All prepped and ready for the weekend?✨

Before you log off for the week, catch up on the latest retail and e-commerce news with these top stories!

• Elon Musk is set to acquire the social media site Twitter for $44 billion
• Luxury label Lanvin's digital boutique will be powered by Shopify
• New report reveals the shipping process as an experience
• Amazon is extending its Prime benefits to third-party websites

Top Retail and E-commerce Stories

'Free Speech' Meets Free Market: Elon Musk Buys Twitter

Elon Musk is the new king of social media. In a move that is sure to shake up the social media landscape, Elon Musk secured a purchase agreement for Twitter worth $44 billion in cash on Monday, giving him control of the world's most influential social media platform populated by millions of users and global influencers.

Elon Musk, an advocate of free speech who refers to himself as a "free speech absolutist," has criticized Twitter's moderation. He objects to giving corporations too much power on the network and wants Twitter's optimization for ranking tweets to be open to public scrutiny. As people flock to Twitter to check out the latest developments, now is the right time for brands to get in on the action. 

The Shipping Experience: New Report Finds Consumers Prefer Experience Over Speed

Shipping goes experiential. Providing consumers with a personalized shopping experience is nothing new, however, in a recent report from UPS Capital, research shows that 80% of consumers would prefer a personalized shipping experience over two-day or free shipping. 

What's even more shocking is that 70% of those surveyed reported they are willing to pay for services that provided more control on how their purchases were shipped in order to ensure better care and handling during the shipping process. 

Luxury Retail Going Digital: Shopify to Power Lanvin's Digital Boutique

Lanvin goes digital with Shopify! Luxury fashion label, Lanvin, has tapped Shopify to power its digital boutique. The move will allow Lanvin to offer its customers a more seamless and personalized shopping experience.

Shopify, which is already the platform of choice for many businesses, has been making inroads into the luxury market with clients like Rebecca Minkoff and Tory Burch.

The Amazon Corner

Shop Anywhere, Ship from Amazon: Amazon Extends Prime Benefits to Third-Party Websites

Amazon Prime for everyone! Amazon is expanding its Prime program to include benefits for third-party websites. Under the new program, Prime Now, Amazon will offer their Prime shopping experience without needing to visit the Amazon website. All the benefits of Prime, such as quick delivery and returns, checkout via Prime payment and shipping options, as well as order updates through Prime will be accessible through the participating store's website.

Amazon says it will continue extending invitations to merchants to join in the months ahead. The expansion of Prime is just one of many ways that Amazon is working to increase its reach and dominance in the e-commerce space.

A LITTLE MORE

• Bakers are being urged to take advantage of e-commerce opportunities with Instacart
• Must-Know Tips When Creating a TikTok Marketing Strategy 
• Robots are being used to digitize inventory for last-mile delivery at Zippedi
• 5 Steps to Level Up Your Social-Commerce Strategy

FUN FACT

Google accounts for about 69% of all eCommerce traffic.

QUICK TIP

Try this. Deciding on a manufacturer for your e-commerce product is one of the most crucial partnerships that you'll be making for your business, so make sure that they're trustworthy, reliable, and have a good reputation.

TWEET TWEET

“E-commerce isn’t the cherry on the cake, it’s the new cake” — Jean Paul Ago

OLDIE BUT A GOODIE

Here's a look at Paypal from 22 years ago! How time flies!