Take a break; it's Friday!

October's a-knockin', and that means e-commerce sites are gearing up for the holidays. If you're like most online retailers, you're probably in the midst of planning your holiday marketing strategy. But before you get too far ahead, take a moment to check out this week's top retail and e-commerce stories.

• Now that BigCommerce is available in the Google Cloud Marketplace, enterprise customers can use it to modernize their ecommerce platforms and speed up digital transformation.
• Luxury resale on the blockchain may be closer than you think.
• Walmart is trying to change the way Gen Z perceives them with their recent expansive investment in Roblox.
• Amazon and Target have started their holiday sales early this year.

Top Retail and E-commerce Stories

Two is Better than One: Google Cloud Customers Can Now Turbocharge Their E-commerce Platforms

Yet another update! If you're an enterprise customer using Google Cloud, you'll be happy to know that BigCommerce is now available in the Google Cloud Marketplace. This means you can use BigCommerce to modernize your e-commerce platform and speed up digital transformation. With this integration, enterprises can take advantage of Google Cloud's global infrastructure, world-class security, and data analytics tools to power their online stores.

The following benefits are now available to Google Cloud customers:

• BigCommerce's proprietary architecture may be customized to meet particular company needs while taking advantage of the power, speed, flexibility, and security of Google Cloud Platform.
• Enterprises can use Google BigQuery for reporting and analytics, Google Cloud for cloud services, and Google Ads and Listings to promote their products and site traffic.
• Feedonomics provides a one-stop solution for managing product listings, inventory and orders across multiple global channels, measuring performance and driving GMV growth.
• Customers will receive one monthly bill for all services, which they can pay directly to Google Cloud. Plus, customers may be able to get their BigCommerce fees back as long as they spend a certain amount on Google Cloud (subject to terms and conditions).

Another Blockchain Convert? Luxury Resale On the Blockchain May Be Closer Than You Think

Joining the bandwagon. Designer handbags, limited-edition shoes, and aftermarket for high-end goods are all on the rise at a greater rate than the luxury industry. While resell is already worth $30+ billion owing to the growth of secondhand buying platforms like Poshmark, issues of authenticity and traceability have made luxury a particularly difficult market.

However, the most important aspect of retail isn't yet fully engaged with Web3, but some luxury companies and investors are betting that a future where high-end resales are conducted on a blockchain is just around the corner.

In 2021, LVMH, Prada, and Cartier established the Aura Blockchain Consortium as a nonprofit organization that operates a private blockchain and creates "digital twins" for luxury firms—virtual representations of real items.

Blockchain technology, according to Daniela Ott, general secretary of Aura, benefits both customers and businesses. Brands can utilize a digital twin to prevent the sale of fakes, make recycling and repairs easier, and provide them with an incredible amount of data as well as another revenue source.

Build it. Share it. Play it.: Roblox is Changing the Game for Walmart

Gen Z, this is Walmart! In an attempt to change the way Gen Z perceives them, Walmart has made a $150 million investment in Roblox.

This move comes as no surprise considering that Roblox is one of the hottest gaming platforms out there. Walmart is working to change how Gen Z sees its business with the launch of two Roblox experiences before the holidays. These interactive virtual spaces are Walmart's first foray into this type of platform, and part of a series of experiments that use emerging digital channels to bring young consumers closer to commerce.

With its two-pronged approach on Roblox, Walmart is hoping to appeal to the diverse interests of the gaming platform's 52 million daily active users. In one space, called Walmart's Universe of Play, visitors can browse the retailer's toy collection and add items they encounter digitally to their holiday wish lists.

The Amazon Corner

First Dibs?: Prime Members Get First Crack at Holiday Deals

Early bird gets the worm? In the case of Amazon's holiday deals, it's more like early bird gets the... Prime membership? This October, Amazon is having a sale that looks remarkably similar to their annual Prime Day event-- the main similarity being that customers MUST be Prime members to snag special deals. Talks about a potential second Prime day started in early spring, well before Amazon's yearly member-exclusive sale had even taken place. And since then, the speculation has only gotten louder.

After Amazon's poor start to the year, when many customers returned to stores following immunizations that helped to allay their concerns and restrictions caused by the outbreak. Whatever you want to call it, it's the first time Amazon has held two red-letter events of this magnitude. Expect more merchants to join the early holiday rush as a result of supply chain issues being widely recognized among retailers and consumers, according on BlackFriday.com experts. Inflation is encouraging consumers to seek out great deals and do so quickly, they added.

A LITTLE MORE

• E-commerce is rapidly evolving, and recent UK studies show that brands using Text Message Marketing see an increase in online revenue of up to 30%.
• Shopify will begin selling new hardware to brick-and-mortar shops.
• Flora Raised $9M to Create the First Technology-driven Sustainable E-commerce Platform

FUN FACT

Almost 70% of books, music, and videos are now bought online.

QUICK TIP

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