#The rise of eCommerce | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

exeggcute · 1 year

Text

the great reddit API meltdown of '23, or: this was always bound to happen

there's a lot of press about what's going on with reddit right now (app shutdowns, subreddit blackouts, the CEO continually putting his foot in his mouth), but I haven't seen as much stuff talking about how reddit got into this situation to begin with. so as a certified non-expert and Context Enjoyer I thought it might be helpful to lay things out as I understand them—a high-level view, surveying the whole landscape—in the wonderful world of startups, IPOs, and extremely angry users.

disclaimer that I am not a founder or VC (lmao), have yet to work at a company with a successful IPO, and am not a reddit employee or third-party reddit developer or even a subreddit moderator. I do work at a startup, know my way around an API or two, and have spent twelve regrettable years on reddit itself. which is to say that I make no promises of infallibility, but I hope you'll at least find all this interesting.

profit now or profit later

before you can really get into reddit as reddit, it helps to know a bit about startups (of which reddit is one). and before I launch into that, let me share my Three Types Of Websites framework, which is basically just a mental model about financial incentives that's helped me contextualize some of this stuff.

(1) website/software that does not exist to make money: relatively rare, for a variety of reasons, among them that it costs money to build and maintain a website in the first place. wikipedia is the evergreen example, although even wikipedia's been subject to criticism for how the wikimedia foundation pays out its employees and all that fun nonprofit stuff. what's important here is that even when making money is not the goal, money itself is still a factor, whether it's solicited via donations or it's just one guy paying out of pocket to host a hobby site. but websites in this category do, generally, offer free, no-strings-attached experiences to their users.

(I do want push back against the retrospective nostalgia of "everything on the internet used to be this way" because I don't think that was ever really true—look at AOL, the dotcom boom, the rise of banner ads. I distinctly remember that neopets had multiple corporate sponsors, including a cookie crisp-themed flash game. yahoo bought geocities for $3.6 billion; money's always been trading hands, obvious or not. it's indisputable that the internet is simply different now than it was ten or twenty years ago, and that monetization models themselves have largely changed as well (I have thoughts about this as it relates to web 1.0 vs web 2.0 and their associated costs/scale/etc.), but I think the only time people weren't trying to squeeze the internet for all the dimes it can offer was when the internet was first conceived as a tool for national defense.)

(2) website/software that exists to make money now: the type that requires the least explanation. mostly non-startup apps and services, including any random ecommerce storefront, mobile apps that cost three bucks to download, an MMO with a recurring subscription, or even a news website that runs banner ads and/or offers paid subscriptions. in most (but not all) cases, the "make money now" part is obvious, so these things don't feel free to us as users, even to the extent that they might have watered-down free versions or limited access free trials. no one's shocked when WoW offers another paid expansion packs because WoW's been around for two decades and has explicitly been trying to make money that whole time.

(3) website/software that exists to make money later: this is the fun one, and more common than you'd think. "make money later" is more or less the entire startup business model—I'll get into that in the next section—and is deployed with the expectation that you will make money at some point, but not always by means as obvious as "selling WoW expansions for forty bucks a pop."

companies in this category tend to have two closely entwined characteristics: they prioritize growth above all else, regardless of whether this growth is profitable in any way (now, or sometimes, ever), and they do this by offering users really cool and awesome shit at little to no cost (or, if not for free, then at least at a significant loss to the company).

so from a user perspective, these things either seem free or far cheaper than their competitors. but of course websites and software and apps and [blank]-as-a-service tools cost money to build and maintain, and that money has to come from somewhere, and the people supplying that money, generally, expect to get it back...

just not immediately.

startups, VCs, IPOs, and you

here's the extremely condensed "did NOT go to harvard business school" version of how a startup works:

(1) you have a cool idea.

(2) you convince some venture capitalists (also known as VCs) that your idea is cool. if they see the potential in what you're pitching, they'll give you money in exchange for partial ownership of your company—which means that if/when the company starts trading its stock publicly, these investors will own X numbers of shares that they can sell at any time. in other words, you get free money now (and you'll likely seek multiple "rounds" of investors over the years to sustain your company), but with the explicit expectations that these investors will get their payoff later, assuming you don't crash and burn before that happens.

during this phase, you want to do anything in your power to make your company appealing to investors so you can attract more of them and raise funds as needed. because you are definitely not bringing in the necessary revenue to offset operating costs by yourself.

it's also worth nothing that this is less about projecting the long-term profitability of your company than it's about its perceived profitability—i.e., VCs want to put their money behind a company that other people will also have confidence in, because that's what makes stock valuable, and VCs are in it for stock prices.

(3) there are two non-exclusive win conditions for your startup: you can get acquired, and you can have an IPO (also referred to as "going public"). these are often called "exit scenarios" and they benefit VCs and founders, as well as some employees. it's also possible for a company to get acquired, possibly even more than once, and then later go public.

acquisition: sell the whole damn thing to someone else. there are a million ways this can happen, some better than others, but in many cases this means anyone with ownership of the company (which includes both investors and employees who hold stock options) get their stock bought out by the acquiring company and end up with cash in hand. in varying amounts, of course. sometimes the founders walk away, sometimes the employees get laid off, but not always.

IPO: short for "initial public offering," this is when the company starts trading its stocks publicly, which means anyone who wants to can start buying that company's stock, which really means that VCs (and employees with stock options) can turn that hypothetical money into real money by selling their company stock to interested buyers.

drawing from that, companies don't go for an IPO until they think their stock will actually be worth something (or else what's the point?)—specifically, worth more than the amount of money that investors poured into it. The Powers That Be will speculate about a company's IPO potential way ahead of time, which is where you'll hear stuff about companies who have an estimated IPO evaluation of (to pull a completely random example) $10B. actually I lied, that was not a random example, that was reddit's valuation back in 2021 lol. but a valuation is basically just "how much will people be interested in our stock?"

as such, in the time leading up to an IPO, it's really really important to do everything you can to make your company seem like a good investment (which is how you get stock prices up), usually by making the company's numbers look good. but! if you plan on cashing out, the long-term effects of your decisions aren't top of mind here. remember, the industry lingo is "exit scenario."

if all of this seems like a good short-term strategy for companies and their VCs, but an unsustainable model for anyone who's buying those stocks during the IPO, that's because it often is.

also worth noting that it's possible for a company to be technically unprofitable as a business (meaning their costs outstrip their revenue) and still trade enormously well on the stock market; uber is the perennial example of this. to the people who make money solely off of buying and selling stock, it literally does not matter that the actual rideshare model isn't netting any income—people think the stock is valuable, so it's valuable.

this is also why, for example, elon musk is richer than god: if he were only the CEO of tesla, the money he'd make from selling mediocre cars would be (comparatively, lol) minimal. but he's also one of tesla's angel investors, which means he holds a shitload of tesla stock, and tesla's stock has performed well since their IPO a decade ago (despite recent dips)—even if tesla itself has never been a huge moneymaker, public faith in the company's eventual success has kept them trading at high levels. granted, this also means most of musk's wealth is hypothetical and not liquid; if TSLA dropped to nothing, so would the value of all the stock he holds (and his net work with it).

what's an API, anyway?

to move in an entirely different direction: we can't get into reddit's API debacle without understanding what an API itself is.

an API (short for "application programming interface," not that it really matters) is a series of code instructions that independent developers can use to plug their shit into someone else's shit. like a series of tin cans on strings between two kids' treehouses, but for sending and receiving data.

APIs work by yoinking data directly from a company's servers instead of displaying anything visually to users. so I could use reddit's API to build my own app that takes the day's top r/AITA post and transcribes it into pig latin: my app is a bunch of lines of code, and some of those lines of code fetch data from reddit (and then transcribe that data into pig latin), and then my app displays the content to anyone who wants to see it, not reddit itself. as far as reddit is concerned, no additional human beings laid eyeballs on that r/AITA post, and reddit never had a chance to serve ads alongside the pig-latinized content in my app. (put a pin in this part—it'll be relevant later.)

but at its core, an API is really a type of protocol, which encompasses a broad category of formats and business models and so on. some APIs are completely free to use, like how anyone can build a discord bot (but you still have to host it yourself). some companies offer free APIs to third-party developers can build their own plugins, and then the company and the third-party dev split the profit on those plugins. some APIs have a free tier for hobbyists and a paid tier for big professional projects (like every weather API ever, lol). some APIs are strictly paid services because the API itself is the company's core offering.

reddit's financial foundations

okay thanks for sticking with me. I promise we're almost ready to be almost ready to talk about the current backlash.

reddit has always been a startup's startup from day one: its founders created the site after attending a startup incubator (which is basically a summer camp run by VCs) with the successful goal of creating a financially successful site. backed by that delicious y combinator money, reddit got acquired by conde nast only a year or two after its creation, which netted its founders a couple million each. this was back in like, 2006 by the way. in the time since that acquisition, reddit's gone through a bunch of additional funding rounds, including from big-name investors like a16z, peter thiel (yes, that guy), sam altman (yes, also that guy), sequoia, fidelity, and tencent. crunchbase says that they've raised a total of $1.3B in investor backing.

in all this time, reddit has never been a public company, or, strictly speaking, profitable.

APIs and third-party apps

reddit has offered free API access for basically as long as it's had a public API—remember, as a "make money later" company, their primary goal is growth, which means attracting as many users as possible to the platform. so letting anyone build an app or widget is (or really, was) in line with that goal.

as such, third-party reddit apps have been around forever. by third-party apps, I mean apps that use the reddit API to display actual reddit content in an unofficial wrapper. iirc reddit didn't even have an official mobile app until semi-recently, so many of these third-party mobile apps in particular just sprung up to meet an unmet need, and they've kept a small but dedicated userbase ever since. some people also prefer the user experience of the unofficial apps, especially since they offer extra settings to customize what you're seeing and few to no ads (and any ads these apps do display are to the benefit of the third-party developers, not reddit itself.)

(let me add this preemptively: one solution I've seen proposed to the paid API backlash is that reddit should have third-party developers display reddit's ads in those third-party apps, but this isn't really possible or advisable due to boring adtech reasons I won't inflict on you here. source: just trust me bro)

in addition to mobile apps, there are also third-party tools that don’t replace the Official Reddit Viewing Experience but do offer auxiliary features like being able to mass-delete your post history, tools that make the site more accessible to people who use screen readers, and tools that help moderators of subreddits moderate more easily. not to mention a small army of reddit bots like u/AutoWikibot or u/RemindMebot (and then the bots that tally the number of people who reply to bot comments with “good bot” or “bad bot).

the number of people who use third-party apps is relatively small, but they arguably comprise some of reddit’s most dedicated users, which means that third-party apps are important to the people who keep reddit running and the people who supply reddit with high-quality content.

unpaid moderators and user-generated content

so reddit is sort of two things: reddit is a platform, but it’s also a community.

the platform is all the unsexy (or, if you like python, sexy) stuff under the hood that actually makes the damn thing work. this is what the company spends money building and maintaining and "owns." the community is all the stuff that happens on the platform: posts, people, petty squabbles. so the platform is where the content lives, but ultimately the content is the reason people use reddit—no one’s like “yeah, I spend time on here because the backend framework really impressed me."

and all of this content is supplied by users, which is not unique among social media platforms, but the content is also managed by users, which is. paid employees do not govern subreddits; unpaid volunteers do. and moderation is the only thing that keeps reddit even remotely tolerable—without someone to remove spam, ban annoying users, and (god willing) enforce rules against abuse and hate speech, a subreddit loses its appeal and therefore its users. not dissimilar to the situation we’re seeing play out at twitter, except at twitter it was the loss of paid moderators; reddit is arguably in a more precarious position because they could lose this unpaid labor at any moment, and as an already-unprofitable company they absolutely cannot afford to implement paid labor as a substitute.

oh yeah? spell "IPO" backwards

so here we are, June 2023, and reddit is licking its lips in anticipation of a long-fabled IPO. which means it’s time to start fluffing themselves up for investors by cutting costs (yay, layoffs!) and seeking new avenues of profit, however small.

this brings us to the current controversy: reddit announced a new API pricing plan that more or less prevents anyone from using it for free.

from reddit's perspective, the ostensible benefits of charging for API access are twofold: first, there's direct profit to be made off of the developers who (may or may not) pay several thousand dollars a month to use it, and second, cutting off unsanctioned third-party mobile apps (possibly) funnels those apps' users back into the official reddit mobile app. and since users on third-party apps reap the benefit of reddit's site architecture (and hosting, and development, and all the other expenses the site itself incurs) without “earning” money for reddit by generating ad impressions, there’s a financial incentive at work here: even if only a small percentage of people use third-party apps, getting them to use the official app instead translates to increased ad revenue, however marginal.

(also worth mentioning that chatGPT and other LLMs were trained via tools that used reddit's API to scrape post and content data, and now that openAI is reaping the profits of that training without giving reddit any kickbacks, reddit probably wants to prevent repeats of this from happening in the future. if you want to train the next LLM, it's gonna cost you.)

of course, these changes only benefit reddit if they actually increase the company’s revenue and perceived value/growth—which is hard to do when your users (who are also the people who supply the content for other users to engage with, who are also the people who moderate your communities and make them fun to participate in) get really fucking pissed and threaten to walk.

pricing shenanigans

under the new API pricing plan, third-party developers are suddenly facing steep costs to maintain the apps and tools they’ve built.

most paid APIs are priced by volume: basically, the more data you send and receive, the more money it costs. so if your third-party app has a lot of users, you’ll have to make more API requests to fetch content for those users, and your app becomes more expensive to maintain. (this isn’t an issue if the tool you’re building also turns a profit, but most third-party reddit apps make little, if any, money.)

which is why, even though third-party apps capture a relatively small portion of reddit’s users, the developer of a popular third-party app called apollo recently learned that it would cost them about $20 million a year to keep the app running. and apollo actually offers some paid features (for extra in-app features independent of what reddit offers), but nowhere near enough to break even on those API costs.

so apollo, any many apps like it, were suddenly unable to keep their doors open under the new API pricing model and announced that they'd be forced to shut down.

backlash, blackout

plenty has been said already about the current subreddit blackouts—in like, official news outlets and everything—so this might be the least interesting section of my whole post lol. the short version is that enough redditors got pissed enough that they collectively decided to take subreddits “offline” in protest, either by making them read-only or making them completely inaccessible. their goal was to send a message, and that message was "if you piss us off and we bail, here's what reddit's gonna be like: a ghost town."

but, you may ask, if third-party apps only captured a small number of users in the first place, how was the backlash strong enough to result in a near-sitewide blackout? well, two reasons:

first and foremost, since moderators in particular are fond of third-party tools, and since moderators wield outsized power (as both the people who keep your site more or less civil, and as the people who can take a subreddit offline if they feel like it), it’s in your best interests to keep them happy. especially since they don’t get paid to do this job in the first place, won’t keep doing it if it gets too hard, and essentially have nothing to lose by stepping down.

then, to a lesser extent, the non-moderator users on third-party apps tend to be Power Users who’ve been on reddit since its inception, and as such likely supply a disproportionate amount of the high-quality content for other users to see (and for ads to be served alongside). if you drive away those users, you’re effectively kneecapping your overall site traffic (which is bad for Growth) and reducing the number/value of any ad impressions you can serve (which is bad for revenue).

also a secret third reason, which is that even people who use the official apps have no stake in a potential IPO, can smell the general unfairness of this whole situation, and would enjoy the schadenfreude of investors getting fucked over. not to mention that reddit’s current CEO has made a complete ass of himself and now everyone hates him and wants to see him suffer personally.

(granted, it seems like reddit may acquiesce slightly and grant free API access to a select set of moderation/accessibility tools, but at this point it comes across as an empty gesture.)

"later" is now "now"

TL;DR: this whole thing is a combination of many factors, specifically reddit being intensely user-driven and self-governed, but also a high-traffic site that costs a lot of money to run (why they willingly decided to start hosting video a few years back is beyond me...), while also being angled as a public stock market offering in the very near future. to some extent I understand why reddit’s CEO doubled down on the changes—he wants to look strong for investors—but he’s also made a fool of himself and cast a shadow of uncertainty onto reddit’s future, not to mention the PR nightmare surrounding all of this. and since arguably the most important thing in an IPO is how much faith people have in your company, I honestly think reddit would’ve fared better if they hadn’t gone nuclear with the API changes in the first place.

that said, I also think it’s a mistake to assume that reddit care (or needs to care) about its users in any meaningful way, or at least not as more than means to an end. if reddit shuts down in three years, but all of the people sitting on stock options right now cashed out at $120/share and escaped unscathed... that’s a success story! you got your money! VCs want to recoup their investment—they don’t care about longevity (at least not after they’re gone), user experience, or even sustained profit. those were never the forces driving them, because these were never the ultimate metrics of their success.

and to be clear: this isn’t unique to reddit. this is how pretty much all startups operate.

I talked about the difference between “make money now” companies and “make money later” companies, and what we’re experiencing is the painful transition from “later” to “now.” as users, this change is almost invisible until it’s already happened—it’s like a rug we didn’t even know existed gets pulled out from under us.

the pre-IPO honeymoon phase is awesome as a user, because companies have no expectation of profit, only growth. if you can rely on VC money to stay afloat, your only concern is building a user base, not squeezing a profit out of them. and to do that, you offer cool shit at a loss: everything’s chocolate and flowers and quarterly reports about the number of signups you’re getting!

...until you reach a critical mass of users, VCs want to cash in, and to prepare for that IPO leadership starts thinking of ways to make the website (appear) profitable and implements a bunch of shit that makes users go “wait, what?”

I also touched on this earlier, but I want to reiterate a bit here: I think the myth of the benign non-monetized internet of yore is exactly that—a myth. what has changed are the specific market factors behind these websites, and their scale, and the means by which they attempt to monetize their services and/or make their services look attractive to investors, and so from a user perspective things feel worse because the specific ways we’re getting squeezed have evolved. maybe they are even worse, at least in the ways that matter. but I’m also increasingly less surprised when this occurs, because making money is and has always been the goal for all of these ventures, regardless of how they try to do so.

8K notes · View notes

mariacallous · 6 days

Text

In 2023, the fast-fashion giant Shein was everywhere. Crisscrossing the globe, airplanes ferried small packages of its ultra-cheap clothing from thousands of suppliers to tens of millions of customer mailboxes in 150 countries. Influencers’ “#sheinhaul” videos advertised the company’s trendy styles on social media, garnering billions of views.

At every step, data was created, collected, and analyzed. To manage all this information, the fast fashion industry has begun embracing emerging AI technologies. Shein uses proprietary machine-learning applications — essentially, pattern-identification algorithms — to measure customer preferences in real time and predict demand, which it then services with an ultra-fast supply chain.

As AI makes the business of churning out affordable, on-trend clothing faster than ever, Shein is among the brands under increasing pressure to become more sustainable, too. The company has pledged to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions no later than 2050.

But climate advocates and researchers say the company’s lightning-fast manufacturing practices and online-only business model are inherently emissions-heavy — and that the use of AI software to catalyze these operations could be cranking up its emissions. Those concerns were amplified by Shein’s third annual sustainability report, released late last month, which showed the company nearly doubled its carbon dioxide emissions between 2022 and 2023.

“AI enables fast fashion to become the ultra-fast fashion industry, Shein and Temu being the fore-leaders of this,” said Sage Lenier, the executive director of Sustainable and Just Future, a climate nonprofit. “They quite literally could not exist without AI.” (Temu is a rapidly rising ecommerce titan, with a marketplace of goods that rival Shein’s in variety, price, and sales.)

In the 12 years since Shein was founded, it has become known for its uniquely prolific manufacturing, which reportedly generated over $30 billion of revenue for the company in 2023. Although estimates vary, a new Shein design may take as little as 10 days to become a garment, and up to 10,000 items are added to the site each day. The company reportedly offers as many as 600,000 items for sale at any given time with an average price tag of roughly $10. (Shein declined to confirm or deny these reported numbers.) One market analysis found that 44 percent of Gen Zers in the United States buy at least one item from Shein every month.

That scale translates into massive environmental impacts. According to the company’s sustainability report, Shein emitted 16.7 million total metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2023 — more than what four coal power plants spew out in a year. The company has also come under fire for textile waste, high levels of microplastic pollution, and exploitative labor practices. According to the report, polyester — a synthetic textile known for shedding microplastics into the environment — makes up 76 percent of its total fabrics, and only 6 percent of that polyester is recycled.

And a recent investigation found that factory workers at Shein suppliers regularly work 75-hour weeks, over a year after the company pledged to improve working conditions within its supply chain. Although Shein’s sustainability report indicates that labor conditions are improving, it also shows that in third-party audits of over 3,000 suppliers and subcontractors, 71 percent received a score of C or lower on the company’s grade scale of A to E — mediocre at best.

Machine learning plays an important role in Shein’s business model. Although Peter Pernot-Day, Shein’s head of global strategy and corporate affairs, told Business Insider last August that AI was not central to its operations, he indicated otherwise during a presentation at a retail conference at the beginning of this year.

“We are using machine-learning technologies to accurately predict demand in a way that we think is cutting edge,” he said. Pernot-Day told the audience that all of Shein’s 5,400 suppliers have access to an AI software platform that gives them updates on customer preferences, and they change what they’re producing to match it in real time.

“This means we can produce very few copies of each garment,” he said. “It means we waste very little and have very little inventory waste.” On average, the company says it stocks between 100 to 200 copies of each item — a stark contrast with more conventional fast-fashion brands, which typically produce thousands of each item per season, and try to anticipate trends months in advance. Shein calls its model “on-demand,” while a technology analyst who spoke to Vox in 2021 called it “real-time” retail.

At the conference, Pernot-Day also indicated that the technology helps the company pick up on “micro trends” that customers want to wear. “We can detect that, and we can act on that in a way that I think we’ve really pioneered,” he said. A designer who filed a recent class action lawsuit in a New York District Court alleges that the company’s AI market analysis tools are used in an “industrial-scale scheme of systematic, digital copyright infringement of the work of small designers and artists,” that scrapes designs off the internet and sends them directly to factories for production.

In an emailed statement to Grist, a Shein spokesperson reiterated Peter Pernot-Day’s assertion that technology allows the company to reduce waste and increase efficiency and suggested that the company’s increased emissions in 2023 were attributable to booming business. “We do not see growth as antithetical to sustainability,” the spokesperson said.

An analysis of Shein’s sustainability report by the Business of Fashion, a trade publication, found that last year, the company’s emissions rose at almost double the rate of its revenue — making Shein the highest-emitting company in the fashion industry. By comparison, Zara’s emissions rose half as much as its revenue. For other industry titans, such as H&M and Nike, sales grew while emissions fell from the year before.

Shein’s emissions are especially high because of its reliance on air shipping, said Sheng Lu, a professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware. “AI has wide applications in the fashion industry. It’s not necessarily that AI is bad,” Lu said. “The problem is the essence of Shein’s particular business model.”

Other major brands ship items overseas in bulk, prefer ocean shipping for its lower cost, and have suppliers and warehouses in a large number of countries, which cuts down on the distances that items need to travel to consumers.

According to the company’s sustainability report, 38 percent of Shein’s climate footprint comes from transportation between its facilities and to customers, and another 61 percent come from other parts of its supply chain. Although the company is based in Singapore and has suppliers in a handful of countries, the majority of its garments are produced in China and are mailed out by air in individually addressed packages to customers. In July, the company sent about 900,000 of these to the US every day.

Shein’s spokesperson told Grist that the company is developing a decarbonization road map to address the footprint of its supply chain. Recently, the company has increased the amount of inventory it stores in US warehouses, allowing it to offer American customers quicker delivery times, and increased its use of cargo ships, which are more carbon-efficient than cargo planes.

“Controlling the carbon emissions in the fashion industry is a really complex process,” Lu said, adding that many brands use AI to make their operations more efficient. “It really depends on how you use AI.”

There is research that indicates using certain AI technologies could help companies become more sustainable. “It’s the missing piece,” said Shahriar Akter, an associate dean of business and law at the University of Wollongong in Australia. In May, Akter and his colleagues published a study finding that when fast-fashion suppliers used AI data management software to comply with big brands’ sustainability goals, those companies were more profitable and emitted less. A key use of this technology, Atker says, is to closely monitor environmental impacts, such as pollution and emissions. “This kind of tracking was not available before AI-based tools,” he said.

Shein told Grist it does not use machine-learning data management software to track emissions, which is one of the uses of AI included in Akter’s study. But the company’s much-touted usage of machine-learning software to predict demand and reduce waste is another of the uses of AI included in the research.

Regardless, the company has a long way to go before meeting its goals. Grist calculated that the emissions Shein reportedly saved in 2023 — with measures such as providing its suppliers with solar panels and opting for ocean shipping — amounted to about 3 percent of the company’s total carbon emissions for the year.

Lenier, from Sustainable and Just Future, believes there is no ethical use of AI in the fast-fashion industry. She said that the largely unregulated technology allows brands to intensify their harmful impacts on workers and the environment. “The folks who work in fast-fashion factories are now under an incredible amount of pressure to turn out even more, even faster,” she said.

Lenier and Lu both believe that the key to a more sustainable fashion industry is convincing customers to buy less. Lu said if companies use AI to boost their sales without changing their unsustainable practices, their climate footprints will also grow accordingly. “It’s the overall effect of being able to offer more market-popular items and encourage consumers to purchase more than in the past,” he said. “Of course, the overall carbon impact will be higher.”

11 notes · View notes

petewentzisblack1312 · 2 months

Text

oh btw its worldbuilding wednesday so im gonna whip out the cyberpunk characters and include some corporations and factions. please feel free to ask questions about anything. pitch a corporation or faction or something. send a name you think would be cool for a cyberpunk character. go nuts.

the setting is new miami: A seaside port city in florida that is losing ground to the rising sea levels. Densely populated with a large Caribbean diaspora that mostly handles transport and delivery (nomads)

character list (so far) here

corps and factions

the promethean collective: they distribute jailbroken cybernetics. activist/hacktivist group.

eagle & co group of businesses:

argos inc (part of e&co): surveillance and security solutions. "keep a hundred eyes on the prize"

theseus (part of e&co): cybernetics company. "building a better you"

horner media group: entertainment company. they have subsidiaries like labels and imprints and production studios and stuff but i havent settled on any yet

drake co: department store and ecommerce platform (walmart meets amazon). 'find your treasure' they have an alexa type holographic assistance called annette (this is relevant to one of my players)

i need to come up with a bunch of organized crime gangs as well. feel free to send a cool or funny concept/gimmick for one.

#dils declares #gm screen #worldbuilding wednesday

9 notes · View notes

gonzalez756 · 24 days

Text

12 Advantages and Disadvantages of ECommerce | Imagency Media

The rapid growth of eCommerce has transformed the way businesses operate, bringing both remarkable advantages and notable challenges. Understanding these can help businesses leverage eCommerce to its fullest potential or address its drawbacks effectively. Let’s dive into 12 key advantages and disadvantages of eCommerce.

Advantages of eCommerce

Global Reach eCommerce breaks down geographical barriers, allowing businesses to reach customers worldwide. This expansive reach helps businesses tap into new markets and grow their customer base beyond local limitations.

Lower Operational Costs Running an online store can be significantly cheaper than maintaining a physical storefront. Costs like rent, utilities, and staffing are greatly reduced, allowing businesses to reinvest savings into marketing and product development.

24/7 Availability Unlike traditional stores, eCommerce sites operate round the clock. This availability caters to customers in different time zones, providing a seamless shopping experience anytime, anywhere.

Personalization and Customer Experience eCommerce platforms can gather data on customer behavior, preferences, and purchase history, allowing businesses to offer personalized recommendations and improve the overall shopping experience.

Easy Scaling and Growth Scaling an online business is much simpler than expanding a brick-and-mortar store. Adding new products or services, targeting new demographics, and adjusting to market demands can be done quickly and efficiently.

Enhanced Marketing Opportunities Digital marketing strategies such as social media advertising, email marketing, and SEO are particularly effective for eCommerce. These channels allow businesses to target specific audiences and track results in real-time.

Disadvantages of eCommerce

Lack of Personal Touch Despite technological advances, online shopping often lacks the personal interaction found in physical stores. This absence of human touch can make it harder to build customer loyalty.

Security and Privacy Concerns With the rise in cybercrime, protecting customer data is a major concern for eCommerce businesses. Ensuring robust security measures is critical but can be costly and complex.

Dependence on Technology eCommerce heavily relies on technology, including websites, payment gateways, and software. Technical glitches, downtime, or slow-loading pages can lead to lost sales and damage to the brand’s reputation.

High Competition and Price Wars The ease of starting an online store has led to increased competition, making it difficult for smaller businesses to stand out. Price wars are common, often squeezing profit margins.

Shipping and Logistics Challenges While eCommerce allows businesses to reach a global audience, shipping products efficiently can be complex and costly. Issues like delayed deliveries, high shipping fees, and logistics mishaps can affect customer satisfaction.

Difficulty in Handling Returns and Refunds Returns are more prevalent in eCommerce, especially in fashion and electronics sectors. Handling returns and refunds can be costly and time-consuming, often eroding profit margins.

Conclusion

eCommerce offers vast opportunities for growth, flexibility, and global reach, but it also comes with challenges that businesses must address. By understanding these advantages and disadvantages, companies can better strategize and create a seamless, customer-friendly eCommerce experience.

Imagency Media can help you navigate the eCommerce landscape, providing expert insights and tailored solutions to maximize your online success.

#digital services #digital marketing #social media marketing #business #marketing #google ads #ecommerce business #ecommerce

3 notes · View notes

mostlysignssomeportents · 2 years

Text

Uline's billions fund voter suppression

Every billionaire is a policy failure, but every billionaire is also a factory for producing policy failures at scale. The political power conferred by massive wealth accumulation makes a sham of democracy, because “one person, one vote” is easily swamped by “one dollar, one vote.”

That’s why we need to abolish all billionaires, even the “good” ones who promise to support charities or causes we support. But today, I want to focus on some extremely bad billionaires, Dick and Liz Uihlein, owners of the packing-supply monopoly Uline.

The Uihleins are a multi-generational far-right clan of wealthy conspiracy peddlers. The family money starts with the founding of the Schlitz Brewery (and you thought Coors was the only fascist beer!).

The Schlitz fortune let Edgar J. Uihlein pour money into Charles Lindbergh’s America First movement, an antisemitic, pro-Nazi isolationist group that was part of a wider anti-Jewish movement that Lindbergh helped found, whose projects included translated and disseminating an English translation of The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a hoax document purporting to reveal a conspiracy of Jewish bankers to take over the world.

Edgar Uihlein Jr — father of Dick — was a major funder of the John Birch Society, another conspiratorial far-right authoritarian group, who campaigned against secret communists, water fluoridation and civil rights. Edgar lavished funding on pro-segregationists.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Today on Propublica, Justin Elliott, Megan O’Matz and Doris Burke document the vast and shadowy support that Dick and Liz Uihlein provide to far-right causes, using the windfall profits from Uline, whose sales have ballooned along with the rise of ecommerce:

https://www.propublica.org/article/uline-uihlein-election-denial

Back in 2002, Uline was pulling in $18m/year. By 2018, it was $712m. The pandemic goosed Uline’s sales still further. The Uihleins did their best to prolong the pandemic, putting money into local school-board races to oust trustees who advocated for covid safety measures:

https://urbanmilwaukee.com/2021/10/27/uilhlein-bankrolls-mequon-thiensville-recall/

They also campaigned against workplace shutdowns, and turned their own facilities into super-spreader sites where employees sickened at shockingly high rates:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/feb/28/uline-dick-liz-uihlein-workers-covid-safety

That’s just a small corner of the Uihleins’ contributions to culture war bullshit in public schools. They’re also big donors to the American Principles Project and its anti “transgender ideology” attack ads, which also target abortion and “critical race theory.”

https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2022/07/19/uline-chairman-funnels-2-5-million-to-anti-abortion-pacs/

There’s no anti-abortion candidate too extreme for the Uihlines. They spent $50m to support Darren Bailey’s bid for the governorship of Illinois. Bailey says that the Holocaust “doesn’t even compare” to abortion” (and Bailey also condemns “perversion in our schools” in the form of curriculum that acknowledges the existence of queer people).

Dick and Liz named their foundation after Dick’s father. The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation sends tens of millions to the architects of anti-democractic, anti-majoritarian, pro-voter-suppression organizations, including the Federalst Society, the Conservative Partnership Institute and the Foundation for Government Accountability:

https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-filings-reveal-another-billionaire-dick-uihlein-behind-the-big-lie

The Uihleins play an inside/outside game, funding “think tanks” and other outside/astroturf groups, and also backing election campaigns directly. They’re the GOP’s largest federal donors. They’ve backed campaigns Jim Marchant, who is running for Nevada Secretary of State on a Big Lie platform that denies the 2020 election. They’re also backing the PA gubernatorial bid of Doug Mastriano, the Jan 6 insurrection participant who is associated with notorious antisemites:

https://whyy.org/articles/pa-2022-governor-elections-mastriano-jewish-democrats-press-conference/

The Uihleins epitomize the idea that rich people are born to be in charge of the rest of us, and that their wealth entitles — and even obliges — them to organize the lives of the people around them. They are workplpace tyrants, micromanaging bullies who force their employees to take down their kids’ drawings and ban women from wearing pants (they also ban corduroy!).

Employees who arrive for work one minute late are considered “tardy.” An employee may not display more than four personal items, and no item may be larger than 5x7 inches. “Liz would walk up and down the aisles, and if your desk looked off, you’d be written up.”

https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/23179330-uline-cubicle-dos-and-donts

The company hosts mandatory “lunch and learn” sessions for employees where they are required to endure speeches from Wisconsin governor Scott Walker and other far-right figures (the Uihleins once hired a Donald Trump impersonator as the warm-up act for one of these sessions).

The Uihleins are ideologues, but it’s a mistake to view their authoritarianism, antisemitism, racism, and homophobia as the main force of their ideology. First and foremost is their belief that they deserve to be rich, and that the rich should be in charge of everyone else.

That commitment to the one dollar, one vote system is the motivating factor behind everything else. The Uihleins fund voter suppression, sure, but that’s to weaken the power of the ballot box, which might otherwise check the power of oligarchs.

Oligarchs like the Uihleins say they believe the government is incapable of doing good, but it’s more true to say that they are committed to ensuring that the government can’t do good. They don’t want a small state — they want a captive one, one that will do their bidding.

In 2017, Donald Trump achieved the only significant policy victory of his presidency: a $2.3 trillion tax giveaway to the ultra-rich. Trump may have been in charge of the Executive Branch, but he lacked the executive function to get anything done. His plutocratic class solidarity overcame his poor impulse control for this issue alone.

The actual tax bill was an incredible mess. Lawmakers literally scribbled illegible hand-written amendments all over the 479-page bill, carving out tax breaks that sent millions to individual donors.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/12/02/handwriting-wall-and-page-senate-passes-tax-bill/915957001/

Two of the biggest beneficiaries of this corrupt bonanza were Dick and Liz Uihlein. Their pet senator, Ron Johnson, threatened to tank the entire tax bill unless he was given a clause that created deductions for “pass-through” entities. Johnson claimed this would “simplify and rationalize the tax code” for a wide range of businesses, but that was a lie.

In truth, only a very small number of businesses benefited from this, and right at the top of the beneficiaries were the Uihlnes, who donated $20m to Johnson’s campaign and got $215m back in the first year. Overall, they stand to make $500m from Johnson’s amendment:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/11/the-canada-variant/#shitty-man-of-history-theory

The rich are a factory for producing policy failures, and the Uihlines operate one of the most efficient policy-failure factories in the world. Yes, they support causes that threaten to exterminate Black people, Jews and queers. Yes, they want to force women and children to give birth.

But most of all, they want to rule. They want to tell us all what we can wear and to dictate the maximum size of the keepsakes we post around our desks. They want to force us to attend their “learning sessions” and to watch their Trump impersonators and clownish politicians.

They derive this authority from being born rich, and from growing still richer. Having won the lucky orifice lottery and then leveraged the advantages of being born on third base, they get to impose their will on millions of others. They believe that some were born to rule, and the rest of us were born to be ruled over.

This is the core of the monopolist’s project — to deprive you of choices, so that you are cornered into doing the monopolist’s bidding. Not only do the Uihlines want to take away your vote, they also want to force you to fund it, by monopolizing the packing materials business, so that every time you ship a box, you support your own disenfranchisement.

https://marker.medium.com/we-should-not-endure-a-king-dfef34628153

[Image ID: A paper shredder that is shredding a document labelled 'official ballot'; the box is emblazoned with the Uline logo, as well as a VOTE HERE instruction and an 'I Voted' disc.]

#pluralistic

103 notes · View notes

listanyecomsuite · 9 months

Text

#10 Top reasons to choose ListAny as the best website design and development company in India.

A strong online presence is paramount for any business looking to thrive. Choosing the right website design and development company is a critical decision that can significantly impact the success of your online ventures. One name that consistently emerges as a leader in the field is Listany. Let’s delve into the reasons why ListAny has earned the reputation of being the best in the Website Development & Ecommerce Solutions.

ListAny is synonymous with cutting-edge and innovative design solutions. We aesthetics, focusing on creating user-centric designs that not only captivate visitors but also enhance the overall user experience. From sleek and modern layouts to intuitive navigation, Listany’s designs are a testament to their commitment to excellence.

Expertise and Experience:With 15+ years of experience in the industry, ListAny brings a wealth of expertise to the table. We have successfully delivered a diverse range of projects, showcasing our proficiency in website design and development.

Customized Solutions:ListAny understand that one size doesn’t fit for all. Our approach is tailored to each client’s unique needs, ensuring personalized and customized solutions that align with their brand identity and business goals.

Innovative Designs: Creativity is at the core of our design philosophy. We take pride in delivering visually stunning and innovative website design that not only captivate visitors but also reflect the essence of the client’s brand.

Responsive and Mobile-Friendly Designs:In an era where mobile users are on the rise, we prioritize responsive design. Our websites are crafted to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience across a wide range of devices.

SEO Optimization:We understand the importance of visibility in the online space. Our websites are designed and developed with SEO best practices, ensuring that clients’ websites are search engine-friendly and have the potential to rank higher.

Timely Project Delivery:We value our clients’ time. Our streamlined processes and efficient project management enable us to deliver projects on time without compromising on quality, ensuring a smooth and timely launch.

Transparent Communication:Communication is key to successful collaborations. We maintain transparent and open communication with our clients throughout the project lifecycle, keeping them informed about progress, milestones, and any potential challenges.

Affordable Pricing:Quality doesn’t have to come at a high cost. Our company believes in providing cost-effective solutions, making professional website design and development accessible to businesses of all sizes.

Post-Launch Support:Our commitment doesn’t end with the launch. We provide post-launch support to address any issues, implement updates, and ensure the ongoing success of our clients’ websites.

Client Satisfaction: Ultimately, our success is measured by the satisfaction of our clients. We take pride in building long-lasting relationships, and our many satisfied clients stand as a testament to the quality of our work and our commitment to exceeding expectations

#ecommerce website company #website design and development company #ecommerce website development

2 notes · View notes

learndigital1 · 10 months

Text

The future of digital marketing is different than you think

Globalized Shared Mission

The collective efforts in digital marketing have already become quintessential. But more businesses will adopt a shared and global perspective before using new digital marketing tools or executing ad campaigns. In short, a global perspective will allow businesses of all sizes to expand their reach and simplify various processes.

Moreover, marketing messages across various digital channels would allow entrepreneurs and small businesses to build trust with the targeted audience. It will also help enterprises to thwart market skepticism and reestablish their value proposition in the market.

SEO, Data Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence

One report highlights that the execution of more than 85% of digital ads will be done through automation in the foreseeable future. But “how” you collect and render insights from a data analytics tool will also change. More businesses would focus on smart technologies to categorize audiences and configure ad space through extensive data analysis with automated programmatic advertising in play.

Heightened Personalization

When it comes to personalized targeting, tracking KPIs and other digital marketing tools will continue to play an integral role. Personalized targeting has become a secret ingredient in rolling out effective ad campaigns and communicating with the target audience. Each element of an ad is essential and allows businesses to deliver value via storytelling.

In the new age of digital marketing, entrepreneurs and small businesses will need to be more critical and reflect on previous efforts. For instance, the more precise language of an ad shows the intent and confidence of the brand. And users will opt for brands that are not reluctant about their core message.

The Use of Augmented Reality

When it comes to the tech tools that make it easier for small businesses to communicate with the audience, AR tools are at the top. Many startups already use augmented reality technologies to achieve significant growth in the coming years. Most digital marketing experts believe that augmented reality will play a crucial role in the future and help eCommerce businesses set a new path.

Voice Optimization

More dependence on automated digital assistant solutions will allow more categorical and objective digital marketing efforts. Whether it’s Cortana, Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri, voice search continues to gain more popularity. More users want the freedom to speak to a dedicated digital assistant directly rather than type manually.

What’s interesting is that optimization of keywords for voice-based search is entirely different. And that’s because when people want to adapt and start using their digital voice assistance, they use keywords and phrases that are more realistic and practical. As the voice recognition capabilities of digital assistants improve, digital marketers will focus on a more different SEO approach to optimize business sites based on voice search.

You may not be aware of it, but more than 70% of people with one or more activated digital assistants prefer to use voice commands rather than type the task. The fundamental approach of SEO is identical to voice recognition.

But the spotlight will be on a new style of keywords and phrases that people use in their day-to-day routine. The rise in voice recognition technologies means digital marketers will be able to target more accurate voice search results for ad campaigns and boost SEO efforts.

Google concurs that voice recognition of digital assistants is close to 95% accurate. But more precise voice recognition search results mean digital marketers will use more natural long-tail keywords than generic text-oriented ones.

Omnichannel and Integrated Approach

Fortunately, there are already tools like Hootsuite that allow businesses to maintain a unified omnipresence. In the coming years, businesses will be able to integrate their core message and value proposition for the specific target audience on various channels. A unified omnichannel digital marketing strategy will allow more businesses to understand their customers’ changing behavior, location, and preferences.

Expect More Awareness

You need a massive target audience, whether you use digital marketing for lead generation, conversion, or brand awareness. The future of digital marketing is bright because now there is more market and consumer awareness.

Businesses can also use a wide range of smart tools to collect an ocean of data and make in-depth analyses about their target audience. It’s a completely new way to approach the audience. In fact, extensive market and consumer research allow businesses to leverage untapped opportunities.

Businesses don’t need to understand every facet of new technology. Of course, the mechanics of a smart tool matter, but businesses that plan to broaden their digital marketing approach will see the most positive results. It is the main reason innovation will become vital for B2C and B2B players.

What Makes Up a Future-Proof Digital Marketing Strategy?

What may have been popular digital marketing practice a few years ago would become outdated. When it comes to digital marketing, there is always a paradigm shift that propels businesses and entrepreneurs to post more personalized content, adapt new SEO rules, and embrace smart digital technologies.

Small businesses that want to follow the tide of digital marketing can afford to overlook emerging trends in the space. The key is to figure out how a specific trend may change the digital marketing landscape and impact business position.

In 2021, the online shopping landscape has become diversified, and ethnic minority users prefer an inclusive approach. Digital marketing has become more than just about click-through rates – it’s now about how businesses contextualize emerging trends and approach their target audience for various purposes.

Wrapping Up

In the last decade, digital marketing has been through significant upswings. From social media to search engine optimization, digital marketing continues to impact billions of users positively. With more advanced tools and practices, digital marketing will continue to propel companies to step up their competitive drive in the market.

Digital marketing has made it possible for small businesses and entrepreneurs to increase their ROI and roll out effective ad campaigns. In time, the effectiveness of digital marketing practices will reach new heights and allow companies to make the most out of AI, SEO, AR, and VR tactics.

As of now, many digital marketing trends may or may not pan out in the coming years. Unlike the traditional approach, the new wave of digital marketing boils down to customer behavior. Needless to say, new strategic digital marketing efforts will allow businesses to set a new precedent.

The Atlanta Small Business Network, from start-up to success, we are your go-to resource for small business news, expert advice, information, and event coverage.

While you’re here, don’t forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for all the latest business news know-how from Atlanta Small Business Network.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

The ultimate 5 step process for creating actionable goals

Navigating background checks for small business hiring and recruiting

Small business confidence wavers amid labor costs, inflation

#digitalmarketing #contentdigitalmarketing #SEO

2 notes · View notes

risetomastery · 1 year

Text

How to Turn Your Online Business Dreams into Reality

Introduction: The Digital Frontier of Entrepreneurship Selecting a Niche and Business Model: The Foundation of Success Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Your Digital Headquarters Creating High-Demand Products and Services: Delivering Value to Your Audience Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Attracting Targeted Traffic Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Building Financial Stability Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Building a Sustainable Business Conclusion: Turning Dreams into Reality True successful story

Introduction: The Digital Frontier of Entrepreneurship

In today's digital age, the rise of the internet and technology has revolutionized the way we do business. It has opened a world of opportunities for entrepreneurs to start and run their own businesses online. Online businesses offer flexibility, scalability, and the potential for global reach. This comprehensive guide will provide you with a step-by-step framework for building a profitable online business from the ground up. Whether you want to start a side business or build a full-time online empire, follow this ultimate guide to turn your idea into a thriving, sustainable online business. With focus, grit, and commitment to continuous improvement, you can build the profitable online business of your dreams.

Selecting a Niche and Business Model: The Foundation of Success

The foundation of every successful online business is choosing a profitable, in-demand niche and a business model tailored to your goals. Select a niche you're passionate about; this will make creating content a breeze. Conduct thorough keyword research to assess search volume and demand. Join relevant online communities to connect with your audience and understand their needs. Evaluate direct competitors in the niche and aim for less saturated niches or unique angles. Consider affiliate marketing potential, as some niches offer higher commissions. Assess opportunities to create multiple products and monetize in diverse ways. Examples of popular online business niches include health, fitness, personal finance, pet care, tech, travel, content marketing, home design, spirituality, language learning, and more. Choose a business model that complements your niche and provides multiple income stream opportunities. Many successful online businesses incorporate 3-4 monetization models. Some of the best online business models to consider include: 1. Blogging: Make money with display ads, affiliates, and branded products. 2. Online Courses: Sell your knowledge and expertise as courses. 3. Dropshipping: Curate and sell products without inventory. 4. Affiliate Marketing: Earn commissions promoting other companies' products. 5. Information Products: Sell online books, templates, checklists, and more. 6. Virtual Services: Provide consulting, freelancing, coaching, or other services. 7. Subscription Membership Site: Offer exclusive content or tools for a monthly fee. 8. E-commerce Store: Sell physical products, merchandising, and more. Your choice should complement your niche and offer multiple income streams. Many successful online businesses incorporate 3-4 monetization models.

Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Your Digital Headquarters

Your website or blog will serve as the headquarters for your online business. Invest time upfront in creating an optimized, professional-looking platform. Purchase a domain name that matches your brand, ideally a .com if available. Select reliable web hosting with optimal speed and uptime. Install WordPress or ecommerce platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Design an on-brand, mobile-responsive theme that conveys your style. Include essential pages like Home, About, Contact, Services, Blog, and Shop. Set up email marketing and analytics to capture leads and track traffic data. Create visually branded assets such as logos, color palettes, fonts, and graphics. Ensure a cohesive user experience across all touchpoints. If you lack web development skills, consider hiring a freelance designer to bring your vision to life. Continually optimize your website for higher traffic, leads, and sales over time. This includes technical enhancements, user experience improvements, and page speed optimizations.

Creating High-Demand Products and Services: Delivering Value to Your Audience

The key to running a profitable online business is consistently creating products and services that deliver extreme value to your audience. Popular digital products you can create include online courses, eBooks, guides, checklists, software, premium memberships, virtual events, video tutorials, templates, and more. When brainstorming products, look for opportunities to simplify lives, save time, educate, entertain, or improve outcomes for your target customers. Leverage your expertise and tap into the skills of others to create premium offerings. High-value services like consulting, freelancing, coaching, and more can also be extremely lucrative. Promote your services through your website and social platforms. Structure your offerings to passively earn income over time, such as online courses that continually generate sales vs. 1-on-1 services that require ongoing effort. Deliver an excellent user experience across your products and relentlessly optimize based on feedback to foster raving fans who refer others.

Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Attracting Targeted Traffic

Once your online platform and offerings are ready, it's time to start attracting targeted traffic using proven marketing tactics. A diverse marketing mix is key. Some of the top strategies include: 1. Content Marketing: Create engaging blog posts, videos, and visual content. 2. SEO: Optimize your website for search engines through on-page optimization and link-building. 3. PPC Ads: Utilize platforms like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for pay-per-click advertising. 4. Email Marketing: Build your email list with lead magnets, newsletters, and automation. 5. Social Media Marketing: Employ organic and paid tactics to engage your audience. 6. Affiliate Marketing: Recruit others to promote your products and earn commissions. 7. Influencer Partnerships: Collaborate with relevant influencers in your niche. 8. Live Events: Host local meetups or virtual events to connect with your audience. 9. Podcast Guest Appearances: Grow your authority and reach new audiences. 10. Retargeting Ads: Remarket to previous site visitors across the web. Start by focusing on 1-3 core channels, then expand your efforts over time. Pay-per-click and social ads can help quickly scale an audience, while SEO and content creation tend to be most cost-effective in the long-term. Leverage tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Business Suite, and landing page builders to optimize results across all campaigns. Don't hesitate to enlist help from digital marketing agencies and specialists.

Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Building Financial Stability

Generating multiple streams of revenue is key for building a highly profitable online business. Diversification reduces risk and provides stability as each income channel goes through ups and downs. Here are some of the most lucrative online business revenue models: 1. Product/Service Sales: Your core monetization stream. Ensure competitive yet profitable pricing. 2. Advertising: Display ads, sponsorships, native advertising, etc. Set up Google Ad Manager. 3. Affiliate Marketing: Promote other company's products for commissions. Join affiliate networks. 4. Memberships/Subscriptions: Offer exclusive benefits, content, or tools for a monthly fee. 5. Events: Sell tickets for online or in-person events and training programs. 6. Dropshipping: Curate and sell products without holding inventory. 7. Physical Merchandise: Sell branded products with print-on-demand services. 8. Consulting/Freelancing: Sell your skills and expertise through 1-on-1 services. 9. Tip Jars/Donations: Allow fans to tip or donate to show support. Aim to generate income from both active efforts like service packages and passive streams like online courses that earn as you sleep. Automate processes wherever possible to scale income without increasing workload proportionally. Reinvest profits back into growing your business and diversifying income channels to create an unstoppable snowball effect over time.

Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Building a Sustainable Business

Launching a profitable online business is an important first step. However, creating systems and processes that enable high profitability long-term is vital for sustaining growth. Here are some best practices for optimizing operations and profitability: - Obsessively track KPIs and metrics for all marketing channels and funnels. Analyze data to optimize underperforming areas. - Create excellent customer support systems. Provide prompt, personalized support to increase satisfaction and referrals. - Automate repetitive tasks wherever possible with tools like Zapier. Automate lead collection, customer onboarding, analytics, inventory management, etc. - Systematize your product creation process to quickly test and validate new product ideas, then scale those that resonate. - Document your systems and processes so future hires can replicate them. This includes SOPs for customer service, product fulfillment, etc. - Build a skilled team over time by hiring virtual assistants, freelancers, agencies, and eventually full-time employees. Focus on higher-level strategy. - Maintain work-life balance as a long-term entrepreneur. Make time for adequate rest, leisure, and self-care to avoid burnout. By staying agile, embracing innovation, and relentlessly providing value to your audience, you can build an online business that delivers meaningful income for decades to come.

Conclusion: Turning Dreams into Reality

Starting and running a profitable online business takes consistent effort and persistence. However, by zeroing in on a niche, selecting the right model, crafting high-value offerings, implementing diverse marketing strategies, diversifying your revenue streams, and optimizing for maximum efficiency, you can build an online business that provides freedom and fulfillment for years to come. Remember to stay obsessively focused on understanding and serving your target audience. Combine your passion with grit, resilience, and creativity. With the right mindset and business foundations in place, you have immense potential to build a thriving online business that stands out and makes a lasting impact. The time to stop dreaming and start taking action is now. Follow this comprehensive guide to turn your online business idea into reality, step-by-step. You can build an online empire that allows you to live life on your terms. The possibilities are truly endless if you commit to continuous learning and improvement. Let this guide spark the fire within and set you on the path to online business success. Start pursuing your online entrepreneur dream today.

True successful story

To illustrate the principles and strategies discussed in this comprehensive guide, let's delve into the inspiring true story of Pat Flynn and his online business, Smart Passive Income. Smart Passive Income - About Pat Flynn Background: Pat Flynn was once an aspiring architect who unexpectedly found himself laid off during the economic downturn in 2008. Faced with uncertainty, he turned to the online world to seek alternative income sources. His journey began with a blog, which he aptly named Smart Passive Income (SPI). Selecting a Niche and Business Model: Pat recognized that there was a significant demand for information about creating online businesses and generating passive income. He was passionate about sharing his experiences, both successes and failures, and helping others navigate the world of online entrepreneurship. Pat's chosen niche was personal finance, but his business model extended beyond blogging. Building Your Online Platform and Brand: Pat invested in creating a professional-looking platform for SPI. He purchased a domain name, set up reliable web hosting, and designed an appealing website. His commitment to providing value was evident through the content he produced on his blog, podcast, and YouTube channel. His brand, Smart Passive Income, became synonymous with transparency, authenticity, and actionable advice. Creating High-Demand Products and Services: One of Pat's significant successes came from his creation of online courses and informational products. He developed courses on topics like email marketing, affiliate marketing, and podcasting, leveraging his expertise and audience trust. These products delivered immense value to his audience and contributed significantly to his income. Implementing Effective Marketing Strategies: Pat's marketing strategy was built on content marketing, podcasting, and email marketing. He consistently produced high-quality blog posts and podcasts, which not only attracted a dedicated audience but also positioned him as an industry expert. His email list grew as he offered valuable lead magnets and nurtured his subscribers. Diversifying Revenue Streams for Maximum Profits: Pat's income streams diversified over time. In addition to course sales, he earned from affiliate marketing, book sales, and speaking engagements. He also ventured into software development, creating tools like the Smart Podcast Player. This diversification provided stability and mitigated risk. Optimizing for Maximum Profitability Long-Term: Pat was relentless in optimizing his operations. He regularly analyzed data and user feedback to improve his products and content. His team expanded as the business grew, allowing him to focus on strategic decision-making. Pat prioritized work-life balance, emphasizing family and well-being. Conclusion: Pat Flynn's journey from unexpected job loss to the creation of a successful online business, Smart Passive Income, serves as an inspiring real-life example of the principles discussed in this guide. His dedication to providing value, commitment to continuous improvement, and willingness to diversify income streams are key takeaways for anyone aspiring to build a thriving online business. Pat's story reminds us that with the right mindset and a clear vision, online entrepreneurship can lead to a fulfilling and prosperous career.

Read the full article

#business-model #guide #marketing #niche #online-business #products #profitability #revenue #services #Success

5 notes · View notes

rajeshsingh · 1 year

Text

"Unlocking the Power of Hyperlocal SEO: Your Key to Dominating Local Markets"

In the vast digital landscape, where global giants reign supreme, local businesses often find themselves struggling to make their mark. This is where the magic of Local SEO comes into play. It's not just about being online; it's about being online where it matters most - in your local community. In this blog post, we will delve into the world of Local SEO and explore how it can help your business thrive in your immediate surroundings.

The Rise of Local SEO

Local SEO has come a long way from being a secondary strategy to a cornerstone of digital marketing. With the advent of smartphones and voice search, people are increasingly using search engines to find local products and services. Google has adapted to this trend by providing more localized search results, making it imperative for businesses to optimize for local search.

The Essentials of Local SEO

Before diving into the nitty-gritty of local SEO strategies, it's crucial to understand the basics. Key elements include:

Google My Business (GMB): Claiming and optimizing your GMB listing is paramount. It's essentially your business's digital storefront.

Local Keywords: Incorporate location-based keywords into your website content and metadata.

Online Reviews: Encourage customers to leave reviews and respond to them promptly. Positive reviews boost your local credibility.

NAP Consistency: Ensure that your business's Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) are consistent across all online platforms.

Content is King (Even in Local SEO)

Creating relevant, valuable, and locally focused content is key to attracting local audiences. Consider the following content ideas:

Local Guides: Create guides to your city or area, showcasing your expertise and involvement in the community.

Local Events: Cover local events, and if possible, sponsor or participate in them.

Customer Spotlights: Share stories of satisfied local customers or clients.

Local News: Stay updated on local news and trends and provide your unique perspective.

Building Local Links

Link-building remains a critical component of SEO, and it's equally important in local SEO. Consider these strategies:

Local Directories: Submit your business to local directories like Yelp, Yellow Pages, and local chambers of commerce.

Local Partnerships: Collaborate with local businesses and organizations. It can lead to valuable backlinks and shared audiences.

Local Influencers: Partner with local influencers to promote your business. They can help spread the word effectively.

Mobile Optimization

Given the increasing use of mobile devices for local searches, mobile optimization is non-negotiable. Ensure that your website is responsive and loads quickly on smartphones. Implement click-to-call buttons for easy contact.

Analytics and Ongoing Optimization

Regularly monitor your local SEO efforts with tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. Analyze data such as website traffic, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Use these insights to tweak and optimize your strategy continuously.

Conclusion

Local SEO isn't just a buzzword; it's a lifeline for local businesses in the digital age. By focusing on local optimization, you can connect with your community, attract local customers, and grow your business in ways that weren't possible before. Embrace the power of local SEO, and watch your local presence flourish.

In this hyperconnected world, remember that your next customer maybe just a local search away. So, ensure your business is discoverable, appealing, and relevant in your neighborhood.

Our Services:

ecommerce seo services delhi Youtube marketing packages in india WordPress Development Services India Web Design Services in Delhi Web Development Packages in Delhi

#digital marketing #seo #local seo #off page seo #on page seo

3 notes · View notes

ecommerce-yourguide · 1 year

Text

How eCommerce mobile app development is beneficial for small business?

eCommerce mobile app development can offer several significant benefits to small businesses. Here are some key advantages:

Increased Visibility and Accessibility: Mobile apps provide a dedicated platform for your business, making it easier for customers to find and access your products or services. Customers can shop conveniently from their smartphones, which is especially crucial as mobile usage continues to rise.

Enhanced User Experience: Mobile apps can be designed to offer a user-friendly and tailored experience. You can implement features like personalized recommendations, easy navigation, and one-click purchasing, improving the overall shopping experience.

Customer Engagement: Mobile apps allow you to engage with customers through push notifications, promotions, and loyalty programs. This direct communication channel can help you keep customers informed about special offers, new products, and updates.

Improved Brand Loyalty: A well-designed and user-friendly app can create a strong connection between your brand and customers. It can also encourage repeat business by offering loyalty rewards and incentives.

Data Collection and Analysis: Mobile apps enable you to gather valuable data about customer behavior, preferences, and buying patterns. This data can be used to refine your marketing strategies and tailor your offerings to customer needs.

Competitive Advantage: Having a mobile app can set your small business apart from competitors that rely solely on websites. It shows a commitment to staying current with technology trends and meeting customers where they spend much of their online time.

Simplified Checkout Process: Mobile apps can offer a streamlined and secure checkout process, reducing cart abandonment rates. Features like saved payment information and easy order tracking can encourage customers to complete their purchases.

Offline Accessibility: Some mobile apps can function in offline mode, allowing users to browse products and even make purchases without an internet connection. This is especially valuable for businesses in areas with inconsistent connectivity.

Feedback and Reviews: Mobile apps can facilitate customer feedback and reviews, which can boost your credibility and help potential customers make informed decisions.

Cost-Effective Marketing: Mobile apps provide a cost-effective platform for marketing your products or services. You can run targeted ad campaigns within the app, reducing the need for expensive external advertising.

Scalability: As your business grows, a mobile app can easily scale to accommodate more products, customers, and features without major structural changes.

Global Reach: A mobile app can help your small business reach a global audience, expanding your customer base beyond local or regional boundaries.

While eCommerce mobile app development offers numerous benefits, it's essential to carefully plan and execute your app strategy to ensure it aligns with your business goals and customer needs. Additionally, staying responsive to user feedback and continually improving your app is key to long-term success.

#cedcommerce #ecommerce #ecommercebusiness #ecommercestore #woocommerce #woo #shopify #shopifyseller #ecommercewebsite #business growth #ecommercesolutions

2 notes · View notes

completeecommercesolution · 1 year

Text

Ecommerce Platform with Customer Reviews and Ratings: Revolutionizing Online Shopping

The rise of ecommerce has transformed the way we shop, offering convenience and accessibility like never before. In recent years, the integration of customer reviews and ratings on ecommerce platforms has further enhanced the online shopping experience. These valuable insights provided by fellow consumers have revolutionized the way we make purchasing decisions, creating a more informed and empowered customer base.

The Power of Customer Reviews

Customer reviews act as a digital word-of-mouth, allowing shoppers to gain real-world perspectives on products and services. By reading reviews, potential buyers can evaluate the quality, functionality, and overall satisfaction levels associated with a particular item or brand.

One of the greatest advantages of customer reviews is their authenticity. Unlike traditional advertising or promotional materials, reviews are typically unbiased and genuine. Consumers share their honest experiences, providing valuable feedback that helps others make well-informed decisions. This transparency fosters trust between buyers and sellers, strengthening the overall credibility of the ecommerce platform.

Ratings: Simplifying Decision-Making

Accompanying customer reviews, ratings offer a quick and easy way to gauge the popularity and quality of a product. By assigning a numerical or star rating, customers provide a summary of their satisfaction level, simplifying the decision-making process for potential buyers.

These ratings allow shoppers to quickly identify the most highly regarded products within a specific category, saving time and effort in the search for the perfect purchase. Whether it's a five-star rating for a popular electronic gadget or a high rating for outstanding customer service, the simplicity of ratings empowers consumers to make efficient and confident choices.

Benefits for Consumers

The inclusion of customer reviews and ratings on ecommerce platforms offers several benefits to consumers:

Increased Confidence: Reading positive reviews and high ratings instills confidence in buyers, assuring them that they are making a wise purchase.

Reduced Risk: By learning from the experiences of others, consumers can mitigate the risks associated with buying unknown or untested products.

Product Comparisons: Reviews allow shoppers to compare similar products, enabling them to select the one that best fits their needs and preferences.

Improved Satisfaction: Customers can provide feedback to sellers, leading to improvements in product quality, customer service, and overall user experience.

Benefits for Sellers

Ecommerce platforms that incorporate customer reviews and ratings also benefit sellers:

Increased Trust: Positive reviews and high ratings build trust between sellers and potential buyers, enhancing the reputation of the brand.

Competitive Edge: Positive feedback and high ratings differentiate a seller from competitors, attracting more customers and driving sales.

Market Research: Sellers can gain valuable insights into customer preferences, allowing them to tailor their offerings to meet market demands.

Engagement and Loyalty: Encouraging customers to leave reviews fosters engagement and loyalty, as buyers feel valued and connected to the brand.

The Future of Ecommerce Platforms

As the ecommerce industry continues to evolve, customer reviews and ratings will play an increasingly vital role. Advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, will further enhance the accuracy and relevance of these reviews.

In the future, we can expect ecommerce platforms to leverage customer reviews and ratings in innovative ways. Personalized recommendations based on individual preferences, sentiment analysis to extract deeper insights from reviews, and interactive features that allow customers to engage directly with reviewers are just a few possibilities on the horizon.

Ultimately, the integration of customer reviews and ratings in ecommerce platforms has transformed online shopping into a more reliable, efficient, and customer-centric experience. By harnessing the collective wisdom of the online community, consumers can make well-informed decisions, while sellers can build trust and drive sales. With the continuous advancements in technology, the future of ecommerce platforms is bright, promising even more exciting developments to come.

Click here to contact me on Fiverr

Source

3 notes · View notes

mariacallous · 7 months

Text

Citizens of the European Union live in an internet built and ruled by foreign powers. Most people in the EU use an American search engine, shop on an American ecommerce site, thumb American phones, and scroll through American social media feeds.

That fact has triggered increasing alarm in the corridors of Brussels, as the EU tries to understand how exactly those companies warp the economy around them. Five years ago, Shoshana Zuboff’s book The Age of Surveillance Capitalism neatly articulated much of lawmakers’ critique of the tech giants, just as they were preparing to enforce the flagship GDPR privacy law. Now as the EU enacts another historic piece of tech regulation, the Digital Markets Act, which companies must comply with starting tomorrow, March 7, a different critic du jour sums up the new mood in Brussels.

In his 2023 book, Technofeudalism, Yanis Varoufakis argues the big US tech platforms have brought feudalism back to Europe. The former Greek finance minister sees little difference between the medieval serf toiling on land he does not own and the Amazon seller who must subject themselves to the company’s strict rules while giving the company a cut of each sale.

The idea that a handful of big tech companies have subjugated internet users into digital empires has permeated through Europe. Technofeudalism shares bookshelf space with Cloud Empires and Digital Empires, which make broadly similar arguments. For years, Europe’s wanna-be Big Tech rivals, like Sweden’s Spotify or Switzerland’s ProtonMail, have claimed that companies like Google, Meta, and Apple unfairly limit their ability to reach potential users, through tactics like preinstalling Gmail on new Android phones or Apple’s strict rules for the App Store. “It’s not a problem to be a monopoly,” says Sandra Wachter, professor of technology and regulation at Oxford University’s Internet Institute. “It becomes a problem if you're starting to exclude other people from the market.”

Crowbarred Open

In answer to that problem, Brussels’ politicos agreed to the Digital Markets Act in 2022. It is designed to rein in the largest tech companies—almost all of them from the US—that act as gatekeepers between consumers and other businesses. A sibling regulation, the Digital Services Act, which focuses more on freedom of expression, went into effect last month. Wachter says they follow a long tradition of laws trying to protect the public and the economy from state power, wielded either by the government or the monarch. “With the rise of the private sector and globalization, power has just shifted,” she adds. Tech platforms rule over digital lives like kings. The DMA is part of the attempt to keep up.

The rules change tomorrow for platforms deemed “gatekeepers” by the DMA—so far including Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, and TikTok parent Bytedance. The law essentially crowbars open what the EU calls the gatekeepers’ “core services.” In the past regulators have proposed containing corporate giants by taking them to pieces. EU lawmakers have adopted the motto “Don’t break up big tech companies, break them open.”

In theory, that means big changes for EU residents’ digital lives. Users of iPhones should soon be able to download apps from places other than Apple’s app store; Microsoft Windows will no longer have Microsoft-owned Bing as its default search tool; Meta-owned WhatsApp users will be able to communicate with people on rival messaging apps; and Google and Amazon will have to tweak their search results to create more room for rivals. There will also be limits on how users’ data can be shared between one company’s different services. Fines for noncompliance can reach up to 20 percent of global sales revenue. The law also gives the EU recourse to the nuclear option of forcing tech companies to sell off parts of their business.

Homegrown Challengers

Most tech giants have expressed uncharacteristic alarm about the changes required of them this week. Google has spoken of “difficult trade-offs,” which may mean its search results send more traffic to hotel or flight aggregators. Apple has claimed that the DMA jeopardizes its devices’ security. Apple, Meta and TikTok have all filed legal challenges against the EU, saying new rules unfairly target their services. The argument in favor of the status quo is that competition is actually thriving—just look at TikTok, a technology company launched in the past decade, now designated as one of the so-called gatekeepers.

But TikTok is an exception. The DMA wants to make it normal for new household names to emerge in the tech industry; to “drive innovation so that smaller businesses can really make it,” as the EU’s competition chief Margrethe Vestager explained to WIRED, back in 2022. Many hope some of the new businesses that “make it” will be European. For almost every big tech service, there is a smaller homegrown equivalent: from German search engine Ecosia to French messaging app Olvid and Polish Amazon alternative Allegro. These are the companies many hope will benefit from the DMA, even if there is widespread skepticism about how effective the new rules will be at forcing the tech giants to change.

Today, US-based Epic Games said Apple had terminated its European developer account, soon after Epic announced it would take advantage of the DMA to open a new games store for iOS. Apple told WIRED that Epic was untrustworthy and Apple has the right to terminate the accounts of any of Epic's wholly owned subsidiaries following a 2021 court judgment. “Apple chose to exercise that right,” a statement provided by company spokesperson Rob Saunders said.

App Stores will be an early area of focus for DMA enforcement, Vestager said this week. But Europeans can’t expect the internet to transform overnight. In its early days, the new law’s effects will be more about the power struggles behind the curtain of the world’s biggest companies; not about making netizens’ lives easier. In fact, their online experience is likely to get messier at first. There will probably be even more website pop-ups. “This dominant position that these companies have is partially because we have been so addicted to convenience,” says Anu Bradford, a professor at Columbia Law School and author of Digital Empires: The Global Battle to Regulate Technology. The new rules will mean users have to reengage with what they want their online lives to look like, she adds. Defaults set by US corporations will no longer be chosen for them.

Instead the DMA’s objective is to remind Europeans what they traded in exchange for that convenience in the first place. The DMA is about power, not necessarily convenience. Whether Europeans will be able to remember that as their online worlds are cracked open remains to be seen.

15 notes · View notes