This edition of the Ecommerce and Marketplaces Newsletter focuses on various ways in which innovation is pushing digital commerce forward. In our lead story, we see commercetools breaking down the differences and similarities between the terms “composable”, “headless”, and “MACH”, which are important distinctions when researching modern architecture approaches to digital commerce. Digital Commerce 360 gives a sneak preview of Walmart’s upcoming metaverse commerce “Realm” tech. VTEX explains the notion of “Transcendent Commerce” as a way to navigate our AI-fueled future, a phrase coined by IDC research director Heather Hershey. Algolia discusses how the Large Language Models powering modern AI are changing ecommerce. We also have WBR Insights discussing the ways in which B2B buying and selling has changed, Adobe speaking to the ways in which government IT investments pay off in terms of gaining citizen trust, TechCrunch relays the tale of how Temu’s innovative rise has now put them in EU regulator crosshairs, and Marketplace Pulse has written a fascinating piece about how TikTok is aiming to create 1 Billion shopping influencers (insert comically maniacal Dr. Evil laugh here).
How do composable, headless and MACH® compare? The key differences explained.
Keeping up with digital commerce buzzwords may seem like a full-time job these days. Let’s unpack the difference between the main terms — so you can keep calm and carry on with your digital transformation. This is a must-read for anyone anticipating an ecommerce re-platforming or wider transformation effort.
Walmart Realm debuts a new metaverse-style take on ecommerce
The new shopping experiences in Walmart Realm include radically different environments from the retail giant’s physical stores. As the company’s latest expansion into virtual, immersive, metaverse-style shopping, the launch shows yet another way Walmart is trying to position itself as an online competitor to Amazon.
Transcendent Commerce: The Best Bet to Navigate the AI-Fueled Future of Digital Commerce
In the ever-evolving landscape of digital commerce, the emergence of generative AI (GenAI) has ignited a transformative shift. Heather Hershey, research director of Worldwide Digital Commerce at IDC, recently explored this phenomenon in depth, shedding light on the profound implications for businesses worldwide. The convergence of AI with commerce is not merely a trend but a seismic shift, redefining traditional paradigms and birthing what she terms “Transcendent Commerce.”
How large-language models are changing ecommerce
LLMs (and one particular application of them, generative AI chatbots) are the current darlings of the tech world, and many ecommerce executives are jumping on the genAI models bandwagon in search of website optimization. With a little help from vectors, semantic understanding, and personalization features, LLMs are driving a conversational AI revolution taking place the world over…
Here’s How the Relationship Between B2B Buying, Content, and Sales Reps Has Changed
The B2B sales process has transformed in recent years. Not only are there more decision makers involved than ever before, but there are several additional touch points—face-to-face, email, social media, etc.—which need to be considered.
IT modernization results in increased citizen trust and cost savings
There are over 4,500 active IT projects across the U.S. federal government, with agencies spending over $100 billionon IT and cyber-related investments annually. This is no surprise, as citizens increasingly rely on digital channels and platforms to access critical government services. So, agencies need to deliver personalized, trusted digital experiences.
Chinese e-commerce marketplace Temu faces stricter EU rules as a ‘very large online platform’
Temu, the low-cost e-commerce marketplace owned by Chinese online retailer Pinduoduo, is to face the European Union’s strictest rules after authorities designated the company a “very large online platform” (VLOP) under the Digital Services Act (DSA).
TikTok Aims To Create 1 Billion Shopping Influencers
TikTok is reworking the antiquated affiliate marketing model. It aims to turn every one of its more than a billion users into a shopping influencer. Previously, an influencer would share a unique discount code (“link and discount code in the bio”) because that was the only way to track the sales back to them. Brands would work only with a few creators because of the resources required to find them, agree on the details, and manage sales driven by them. TikTok is changing that with TikTok Shop, which launched in September 2023.
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