The 3 Key Differences Between U.S. And Chinese Markets And What It Means For Ecommerce: Insights...

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Chinese-owned shopping platforms Shein and Temu have surged in popularity in recent years, quickly catching up to U.S. retail giants like Amazon, Walmart, and Target. Their focus on fast fashion and influencer marketing has pulled in millions of users, becoming the most downloaded apps of 2023 .

But how exactly did these newcomers manage to hold their own against the likes of Amazon and Walmart? What did they do differently that helped them succeed not just in China but also in the U.S.? Lesley Gao , an expert in micro-mobility and ecommerce, points out three key differences between U.S. and China ecommerce that these platforms leveraged to gain an edge.

In China, there's this idea of a "super app" that combines multiple services into one platform. For example, popular super apps like WeChat, Alipay, and Meituan allow you to chat, shop, pay your bills, book appointments and more — without ever needing to switch apps.

Super apps also double as customer relationship management (CRM) tools, where sellers can create dedicated group chats to engage with customers, promote their products and take orders. This direct, real-time communication with customers builds on the concept of a "private community," where customers get prompt updates, ask questions and feel more connected to the brand. This creates numerous touchpoints for user interaction, increasing the likelihood of user retention and repeat business.

In China, it's a whole different game. Influencers, or "key opinion leaders" (KOLs) as they are called, instead focus on direct sales to their communities. KOLs have their own stores within super apps like WeChat that allow them to earn directly from product sales without intermediaries. This setup gives them a steadier income and better earning potential without having to worry about likes and shares.

China's position as a global production hub gives it a huge advantage in ecommerce. With supply chains right at their doorstep, Chinese-based platforms offer a wide variety of products at lower prices and with faster shipping times. They can quickly adapt to market demands and get products out to consumers in no time.

Optimistic Guidance Drives A Sharp Rise In The Stock Price (NYSE:SHOP)

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Headlines:

Shopify ( NYSE: SHOP ) has been an incredibly rewarding investment for those lucky enough to get in early after the company's initial public offering ('IPO') in 2015. The shares have delivered a return of 2,600% or 42% annual. Its revenues have grown at 49% per annum since the end of 2014 from $105 million to estimated $8.6 billion in 2024. The massive e-commerce market is a huge opportunity, as the company's growth indicates. As you tell from the chart below, revenues are forecasted to grow above 20% for the next 3 years. Keep in mind, Shopify has been around for more than a decade - and it's still growing at these high rates.

We have owned Shopify for only 2.5 years, establishing our position in the first quarter of 2022 at a cost basis of $60, after the stock collapsed from its highs of $169 in November 2021. In hindsight, our entry may have been a bit premature, as the stock continued to plunge, eventually reaching a low of $27 in October 2022. However, such market movements are inherently unpredictable, and we seized the opportunity to invest in a company we had long admired.

As you can see in the chart below, the drawdowns for SHOP over the past five years have been dramatic, with the stock dropping over 80% in 2022:

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Saves⁘ The Air Cargo Industry - But What About The Planet?

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Some 786 delegates from upwards of 40 countries attended this year's EU CBEC ecommerce forum in Liege to celebrate air-cargo's "saviour", but ignorance is bliss when it comes to ESG [ Environmental, social and governance] concerns.  

Liege airport (LGG) was the perfect location for this week's event as Europe's fifth biggest air cargo hub in Europe, handling over 1000 tonnes of cargo last year alone, and is a favourite for ecommerce players, not least in part because of its favourable (so far) Customs regime.

And the airport is very cargo focused; just to paint a picture of how few and far between the passenger flights are in Liege, the departures board display in the event's forum not only showed the time of the flights, but the month.  

On to the conference itself, and anyone who is familiar with air cargo conferences would likely bet a hefty wager on any agenda being centred around three main topics of discussion: safety, digitilisation and sustainability.  

However, while many discussions circled back to automation and collaboration at the forum this week, talks about sustainability were notably absent.  

One titled 'marketplaces and sustainability' touched upon the sizeable CO2 emissions and waste products brought about by ecommerce, with panel moderator and TIACA's head of business development Kenneth Gibson noting that the global waste generated by online shopping is projected to grow to 900m metric tons annually by next year.  

In fact, today, The Loadstar reports on Amazon's environmental footprint, which has seen its emissions from air transport rise 67% in five years, while its emissions from dock to door have grown at an average annual rate of 18%.

It's no wonder that many speakers chose to either avoid the topic altogether or shift the blame to consumers ⁘ one noting that little could be done to decarbonise the ecommerce supply chain without SAF.  

The only speaker on the whole event line up with any kind of environmental stake was Atlas Air's chief commercial officer and head of sustainability, Richard Broekman, who himself even pointed out the conflicting interests of his job titles.  

15 Exciting Trends That Are Impacting B2B Digital Marketing In 2024

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Cutting-edge technologies and innovative strategies are redefining how businesses connect and engage with each other. The B2B marketing space, in particular, is at the forefront of a revolution that promises to transform lead generation, content creation and distribution, customer engagement and, ultimately, the nature of business relationships in the digital age.

With more sophisticated and impactful tools at their disposal than ever before, B2B marketers are reimagining customer outreach and reshaping the digital landscape around them in 2024. Below, members of Forbes Agency Council discuss exciting tools, technologies, tactics and trends B2B marketers will be integrating into their digital strategies this year to build deeper connections with customers and drive greater success.

Better, more strategic use of video in the ongoing "consumerization" of B2B experiences is a key trend. With video, there is a huge opportunity to boost engagement in complex B2B buying cycles through inspired, creative brand storytelling and elevated production values. And with more B2B decision-makers coming from younger generational cohorts, video is a powerful medium for humanizing B2B brands and building relatability. - Pete Stein , Merkle

I'm excited by all that we, as digital marketers, are able to achieve by using website visitor identification software and intent data. If you consider that the vast majority of your site visitors do not submit a form, it would be a lost opportunity to not engage with them. Instead, uncover new opportunities with visitors showing strong buyer intent signals, even when they don't submit a form. It's a game-changer. - Tom Shapiro , Stratabeat

CGC from customer testimonials can be a real game-changer for B2B marketers. When real customers share their experiences, it builds trust and authenticity. Using these testimonials in paid social and programmatic ads makes the content relatable and more impactful, driving higher engagement and conversions by showcasing genuine success stories. - Danielle Wiley , Sway Group

Of Leaders Prioritize GenAI For Data And Analytics, Almost Half Anticipate Doubling ROI...

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Sept. 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A new MIT SMR Connections report sponsored by ThoughtSpot , the AI-Powered Analytics company, explores how early adopters of generative AI for analytics are gaining a significant competitive edge, with many already experiencing positive results, and a majority seeing significant returns from their investments.

The report drew responses from 1,000 business and data leaders in multiple industry sectors across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Of the 1,000 global respondents, 67% are already leveraging generative AI for an analytics use case, with 26% planning to, and 7% evaluating its use.

Early Adopters Set New Competitive Benchmarks
According to the report, the early adopters find that the technology's ability to accelerate data-driven decision-making is a key benefit of implementation (44%), alongside its ability to improve products and services (44%), closely followed by how the technology can improve the quality of business insights (42%).

As the early adopters advance the number and scale of their deployments, they expect the competitive gap to widen between themselves and those only in planning mode. Over a third of early adopters (35%) project major revenue boosts, including almost half (48%) expecting a 100% return on investment (ROI) within three years, and over one in ten (12%) expecting their ROI to exceed 300% within the same period. The findings underscore the business imperative for generative AI in analytics, and the technology's potential to deliver unprecedented business value.

The Path to Generative AI Success in Analytics
The success of generative AI implementation hinges on key factors: evolving skill sets, fostering strong collaboration between business and data teams, and selecting the right tools to support business strategy.

'School Choice' Amendment Campaigns Have Already Raised Millions Ahead Of Election

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Campaign fundraising for and against a controversial ballot measure related to school funding in Kentucky has already surpassed $4 million, with nearly two months to go before the General Election.

Protect Our Schools Kentucky, the campaign against Amendment 2, has raised almost double the amount of Kentucky Students First/Yes on 2, according to new reports filed with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

In November, Kentuckians will decide whether or not the state should amend its constitution to let lawmakers allocate tax dollars for education outside the public schools system, commonly referred to by proponents as giving families "school choice."

The campaigns launched earlier in the summer, with both sides also pitching their arguments at this year's Fancy Farm picnic.

Supporters of the amendment want it to pass because they say it will foster opportunities for all students, regardless of economic status. Meanwhile, critics say the amendment will harm the education system.

Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at @hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.

A Seattle-based Carbon Removal Marketplace That Raised $17M, Shuts Down After 7 Years *

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Seattle-based carbon removal startup Nori has shut down after operating for seven years and raising $17.25 million from investors.

Nori managed an online marketplace for buying and selling carbon credits generated by farmers who used sustainable practices that capture and hold carbon, keeping it out of the atmosphere. It tracked the sales using blockchain technology.

Alexsandra Guerra , a Nori co-founder and former director of sales and business development, shared news of the closure in a LinkedIn post.

The Nori website says that the company this year was on track to remove more than 700,000 tons of carbon from the atmosphere, directing $6.5 million to farmers.

GeekWire reached out to Nori leaders for additional comment and will update this story when we hear back.

The year before, it secured a partnership with Bayer, a global leader in agriculture, which is providing "hundreds of thousands of verified carbon removal offsets" to the Nori platform. At the time, the demand for offsets was outstripping the supply side from farmers.

Scientists largely agree that carbon removal will be essential to preventing the worst climate outcomes, and tech giants including Microsoft and Amazon have spent millions of dollars on carbon credits. A report released in June said the carbon credit market could hit $100 billion a year by 2035 — which would mark massive growth from its current value of $2.7 billion last year.

But there has also been significant uncertainty and disruption in the field as participants have struggled to create accepted standards for how to quantify and credit carbon removal to ensure it's valid and having the intended climate impacts.

Costco Scams Customers Should Know About Before Shopping

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Costco's a popular place to shop, especially among those looking to save money. Unfortunately, that means that scammers love to target Costco, whose business model is designed to please both customers and employees. It's the company's aim to please that makes a lot of scams seem so believable. In fact, the problem is so widespread that the company has a page on its website of known scams -- and it's a long list. Costco is doing its part by warning customers not to fall for online scams . The scams tend to fall into certain categories, with giveaways, prizes, and surveys being among the most common.

Everyone loves free stuff, and winning raffles and other low-stakes contests is just fun. Who doesn't want to be a winner? It shouldn't be a surprise, then, that one of the top ways that con artists try to scam shoppers is by creating fake giveaways and prizes that just happen to require some personal information if you want to claim your prize. If you see anything about Costco offering a giveaway that you can enter, and if you're not sure whether it's a scam, call Costco directly to ask.

Always be suspicious of emails that claim to be from Costco that address you as "Dear Customer" and that offer huge gifts for seemingly little in return. One scam Costco cites claims to give customers a free 4K HDTV just for paying their credit card bills on time. Ignore these offers because all you'll get in return is a ransacked credit card.

No, the seafood department at Costco isn't really trying to be your friend on Facebook, and no, that sponsored ad for heavy construction equipment on sale at a huge discount is not legitimate, either. You've got to keep in mind that mantra: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." It applies to nearly everything you see online. If you've got a tight budget and get an offer for one of these sweetheart deals, don't fall for it out of desperation. Look for typos and beware of requests for personal information. Instead of responding, report the post or ad to the social media platform instead.

Starbucks Is In Trouble. Can We Blame It On Those Picky Customers Who Hold Up The Line?

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If you want to exchange pleasantries with the person taking the order, fine. But the order itself should be concise. We are not buying a new car or adopting a pet or signing up for flying lessons. We are requesting a coffee — or maybe an iced tea — and that does not need to be complicated.

Unfortunately, some Starbucks customers never got that message, which explains why you might get stuck behind someone who orders something like this: venti, half-whole milk, one quarter 1%, one quarter non-fat, extra hot, no-foam latte with whip, two packets of sugar, one and a half pumps of vanilla syrup and three and a half sprinkles of cinnamon.

Starbucks not only puts up with these bizarre orders, it encourages them: "With more than 170,000 ways to customize beverages at Starbucks® stores, customers can create a favorite drink that fits their lifestyle," it says in a fact sheet dated 2020. Since then, that figure has probably doubled.

After decades spent coddling its customers, Starbucks now faces a reckoning. For months, business writers have been talking about its tanking stock prices , declining revenue and diminishing market share.

Niccol, whose background is in the fast-food industry, has a reputation as a "fixer"; he's credited with rescuing Chipotle Mexican Grill after multiple cases of food-borne illness were traced to the restaurant chain, resulting in a whopping $25 million federal fine .

Experts have offered several explanations: competition from small, independent coffee shops; fast-food chains like McDonald's adding specialty coffees to their menus; inflation that's making consumers less likely to shell out $5 or $6 for a fancy cup of coffee; displeasure over the way Starbucks has been dealing with fed-up employees seeking to unionize .

That might not be a problem if there were enough employees to keep up, but apparently, there are not.

"Menus have gotten much longer, crowded with items that are more complicated and time-consuming to assemble. At the same time, employees say that staffing has dwindled," journalist Amanda Mull writes on Bloomberg .

Larchmere Storefront Burglar Heads To Prison For Nearly 4 Years - Cleveland.Com

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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A Cleveland man could spend close to four years behind bars in connection with a crime spree that included numerous break-ins at businesses on Shaker Square and Larchmere Boulevard.

The rash of burglaries and vandalism started over the winter holidays and extended into the new year after Lashon Guy, 50, posted a minimal bond on previous charges and went right back to "smashing-and-grabbing."

Why Is Shopify (SHOP) Up 2.3% Since Last Earnings Report?

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A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Shopify (SHOP). Shares have added about 2.3% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Shopify due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at its most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important catalysts.

Shopify reported second-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings of 26 cents per share, comfortably beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 30%. The figure jumped 85.7% year over year.

Total revenues jumped 20.7% year over year to $2.05 billion, which beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 2.03%. After adjusting for the sale of the logistics business, revenues jumped 25% year over year.

At this time, Shopify has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. However, the stock was allocated a grade of D on the value side, putting it in the bottom 40% for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of B. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Estimates have been trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Shopify has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.

I Created An Ecommerce Website Within Just 1 Hour Using This AI Website Builder, Here's How I Did...

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When you⁘re in ecommerce, time is money. The faster you can get your online store up and running, the sooner you can start selling and growing your business.

10Web is one of the best AI website builders designed specifically for ecommerce. But unlike other AI website builders, 10Web doesn⁘t have its own proprietary CMS. Instead, it builds your website using WordPress.org, providing its own customized ecommerce-specific solutions on top of it. This is great for small businesses that are looking to scale, because it offers more portability than many other website builders.

I spent 60 minutes of my time over the weekend trying to build an AI-powered ecommerce website with 10Web , just to see if it⁘s even possible.

To get started, head over to the 10Web website (10web.io) and click on the "Sign Up" button in the top right corner. Fill in your email address, choose a password, and click "Create Account". Once logged in, select ⁘Create a new website with AI⁘ on the screen that asks ⁘What do you want to do?⁘ This will take you to the main dashboard to begin creating your online store.

After completing the questionnaire, 10Web's AI generated a draft website filled with unique content, images, and a basic layout. Now, it was time to make the site my own using the intuitive drag-and-drop editor. You can access 10Web⁘s new Elementor-based AI builder by clicking ⁘Preview ⁘ Edit⁘ and choosing the pencil icon at the top right.

On the left side of the screen, you'll find a menu with various design elements, such as text boxes, images, buttons, and sections. Simply click on an element to add it to your page. You can rearrange elements by clicking and dragging them to your desired location.

Cause-Related Marketing: Embrace Doing Well By Doing Good

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Ironically, the first steps toward doing a lot of good didn't come from a dramatic moment. They came from an absurdly outsized dumpster bill.

I'm the founder of a Wisconsin remodeling and installation company that specializes in—you guessed it—windows. In 2016, our trash service was costing a fortune—every window installation requires the removal of the old sash—and all that bulky material had to make its way to a landfill.

Over the years, and after creating several other programs, I've learned that cause-related marketing is an extremely powerful tool that benefits a company, its customers, and its community.

Traditional marketing strategies focus on highlighting product features and benefits. Still, an increasing number of companies are embracing cause marketing to forge deeper connections with their customers in ways their traditional operations don't. Cause marketing is a strategy that aligns a brand with a social cause with the aim of benefiting both. This partnership helps raise awareness and funds for a cause, enhances the company's brand image, builds customer loyalty, and can even boost sales. It also often turns the customer into a co-producer.

Many high-profile brands have successfully implemented cause marketing campaigns that resonate with their customers and employees while adding to their businesses' profile, positioning, and performance.

Similarly, Starbucks engages in an annual RED campaign , during which it donates a portion of its proceeds from specific products to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and malaria.

Windows for a Cause began with a simple idea: instead of discarding old windows removed during installations, we would repurpose them as canvases for local artists. These art pieces were then auctioned off, and the proceeds went to support individuals and causes.

Enhancing Security Through Video Behavior Analytics

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Headlines:

* Facebook and Google team up to enhance online safety with new AI-powered video analysis tools (Source: The Verge) * Israeli company CogniVue uses AI to improve security video surveillance, claims to reduce false alarms by 90% (Source: CNN) * "Smart glasses" debut in public trial in China, feature advanced AI-powered surveillance capabilities (Source: South China Morning Post) * New surveillance system in Japan uses AI to analyze pedestrians' behavior, detects potential security threats (Source: Japan Times) * report highlights the importance of AI-powered video analytics in enhancing airport security (Source: CNN) * City surveillance systems in the US get a boost with new AI-powered video analysis software (Source: TechCrunch) * Researchers develop AI-powered glasses to detect ear and eye movements... potential for use in security and surveillance (Source: The Guardian) * New AI-powered facial recognition system detects emotions... potential use in security and biometric applications (Source: BBC News) * Researchers create AI-powered drone that can detect potential security threats in real-time (Source: Gizmodo) Note: These bullet points are based on current news headlines and are intended to provide examples of the applications of AI-powered video analytics in enhancing security. They are not meant to endorse or promote any specific technology or application.

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Nick Herbert is the Global Head of Government ⁘ Public Safety for Fujitsu , enabling a trusted digital society.

VBA works by detecting and interpreting human behavior and intent from video streams, transforming safety measures across various industries, from transportation and retail to government facilities, but many are not yet on this journey.

Video behavior analytics involves the use of AI algorithms to analyze video footage and identify humans and their actions to recognize patterns that may indicate suspicious or dangerous behavior. Unlike traditional video surveillance, which relies heavily on human monitoring, VBA automates the detection process, allowing for real-time alerts and quicker responses to potential threats, ideally preventing security incidents before harm is caused. This technology can detect a wide range of behaviors, from aggressive actions and vandalism to individuals entering prohibited areas or showing signs of distress requiring medical assistance.

One key area is increasing the safety of passengers and drivers by identifying aggressive behavior, vandalism or unauthorized access to restricted areas, such as train tracks. By detecting these behaviors early, transport control centers and station staff can take preventive measures or respond to incidents, minimizing risks and enhancing overall safety.

Large gatherings in public spaces or arenas, such as concerts, sports events and festivals, create unique security challenges. VBA could help monitor crowds for signs of aggression and identify individuals entering restricted areas, left luggage or potential overcrowding.

Man Injured In Shooting During Meetup For Online Marketplace Sale In North Lawndale

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Chicago police said the armed robbery attempt unfolded just after 3 p.m. in the 3400 block of West Douglas Boulevard in North Lawndale.

Anyone with information on the shooting is asked to contact CPD Area Four Detectives at 312-746-8251 or dial 911.

Those with information that could help authorities in their investigation can also leave a tip at CPDtip.com . Tips can be filed anonymously.

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