?? This Week's Biggest E-Commerce Stories ??
2024 is off to a great start!??
As we settle into the steady rhythm of the new year, we’re feeling more excited than ever about what the future holds for e-commerce! Here are this week’s biggest stories:?
The Amazon Corner
Rebalancing Act: Amazon Refocuses Its Brick-and-Mortar Ambitions?
One door closes, another door opens:?Amazon has scaled back some of its brick-and-mortar offerings in 2023, including its bookstores and apparel stores. Nonetheless, the company continues to operate Whole Foods grocery stores and its own Amazon Go locations while also licensing the latter’s “grab and go” tech to third-party retailers.??
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy explained the company’s shifting brick-and-mortar strategy in a recent earnings call, noting that some areas of physical business were not performing as “big needle movers” and had, therefore, been shuttered. Of course, Amazon’s place at the top of the e-commerce food chain is safe; even after a year of tough decisions, their stock jumped 80.9% in 2023.??
Top Retail and E-commerce Stories
领英推荐
Against All Odds: 2023 Online Holiday Spending Exceeded Expectations
Still riding high on the big holiday season: According to data from fraud prevention vendor Signifyd, U.S. holiday sales increased from 2022 to 2023 by 7% — beating out an already rosy forecast of 5% growth. Analysts note that online holiday shopping started early this year and stayed strong for the duration of the season, which refutes predictions that retailers relying on early sales and promotions might see some slowdown toward the end of the year.??
Signifyd Chief Customer Officer J. Bennett noted that 2023 “felt like a return to normalcy,” and that last year’s holiday resembled pre-COVID shopping patterns. Categories that saw the most substantial growth in 2023 included online grocery sales (up 24% YOY), alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis sales (up 19%), and leisure and outdoor product sales (up 11%).??
QUICK TIP
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