Ecommerce Magazine

We recently interviewed David Kestenbaum of ZX Ventures at Shoptalk. ZX Ventures is the global growth and innovation group with AB InBev, the world's leading brewer. They have noticed how ecommerce businesses are changing the game for traditional retailers and they are adapting to how consumers are now buying beer and other beverages. 

Why Amazon Doesn’t Have to be the Enemy

We simply can’t ignore the powerhouse that is Amazon. In 2016, 43% of all U.S. online retail sales came from the online marketplace. While most physical retail stores are struggling to stay relevant in an Internet-centric environment, Amazon is only growing, even seeing its highest numbers to date this past quarter. But while Amazon’s success is impressive, ecommerce retailers have become somewhat disillusioned with the world’s biggest online marketplace and wonder whether or not Amazon is their friend or foe.

Today’s consumers most desire convenience and efficiency when shopping, driving retailers to devote more effort to streamlining the customer journey. As a result, more and more retailers are pursuing an emerging retail theory called  “friction-free commerce,” where the goal is for customers to shop and transact in as few clicks or steps as possible. (It’s one of the driving forces behind voice-activated shopping, instant order buttons, and chatbots.)

Have you noticed the terms omnichannel and multichannel getting used a lot recently?

There are many articles about ecommerce that promote either an omnichannel or a multichannel approach to customer service, but it isn’t always clear what that terminology means.

Viral videos are a great way to get your product in front of a lot of eyes very quickly. However, it is difficult to pinpoint what makes people want to share a video that is essentially a commercial.

It has to have exactly the right mix of content that resonates with a lot of people, and then you have to put it in front of the right eyes to get the ball rolling. There isn't a set formula that can help you determine whether or not a video you produce will go viral. If there were, we would see a lot more videos make the cut.

Every new entrepreneur makes mistakes. However, the ones that succeed are those that make fewer mistakes than their competition. How do they do this? Is it raw talent, natural business senses, or blunt luck? While some might say yes, that’s not always the case.

Great professionals learn from others. They learn to duplicate their successes, while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls that trapped someone else. Being a successful ecommerce professional doesn’t always mean trying something new.

Sometimes it means trying something proven.

If you were to ask Scott Paladini of Bear Mattress in 2010 if he ever thought he would be in the mattress business in 2018, he would have told you “Absolutely not.”

A visit to Sportique’s vibrant platform is like stepping into an outdoorsy lifestyle-lover’s dream. Stylish gear for the rugged terrain meets timeless watches, tote bags, and sunglasses, with an entire section dedicated to houseware and furniture for the modern-day adventurer.

With over 500 brands from around the world to choose from, Sportique is truly reinventing the boutique experience.

Personalized products have gotten a bad rap, with tacky keychains and embroidered pillows reading something like “If you can dream it, you can do it” offering the ultimate in kitsch, yet sacrificing the style fashionistas crave.

But haven’t you always wanted to create your own customized clothes that suit your style, broadcasting seminal quotes you love or inside jokes between you and your friends?

If you answered yes, then you’re not alone. Several years ago, Aubrie Pagano, who continued to come up short when looking for innovative clothes and accessories, was asking herself the same question. And instead of waiting for someone, someday to create the products she was dreaming of, she decided to take matters into her own hands, founding Bow & Drape in 2015.