#Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market

[poonamcmi]

Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market is Estimated to Witness High Growth Owing to Increasing Consumer Demand

The buy now pay later (BNPL) platforms market allows consumers to purchase goods and pay for them in installments interest-free, without requiring credit checks or long application processes. BNPL platforms provide flexibility and convenience to shoppers and have gained popularity among millennials and Gen Z consumers. Key BNPL players provide various payment plans ranging from 4 interest-free payments over 6 weeks to paying back within 3-6 months with no additional fees. This enables consumers to manage their cash flows effectively and avoid interest charges associated with credit cards. The increasing popularity of e-commerce and growing need for flexible payment solutions among consumers are fueling the demand for BNPL platforms.

The Global Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market is estimated to be valued at US$ 17.72 Bn in 2024 and is expected to exhibit a CAGR of 10% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.

Key Takeaways

Key players: Key players operating in the buy now pay later platforms market include Baxter International Inc., ICU Medical. Inc, B. Braun Melsungen Ag, Grifols, S.A., Fresenius Kabi USA, LLC, Vifor Pharma Management Ltd, JW Life Science, Amanta Healthcare, Axa Parenterals Ltd, and Salius Pharma Private Limited, Pfizer, Inc, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Soxa Formulations & Research Pvt.Ltd, Sichuan Kelun Pharmaceutical Co Ltd.

Key opportunities: Growing e-commerce sales and social commerce trends are opening Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market Demand Moreover, opportunities exist in developing nations with increasing internet and smartphone penetration.

Global expansion: Major BNPL players are expanding globally to benefit from the untapped growth potential. For instance, Afterpay and Klarna have extended their services across North America, Europe, Asia, and other regions.

Market drivers: Increasing consumer Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market Size And Trends In addition, pay later capabilities on shopping apps and buy now pay later at brick and mortar stores are fueling the adoption of BNPL payment methods among consumers.

PEST ANALYSIS

Political: Regulations around consumer lending are constantly evolving with new laws around transparency and responsible lending practices. This affects the operations of buy now pay later platforms.

Economic: A rise in discretionary spending and consumer confidence has positively impacted the buy now pay later market. However, an economic downturn could see a reduction in purchases made using these platforms.

Social: Younger consumers are more comfortable with the idea of paying for purchases over time and instalments. Buy now pay later options address changing consumption patterns and preferences.

Technological: Advancements in payments technology and the rise of smartphones have enabled new platforms in the online and offline space. Real-time approvals, syncing with bank accounts and virtual cards are driving growth.

Geographical concentration

In terms of value, the buy now pay later platform market is currently concentrated in North America and Europe. The US and UK markets have seen strong growth due to a large young population and greater adoption of online shopping in these countries. Australia has also emerged as an important early adoption market.

Fastest growing region

The Asia Pacific region excluding Australia is projected to be the fastest growing market for buy now pay later platforms from 2024 to 2031. Rising incomes, expanding middle class and increasing digital payments penetration in countries like India and China offer significant untapped potential. Buy now pay later also provides these markets an innovative credit access point. Get More Insights On, Buy Now Pay Later Platforms Market

[vibratingskull]

Home sweet home

Part1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Tag List

ThrawnxF!reader

It’s your first leaves and Thrawn and Eli already cry for help. In the ebullient city of Coruscant you go searching for an apartment, but the empire doesn’t treat its citizen the same.

You adjust your sunglasses, it’s a sunny day despite the clouds of pollution on Coruscant, and you can feel the wind in your hair. Leaning against the wall of the community shuttle stop you can’t resist to take a holograph of the beautiful sun and freiters rings on your imager. You will post it later. You put it away, pull down your hat on your head and observe the different ships passing in front of you in their mish mash of lines that ribbon the sky. It is early in the morning but traffic is already high. School children walk among the salarymans and other office workers. Some hail a cab while others choose to walk. A group of youths are playing hard bass much to the regret of some walkers. 

You approach the edge of the platform. That’s your shuttle. You enter, validate your ticket and take a seat. Head resting in your hand and forehead against the window’s glass you look outside as the ship took off, making your body vibrate.

It is your second leave since you took post in the marine, and you didn’t think you would have to pass it that way, but oh well. You start humming a new tone you’ve heard as the skyscrapers get blurry with the motion. This is gonna be a rough day for your muscles, it's gonna be tiring but it is to help a friend. 

You hold that though. 

Helping a friend. You bite your inner cheek. You're not gonna dwell on that again… Thrawn doesn't see you in any other way, accept it! 

But it is hard. Your reason tells you to cope with it but your heart cries every time, aching you from the inside. 

You shake your head. No! Enough with this defeated energy! 

You are young! 

With a promisng start to a great career! 

You always had your chance in the dating market, it's not gonna end now and you won't let it! You're not gonna wait for Thrawn forever and waste your best years, you need to dive right in, drink, fuck, smoke some spice (occasionaly) and make the most of your youth! Fuck this guy! Who does he think he is to shake you up like that? Starting today you take back control of your love life and forget him like the fling it was! 

You take out your comlink, searching your contacts. Who would you be down to spend time with? How about one of your new coworkers? There are a few of them you could bite into. No, it will get messy with work. Someone outside of that circle, then. Do you want a fuckbuddy or a grounded relationship? Anything that makes you forget him you decide. You scroll down the list, searching for your heart's desire. Suddenly a contact holds your attention. You consider it, your finger stopped mid-movement. Your pupil dilates considerably reading the name. 

________________________

"Thrawn wants what ?" You question, incredulous. 

"He doesn't want, he needs." Eli corrects. 

You put away your comlink for he doesn't hear you sigh at the comment. 

"That's a detail…" 

"He needs an apartment on Coruscant but he doesn't know anything about how we proceed here." 

You flick your tongue. 

"Can't he just stay at the barracks?" 

"No."

"... He has been thrown out?" 

"Yes."

You pinch the bridge of your nose. Oh the headaches in perspective… 

"And why should I come? You don't need me for that, I have other plans than this." 

You can hear Thrawn in communication with someone else in the background. It's not going well apparently. 

"(y/n) please…" He lowers his voice so as to not be heard "Please! I don't want to go alone with him." 

Visibly Eli didn't forgive Thrawn yet. You consider the situation, your options and sigh again, defeated. 

"Alright…" 

"Thank you (y/n)!" Eli's evidently relieved. 

"But you pay for the beers!" 

He laughs

"If that's all it takes to buy you, consider it done!" 

The next day you embark on the first community shuttle towards Eli’s apartment. The day is gonna be long so you should as well come early. You quickly arrive at the address you received and enter the building. The space allowed for the housing is rather modest but it is well placed and the neighborhood seems to be quiet. Eli chose well, you tell yourself. 

In the stairs you cross paths with a Togruta, you feel yourself tensing up. She addresses you with a smile and you nod to her. You hope Eli won’t have any problem in the future. By reflex you tighten the collar of your coat and pick up the pace in the stairs. You finally arrive at Eli’s floor and knock on his door.

“One minute!” You hear.

You hear ruffling sounds and pressed steps then the door slides open and Eli appears, disheveled, in what appears to be pajamas and sleeps in his eyes. You smile at this sight. Behind him you see Thrawn crossing the room in uniform, the contrast couldn't be more striking. 

Eli lets you enter and immediately proposes to take your coat and offers you some caff like the good host that he is. You gladly accept, taking the time to observe the decoration of the apartment. Not all the boxes have yet been open, stacking up in the corner of the room. You notice the foliage plants on the shelves and counter, the paint of the wall is impersonal but the pictures frames offer some warmth. You stop to look at them. You can see Eli in different settings : at the beach, at the canyon, when he was a child and older, with his parents or with what you suppose to be his friends on Myomar, broad smile and sparkling eyes with his comrades. You continue to advance until you remark some images you took yourself and send to him after. One of them is a selfie of you in a classroom with Eli sleeping on the table and Thrawn concentrates on his datapad in the background, another one his a pictures of you, Eli and Karyn in the roof garden of the Academy, pressed against one another to ensure you could all be seen on the pictures, and the last one is Eli, you in the middle and Thrawn in your Gala’s formal dress. Eli smiles lightly, annoyed by the flash of the imager, you're holding their shoulders with a large smile and eyes closed, Thrawn seems to be frowning at something behind the imager. It is a terrible picture, but that’s what makes it goofy and interesting in your opinion.

Eli arrives at your side with your caff mug and you follow him into his living room, which is a mishmash of a kitchenette and a living area giving to a small balcony. His apartment is really similar to yours, you realize. You sit down on a pouf and wait to be briefed, savoring your hot caff. You take a look at the petite table in front of you, covered with flyers and papers about housing and apartments complexes.

“Sorry to have called you on such short notice, (y/n). But we could really do with another pair of hands with this.” Eli apologies profusely.

“So what are we doing today exactly?” You take a sip.

“We need to find him an apartment, so prospect, calls, arrange visits… Everything. We need to find him a place to live other than… here.”

“You live here?” You ask, rising your eyebrow

“I am in a position where I must abuse Ensign Vanto’s amiability.” Thrawn explains.

“We really need to find him another place to live!” Eli doubles down.

You shook your head looking at them bickering. 

And that is how you spent your day, rummaging through the flyers, comparing prices and surfaces, commodities, and a lot, a lot, of time on the comlink talking to real estate agents. You inherit this task because, according to Thrawn, “people will be more receptive to a woman”, whatever that’s supposed to mean because you did not book one appointment. Everything goes seemingly well until they learn about Thrawn being an alien.

“We don’t do business with aliens, I’m sorry.”

“But he’s a respectable lieutenant of the marine!”

“We are doing serious business here, do not bother us with jokes please.”

“You don’t understand, he-”

“It’s useless. Goodbye Ma’am!”

And they hang up.

Sometimes it’s you who cut off the conversation when the discussion descends into mockery on their part. Screams were exchanged at some point and you had to refrain from throwing your comlink against a wall. You sit back, fuming. A bunch of idiots!

Noon rings and your tummy growls in an unladylike manner. Those emotions really whet your appetite. You fumble around the kitchenette, wondering what you could cook.

“Breaktime!” Eli shouts, stretching his back. He stands up and comes to your side to discuss today’s menu. You decide to go for a timeless classic : pasta! Can’t do wrong with that.

While you cook, Eli’s exit the apartment to buy drinks and Thrawn stays slouched on the sofa, continuing to contact real estate companies via message. Eli comes back with beers as he promised yesterday and briquette of fruit juice for Thrawn. You don’t comment anything but there is a thing hilariously comic to Thrawn sipping those colorful briquettes with a straw like a child would. You bring the dish on the table in the middle with the cutlery.

“All the plates are dirty, so everyone picks up from the dish!” You announce.

You clink your drinks and start eating. You slurp the elongated green goodies while sipping your beer and searching for a steal online. When was the last time you passed a day like that? Slouching with friends, beers and dishes next to you without any authority figure in sight? At some point Eli puts on music and you start banging your head to the beat. You remember starting to dance with Eli when your head was close to explode with information and boredom. Waltzing like children in the living room, you laugh heartily together and almost get Thrawn to join. Almost.

Several beers after the evening was here and with it, its dark night despite the city’s lights. You’re laying down on the sofa next to Thrawn with a flier on your eyes, you completely lost track of time and a headache was rearing its head. You sigh.

“What have we got until now?”

“We have four visits tomorrow.” Thrawn announces, still contacting more companies.

“Four? Nice!” It’s a better result than what you hoped for.

You possibly had a solution to all that, but you’re not sure you want to use it. You try raising up but a dizziness seizes you.

“Ouch… What hour is it?” You pass your hand on your tired eyes.

“Nine.”

“Woaw, I need to go home but I can’t be arsed at the same time…” You have a furred tongue “Can I use your bathroom first?” You ask Eli.

“To your left.” He answers, doing the dishes.

You splash cold water to your face, scrubbing vigorously to wake you up. You look at yourself in the small mirror, tiredness visible on your traits.

“You should stay here tonight!” Eli proposes as you get out. “I have a spare mattress somewhere.”

You look at him disoriented.

“No it’s good, I can go home.” You answer.

“It’s dark and you’ve been drinking all afternoon, you should stay here.” He insists

What does he want?

“I’m not drunk.” You spit out annoyed, and lying a little “And I’m a grown girl, I can mind myself!”

He blocks you and puts his hands on your shoulder.

“I would be more at peace if I knew you were safe.” He pivots towards Thrawn. “She should stay here for the night, it is the most secure thing to do, right?”

“Perhaps.” Thrawn looks at you both, wondering why he was thrown into this.

“See, Thrawn agrees!”

“He did not.”

“(y/n)...”

He glances at you with a stare heavy of meaning.

Oh

Okay.

“I guess I can stay here tonight after all, I’m really tired.” You yawn.

Eli's shoulders relax, visibly relieved.

“I will prepare the mattress.” 

He takes out and splays a futon on the living room, you lay down and flap your legs.

“Put down your datapad, Thrawn. We are done for the day!” You order.

Against all odds he listens and puts it down silently, crossing his legs he slouches down the sofa.

“What can I offer to you guys?” Eli investigates.

“Pizzas and movies!” You chant.

He looks at Thrawn for his opinion.

“That sounds good to me, Ensign.” 

Eli leaves to buy pizzas and fizzy drinks, while you and Thrawn are tasked to select the movie for the night.

“What about this one ?” He proposes

“No, it’s too cheesy.”

“This one?”

“Too sad.”

“How about this one?”

“It’s a hassle”

He sighs 

“This one, maybe?”

“If I say no you will get angry?”

“No.”

“...I’ve already seen it.”

“Well I don’-”

“Hey! What about this one?” You cut him off, selecting the one you noticed. “It’s a thriller about a marine officer like us!” 

He considers it, reading the summary. He nods slowly.

“It looks promising.”

“I’ve got the pizzas!” Eli comes back, arms full with cardboard boxes and cans of coke. He threw them down on the table and let himself fall on the sofa. “What did you choose?”

“This one.”

“Cool, I haven't seen it yet!”

Everyone takes a slice of pizza and plays the movies. You’re completely absorbed by it, barely eating, taken by the suspence. Or that’s what you would have said if Thrawn didn’t stop talking.

“This is a bad strategy. They can get to him easily.”

“Shhh.”

“Why the politician don’t mind it’s business? They are not supposed to interfere in military matters!”

“Shhhhhhhh.”

“I see at least five ways to get away from this situation.”

“SHHHHHHHHHHH.”

“Ridiculous, those types of weapons do not do those types of damage. Typically they-”

“Shhhh! Good grief!”

You open wide eyes at the revelation of the real bad guys, Let a “Oh” escape you at the climax , and recoil at the explosion scenes. Finally it ends. You turn towards your friends and see Eli sleeping soundly on Thrawn's shoulder.

“Aaaaaaaaw…” You whisper.

“He did not last until the end...” Thrawn says, looking at him with softness in the tone.

He slides on the side and lays him down cautiously on the sofa as you put the plaid on him. 

“He must be exhausted.” You murmur.

“He works really hard on the Blood Crow.” He says softly.

“Really?”

“He is a good officer.” He nods

“Have you spoken since last time?”

His eyes dart on you but you don’t back down.

“No.” He admits.”We did not have the time to properly discuss our differences.” He takes a break. “But I am looking forward to it.” 

“It’s good.” You agree, eyes going back to the sleeping form of Eli. 

You both look at him sleeping peacefully, he looks like an angel like that, you thought.

“You should take the bed.” He whispers.

“You sure? I can take the futon, I don’t mind.” You counter.

“No, it would be impolite of me.” This is his sole argument.

“Alright, thanks. Goodnight Thrawn.”

“Goodnight, J.C.”

You enter the bedroom, take out your clothes and go to sleep. The night is calm and you sleep in a slumber without dreams.

The next day you're on your way to the visit in a shuttle, flipping through the necessary papers to present.

“Do we get the payslip?”

“Yep!”

“What will you do if they ask for a guarantor?” You ask.

“Will the Emperor be enough as a guarantor?” Thrawn answers bluntly.

You look at him dead in the eyes.

“Pray for them to have your humor…”

Good pick they never asked for a guarantor, wrong pick they had zero sense of humor. The first one slammed the door to your face when they saw Thrawn, the second one was mysteriously not disponible anymore, a family bought it they claimed and the third didn’t open, plain and simple. Despite that you thought you would have more chances with the fourth.

“All the rooms are well exposed and you're near amenities.” She tells with a professional smile.

You visit the apartment, passing from one room to the others. Nice, you think. A little away from the base but manageable. You sit on the bed, bouncing on it to test it.

“Which one of you is interested in this property?”

“It is me.” Thrawn announces.

It lasted less than a second but her eye twitched and you saw it. It surely didn’t escape to Thrawn either but he doesn’t formalize. She put back her professional mask quickly, searching on her datapad.

“So you have your identity papers, your payslips,... “ She lists, scrolling on the screen. “I think we are all good, we can discuss the price if you want.”

“Oh, we’ve seen the price on your website.” You add.

She looks at you with an enlarged smile, twitching a little.

“Well, the house reserves itself the right to change its prices.” She has a voice too joyous to your liking.

“What kind of prices are we talking about?” Thrawn asks politely.

You move closer with a bad feeling.

“Around those orders.” She turns her datapad to Thrawn and you read over his shoulder.

You choke.

“How much!?” You push him out of your way and seize the pad. “These are not the prices announced on the site!”

Eli comes into the room, alarmed by the ruckus.

“It's a regular procedure.” She’s searching for human complicity in you, but she finds only shock and anger.

“What?!” You shout. “This is stealing!”

She tries to take back the pad but you don’t let go.

“Well.” She smiles. ”He’s not human, so… We need more insurance and we have to adjust our prices.”

You will knock her off.

“You listen here, you preppy cow-”

“Alright that's enough for today!” Eli interjects, physically removing you from the apartment while you scream.

“It should be illegal! We will sue you!” You spit, dragged by them both in the street. “Thief!”

“So it concludes this for today.” Eli sighs, a bit discouraged

“Let us take a break.” Thrawn proposes, imperturbable, your total opposite.

“What!? How can you be so calm?!” You’re losing your breath shouting so much.

“It is useless ninety eight percent of the time, only a clear head can give you the result you aspire to.” He responds in a conversational tone.

“But she tried to scam you!”

“Then consider you went furious on my behalf, it is sufficient for me.” He’s completely unbothered. Your jaw drops, sometimes you just can’t follow him. “Let us find a bar and refocus.” 

He doesn’t wait for any response and starts walking, you follow them shuffling along, shooting in garbage on your way.

They found a charming pub, and took a table outside under the blazing sun, but you're in no mood to appreciate the setting. You let yourself fall into the chair with a huff, they sit down with more manners and order for the group. You let out a big audible sigh and let your head rest on the table completely discouraged. Your solution comes back in your mind but you chase it away. The jazzy tune of the bar reaches your ear, and you start humming it.

“Well that was rather unsuccessful…” Eli let out, slouching in his seat.

“A temporary setback.” Thrawn temporizes, his hand holding his chin. “This situation will solve itself in one way or another, let us keep searching.”

“You’re right! There are still a lot of real estate companies on Coruscant. We will target those working with non-humans!” Eli cheers.

You sigh again. You don’t share their optimism, actually this unfortunate day completely 

done you in. You only deign rising from the table when your drinks arrive. You drink your juice absent-mindedly. You should have taken something stronger. Thrawn and Eli are talking in the background of your mind, your solution imposed itself to you once again. Should you present it to them? You hesitate.

“Look Thrawn. There is a spot for street art up in the street.” Eli exclaims 

“Indeed. Shall we get a look?” Thrawn proposes.

You slouch on your seat.

“You can go boys, I will keep the table while you're gone.” You incite them.

They rise to see the spot and you’re now alone with your thoughts. You inhale deeply and massage the back of your neck, thinking about this. You recently inherited an apartment from your great uncle, but you have memories inside this apartment. You’re not sure you want to get rid of it… Someone puts their hand on your shoulder.

You bolt away, turning toward the stranger and meeting with a charming smile. The blonde man looks at you with sparkling eyes, fanning himself with a fan. You recognize him instantly.

“I knew I’ve seen you somewhere.” He says, sitting down in front of you. “You were on this test at the Academy 4 months ago, right?”

“Governor Satlove…” You answer. “I mean, yes! Yes, I was at the exam. But what are you doing here, if I may?”

“I’m here undercover.” 

You frown.

 “I am here to escape from my duties.” He explains, putting one finger to his lips.

Indeed you notice he’s not into his green uniforme but a more casual white shirt he opened slightly, letting the sun warm up his pale skin. 

“You can… Just do that?”

“Of course not!” He laughs “I had to escape from my different aids to come here. But I stay contactable just in case.” He shows you his comlink. “But tell me rather, what are you doing here?” He gestures towards you.

“Me? I hum… I’m with friends. They are looking at the street art a little further.” You don’t especially want to talk but you don’t want to sever some links with a governor that could be proven useful in the future.

“The little brunette and the blond one?” He investigates.

“No the dark blue… The blue guy. And the brunette. You have a really good memory, Governor.”

“Thank you, I take good care of it. And you can drop the Governor thing, we are almost the same age.”

“Then should I call you sir?”

“Call me by my name!” He extends his hands to you. “Pleased to meet you, I am Nather.”

 You shake his hand with a grin.

“Pleased to meet you, I am (y/n).”

“(y/n)! What a charming name, it suits you very well.” He almost chants. You feel your face heated up with the compliment. “What are you doing lately? What were your orders after the exam?”

“I’m a Private First Class on the Zephyr Heavy Cruiser. We have been patrolling inside the inner rim and the colonies lately.”

“I think your ship was planned to patrol around my planet recently.” He says a hand to his chin.

“Which planet, if I may?”

“The charmant Tirahnn planet.” He displays a theatrical gesture, letting his braid fly from shoulder to shoulder.

It’s a planet right on a hyperspace lane if you recall correctly. You can’t say more.

“I’ve never seen it.” You confess. And barely heard of it you complete in your head.

“I will make you visit if you wish one day, or you will come yourself for a mission.” He starts folding one of the napkins around. “What are you doing in my region if I may ask in turn?”

You think rapidly, you should be able to tell that to a governor even if you don’t know any details, it should be okay.

“If i’m not mistaken, we are suspecting pirates to rob slaves of the empire.”

“Pirates near my planet?” He takes a choked expression. “That won’t do, I will need to pass some calls!” He finishes his folding in a crane and deposes it in front of you with a side smile. 

You smile back but it fades quickly.

 “What happens (y/n)? I see in your face, you seem to have some worries.” He asks genuinely concerned.

“Oh nothing important, just… rehashing some thoughts."

"Those looked like important thoughts." He mind-absently picks some salted nuts from the ball and throws them expertly into his mouth. 

"I hesitate to help a friend, I…" 

He darts his incisive gray eyes on you. 

"You hesitate to help a friend? I do not need to tell you that it should be an easy answer." 

"Yes, I mean no. I want to help my friend. It's just that I should renounce something I hold dear to my heart for the memory it holds. And I don’t know if I’m ready for it."

He frowns, contemplating the fact in front of him and searching for an option.

“Would it fulfill its goal?”

“Sorry?”

“The thing you’re not sure to let go, would cede it to your friend to fulfill its primary purpose?”

“Yes?”

“Then you should give it away. I suppose you don’t have a practical use for this thing or you would have advanced this argument, so you should as well cede it to your friend and permit it to fulfill its primary goal. Helping a friend is always the way to go.”

“But… I’ve got memories…”

“You will always have them! Those memories are in you, not in this thing. Don’t grow too attached to material objects, they are not built to last but our memories are in our heart and forever. “ 

You wrap your head around the argument, weighing the pros and cons.

“Maybe you're right…” You end up saying.

“Maybe I am indeed, what would you actually lose? You would hand those precious memories to a friend, there are more unfair deals in life don’t you think.”

You slowly nod coming to terms with your decision. He’s right. You hold your glass with two hands, taking a big sip at the straw.

“I think I’m gonna follow your advice and help my friend. I think I just needed a third party opinion to push me.”

“Wonderful!” He takes Thrawn’s glass and clink it with yours. “I’m glad I could help.” And takes a great sip of it. You choke on yours.

“Huh, sir…?”

“You know what, we’ll surely hear again about those pirates. We should stay in contact.” He hands you his comlink and gestures to you to give him yours. You exchange them and enter your respective number.

“Sir, this is my drink you're drinking!” Thrawn appears behind him with Eli on his heels.

Surprised, his sight goes between Thrawn and the glass. He laughs heartily.

“I am sorry dear friend! I will return it to you.” He hands him back his glass, raising from the chair. He gives you back your comlink with a charming smile. “Here you go. To our next meeting!”

You all three look at him walking away, making some calls.

“What was that?” Asks Eli, a bit lost.

“I am… not sure.” You respond.

They both sit back and Thrawn considers his well diminished drink with a raised brow.

It dawns on you that he doesn't need a Private First Class to discuss the subject of pirates and that you just gave him what he wanted. Damn, the guy is good! You think. You berate yourself a little.

“So, back on the apartment subject…” Eli starts.

“I… May have a solution to propose to you, guys.”

____________________________________________________________

The sound of an incoming message brings you back to the present time. You lower your gaze to your comm.

“I am delighted to hear from you again. How about tomorrow, 14h?”

You smile, and answer back, the heart light. 

You soon arrive at your stop, you get out, and start walking on the trails of your childhood. You traverse a park full of kiddos and their parents and grin at their laugh and their shoutings. You arrive in front of the apartment complex, entering, you cross paths with the old building caretaker.

“Oh, if it isn’t the young (y/n)! How are you doing?” She asks with her shivering voice.

“Hi, Ms Lynduty! I’m good and you?”

“Oh you know, my old bones make me suffer, but that’s the weight of the years. The young man you brought with you…”

An alarm sets off in your head, and on the other hand you're amused to hear Thrawn being qualified as a “young man”, maybe everyone looks young at this age…

“Is there a problem? He has done something?”

“No, he’s a really calm resident, It changes me from your uncle who kept bringing new women everyday! But he looks like he has some problem with all his mail.”

“I’m glad to hear that, Ms Lynduty, I’m actually here to help him. Have a nice day!” And you start working your way up the stairs.

You reach the floor soon enough and Thrawn opens his door the second you set foot on the landing.

“Thank you J.C., I am in need of assistance.”

He welcomes you and takes your coat, you enter the apartment, immediately graced by the cardboard boxes everywhere. You’re not surprised, the furniture inside the apartment was not… what you would find inside the flat of a respectable lieutenant of the marine, or any respectable person per say. A complete change of furniture was in order. You note with amusement he already has displayed holograms of art everywhere in the flat despite not having furniture.

You traverse the room as well as you can, slaloming between the boxes, the tins of paint and the tarps and sitting down on one of them.

“So, what’s the problem?”

He gestures to the pile of mail on the table. A big pile. Oh gods.

“I do not possess the vocabulary to treat those yet.” He simply notes.

You nod with a pout, well that’s gonna be fun.

“Eli couldn't help you?”

“Ensign Vanto is with his family for this leave.” He explains.

So while Thrawn is busy assembling furniture for his flat, you’re answering and filing up those mails while giving him a vocabulary lesson. Insurance, bills, tax… Everything the bureaucracy could produce, you saw it! You arrange them on the floor,stepping over it with a highlighter in hand and a pen in your mouth to complete them. It took you several hours and as much beer, generously provided by Thrawn, nonetheless to rummage through all this. You were well fed up at the end of it, with your head ready to explode.

But you couldn’t rest once you’re done, you still have to help Thrawn with his furniture and remove this unsavory fur off the walls. You had to screw, to glue, to turn, to plug, you didn’t have the time to be bored. The hours flew bye and you were far from finished. Damn those instruction manuals, they’re never in the right language. And there is always a set of screws that wasn’t used at the end and that’s not normal, so you have to reread all the instructions and bicker on what step you screw up based on the illustrations. 

“I told you the board B5 goes there.”

“But that is not possible, the C7 plank can not fit in this configuration.”

You only put up four pieces of furniture together and the rest of the boxes are staring down at you. You left out a sigh of fatigue. You’ll never see the end of it…

You massage your temples, this time you really have a headache. You put down your beer and walk in a not very straight way to sit on a cardboard box to observe your work. Thrawn finishes building up the shelf and takes some steps back to get a good look. Something hits you as you embrace the room with your sight.

“Shouldn’t we have started with the paint ?”

“It would be for another day.” He states with a soft voice.

You lazily nod. You already have all the other furniture to put up, another thing added to the list. Great. Thrawn turns his head to the window. It’s night. 

“We shall stop for today.”

“Good, cause I'm not good at anything for now.” You rise up and stumble your way to open the window and get some fresh air, you fan yourself with your hand. You drinked a bit too much, you realize. 

Thrawn removes his jacket to reveal his black tank top and you take advantage of the opportunity to take a good look at his biceps without too much discretion, he heads towards the kitchen.

“We should at least eat one meal. Are you hungry?”

That’s right, you didn’t even eat at noon you recall, at the moment this thought crosses your mind your stomach grumbles.

“It looks like so!”

“What could please you?”

You straighten up with a broad smile.

“Pizza?”

He shots you a glare.

“I had a more healthy meal in mind.”

You pout, it was worth the shot.

You finish your beer admiring him cooking, watching his hands fly expertly from one pan to the other, mincing and mixing the ingredients. You hold back a burp, hiding your mouth with your hand, you may be a bit drunk but you didn’t renounce your dignity yet. And you didn’t want to appear unladylike in front of him… Mostly that. You start thinking if you should care about that since you decided to renounce him, but it just worsens your headache.

“It is ready!” He announces, wiping his hands. “But I’m not yet familiar with your products, so I can’t promise you the taste.”

“I’m sure it will be delicious!” You cheer.

You reel back to your former place and sit down. He watches you from head to toes but doesn’t say a thing. You seize your fork and take a big bite of the dish. You wrinkle your nose. Indeed cooking is not part of his skills, the savors are unbalanced and the spice is overshadowing everything. You gulp it down, trying to keep your face as neutral as possible and shoot him a smile. You decide that you’re too drunk to care and take others bites one after the other, letting them burn the inside of your mouth with pleasure.

“I think it would be wiser if you sleep here tonight.” He says, stirring his food.

You blink mid-bite, stopped in your movement.

“No offense but you are not walking straight. I can offer you a bed for the night if you wish.”

You consider the offer, taking a sip of water. You clearly didn’t learn your lesson from the last time and you actually feel pretty wasted right now, you hardly see yourself going home in one piece tonight. You slouch back and pretend to think about it for a second. You raise your hand.

“I will gladly accept in this case!” You slide your tongue on your teeth.”I will help you place the mattress!”

“I do not have one.”

Your eyes slide to the sofa’s box still not put up and goes back to him with questions.

“Then where…?”

“I thought we could share the bed for the night.” He spills, concentrates on his plate. 

Your bite takes the wrong way in your throat and you try to cough it out. Hold on, you didn’t sign up for that!

“Wait, you’re sure?” You ask, instantly sobered up.

 He shruggs.

“I do not see how this could be a problem.” 

“I don’t have any pajamas.” You try. 

“I will lend you something, do not worry.” He appears unfazed, completely blind to your trouble.

Oh you worry, yes, but not about that.

“Cool…” You let escape in one breath “Thanks…”

________________________________________________

How did you end up in this situation?

You promise yourself to forget him and you end up in his bed. Fate has a twisted sense of humor. 

You release your breath. Calm down. Your headache doesn’t help anything.

You open your eyes in the dark room and listen to the quiet and steady breath next to you, at least one of you two is getting some sleep. But not you. You’re too tense to sleep. You hunch, trying not to touch the man sleeping next to you, pulling the covers to your chin. 

At least he had changed bed and got rid of this horrid shell bed for a standard double bed  and all the weird appliances are not here anymore. Now the bedroom looks like it came from a show home. Without personality, only practical. Cold…

But the bed is far from cold, without grazing him you can feel the warmth of Trawn’s body from where you are and you feel like you could sweat, but this may be because of your burning body. You were afraid he would sleep topless when you got to the bed, but thanks for your sanity he put on a shirt, or you would really have lost your mind. It doesn’t take much to ignite your desire lately and being in the same bed as him, so close and so far away, alarm all of your senses to the brink of overstimulation. You breathe deeply, getting back control. His scent fills the room, making you feel dizzy. You bury yourself under the cover but you smell him on it and on the pajama he lended you, you float in this shirt too large for you, you feel goosebumps point at every breath. Anywhere you go he envelopes you.

You turn your head, observing the profile that detaches itself from the wall lighted up by the moon through the blinds. You follow the line of his forehead with your eyes, the shadow of a disheveled hair strand, the curve of his eyelids that let red light pierce through, the arc of his turned-up nose, the plumpness of his lips… You gulp, your throat suddenly dry like the desert.

You keep your gaze fixated on him, telling yourself that heaven was closer than you know, that you would just have to expend your arm to reach it… You hold your breath, brushing his cheek with the back of your fingers, feeling the softness and the warmth of his skin, tender. You touch his lash with the tip of your finger, smiling at him squinting at the touch. Then your hand sneaks its way along his neck, brushing softly his apple then traveling south to his chest. You feel the fabric on the palm of your hand, you search for a second, opening your hand wide when you find his heart, feeling the steady and calm heartbeat, you savor the delicious vibrations through your skin, wanting to put your head on his chest to hear it yourself. It soothes you and you close back your eyes, ready to let the slumber take you.

Suddenly his heartbeat accelerates and his breath gets caught up in his throat. You rise on your elbow, wary of what's happening. He opens his eyes in a flash and you pull back your hand instantly. His eyes blinks, fixated on the ceiling and you hear him out of breath. He inhales and exhales several times, you look at him with googly eyes wondering what might have happened. He frowns.

“You are not sleeping.” This was not a question.

He turns his head towards you and your gazes meet. You smile lightly.

“Indeed. Nothing escapes you.”

He sighs, passing a hand over his face and ruffling his hair.

“Is everything good?” He politely asks.

You raise an eyebrow.

“It’s I who should ask that? What just happened?”

“Nothing.” He breathes

Sometimes he really takes you for an idiot, you think.

“So, “nothing” can put you in this state?” You inquire.

He sighs once again, fatigued. You feel like he’s gathering his thoughts, a hand in his hair.

“I was dreaming about… My sister. The day they took her…”

You nod pensively, it was indeed not the most peaceful memory he must have. You put your head back on the pillow, sight still on him.

“How does this make you feel?” You whisper like a secret.

“Powerless, like a child. I promised myself I would fight to never feel this again.”

There are a lot of promises getting thrown everywhere those days you thought. You put yourself closer, as if your presence would comfort him. His eyes on the ceiling you see the muscles of his throat tightens slightly.

“And… alone. I was the sole person in the cold universe.”

Did his voice crack at the end? You can’t say for sure. Your hand travels under the cover to find his, you seize it, the warmth spreading through your palm. You know how it feels and you sympathize with his pain. You would have liked to have someone when it happened to you.

“We are here.” You murmur. “I am here.” You affirm with a reassuring voice.

He squeezes your hand.

“I know.” He closes his eyes. “And I am grateful for it.”

Your heart flutters at those words and a smile grazes your lips. You don’t have the relationship you are hoping for, but you could satisfy yourself in being the friend of this out of the ordinary being. For now. 

Maybe.

“Me too...”

You’re met with silence. You listen and hear a steady breathing. He’s asleep. You hold his hand, putting your head against his shoulder and let a single tear rolling down your cheek.

You squeeze his hand, intertwining your fingers.

You will never be satisfied by it. Never. You will need to cut ties with him and keep your distance or your heart will bleed everyday.

You kiss him on the cheek, taking your resolution, tearing your heart apart. 

@bluechiss, @al-astakbar

[vrankup]

Demystifying PPC: A Beginner’s Guide to Pay-Per-Click Advertising

Hey there It’s your digital marketing agency in dwarka, Vrankup! let’s dive into the world of PPC, or Pay-Per-Click, advertising. It’s like this magic trick in the digital marketing world that can seriously boost your business.

Alright, so here is this thing, imagine you’re playing the game and instead earning points doing task, you could just by them. That’s kind of how ppc works. you get paid every time someone clicks on your ad.

Now, The first thing you have to do is picking the right keyword. These are like the secret codes that lead folks to your ad. Let’s say you’re running a yoga studio. You’d want keywords like “yoga classes near me” or “beginner yoga sessions.” You catch my drift?

Next up, there’s this epic showdown called the ad auction. It’s where all the magic happens. When someone punches in a search on Google, for instance, it triggers a race. Advertisers throw their hats into the ring, but only a few will come out victorious. It’s like a digital gladiator match, but instead of swords, it’s all about keywords, bids, and ad quality.

Once the dust settles, the winners get their ads on the coveted spots of the search engine results page. It’s like claiming a prime spot in a busy marketplace. where you will decide what are their worth

Now, let’s talk About ad There are different styles you can rock. Text ads are like the OGs – clean, simple, and straight to the point. They’ve got a headline, a snappy description, and a link to your website. It’s like a mini billboard for the digital age.

Then, you’ve got display ads. These are the flashy ones with images or even videos. They pop up on websites or social media feeds. It’s like having your own personal paparazzi, but for your brand.

Video ads are where you can really show off. They play before, during, or after videos on platforms like YouTube. It’s like having your own TV commercial, but without the super expensive airtime.

And let’s not forget shopping ads. These are a blessing for online stores. They showcase your products with prices and images, making it easy for shoppers to click and buy.

How much does this party cost? Well, that’s where Cost Per Click (CPC) comes in. It’s like the cover charge for each click. The amount depends on a bunch of things – how competitive your keywords are, how good your ad is, and how much you’re willing to bid.

But here’s the secret sauce: ad quality and relevance. The better your ad copy, the less you’ll pay per click. Plus, it means your ad will get primo placement.

So why should you jump on the PPC bandwagon? First off, it’s like a sniper shot for targeting. You can aim your ads at specific keywords, locations, and even user behavior. No more throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks.

Plus, the results are like a report card on steroids. You can track clicks, conversions, and a bunch of other nifty metrics.

And you know the best part?

It’s like instant gratification. Unlike waiting for organic search results to kick in, PPC gets your ad out there pronto. As soon as your campaign come into action, you’re in the game.

ohh, did You decide how much you wanna spend? Set a daily or monthly limit, and you won’t break the bank. It’s like having your own financial guardian angel.

In a nutshell, PPC is like having a magic wand for your online presence So, if you’re not already on the PPC train, it might be time to hop on board!

Catch you later,

Digital marketing agency in Dwarka | Digital marketing company in Dwarka, vrankup

[agapi-kalyptei]

Also. Who wants to develop videogames with me? Where do I find people to develop games with. I don't want to go to Garage48 to meet some young people (ew) all excited to work 12 hours a day (ew) on their pet project that will surely make them rich (ew).

Gosh I miss being a preteen and having a notebook with dozens of videogame ideas coming to me every week and now it's like. I actually discriminate the bad ideas and have to think hard about what would be both fun, technically achievable, and hypothetically profitable (or short enough to make as a freebie learning experience).

Rant about possible projects below the cut, because I can.

I don't want to make platformers unless I have a hilarious idea that would make them worth it. Or unless they're just so joyful to make, like some sort of N but with scrolling background.

I don't want to make visual novels unless I have someone to write a good story, and someone to make lovely art. I can't do either myself. I like the idea of dynamic (or at least branched) stories though, which itself would be a fun way to break the visual novel format and tropes.

As much we love to hate idle / incremental games, it would be feasible, since it's possibly THE easiest genre to make. Very easy to make garbage that's still monetized all the way to hell and (not) back. Which I don't want to do, of course, but I gotta pay rent sooner or later.

I had an idea for a puzzle game with different rooms filled with gasses (or lack thereof), having to push/pull walls, open/close doors and windows to get the right pressure and right mix of gasses. Something to think through, the idea is still rough.

Elongated Muskrat game - one thing I'd like to make is a resource management strategy game where you try to colonize Mars, but you constantly fail because it's technically impossible, and incredibly resource intensive. So you would basically be doomed to fail no matter how good you are, and with each few failures you'd get cheat points, that you'd use those to break the laws of physics, make spaceships indestructible, make crew resistant to psychological damage, make Mars weather always good, etc. The point is that Musk should go to prison for lying.

I don't even like racing games too much, but I love the idea of more chill non-competitive racing. There's not enough of that. Always some yappy obnoxious moderator telling you how you're the best thing ever and how you should beat everyone in races. Such nonsense. Just give me a moderately fast car on an empty road being a completionist about trying to drive on every road in the whole country, like you could in Test Drive Unlimited 1 and 2.

More adventure / resource management game ideas: Thinking about 1 or 2 games about water scarcity and climate change. Some sort of dystopian stuff about having to ration water, having water credits allocated by the government that get its own black market; how buying plastic things like electronics also had water credit cost, since packaging, recycling, mining, etc all have tremendous water costs. (Production of one pair of jeans uses about 4400 liters of water.) The question here is how to add a meaningful story to them, and how to make them interesting and educational and not just gloomy doomy "DID YOU KNOW" experience.

Gardening game - I was really hyped about this in like 2020 when I wanted to learn more about plonts but idk. My love for nature didn't fizzle out, but my vision for the game did? I can imagine it as edutainment (the most doomed of all genres), but I can't figure out how to make it fun without turning it into mindless grind.

Trackmania but I made it - we all loved Stunts and somehow the hyper-unrealistic physics of Trackmania continue to attract crowds year after year so. Maybe some silly little racing game would be fun.

[dpreacherman]

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Video Chief is our membership site of over 1200 done-for-you videos that you can use right away to start securing page 1 video rankings. We’ll be removing the need for you to create videos by doing it for you as well! With this upsell, we cover ALL the bases! Syndication, niche research and video creation. $47 one-time.

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[wassahall]

The 3 Easiest And Essential Ways For Anyone To Start In Affiliate Marketing

The Internet’s fast-growing popularity in the recent years is surely an opportunity for anyone who wants to build a successful long-term online business or just make some extra money.

A lot of people think that only businessmen or businesswomen can make money out of the Internet, it’s completely wrong. Today anyone can earn big bucks through the Internet even if you don’t have products to sell and high-profile established company.

• How?

That is possible through affiliate marketing. You might have come already across these words over the net. Affiliate marketing is a revenue sharing between a merchant and an affiliate, you (as the affiliate) promote someone else’s products and get commissions for every conversion you make. It is one of the most popular ways to make money online nowadays because it is proven to be an effective and quantifiable method of achieving significant profit for the merchant and the affiliate.

You can start doing affiliate marketing with a very small investment and still make a significant income but it is fair to say that your income will depend on the time and effort you are willing to put into the work.

If you want to be an affiliate marketer and make fortunes out of the Internet, you may follow these three basic and easy steps:

• First Step: is to identify your Niche, which means a particular topic you are interested in or passionate about, so you won’t be bored and forced to develop your affiliate website later on. Focusing on a specific area you know very well will help you bring out your best without much risks and effort. You can add a personal touch to your site or channel and give your visitors who are possible buyers an impression that you are an expert in your field. In this way, you gain their trust and eventually encourage them to buy the products you endorse.

• Second Step: is to look for good paying products or services related to your interest and create now a website or a channel. Usually you can search the merchants you want to work with and see if they have an affiliate program, otherwise you can choose to register to a marketplace that allows to join multiple affiliate programs in the same platform.

Some Examples of these marketplaces are :

* ClickBank

* CJ Affiliate

* ShareASale

* Amazon Associates

* Impact

* AWIN

• Third Step: is to start promoting your affiliate links and get traffic to your website or channel, this can be done through two main ways, free organic traffic or paid advertising. If you are a beginner and you don’t have money to invest in advertising then free organic traffic is the best choice. You can get free traffic from social media platforms, search engines or by writing blogs on your website. If you choose the last method i want to give you a big secret, which is to use an AI content generator that helps you to write blogs 10 times faster with lots of features and ideas. The one i personally use is Jasper.ai , you can register now and start using your 10,000 free words to generate high quality content.

There are many different ways to start making money online but i think affiliate marketing is the best one. This online business is obviously not a get rich quick scheme but as said before with time and good effort you will be very satisfied with the results. I hope this information has helped anyone interested in this topic.

For any more questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to ask.

[marketresearchintent]

B2C E-Commerce Market Revolution: Key Drivers Behind 14.3% Growth Rate

The B2C (business-to-consumer) e-commerce market is one of the most dynamic and fast-growing industries globally, significantly reshaping how businesses and consumers interact. According to Intent Market Research, the B2C e-commerce market was valued at an impressive USD 3,367.5 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach over USD 8,600.0 billion by 2030, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.3% from 2024 to 2030. With this rapid growth trajectory, the B2C e-commerce sector presents a landscape filled with opportunities and challenges for businesses, consumers, and investors.

What is the B2C E-Commerce Market?

The B2C e-commerce market encompasses online transactions where businesses sell goods or services directly to individual consumers. Unlike B2B (business-to-business), where transactions occur between companies, B2C focuses on meeting the needs of individual customers. This market includes a wide range of products, from physical goods such as clothing, electronics, and household items to digital goods like online subscriptions, courses, and software.

Download Sample Report @ https://intentmarketresearch.com/request-sample/b2c-e-commerce-market-4238.html  

Key Drivers of the B2C E-Commerce Market Growth

Growing Internet and Smartphone Penetration Access to the internet and the rapid adoption of smartphones have made it easier for consumers to shop online. With billions of people now connected, e-commerce platforms have become more accessible than ever, driving the global shift from traditional to online retail.

Increased Consumer Demand for Convenience The appeal of online shopping stems largely from its convenience. Customers can purchase items at any time, compare prices instantly, and have products delivered to their doorstep. This level of convenience has led to high customer retention and growth in online spending.

Advancements in Payment Solutions Digital payment methods, including credit/debit cards, mobile wallets, and other secure online payment systems, have streamlined the purchasing process. Innovations like buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) and easy refunds have further encouraged online shopping.

Growth in Logistics and Fulfillment Services As e-commerce continues to grow, so does the demand for efficient logistics and fulfillment networks. Companies have invested heavily in supply chain improvements, making delivery faster and more reliable, even in remote areas.

Regional Insights in the B2C E-Commerce Market

North America North America is a mature and highly competitive market for B2C e-commerce, with well-established players like Amazon, eBay, and Walmart dominating the space. The region benefits from high disposable income, advanced logistics, and widespread use of digital payment methods.

Asia-Pacific The Asia-Pacific region, led by China, Japan, and India, is currently the largest B2C e-commerce market. Factors like a huge population, a thriving tech ecosystem, and a growing middle class have all contributed to its rapid expansion. The region is expected to maintain a strong growth trajectory.

Europe Europe is also a significant player in the global B2C e-commerce market, with strong growth observed in countries like Germany, the UK, and France. Factors such as cross-border e-commerce and digital payment advancements are supporting market growth.

Latin America and Middle East & Africa Although comparatively smaller, the B2C e-commerce markets in these regions are expanding due to rising internet penetration and increased investments in digital infrastructure. Countries like Brazil, UAE, and South Africa are witnessing notable growth in online shopping.

Trends Shaping the B2C E-Commerce Market

Social Commerce Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok have integrated shopping features, allowing users to browse and buy directly within these apps. Social commerce is driving engagement, especially among younger audiences.

Personalization and AI-Powered Recommendations E-commerce platforms are increasingly using AI to offer personalized recommendations. By analyzing browsing habits and purchase history, AI can present customers with tailored products, improving the shopping experience and increasing sales.

Sustainability and Eco-Friendly Shopping Options Modern consumers are more environmentally conscious and prefer brands that prioritize sustainability. E-commerce companies are responding with eco-friendly packaging, carbon-neutral shipping, and sustainable sourcing to meet these demands.

Subscription Models and Membership Programs Subscription services and membership models, such as Amazon Prime, are popular for their added value. These programs create customer loyalty by offering benefits like free shipping, exclusive discounts, and faster delivery.

Augmented Reality (AR) in Online Shopping AR technology allows customers to visualize products in a real-world context before purchasing. For instance, furniture and home decor websites use AR to show how items will look in a customer's home, enhancing decision-making and reducing returns.

Access Full Report @ https://intentmarketresearch.com/latest-reports/b2c-e-commerce-market-4238.html 

Challenges Facing the B2C E-Commerce Market

Data Security and Privacy Issues With the rise in online transactions, protecting consumer data has become critical. Cybersecurity threats and data breaches can damage a brand's reputation and discourage online shopping.

High Competition and Customer Expectations With numerous companies vying for consumers' attention, competition in the B2C e-commerce market is intense. Customer expectations for fast shipping, responsive customer service, and a smooth online experience continue to rise.

Logistical and Supply Chain Disruptions While logistics are improving, supply chain disruptions, especially during peak seasons, remain a challenge. Issues like shipping delays and product shortages can impact customer satisfaction.

Return Management and Reverse Logistics Online shopping has higher return rates than traditional retail. Efficiently handling returns, known as reverse logistics, can be costly and complex for companies, especially with global or cross-border transactions.

Future Outlook of the B2C E-Commerce Market

The B2C e-commerce market is expected to continue its growth trajectory through 2030, fueled by technological innovations, evolving consumer habits, and the ongoing expansion of digital infrastructure worldwide. Emerging technologies, such as blockchain for secure transactions, AI for personalized shopping, and drones for faster deliveries, are likely to redefine the sector further. Moreover, as companies increase their focus on sustainable practices and local sourcing, the market will likely see a surge in eco-friendly and socially responsible brands.

About Us

Intent Market Research (IMR) is dedicated to delivering distinctive market insights, focusing on the sustainable and inclusive growth of our clients. We provide in-depth market research reports and consulting services, empowering businesses to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Our market intelligence reports are grounded in factual and relevant insights across various industries, including chemicals & materials, healthcare, food & beverage, automotive & transportation, energy & power, packaging, industrial equipment, building & construction, aerospace & defense, and semiconductor & electronics, among others.

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[marketingaid]

The Best POS for Retail in 2024: Top Point of Sale Systems to Transform Your Business

Choosing the best POS for retail is one of the most critical decisions for any business owner. A reliable Point of Sale system doesn’t just handle transactions — it’s at the core of your operations, helping you manage sales, inventory, customers, and even employees. In 2024, the right POS system can improve operational efficiency, increase profitability, and enhance the customer experience.

With so many options available, it’s crucial to understand the features, pricing, and scalability that suit your specific needs. In this guide, we’ll explore the best POS for retail systems in 2025, highlighting their top features and what makes them stand out.

Why a Good POS System is Crucial for Retail Success

A Point of Sale (POS) system is more than just a cash register. It’s a complete solution that facilitates sales transactions, tracks inventory in real-time, collects customer data, and integrates with accounting software to streamline financial management. Today’s retail POS systems are cloud-based, offering real-time reporting, multi-location management, and seamless integration with e-commerce platforms, making them an invaluable tool for businesses of all sizes.

Here are a few reasons why investing in the best POS for retail is essential:

Efficient Sales Management: Quickly process sales and payments, improving transaction speed and customer satisfaction.

Inventory Control: Real-time stock tracking prevents overstocking or understocking, ensuring products are always available.

Customer Insights: Collect customer data to personalize marketing, loyalty programs, and promotions.

Detailed Reporting: Generate detailed reports on sales, performance, and trends to make informed business decisions.

Seamless Integration: Integrate with your website, accounting, and marketing platforms for smoother operations.

Key Features to Look for in the Best Retail POS System

When selecting the best POS for retail, you should focus on systems that offer a blend of essential features for growth, efficiency, and scalability. Here are some top features to prioritize:

Ease of Use: A user-friendly interface is key, especially if you have staff with varying levels of tech experience.

Inventory Management: The best POS systems provide automated inventory tracking, stock alerts, and reports to ensure you never run out of popular items.

Payment Processing: Look for a POS that supports multiple payment methods, including credit cards, mobile payments (e.g., Apple Pay), and even Buy Now, Pay Later options.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Integrate tools to track customer preferences, purchase history, and loyalty programs, which can help with repeat business.

Reporting and Analytics: Access detailed, customizable reports to analyze sales trends, identify top-performing products, and monitor employee performance.

Cloud-Based Solution: A cloud-based POS system provides real-time data access from anywhere and eliminates the need for expensive on-site hardware.

Top 5 POS Systems for Retail in 2025

Let’s dive into the best POS for retail options that can help take your business to the next level in 2025:

1. Square POS

Square has become synonymous with simplicity, reliability, and affordability. It’s an excellent choice for small to mid-sized businesses that need a straightforward, intuitive system. Square POS offers everything a retailer needs, from payment processing to inventory management, all within a free plan. Its paid plans come with additional features, such as advanced reporting and the ability to manage multiple locations.

Why Square POS?

Free plan with essential POS features (transaction fees apply)

User-friendly interface, making it ideal for businesses with minimal tech expertise

Cloud-based with remote access

Integrated payment processing (with competitive fees)

Multi-location support and robust inventory management

Simple hardware integration (tablets, receipt printers, etc.)

Best for: Small businesses and retailers with a focus on simplicity and affordability.

2. Lightspeed Retail

Lightspeed Retail is a comprehensive POS system designed for businesses looking for more advanced features, especially around inventory management. It’s a great fit for retailers with complex inventories, multiple product categories, or large teams. Lightspeed is known for its detailed reporting tools and powerful stock management capabilities, making it one of the best retail POS systems for growth-oriented businesses.

Why Lightspeed Retail?

Powerful inventory management features, including automatic stock tracking, purchase orders, and vendor management

Customizable reporting to track sales, inventory, and customer data

Cloud-based with the ability to access data remotely

Integrates with multiple e-commerce platforms (Shopify, BigCommerce)

Great for multi-location businesses with scalable options

Best for: Medium to large retail businesses with complex inventory needs and a focus on scalability.

3. Shopify POS

For businesses already using Shopify as their e-commerce platform, Shopify POS is an excellent option to unify your in-store and online sales. This system seamlessly integrates with your Shopify store, allowing you to manage both physical and online transactions from one platform. Shopify POS comes with customizable features, a mobile app for on-the-go sales, and strong customer management tools.

Why Shopify POS?

Seamless integration with Shopify’s e-commerce platform

Easy-to-use interface for both in-store and online retail management

Built-in customer relationship management (CRM) tools

Excellent mobile app for managing sales on the go

Supports multiple payment options, including credit cards and digital wallets

Best for: Businesses that already use Shopify for e-commerce or have a hybrid model (physical and online store).

4. Vend POS

Vend is a cloud-based POS solution that offers powerful features with an emphasis on ease of use. Vend provides excellent inventory management, detailed reporting, and customer tracking. It's an ideal choice for businesses that want a flexible, scalable POS system, particularly those with multiple store locations. Vend integrates seamlessly with accounting software like Xero and QuickBooks, as well as e-commerce platforms like Shopify.

Why Vend POS?

Robust inventory management with real-time tracking

Detailed reporting and analytics tools

Multi-location support for businesses with several retail outlets

Integrates with accounting software and e-commerce platforms

Cloud-based with real-time access to data

Best for: Growing businesses with multiple locations or a strong emphasis on inventory management.

5. Clover POS

Clover POS stands out for its flexibility and customization options. With a wide variety of hardware options and the ability to add different apps from the Clover App Market, this POS system can be tailored to meet the specific needs of your retail business. Clover supports a range of industries, from cafes and restaurants to retail stores, making it an adaptable solution.

Why Clover POS?

Wide range of customizable hardware options (countertop, mobile, self-service)

Extensive app marketplace to add specialized features

Powerful inventory management and reporting tools

Integration with payment processors, accounting software, and more

24/7 customer support and training resources

Best for: Retail businesses looking for a highly customizable POS system with strong hardware options.

Conclusion

Selecting the best POS for retail is about finding a solution that matches your business needs. Whether you’re a small business seeking an easy-to-use, affordable system like Square, or a large retailer needing powerful inventory and reporting features like Lightspeed, there’s a POS solution that can help streamline your operations.

As you evaluate your options, consider your business size, growth trajectory, and specific operational needs. A POS system that simplifies transactions, integrates with your e-commerce platform, provides detailed reporting, and offers robust inventory control will give you a significant advantage in the competitive retail landscape.

[vira785]

7 Key Features of a Successful Amazon Flex Clone

The success of Amazon Flex, a gig economy-based delivery service, has inspired numerous companies to develop similar platforms, often referred to as Amazon Flex clones. These delivery solutions connect businesses with drivers who can deliver orders on demand, creating a flexible and efficient delivery ecosystem. For any Amazon Flex clone to achieve success in a competitive market, certain core features are essential. This article will cover the seven key features necessary for an Amazon Flex clone app to provide a seamless experience for drivers, businesses, and customers alike.

Intuitive Driver Onboarding and Registration

Simple Registration Process

A successful Amazon Flex clone should offer a straightforward, user-friendly registration process for new drivers. This includes allowing drivers to sign up with minimal information initially and then providing an option to complete their profiles later. Ensuring the registration flow is intuitive helps reduce drop-offs and allows drivers to get started quickly.

Driver Verification and Background Checks

A comprehensive verification process is essential to ensure driver safety and reliability. This can include background checks, license verification, and vehicle inspection, ensuring that only qualified and trustworthy drivers are approved to deliver. While this process may lengthen onboarding slightly, it will ultimately build a safer and more reliable service.

Real-Time Job Assignments and Scheduling

On-Demand and Scheduled Delivery Options

Allowing both on-demand and scheduled delivery options makes the app versatile. Drivers can choose jobs based on immediate availability or pre-schedule shifts that align with their convenience. This flexibility enhances the driver experience and allows businesses to adapt to varying levels of demand.

Efficient Dispatching and Job Allocation

A robust dispatch system is essential for effectively matching drivers with delivery assignments. The system should account for variables such as driver proximity, vehicle type, and delivery requirements to ensure efficient allocation. Real-time dispatching enables quick job assignments, reduces wait times, and improves overall delivery speed.

Integrated GPS and Navigation Tools

Accurate Route Optimization

Efficient route optimization is key to saving time and fuel costs and enhancing profitability for drivers. Advanced algorithms should calculate the fastest route, considering traffic, distance, and multiple delivery stops. A built-in GPS system with reliable real-time traffic data can significantly improve delivery accuracy and reduce delays.

Turn-By-Turn Navigation Assistance

Having turn-by-turn navigation integrated into the app minimizes the need for drivers to switch between apps while delivering. This feature should support spoken directions, provide timely alerts for upcoming turns, and dynamically adjust routes in response to traffic conditions, ensuring a safer and more convenient experience for drivers.

Secure In-App Payment and Earnings Management

Flexible Payment Options for Customers

For any Amazon Flex clone app to be successful, it must include secure and flexible payment options for customers. This can include credit and debit cards, digital wallets, and even buy-now-pay-later options. Providing a seamless and secure checkout experience will encourage repeat business and customer satisfaction.

Real-Time Earnings Tracking for Drivers

Drivers should be able to view their earnings from completed jobs in real-time, along with details about tips, bonuses, and incentives. An in-app earnings dashboard can display these metrics, allowing drivers to track their performance and see potential earnings for upcoming shifts. A quick payment option, such as weekly payouts or even daily cash-outs, can further enhance the driver experience.

Effective Communication and Support System

In-App Chat and Customer Support

Communication between drivers, customers, and businesses is essential to ensure smooth operations and minimize misunderstandings. An in-app chat system can facilitate real-time communication, allowing drivers to clarify delivery instructions, address issues, or notify customers of delays. This feature helps improve customer satisfaction and driver reliability.

Dedicated Driver Support

Providing a dedicated support line for drivers can be beneficial in addressing any issues they encounter on the road. Whether drivers have questions about a delivery or face unexpected challenges, offering swift assistance builds trust and ensures continuity. An in-app help center or FAQs section can also provide quick solutions to common issues.

Comprehensive Order Tracking and Status Updates

Real-Time Tracking for Customers

Customers today expect to know the status of their deliveries at all times. A successful Amazon Flex clone should offer real-time tracking, allowing customers to monitor their order’s journey from pickup to delivery. This can include push notifications and live location sharing to keep customers informed about estimated arrival times and any potential delays.

Status Updates for Drivers

Drivers also need access to accurate order information to complete deliveries smoothly. Status updates on the pickup location, any special delivery instructions, and real-time adjustments to the delivery route enable drivers to provide a smooth and reliable service. Notifications about high-priority orders or last-minute adjustments improve flexibility and efficiency.

Comprehensive Review and Rating System

Customer Feedback for Driver Improvement

A review and rating system is essential for maintaining quality standards and promoting accountability among drivers. After a delivery is completed, customers should be able to rate their experience and provide feedback. This feedback can help drivers improve their service and give app administrators insights into areas that require improvement.

Driver Feedback Loop

In addition to customer feedback, allowing drivers to rate their experience with customers or merchants provides a two-way accountability system. For instance, if a driver faces an issue at a pickup location, they can flag it for app administrators to address. This mutual feedback loop promotes a healthy and respectful working environment, boosting both driver and customer satisfaction.

Conclusion

Developing an Amazon Flex clone requires features like seamless driver onboarding, real-time dispatching, GPS navigation, and secure payment options. Partnering with an on-demand app development company ensures these elements are integrated effectively, creating a reliable, user-friendly delivery app that meets market standards and user expectations.

[payomatix]

The Role of Fintech in the Globalization of E-commerce Payments

In an increasingly interconnected world, the e-commerce landscape has grown beyond borders, enabling businesses to access global markets and consumers to shop internationally. One of the critical forces behind this globalization of e-commerce is fintech, which is revolutionizing the way payments are made and received across countries. By offering innovative, secure, and efficient payment solutions, fintech companies are driving the growth of cross-border transactions, enabling businesses of all sizes to thrive in the global marketplace.

Introduction: The Intersection of Fintech and Global E-commerce

The rise of e-commerce has transformed retail and business transactions, allowing customers to access goods and services from virtually anywhere in the world. However, as businesses expand into international markets, they face the challenge of navigating different currencies, regulations, and payment preferences. This is where financial technology, or fintech, plays a pivotal role.

Fintech has redefined traditional financial services, making payment processes faster, more secure, and more inclusive. By leveraging technology, fintech companies provide solutions that bridge the gap between businesses and global consumers, helping to streamline cross-border payments and enhance customer experiences.

The Growth of Global E-commerce and Cross-Border Payments

Global e-commerce has experienced significant growth in recent years, with more consumers embracing online shopping. According to eMarketer, global e-commerce sales reached $5.7 trillion in 2022, and this figure is expected to grow further as more businesses go digital.

Cross-border e-commerce, which refers to transactions between businesses and consumers located in different countries, has become a vital component of this growth. Consumers are increasingly purchasing goods and services from international retailers, attracted by better prices, unique products, and improved logistics. However, one of the main barriers to cross-border trade has traditionally been the complexity of international payments.

This is where fintech solutions come into play, offering efficient ways to manage currency conversions, payment gateways, and fraud protection, thus making cross-border payments more accessible for businesses and consumers alike.

Key Fintech Innovations Driving Global E-commerce Payments

Payment Gateways and Processors: Payment gateways act as the bridge between e-commerce platforms and payment networks, enabling businesses to accept payments from multiple countries and in various currencies. Modern fintech-powered payment gateways, such as Payomatix, support multi-currency transactions, offer seamless integrations with e-commerce platforms, and provide real-time currency conversion to simplify global transactions.

Digital Wallets: Fintech innovations have given rise to digital wallets like PayPal, Apple Pay, and Google Pay, which allow users to store payment information securely and make international purchases easily. These wallets enable consumers to bypass traditional banking systems, offering a more straightforward and secure method for global transactions.

Currency Conversion and FX Services: One of the significant challenges in cross-border payments is dealing with currency conversion and foreign exchange (FX) fees. Fintech companies provide real-time currency conversion services with competitive exchange rates, eliminating the need for businesses to rely on traditional banks and reducing transaction costs.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Fintech has popularized flexible payment solutions like Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) services, which are gaining traction globally. These services allow consumers to purchase products internationally and pay in installments without upfront costs, thus encouraging higher-value cross-border purchases.

Blockchain and Cryptocurrencies: Blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies are revolutionizing the global payment landscape by offering decentralized, borderless payment options. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum enable faster and more secure cross-border transactions with minimal fees, especially in regions with limited banking infrastructure.

Challenges in Cross-Border E-commerce Payments

While fintech is streamlining global e-commerce payments, businesses and consumers still face several challenges when transacting across borders:

Regulatory Compliance: Different countries have varying regulations regarding payments, data security, and anti-money laundering (AML) policies. Navigating these regulations can be complex, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Fraud Prevention: Cross-border transactions are more susceptible to fraud due to the complexities involved in verifying identities and payment information. Fintech companies are addressing this issue with advanced fraud detection tools, machine learning, and AI-driven analytics to detect and prevent fraudulent transactions.

High Transaction Fees: Traditional payment methods for cross-border transactions often come with high fees due to currency conversion and intermediary banks. Fintech solutions are working to reduce these costs, but businesses must still be mindful of the potential impact on profit margins.

Opportunities Created by Fintech for Global E-commerce

Financial Inclusion: One of the most significant contributions of fintech is its role in promoting financial inclusion. Digital payment solutions have opened up access to e-commerce for consumers in emerging markets, where traditional banking infrastructure is lacking. Fintech platforms provide underbanked populations with access to global goods and services, boosting e-commerce growth in these regions.

Personalized Payment Solutions: Fintech enables businesses to offer personalized payment options to their customers. From preferred local payment methods to currency selection and installment plans, fintech solutions allow companies to cater to diverse customer preferences, improving the overall shopping experience and increasing conversion rates.

Improved Cash Flow Management: Fintech platforms provide businesses with tools for managing cash flow, tracking transactions, and optimizing payment processes. With access to real-time payment data and automated reconciliation, businesses can better manage international transactions and reduce operational costs.

How Payomatix is Revolutionizing Global E-commerce Payments

At the forefront of fintech innovation, Payomatix is leading the charge in enabling seamless global payments for e-commerce businesses. Offering a range of solutions designed to simplify and secure cross-border transactions, Payomatix is helping businesses overcome the challenges of international e-commerce.

White Label Solutions: Payomatix provides businesses with custom-branded payment platforms through its white-label solutions. These solutions allow businesses to offer a seamless, branded payment experience to their global customers, enhancing trust and customer loyalty.

Cashier: Payment Orchestration Platform: Payomatix’s Cashier platform integrates multiple payment gateways into a single interface, allowing businesses to process payments from around the world with ease. This orchestration ensures that businesses can offer their customers a wide range of payment options while managing transactions efficiently.

PayoCardz: With PayoCardz, Payomatix offers virtual and physical cards that enable businesses to manage expenses, make international payments, and streamline their operations. This solution is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to scale globally, providing a flexible and secure way to handle international payments.

Payment Gateway Services: Payomatix’s payment gateway services support multi-currency payments, ensuring that businesses can accept payments from customers in any country. The gateway offers advanced fraud protection and real-time currency conversion, reducing transaction fees and increasing security.

Conclusion: Fintech’s Role in Shaping the Future of Global E-commerce

As e-commerce continues to expand globally, the role of fintech in streamlining and securing cross-border payments will become increasingly critical. With innovative payment solutions, fintech companies like Payomatix are not only making global commerce more accessible but also empowering businesses to thrive in the competitive digital marketplace.

By offering seamless, secure, and efficient payment solutions, fintech is breaking down barriers to global trade and enabling businesses to reach new markets. As we look to the future, it’s clear that fintech will continue to drive the globalization of e-commerce, creating new opportunities for businesses and consumers alike.

[mobileappbuilder1]

Key insights to help you make the most of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2024

Here are some key insights to help you make the most of Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) 2024:

Personalization with AI: BFCM this year will rely heavily on AI-driven personalization, helping brands craft unique customer experiences. Offering tailored recommendations or product suggestions can significantly improve engagement and conversions​.

Mobile Commerce: Mobile shopping is poised for new highs. With over half of digital purchases happening on mobile, optimizing the mobile shopping experience and even offering mobile-exclusive deals can be a strong differentiator​.

Social Commerce and Influencers: Social platforms like Instagram and TikTok are now shopping hubs. Leveraging shoppable content, flash sales, and influencer partnerships can drive impulse buys and capitalize on FOMO (fear of missing out)​.

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): Offering BNPL options appeals especially to younger shoppers, allowing them to purchase without immediate financial strain, reducing abandoned carts, and boosting conversion rates​.

Sustainability: Eco-friendly practices resonate strongly with modern consumers. Emphasizing sustainable packaging, slower shipping options, or green products can differentiate your brand in a crowded market​.

Staying informed on these trends can guide your BFCM strategy toward record-breaking success.

[pluugin]

Decoding Diwali 2024: A Time of Opportunity

The Diwali festival is not only a celebration of lights but also a prime opportunity for brands to engage with consumers and achieve significant business growth. As shopping behaviors change, aligning campaigns with emerging trends is crucial to fully capitalize on the festive potential.

Key Trends Influencing Diwali Marketing in 2024

Personalization through Data Insights Brands are increasingly leveraging customer data to create tailored experiences. By utilizing product recommendations, targeted offers, and predictive analytics, they ensure that messaging resonates with individual preferences.

Omnichannel Experience Integrating online and offline platforms seamlessly enhances customer satisfaction. Businesses are focusing on “phygital” experiences, allowing consumers to interact easily in-store and digitally.

Gamification & Interactive Campaigns Incorporating gamified elements such as contests, spin-the-wheel promotions, and festive challenges engages customers effectively. These strategies not only enhance brand interaction but also foster memorable experiences.

Loyalty Programs and Rewards Exclusive loyalty programs during the festive season reward long-term customers, promoting ongoing engagement. Timely rewards like coupons and cashback offers keep users engaged throughout the shopping period.

Strategic Campaign Planning for Diwali 2024

Early Campaign Launch With consumers starting their research well in advance, initiating promotions early can maximize reach. Pre-Diwali discounts and early-bird offers encourage advance purchases.

Cultural Relevance in Campaigns Diwali carries deep cultural significance, and campaigns that resonate with traditional values build greater consumer trust. Emphasizing themes of family, giving, and community helps brands connect emotionally.

Influencer & Social Media Marketing Influencers play a key role in shaping festive trends and consumer choices. Collaborating with influencers on platforms like Instagram and YouTube can significantly boost brand visibility.

Sustainability Messaging As awareness of eco-friendly practices increases, brands that promote sustainable products and packaging attract socially conscious consumers.

Optimizing Peak Festive Traffic

Website and App Preparedness It’s essential to ensure that websites and mobile apps can handle the surge in traffic during Diwali shopping. Optimizing load times and simplifying navigation enhances the user experience.

Enhanced Payment Options Integrating multiple payment gateways, including BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) solutions, increases convenience for shoppers.

Shipping and Logistics Planning Consumers expect fast and reliable delivery, often prioritizing brands that provide timely service. Collaborating closely with logistics partners can help prevent delivery delays during the festive rush.

Diwali 2024 presents brands with an opportunity to build lasting relationships with customers while driving seasonal sales. By focusing on personalization, omnichannel strategies, and value-driven campaigns, businesses can embrace the festive spirit and create enduring brand impressions. Highlighting cultural relevance and sustainability will further strengthen consumer loyalty and enhance the festive experience.

By strategically planning early, optimizing operations, and employing interactive marketing methods, brands can stand out this festive season. Unlock the full potential of this season with expert insights and consultation from Pluugin eCommerce.

[shambhavimmr]

The widespread usage of the buy now pay later payment platform by business owners to finance expensive machinery, purchase raw materials, and pay employee wages. The buy now pay later payment method is also being used by more young people since it has a number of advantages over other payment options, including the opportunity to pay for pricey things like computers and cell phones as well as school supplies and cafeteria expenses.

[blogger404]

Emerging e-commerce trends in developing markets

The landscape of e-commerce in developing markets is rapidly evolving. For a digital marketing agency in India, understanding these trends is crucial. This blog explores the emerging e-commerce trends and their impact on digital marketing strategies.

Mobile-First Shopping Experience

In developing markets, mobile devices are often the primary means of internet access. This trend shapes e-commerce in significant ways:

Mobile-optimized websites

User-friendly mobile apps

Quick loading times

For Shopify website development, focusing on mobile responsiveness is key. It ensures a smooth shopping experience for users on smartphones and tablets.

Rise of Social Commerce

Social media platforms are becoming important e-commerce channels. This trend offers new opportunities for a social media agency:

Shoppable posts on Instagram

Facebook Marketplace integration

Pinterest buyable pins

These features allow users to shop directly from social media platforms. It combines social browsing with easy purchasing options.

Voice Search Optimization

Voice-activated devices are gaining popularity in developing markets. This trend affects how people search for products online. An SEO agency should consider:

Optimizing for conversational keywords

Creating FAQ-style content

Ensuring fast loading speeds for voice results

Voice search optimization can improve visibility and user experience. It caters to the growing number of voice-assisted shoppers.

Augmented Reality (AR) in Shopping

AR technology is making online shopping more interactive. It allows customers to visualize products before buying. For e-commerce businesses:

Virtual try-on for fashion items

AR-powered home decor visualization

3D product models for better understanding

Implementing AR features can reduce return rates and increase customer satisfaction. It bridges the gap between online and in-store experiences.

Growth of Regional E-commerce Platforms

Local e-commerce platforms are gaining traction in developing markets. They cater to specific regional needs and preferences. A digital marketing agency in India should:

Partner with regional platforms

Understand local consumer behavior

Adapt strategies for each platform

This approach helps in reaching a wider audience and building local trust. It taps into the familiarity and comfort of regional platforms.

Sustainable and Ethical E-commerce

Consumers in developing markets are becoming more eco-conscious. This trend is influencing their online shopping choices. For businesses:

Highlight sustainable practices

Offer eco-friendly product options

Implement ethical sourcing policies

Promoting sustainability can attract environmentally conscious consumers. It also helps in building a positive brand image.

Personalization and AI-driven Recommendations

AI-powered personalization is becoming a norm in e-commerce. It enhances the shopping experience by offering relevant suggestions. A performance marketing agency can leverage this by:

Implementing AI-driven product recommendations

Creating personalized email marketing campaigns

Offering customized landing pages

Personalization can significantly improve conversion rates and customer loyalty. It makes the shopping experience more relevant and engaging.

Rise of Video Content in E-commerce

Video content is becoming increasingly important in online shopping. It offers a more engaging way to showcase products. For a social media agency:

Create product demonstration videos

Use live streaming for product launches

Implement video reviews and testimonials

Video content can increase engagement and provide more information to shoppers. It helps in building trust and reducing purchase hesitation.

Growth of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Options

BNPL services are gaining popularity in developing markets. They offer flexible payment options to consumers. For e-commerce businesses:

Integrate BNPL options at checkout

Highlight BNPL availability in marketing

Educate customers about BNPL benefits

Offering BNPL can increase average order value and reduce cart abandonment. It makes higher-priced items more accessible to consumers.

Emphasis on Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

With the growth of e-commerce, data security concerns are rising. Addressing these concerns is crucial for building trust. A digital marketing agency in India should:

Implement robust security measures

Clearly communicate privacy policies

Obtain necessary security certifications

Prioritizing cybersecurity can enhance customer trust and loyalty. It's essential for long-term success in e-commerce.

Integration of Chatbots and AI Assistants

AI-powered chatbots are improving customer service in e-commerce. They offer instant support and guidance to shoppers. For businesses:

Implement AI chatbots for customer queries

Use chatbots for product recommendations

Offer 24/7 support through AI assistants

Chatbots can enhance customer experience and reduce support costs. They provide quick answers and guide customers through the buying process.

Growth of Cross-border E-commerce

Developing markets are seeing a rise in cross-border online shopping. This opens up new opportunities for businesses. A performance marketing agency can:

Optimize for international SEO

Implement multi-currency support

Offer localized content and customer support

Cross-border e-commerce allows businesses to tap into global markets. It requires understanding of international shipping and customs regulations.

Rise of Voice Commerce

Voice-activated shopping is gaining traction in developing markets. It offers a hands-free and convenient shopping experience. For Shopify website development:

Optimize product descriptions for voice search

Implement voice-activated navigation

Create voice-friendly checkout processes

Voice commerce can improve accessibility and convenience for shoppers. It's particularly useful for repeat purchases and simple orders.

Conclusion: Adapting to E-commerce Trends for Success

The e-commerce landscape in developing markets is dynamic and full of opportunities. For a digital marketing agency in India, staying ahead of these trends is crucial. From Shopify website development to performance marketing, adapting strategies to these trends can drive success.

By embracing mobile-first design, leveraging social commerce, and implementing AI-driven personalization, businesses can enhance their e-commerce presence. Understanding local preferences, prioritizing sustainability, and ensuring robust security measures are equally important.

As these trends continue to shape the e-commerce landscape, digital marketing agencies must remain agile and innovative. By doing so, they can help businesses capitalize on the growing e-commerce opportunities in developing markets.

[ghiblimerchcom]

E-Commerce Trends for 2024: Navigating the Future of Online Shopping

As we enter 2024, the e-commerce landscape is rapidly changing, influenced by technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences. Here’s a comprehensive look at the trends that are set to shape the online shopping experience this year.

1. AI-Enhanced Personalization

Artificial intelligence continues to be a game-changer in e-commerce. Brands are leveraging AI to analyze consumer data, allowing for hyper-personalized experiences. From customized product recommendations to targeted advertising campaigns, AI enhances customer engagement and drives sales, ensuring that consumers receive exactly what they are looking for.

2. Sustainability as a Core Value

Sustainability is no longer an afterthought; it has become essential for many consumers. In 2024, expect a significant increase in brands adopting eco-friendly practices, including sustainable sourcing, biodegradable packaging, and carbon offset initiatives. Companies that clearly communicate their sustainability efforts will attract environmentally conscious shoppers and build brand loyalty.

3. Mobile Commerce Optimization

With a growing number of consumers shopping on mobile devices, optimizing the mobile experience is critical. Brands are focusing on fast-loading sites, intuitive navigation, and seamless checkout processes. Additionally, incorporating features like mobile wallets and augmented reality (AR) for product trials will further enhance the mobile shopping experience.

4. Interactive Live Shopping Events

Live shopping is transforming the way consumers engage with brands. These real-time events allow brands to showcase products, answer questions, and create a lively shopping atmosphere. By combining entertainment and commerce, brands can foster a sense of community while driving immediate sales through interactive experiences.

5. Focus on Health and Wellness

The demand for health and wellness products continues to surge as consumers prioritize their well-being. Brands offering fitness equipment, health supplements, and mental wellness resources will resonate with health-conscious consumers. Expect to see more innovative products that support holistic health and cater to diverse wellness needs.

6. Transparency and Ethical Practices

Today’s consumers value transparency and ethical standards. Brands that openly share information about their sourcing, manufacturing processes, and social impact will build trust and credibility. In 2024, expect more brands to prioritize ethical practices and communicate these Studio Ghibli values effectively to their audiences.

7. Social Commerce Evolution

Social media is becoming a vital channel for e-commerce, allowing brands to reach consumers where they engage daily. Shoppable posts, influencer collaborations, and in-app purchasing features on platforms like Instagram and TikTok are driving this trend. Brands that leverage social commerce effectively will enhance their visibility and customer engagement.

8. Diverse Payment Options

The demand for flexible payment solutions is on the rise. Consumers are looking for convenience at checkout, leading to the popularity of options such as buy now, pay later (BNPL), digital wallets, and cryptocurrencies. Brands that offer multiple payment methods will appeal to a broader audience and improve the overall shopping experience.

As we navigate through 2024, the e-commerce landscape presents vast opportunities for innovation and growth. Brands that focus on AI-driven personalization, sustainability, mobile optimization, and ethical practices will be well-positioned to thrive in this competitive market.

Whether you’re a retailer adapting to these trends or a consumer eager to explore new products, staying informed about these developments will enrich your experience in the dynamic world of e-commerce. Here’s to a transformative and exciting year ahead!

[b2bbusiness]

Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Market: Revolutionizing Consumer Finance

The Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) market has emerged as a game-changing innovation in the world of consumer finance. With its rise, it has transformed the way consumers shop and pay for products, offering flexible payment options that cater to the growing demand for convenience and affordability. In this article, we’ll explore what BNPL is, the key trends driving the market, and the opportunities and challenges ahead.

What is Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)?

BNPL is a short-term financing option that allows consumers to purchase items immediately and pay for them over time, often with no interest, provided the payments are made on time. Popular BNPL providers like Afterpay, Klarna, Affirm, and PayPal's Pay in 4 have become household names, offering a wide range of products, from fashion to electronics, and even travel.

Unlike traditional credit cards, BNPL plans typically divide the purchase into equal installments, payable over a few weeks or months. The simplicity and transparency of this payment structure have made BNPL a popular alternative to credit cards, especially among younger consumers.

Key Trends Driving the BNPL Market

The BNPL market has seen exponential growth in recent years, driven by several key trends:

Shift in Consumer Preferences Millennials and Gen Z are more cautious about credit card debt and prefer alternative financing methods. BNPL aligns with their desire for budgeting flexibility, as it allows for better control over spending without incurring interest, as long as payments are made on time.

E-commerce Boom The rapid growth of e-commerce, especially during the pandemic, has fueled BNPL adoption. Retailers across various sectors, from fashion to electronics, have integrated BNPL as a checkout option, attracting more customers who value flexibility.

Increased Retailer Adoption Retailers are adopting BNPL services to improve conversion rates and average order values. The ability to offer customers a convenient way to pay in installments without leaving the retailer's website creates a smoother and more appealing shopping experience.

Expansion Beyond Retail While BNPL began in retail, it has expanded into other sectors, such as travel, healthcare, and even education. Consumers are now using BNPL to finance large-ticket items like vacations, medical procedures, and tuition fees.

Technological Advancements BNPL providers are leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to assess consumer creditworthiness instantly. This real-time data processing allows for quick approvals and tailored payment plans, enhancing the overall user experience.

Opportunities in the BNPL Market

Untapped Markets While BNPL has gained significant traction in countries like the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, there are vast opportunities in emerging markets where access to traditional credit is limited. Expanding into these regions could unlock new growth potential.

Integration with Digital Wallets As digital wallets and payment platforms like Apple Pay and Google Pay continue to rise in popularity, integrating BNPL into these ecosystems could create seamless, one-click payment experiences, further driving adoption.

Partnerships with Banks Traditional financial institutions are beginning to take notice of the BNPL trend. Collaborations between banks and BNPL providers can lead to co-branded offerings, further boosting customer trust and expanding BNPL services.

Challenges Facing the BNPL Market

Despite its rapid growth, the BNPL market faces several challenges:

Regulatory Scrutiny The ease of access to BNPL has raised concerns about consumer debt, particularly among younger generations. Regulators are increasingly examining the industry to ensure responsible lending practices and to protect consumers from potential financial pitfalls.

Rising Competition The success of BNPL has attracted a flood of new entrants into the market, leading to increased competition. Both established financial institutions and fintech startups are vying for a piece of the market, making it difficult for smaller providers to differentiate themselves.

Delinquency Risks While BNPL can be a useful tool for consumers, missed payments can lead to late fees and affect a consumer's credit score. BNPL providers must strike a balance between accessibility and risk management to ensure sustainable growth.

Profitability Concerns BNPL providers typically charge merchants a fee for offering their services, but the absence of interest for consumers may limit profitability. As competition heats up, providers must find ways to maintain margins while delivering value to both retailers and consumers.

Future Outlook

The BNPL market shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, analysts predict that the global BNPL market could reach $3.98 trillion by 2030, fueled by growing demand from consumers and merchants alike. The future of BNPL will likely see greater integration with emerging technologies like blockchain and cryptocurrency, as well as the continued expansion into new sectors and regions.

However, to ensure sustainable growth, BNPL providers must navigate increasing regulatory scrutiny, rising competition, and the challenge of maintaining profitability. Those who succeed will be the ones that prioritize consumer trust, technological innovation, and responsible lending practices.

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