Gotta get down on...Friday! 🤘

It's the last day of the work week which can only mean one thing - it's time to catch up on all the latest e-commerce news! Let's jump right in:

• The Department of Justice is preparing to take legal action against Google over its dominance in the online advertising industry.
• TikTok has introduced a new "order center" eCommerce tracking hub for selected users.
• E-commerce industry is not slowing down, but aggregators are already in trouble
• Amazon Prime members now have access to brick-and-mortar retailer boutiques via the Amazon app and e-commerce site, with purchases scheduled to arrive on the same day.

Top Retail and E-commerce Stories

Google Under Fire: DOJ Prepares to Sue Google for Online Ad Dominance 

Google could be going to court. The Department of Justice is preparing to take legal action against Google over its dominance in the online advertising industry.

According to Bloomberg, which cited three unidentified sources, the Justice Department is conducting interviews with publishers in order to gather further information for its complaint. The antitrust lawsuit filed by the department against Google in 2020 for its market dominance and anticompetitive behavior continues to make its way through the courts.

The anticipated action is part of a wider effort by Congress, the Department of Justice, the EU, and the UK to regulate Big Tech. The US Senate has proposed the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which would limit Amazon, Apple, and Google's power in e-commerce marketplaces. In an effort to appease the DOJ, Google has offered to split off its ad business.

Shop on TikTok: TikTok Introduces New "Order Center"

TikTok is going all in on e-commerce! TikTok is on the verge of making a bigger push into in-app shopping, with some users seeing a new "Order Center" panel in the app, which records any items you've bought, looked at, or even possibly be interested in within the app.

Tapping on this new feature will take users to a dedicated eCommerce display where they can track all elements of the TikTok shopping experience, including payment information, items tagged, recommendations, order status, and more.

The Perfect Storm?: Saving the E-commerce Aggregator Industry

Aggregators, it's time to face the facts. Although the e-commerce industry is not slowing down, many e-commerce aggregators are already in trouble. The erosion of consumer confidence, increased brand value, and stagnant investment capital are building up to be a perfect storm. Unless aggregators modify their operations, their future looks bleak.

For reference, an aggregator purchases brands and uses the existing infrastructure to grow them in order to make a profit. However, most of these aggregators stop there. While they're good at acquiring names, they're terrible at developing R&D, innovation, and operations—all things that matter. 

A number of aggregators worked to complete deals and buy brands in a tight timeframe, and if they wanted to bundle them up and sell them as one package for profit, they had a strict maximum quantity. As a result, they continued buying companies without going through the usual checks, which resulted in acquiring low-quality products, decreased sales, and fraudulent reviews.

The Amazon Corner

New Feature Alert: Amazon + Brick and Mortar = New Age of Retail

New perk for Amazon Prime members. You can now shop brick-and-mortar retailer boutiques via the Amazon app and e-commerce site, with purchases scheduled to arrive on the same day.

According to Amazon, members in certain zip codes in more than 10 cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Miami, Phoenix, Seattle, Scottsdale and Washington D.C., can use the shop function. GNC and PacSun are among the brands that are taking part of this new service offering. Customers in eligible zip codes who have Prime membership simply go to Amazon's app or website, browse the preferred range from local businesses, and have their orders delivered the same day. An Amazon delivery partner collects the order from the retail location and delivers it to consumers as soon as possible.

A LITTLE MORE

• The shopping revolution will be livestream, according to big name social media platforms.
• In five years, online sales will reach $1.6 trillion, according to Forrester.
• ReturnLogic bags new money to make returning items a cinch.

FUN FACT

Credit cards are the most popular payment option, accounting for 53% of transactions. Digital money systems (43%), debit cards (38%) round out the remainder.

QUICK TIP

Try this. Going all-in on social media advertising before assessing your organic growth potential is a frequent blunder for new e-commerce sellers. Before spending your advertising budget, have a strong Facebook ad funnel strategy in place.