Any Other Business: 1 July 2022

This week’s AOB looks at the latest e-commerce news from around the world, including eBay’s live shopping platform, and how the digital revolution is transforming the future of logistics.

From ancient trading routes to the global distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, logistics has been an integral part of humankind's existence. But what does the future hold?

DHL’s 2021-2022 Trend Report, Future of Work in Logistics, explores how new technologies and automation are transforming supply chains across the world.

“Digitalization is already fundamentally changing the way we live and do business. The pandemic only accelerated the execution of plans that companies had envisaged. We assume that 30-35 percent of all activities could be automated by 2030,” says Thomas Ogilvie, Chief Human Resources Officer at Deutsche Post DHL Group.

Discover the key logistics trends businesses should be integrating to stay ahead in a competitive market by reading – or listening – to the report here.

Thinking about selling to the Chinese market? You’d be well received: according to recent research¹, 51% of online consumers there said they intend to buy more from Western brands over the next year.

The survey of 1,000 shoppers on the country’s leading marketplace for foreign brands, Tmall Global², also dived into Chinese consumers’ main motivations for buying from overseas. “Strong product quality,” “The brand or product gives me a sense of uniqueness,” and “The brand or product matches my style and/or value” came out on top.

“Western brands should feel bullish about sustained interest from Chinese consumers during the next year,” Chris Vincent³, chief international officer at Pattern⁴ – which conducted the survey – said, adding that vitamins and nutritional supplements are particularly sought after, as buyers value quality here. 

Shopify merchants can now onboard themselves to Twitter’s Shopping Manager dashboard thanks to a recent deal between the two platforms. US sellers will be able to open a “virtual storefront” on the social-media site, with direct links to the products they’re selling, via a sales app syncing their Shopify accounts with Twitter’s dedicated e-commerce channel.

Twitter has been building out its e-commerce portfolio and capabilities as it seeks to attract new revenue dollars. It has recently expanded the beta of its Shop Spotlight and Twitter Shops tools to all brands in the US.

For e-commerce businesses, there is a valuable opportunity to tap into the platform’s vast audience base. “Reaching potential customers where they are is critical to the success of Shopify merchants,” Amir Kabbara, director of Product at Shopify, said⁵. “Twitter is where conversations happen, and the connection between conversations and commerce is vital. Our partnership with Twitter, and the launch of the Twitter sales channel, will let merchants seamlessly bring commerce to the conversations they’re already having on the platform.”

eBay has launched a live shopping platform for collectibles. eBay Live invites enthusiasts to browse, discover, and engage with items in an interactive environment, “as if they’re in a traditional offline store.”

 “As the collector community grows, we’re offering a new live platform that combines an engaging environment with incredible ease, allowing our community to come together over shared interests and merchandise,” a company press release said⁶. “Currently in beta, eBay Live will deliver a more streamlined, entertaining and sophisticated way for our community to connect, buy and sell.” 

The platform’s inaugural event was held June 22, featuring a curated selection of rare trading cards from top-rated eBay seller, Bleecker Trading. Shoppers were able to chat with the brand, ask questions, and purchase directly from the livestream.

It’s July which means it’s officially Amazon Prime Day month. Whether you sell directly on the marketplace giant, or run your own e-commerce store, you can be sure you’ll see a surge of traffic on July 12 and 13 as record numbers of bargain hunters head online.

Ensure your business is ready for the rush with our guide to managing surges in demand. Happy selling!