New Balance Introduces ReSale Program: Reconsidered

New Balance has just launched its Reconsidered program — a new resale platform accessible through its online store. This platform allows consumers to explore and purchase pre-owned shoes, including consumer returns and cosmetically imperfect footwear that cannot be sold as new.

Customers can join the program by trading in gently worn New Balance shoes via mail or in-store drop-off. Upon eligible trade-ins, they will receive a voucher to use for their next online purchase at New Balance online store. Voucher values are determined by the seasonality and condition of the traded-in products. Reconsidered is now only available to customers in the U.S. and this program is set to be piloted at eight retail locations before scaling into more U.S. stores later this year.

The Reconsidered program is in line with New Balance's overarching sustainability objectives. The brand is dedicated to meeting its approved emissions reduction targets aligned with the 1.5°C goal, as per the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi). Additionally, by 2025, New Balance intends to secure 100% renewable electricity for its owned operations, persist in sourcing lower-impact materials, shift to lower carbon transportation, and proactively collaborate with governments to advocate for improved climate policies.

Temu and Etsy Feature in Super Bowl 58 Ads

More than 100 million viewers are expected to watch Super Bowl 58 today as the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. With speculation of Taylor Swift showing up to cheer on her boyfriend, Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce, a new record could be set.

And that would attract many advertisers, especially since last-year Super Bowl became the most-watched U.S. telecast in history with over 115 million viewers. About 70 ads were broadcast over 40 minutes during the Big Game last year. At $7 million for a 30-second spot, brands went big with embracing a glossy tech future, supercharged with AI.

This year, around 40 brands have already been announced as advertisers, including Temu, one of the fastest-growing eCommerce platforms. Temu has committed to buying multiple ad units during this year Super Bowl, having also participated last year.

Another eCommerce, Etsy, also joins as an advertiser for Super Bowl 2024. This marks Etsy's debut in the Super Bowl arena, where they will promote the 'Gift Mode' feature, which uses a combo of generative AI, human curation and machine learning to find the perfect present for someone on Etsy’s website.

Shopify Launches Localization Feature for Easy International Selling

Shopify has launched its Winter ’24 Edition, which includes more than 100 product updates to its eCommerce platform. These include localization features to make international selling easier. This features names Markets Pro, a feature that is now only available for U.S. merchants across all plans. It empowers merchants to establish a localized online store for up to three markets, breaking down barriers to international growth. This includes addressing challenges such as international taxes, country-specific regulations, duties, import taxes, shipping, and fulfillment.

Markets Pro ensures a seamless expansion into over 150 markets by providing local currency and payment methods for each region. Merchants can access discounted DHL Express and DHL eCommerce shipping labels, while also automating the calculation and collection of duties and taxes at checkout. Additionally, using Markets Pro enables merchants to automatically redirect customers to region-specific domains, offering language and country recommendations. This feature further facilitates the translation of the store into various languages, providing a truly localized and enhanced customer experience.

Other features that were also announced during the Winter ’24 Edition include AI-powered semantic search updates, a new free Subscriptions app, and Headless Storefronts that allow merchants to create customized buyer experiences, with a focus on the B2B sector.