarding data security, I feel that the impact on US businesses is overlooked.

It would be a mistake to assume banning a Chinese app would only have positive consequences for US businesses. Keep in mind that I am not advocating for or against the ban. I understand that this is more complicated than my small area of expertise in e-commerce. But brands should be aware of the consequences of a potential ban so they can prepare for an uncertain future.

So let’s jump to the top three reasons, in no specific order, why I think banning TikTok could seriously hurt some local businesses.

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France Taxes Fast Fashion : Will We See Similar Regulations Expand to Other Countries and Industries?

March 25, 2024 /

Do you feel guilty ordering clothes from Shein? If so, you’re not alone. Thousands of social media users are voicing their concerns about the impact on the environment and the labor practices of the Chinese giant, criticizing influencers’ “Shein hauls.”

Yet, Shein is more popular than ever, with over 250 million app downloads in 2023. The sheer volume of clothing sold and the resulting waste are reasons why some consumers are becoming concerned. But consumers are not the only ones worried: businesses and the government seem to be taking the threat seriously, with France’s parliament backing measures to make fast fashion less attractive to buyers.

Of course, governments say they want to support more sustainable practices. But is saving the environment the only reason behind these potential new regulations? Following the massive success of China-based shopping apps, could we see similar regulations expand to industries beyond just fast fashion?

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Customers Want Omnichannel Coupons : How Realistic is That?

March 5, 2024 /

Not too long ago, omnichannel was the center of attention in the ecommerce world, before AI and new sales channels became a thing. However, a solid omnichannel strategy is still important for retailers and is expected from shoppers who seek a consistent brand experience. According to a recent PYMNTS Intelligence study, 75% of U.S. shoppers expect digital coupons to be available for both in-store and online shopping.

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Is Walmart Marketplace Catching Up on Amazon? A Short Case Study on a Specific Category

March 1, 2024 /

If you missed the big news about Walmart this month, here it is: their earnings surpassed expectations, and the company hit a major ecommerce milestone with $100 billion in sales last year.

This announcement prompted many ecommerce managers and executives (I certainly did) to reflect on their strategy regarding Walmart.com and if their plan was appropriate. 

It is true that overlooking Walmart is easy these days. Amazon is still the king in the ecommerce realm, and flashy new entrants like Temu or Shein are being extremely aggressive in their marketing. And Walmart is in this awkward space where its ecommerce operations are too big to be completely ignored, but too small to be a company’s main focus (I get approached by Amazon agencies every day, but they very rarely mention Walmart). 

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Target Considers a Paid Membership Program : What is it About and Should Ecommerce Professionals Care?

February 20, 2024 /

For some people, going to Target to buy a loaf of bread and returning with $300 worth of clothes and home decor is a familiar scenario. The addiction to Target is real and might become more intense for some. Bloomberg reports that the company is considering offering a paid membership program as early as this year. Should they launch it, this program would be another competitor for Amazon Prime, Walmart Plus, and Costco memberships. However, Target is late to the party, many years after its competitors. Would proceeding with the project make sense for the company, or would it be doomed to fail? Ultimately, should e-commerce entrepreneurs keep an eye on this program?

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Temu Opens to US and European Sellers : Extra Revenues or Major Headaches?

January 30, 2024 /

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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Anecdotal Data on Amazon Pricing and Market Saturation

January 24, 2024 /

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).

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Amazon Lowering Their Fees!* (*Only Applies When Competing With Shein)

December 9, 2023 /

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.

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