Reasonably Interesting Week

September 8th

Happy Monday! That's right, same great content, new and better time. Starting now you'll receive the latest in ecommerce retail and logistics first thing Monday mornings. Help you get an edge as you recover from the weekend and lean in to the week.

And now, the newsletter. . .        

Interesting Retail

• China's State Administration announced that Alibaba has completed a three-year rectification period following a $2.75 billion fine in 2021 for monopolistic practices. The regulator praised Alibaba's compliance efforts and will continue guiding the company. (LINK)
• Amazon aggregators Branded and Heyday are merging to form a new entity called Essor, expected to generate $400 million annually. (LINK)
• Ulta Beauty's Q2 performance was weak, with net sales up only 0.9% and a 16% drop in operating and net income. The retailer cut its sales guidance due to increased competition, particularly in prestige beauty, and a cautious consumer market. (LINK)
• A new survey reveals that over half of parents incur debt to buy tech devices for their children's education, with 55% using credit cards, payment plans, or borrowing money. Due to inflation, 41% of parents are leaning towards cheaper tech options. (LINK)
• Walmart is partnering with StockX to offer an expanded range of sneakers on its Marketplace, marking StockX's first strategic marketplace channel. (LINK)
• Walmart’s marketplace has rapidly expanded to 150,000 active sellers, driven by a 30% GMV growth over the past year and attracting more international sellers with 66% of top sellers using Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS). (LINK)

Interesting Logistics

• Canada is imposing a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles and a 25% tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum, citing unfair trade practices that threaten the global EV market and Canadian jobs. (LINK)

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