???? New year, new channels ????

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We're halfway through January, which means half finished resolutions and a chance to reflect on how the holidays season turned out.?

Shoppers spent a?record-breaking $211.7 billion ?on e-commerce during the 2022 holiday season, according to Adobe.??

Retailers employed?a number of strategies ?to generate and meet consumer demand, including marketing to existing customers and diversifying their channels.

Now that we're in full swing for 2023, this issue will explore the?biggest trends ?we can expect this year, curated by brands for brands for better retail.

In this issue, we’re exploring:

? ??Amazon's expansion of Buy with Prime

? ??Shopify's gift for enterprise retailers

? ???Instagram's early spring cleaning

? ??The Brij Team's 2023 omnichannel predictions

?Let's dive in.

WHAT'S BUZZIN' THIS MONTH

AMAZON IS EXPANDING BUY WITH PRIME TO 3RD-PARTY SITES?

Buy with Prime, a service that allows third-party merchants to offer benefits such as free shipping,?will launch ?on Jan 31.?

So far, feedback is mixed. Some brands have reported an increase in conversion rates but others saw a drop in AOV. One reported benefit is that Buy with Prime shows expected delivery date, important for brands with high replenishment.?

Our take??While Buy with Prime gives merchants an opportunity to improve the customer experience with benefits like free shipping, brands will need to test if it is the right fit for their customers and product.

SHOPIFY HAS RELEASED ITS NEW ENTERPRISE RETAIL SOFTWARE?

Shopify?introduced ?the new software, called Commerce Components by Shopify (CSS), earlier this month.

Toy company Mattel, which plans to?move its entire brand portfolio?to Shopify, will be one of the first users of CCS

Our take??Shopify has grown its platform significantly in the past months, from its Klaviyo partnership this past August and POS Go rollout this past September. Its focus on flexibility with CCS is exactly what enterprise retailers need to keep up with the changing tech landscape.

INSTAGRAM SET TO REMOVE ITS SHOP TAB?

Beginning next month, Instagram will?remove the Shop tab ?from its navigation bar, replacing it with the button to create a new post.?

While the company is?pulling back?on its shopping features to "simplify [the] Instagram experience", users will still have opportunities across the feed, stories, reels and more to set up stores and interact with customers.?

Our take??The social commerce landscape is one to watch this year. With Amazon's foray into social commerce this past December and Instagram revisiting the drawing board, it will be interesting to see how these platforms compete with TikTok.

WHAT'S NEW AT BRIJ

What does 2023 have in store for omnichannel brands??

With the current economic headwinds and emerging technologies - quite a lot.??

Check out our list of predictions here.

Let us know if you have one to add!

YOU SHOULD KNOW...

Straight Up Growth?is an advertising agency specializing in one thing and one thing only - growing brands on Amazon.

Daniel Tejada was the first Amazon advertising specialist at a local agency. He drove massive growth for his company and his clients on Amazon. After leaving his first agency, Daniel built the San Diego office and Amazon business division for another agency.

After meeting in 2020, Daniel has joined forces with Evan Kesner to grow Straight Up Growth from 0 to 7-figures rapidly. Evan’s previous business went from 0 to $1.5M in about 14 months. In less than two years, the company has grown to 30 people and over $500MM in Amazon sales managed for a variety of brands.

Amazon Sellers can qualify for a?FREE audit from Straight Up Growth here .?

BUZZY BRANDS WE ARE WATCHING ??

This brand ?takes a smart and convenient way to manage your house essentials.???

Hydrate with plant-powered drinks from?this brand .

Elevate your sleep with hotel-like items from?this brand .

SWEET TIPS AND TRICKS

?? This tool ?helps you communicate with customers on all channels.

?? Create custom Google Maps with thousands of markers on?this app .?

?? This app ?lets you create a single URL for all your social links.?

?? Check out our top 12 omnichannel predictions for 2023?here .

?? Grow your brand on Amazon with a?free audit here .

SEE YOU NEXT MONTH!