Marketplaces

Kitchen Brand Houzer Invests in D2C Growth
January 18, 2024 at 3:28 pm

While at NRF 2024: Retail's Big Show in New York City this week, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Michael Challinger, CEO of Houzer, an emerging kitchen and bathroom product company, to learn more about the brand's partnership with commerce platform BigCommerce. Challinger discusses transforming the Houzer digital business after joining the company as CEO, why…

Amazon Cuts Referral Fees for Apparel Merchants
December 7, 2023 at 1:03 pm

Amazon.com is slashing its merchant fees for clothing vendors in an attempt to compete with Chinese fast-fashion retail site Shein, which may be on the docket to IPO in 2024. The online retail giant announced Tuesday that referral fees for items priced under $15 will drop from 17 percent to 5 percent. The fees for…

Maximizing User Experience: 3 Must-Haves for Building a Respected B2B Marketplace
December 7, 2023 at 11:50 am

Peer recommendations have been a trusted endorsement for products and services since the earliest days of commerce. However, in the “age of influence,” brands maximize this word-of-mouth endorsement and spread it far and wide through authentic and paid channels. This age-old practice of sharing advice transcends consumer markets. It's taking hold in the B2B space…

E-Commerce Trends Businesses Should Prioritize for 2024
November 30, 2023 at 3:29 pm

Keeping up with the state of e-commerce is difficult. The online shopping space for both B2B and B2C organizations is in a constant state of flux. Just prior to 2020, most B2C retailers and brands had fully embraced digital commerce. The most successful companies stayed ahead of e-commerce trends and were able to quickly pivot…

3 Things You Need to Know About the 2023 Holiday Shopper
November 29, 2023 at 11:24 am

After a rollercoaster year, we've arrived at the 2023 holiday season. With economic fluctuations and unpredictable shopper trends, forecasting consumer behavior is more challenging than ever before. That’s why ShipStation compiled insights from over 8,000 shoppers and businesses around the globe to help merchants understand consumers’ most up-to-date needs and how they can fulfill them…

How Amazon is Priming its Seller Partners for Success
November 13, 2023 at 3:04 pm

In episode 427 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Claire O'Donnell, director of selling partner empowerment, communities and trust at Amazon.com. Listen in as O'Donnell discusses two key themes discusses at Amazon Accelerate, the annual conference dedicated entirely to Amazon’s selling partners (1:20), and the impact that the in-person community has on its sellers (2:43).…

Shopify Investing in Wholesale Platform Faire
September 27, 2023 at 3:26 pm

E-commerce giant Shopify is now a stakeholder in the wholesale platform Faire, the companies announced Wednesday. The deal establishes Faire as the recommended wholesale marketplace for Shopify and expands Shopify’s B2B offerings, helping drive growth for the brands as well as the independent retailers the two companies serve. “At Faire we have long admired Shopify’s like-minded…

The INFORM Act: Will Counterfeiters Scatter Like Cockroaches Under a Light?
September 25, 2023 at 3:01 pm

Consumers, retailers and intellectual property (IP) owners are likely to benefit from the INFORM Consumers Act. The sale of counterfeit and pirated goods totaled $509 billion globally in 2016, according to an OECD report. Traditionally, individuals sold such goods at flea markets and on street corners. Today they reach a much wider audience through online…

Where Will Your Retail Business Be 3 Years From Now?
September 7, 2023 at 3:53 pm

Today’s consumers are more demanding, less loyal and more distracted than ever before. Retailers face new, complex challenges as they attempt to connect to new customers, provide a more seamless shopping experience, and improve their overall profitability. Consider the following: 82 percent of global consumers regularly use multiple digital touchpoints during their buying journey; and…

Tips for Building a Strong Brand Presence on Amazon
August 23, 2023 at 4:37 pm

Selling on Amazon.com represents a massive opportunity for businesses, not just in terms of the revenue it can drive, but also for its brand-boosting potential. Building a strong brand presence on Amazon is critical for businesses looking to succeed in the competitive online retail space. The platform can bring new sales, widen brand reach, and…