#Who's Better for eCommerce?

[photomatt]

Post-acquisition, dir a proper, dedicated ad sales team ever get hired for Tumblr? Not something shared between other a8c properties but a group of people who knew Tumblr's uniquely weird culture and could work with brands to craft the kinds of ads that were highly effective on Tumblr before we got bought by Verizon.

Yes, with some great people who had worked on Tumblr before and also been part of successful teams at Twitter, Reddit, etc. I think at one point this was a 20+ person team. However it didn't work. We still have dedicated direct, but programatic drives the vast majority of the advertising revenue. My best guesses for why:

The advertising world has changed quite a bit from Tumblr's peak.

Tumblr had declining traffic for a while, which doesn't excite advertisers. (It's now growing again.)

Custom campaigns were too different for advertisers to spend a lot of time on them, they were long and expensive to implement.

Often advertisers were attacked by the user base, in targeted harassment. Really gross, horrible stuff. Terrible brand experience.

Advertising in general with ATT, cookie changes, etc has changed in a way that mostly strengthens the duopoly of Google and Meta, makes it incredibly hard for independent networks to compete.

On the bright side, self-serve advertising with Blaze has gone well, we can re-use the tooling across Tumblr, WooCommerce, and WordPress, it's faster and preserves privacy better than third-party networks, and there's a ton of demand particularly on the ecommerce side of things. So that group is actually being promoted to its own thing that will sit in parallel to Tumblr, vs being under it.

I think there could also be something that would more easily allow advertisers to duplicate campaigns they're already running elsewhere, with similar formats, that would raise the quality of ads we're able to run by making it easy for advertisers to shift a few % of their budget away from Twitter/etc to places they want to support more, more aligned with their brand and values, which Tumblr and its focus on art and artists is.

[darklydeliciousdesires]

Runaway - Chapter Eleven.

Good morning (or afternoon, or evening, depending where you are!) besties! I hope everyone had a lovely weekend. Huge thanks for your continued interest in this little story, damn, you guys are understanding the assignment regarding engagement! We’re zooming to the 30 notes unlock on every chapter! I hope you enjoy the next as much as you have the rest :)

Previous chapters - Prologue  One  Two  Three  Four  Five  Six  Seven  Eight  Nine  Ten

Taglist - In the comments, please DM to be added/removed

Words - 2,427

Warnings - 18+ content throughout, minors DNI!

“So, you got that meeting this morning, huh?” Manny asked, Carmen lying against his chest, idly stroking his abs.

“Yeah, and I’m pretty nervous about it, to be honest. Sales haven’t been great, but I do keep on suggesting that we move to push greater into ecommerce. I even offered to appoint myself to it, since I know web design. For whatever reason, though, they’re reluctant.” She worked for a small cosmetic chain, with a few outlets across Southern Cali, most of their sales being from their storefront operations, as well as stalls at expo’s.  

“Well, maybe the sales figures will suggest they can’t afford to be any longer. Hey, why not write up a business plan or something, see how they react to that when they see it all laid out, your plan of action, projected earnings, overheads, etc?”  

She lifted her head, nodding. “What a great idea! I didn’t even think to do that, but I will! I mean, I don’t have time now, but I’m certainly going to mention it.” Pausing, she kissed him, humming happily. “You’re so great with this kind of thing.” When she was like this, she was wonderful. She was the bright, kind girl he’d fallen in love with, always quick to praise others, a stark contrast to how she could behave when something lit her fuse. “What do you have planned for today?”

“I’m meeting with Lily this morning, going to get some stuff for Lola since I don’t have a clue where to begin.” He waited for it.  

“Oh, right.” There it was, disinterest, just as he expected. “Well, I better get up and get ready. Do you want breakfast?”  

“I ain’t hungry, just a coffee, please.” She was quiet with him for the remaining hour before she left for work, Manny internally shaking his head, but not broaching it with her. He was in no mood for an argument, and he didn’t want her going into her meeting upset either. He was relieved when he arrived at the yard, to be greeted by one woman who never gave him an ounce of anything other than solid friendship and love.  

“Hey, Lils. Thanks so much for doing this.” Greeting her with a hug, Manny turned to click the fob on the new vehicle he’d bought, figuring he needed adequate transportation now he had a baby to ferry from place to place when she was with him. He and Hannah had arranged it, Manny beginning in taking her overnight a few times a week so she could catch up on sleep and work uninterrupted, and he could begin building a bond with his daughter.

“No problem, buddy. I hope you’re ready to spend a fortune!”  

She was taking him shopping for all things baby, except for clothes, since she had an absolute abundance of things from when Willow was little that she happily donated to him. He needed a guiding hand, and as a mother, she was perfect. She knew what to do.  

“Man, this is a sweet ride,” she spoke, getting into the passenger seat, Manny nodding. It was going to cost him a sizable amount in monthly repayments, but not as much as if he’d bought the GMC 4x4 truck brand new. Being an outlaw, he made good bank, but anything he paid in cash for that he couldn’t explain was paid for out of his legitimate earnings, should he and the club become under such scrutiny as indictments, was at risk. He was smarter than that, they all were.

“Well, I gotta keep up with your fancy ass and the brand-new Jeep.” Lily’s very profitable earnings within the UFC had meant she could upgrade from her very old, very unreliable Toyota, buying herself the car she’d wanted for years.

“Did Angel tell you, we took it off roading at the weekend. It was so much fun!” Only Lily would spend that much money on a car and then take it out on a pursuit that almost guaranteed it getting trashed.  

“And how much of it is left?”  

“You’re rude! All of it!” she cried, smacking his shoulder.

“Hey yo, easy with the beats, badass. I’m trying to drive here! It’s been a while since I’ve been in charge of four wheels,” he protested, reaching to flick her forearm. “So, what was your dad doing underneath it yesterday then, hmm?”

Lily bit her lip, crinkling her nose. “Might have lost a couple of bolts on the oil sump.” His raised eyebrows prompted her laughter. “Stop with the face, or I’ll start telling you a load of unnecessary shit you have to buy just to fuck with you.” By the time they’d gotten to the store, making their way around, he did actually think she was fucking with him, by the sheer amount of stuff that got placed into the cart. Babies.; they certainly needed a lot of stuff.

“Okay, so you got the crib and other furniture for her room, right?”

“Right,” he confirmed, throwing an elephant print blanket into the cart. “I got the crib assembled already.”

“You got a chest of drawers for all her clothes to go in? What about a changing table? I mean, you don’t really need one, but it makes life easier than doing it on the floor or any other flat surface, trust me.” Nope, he hadn’t thought of that, although he already did have the chest of drawers there in his spare room that he could easily clear out and use. “Oh, I meant to ask you. How’s Carmen coping with it now?”

He winced slightly. “Yeah, not great. I’ve been heaping focus on her so that she don’t feel pushed aside, but I dunno. She ain’t happy about any of this at all. Well, she’s fine just as long as I don’t mention Lola.”

Immediately, Lily frowned, pausing from what she was about to say with an interjection of ‘you’ll need two packs of these, because they get lost all the time’ before throwing in two four packs of pacifiers, taking a breath. “Listen, I don’t want this to be coming from a place of bias, because we don’t get on,” she began, Manny snorting softly.

“Putting it mildly.” He smiled, though, because he understood that it was mostly his fiancée's fault, that the women didn’t see eye to eye. She was insecure over Manny’s female friends, especially ones as attractive and successful as Lily was.

She made an agreeable face, her lips pursing and tilting. “Alright, I’ll give you that. But for real, this is another human life, and she’s an adult. Lola is a baby! I get why she’s mad, because this is what she was looking forward to with you, and here you are having it with a woman who isn’t her. She likely feels very threatened, and Hannah is so pretty as well, and seems nice, from the short time I spent with her. I understand as a woman how all of that might impact her, but still, she needs to pull herself together and realise it isn’t all about what she thinks and feels.”  

Lily had, as ever, articulated it beautifully for him. Also, she’d given him pause for some perspective he hadn’t thought of before, Carmen upset that she wasn’t the woman he’d had his first child with. Shit. Of course, that was going to be difficult to deal with for her, especially for a woman who had the kind of propensity for selfishness and insecurity as she did.  

“Sleeping doughnut! You need one of these, they’re a lifesaver. You’ll get moments where she’ll likely only settle if you’re there, so you can just put this in your bed and put her in safely as the sides will keep her in place and more importantly, mean it’s impossible for you to roll over and smush her in your sleep.” She placed that in the cart, suddenly pausing. “What’s up?”

He shook himself. “Sorry, it was just what you said about Carmen being upset that the whole first-time parent thing wasn’t being shared with her, and it hit me, that you’re right. I didn’t even think of that, and I like to think I’m a thoughtful person when it comes to my loved ones, you know?”

“You are, Manny.” She paused, walking around to wrap him in a hug. “You have a hell of a lot on your mind. New baby, wedding planning, the club. Don’t be so tough on yourself.”  

As it happened, it wasn’t him who would be toughest on him.

“I need to send a deposit for the wedding flowers. Is there even enough money to do that after all of this? I’d cover it myself, but I just paid out nine hundred for the bridesmaid's dresses,” Carmen asked, Manny carrying the last of the bags in a couple of hours after his shopping trip with Lily, who he’d dropped at home. A considerably less tense household than his own.  

“Babies need a lot of stuff,” he explained succinctly, opening the door to Lola’s room, noting he needed to continue airing it in there as it still smelled strongly of fresh paint, the walls transferred from a mulchy dark green to brilliant white, giving it the illusion of a lot more space than the small room actually had. “You need a hundred for the flowers, right? Don’t stress, baby. I got it.”

“A hundred and fifty.” she confirmed, walking past into the kitchen after pausing to kiss him and give her thanks. No offer of help came, though, no interest in what was going on with him. She only cared about the wedding flowers being secured. It was beyond Manny why she needed to spend three hundred dollars on flowers anyway, but for the sake of a quiet life, he didn’t question it. “Just let her get on with it, smile and say ‘yes, babe’ whenever opening your wallet is involved, mano.” Bishop’s advice to him echoed through his head more and more, the closer they got to their wedding date, which was just over eight months away.  

After he’d packed everything away, the room near enough completely ready to have a small person stay within it, he went to the kitchen, finding Carmen cooking her delicious shrimp curry, a frown creasing her pretty features. “Querida, we need to have a conversation about Lola, or more accurately, your reaction to her,” he began, his fiancée immediately sighing audibly, lifting her wine glass to her lips and swigging back a large gulp.  

“Listen, I know that you’re upset about it, but what can I do? I’m not gonna abandon my child. As a child whose father walked out on him and his siblings, there ain’t no way I’ll be that kind of dad. I understand that it’s hard for you to reconcile, though, that my first child isn’t with you, that this is something we’re not going through together. Except we are, though. You’ll have your own relationship with Lola too, as her stepmom,” he explained, moving her hair and kissing the side of her neck. Immediately, she tensed.  

“You have no idea what I’m feeling, now all this has happened! I feel like this is going to push me aside, make you lose focus over the wedding, over me! I don’t want to resent the baby, because she’s just a baby, but I do!” she cried, shrugging him away from her, stalking across the kitchen to the bottle of red wine and topping up her glass.  

He closed his eyes, counting to ten. Manny wasn’t the type to escalate to anger quickly, but when dealing with someone who seemed to be revelling in being selfish and deliberately stubborn, it was a natural progression. “Baby, Lola hasn’t even come to stay here yet and you’re acting like she’s moving in and I’m asking you to move out. She’s gonna be here two nights a week to begin with, that’s all. And tell me how, so far, I’ve lost focus over you or the wedding?”

Her silence spoke volumes, Carmen knowing she was wrong.  

“See? Can’t even give me an answer, because you know it hasn’t happened, and it won’t. All I’m doing is making room in my life for my kid. It wouldn’t kill you to do the same instead of being so disinterested and cold about it all.”

“Cold? Cold? How fucking dare you! I am not being like that at all, or disinterested! I’m trying to get used to it, so quit pushing it on me!” she shouted, stirring the curry aggressively, the sauce beginning to fleck the countertop beside the stove. “Anyway, did you get those food menu choices I emailed to you? What do you want?”

Again, with bringing it back to the wedding. He’d already told her he liked it all and so just choose whatever she wanted as he wouldn’t mind either way. “Whatever you want, darlin’.” The weight of it yanked at his shoulders, sagging down as he pulled a beer from the fridge.  

“It isn’t just about me! I want you to take an interest as well!”

“I have, but if I say anything that’s even slightly different from what you want, I get a fuckin’ earful for it, so whatever, Carmen. You choose.”

Her response was sharp, each word toned with the vermillion of her ire. “See? You being passive is being uninterested, you just tell me to pick whatever, because you don’t care!”

Oh, he’d match the hue of her anger, unprepared to be the peaceful one for a second longer. “It’s because whatever input I have, unless it’s what you want, it’s a no go! I swear the Christ, Carmen, this whole wedding is bringing out a side of you I ain’t ever seen before, shit! Why you gotta turn everything into a battle?”

“I’m not!”

Yeah, not much. “You do, though, this is why I leave the decisions to you for the sake of not being argued with, and even that ain’t enough for you! Screw this, I’m outta here.”  

He had to leave, because he knew if he didn’t, he’d bring the fact she was being selfish when it came to his child into it as well, and he was above throwing that at her, no matter how unreasonable she was being. He wanted to give her the chance to having Lola around physically first, thinking that perhaps seeing the baby might make her settle into it more.  

He could but hope it would come together simply enough.  

[thebirdandthebee]

Easy As

A Carmen Berzatto Universe

A/N: Here’s another request from my inbox - Carmen and Vanessa’s first date! This does not, however, include their first kiss. Feel free to slide more requests for these two my way :) Happy Sunday!

Vanessa Monaghan is the breath of fresh air that Carmen had been gasping for.

Chapter 20: Dancing Bears

Carmen shifted in his seat at Trunk Noodle. He and Vanessa had exchanged a few texts since meeting at the supermarket last week and while he’d felt confident enough walking her through the neighborhood grocer, he was now sweating bullets.

He’d been stressed all day, from texting Syd to let her know he’d need the night off to figuring out what to wear – and attempting to manage his curls when he desperately needed a haircut.

He’d suggested the restaurant, which was a hole in the wall Vietnamese place in West Loop from which he frequently ordered takeout. He’d arrived 10 minutes early and was greeted by the staff warmly. They knew Carmen as a customer and a chef, and reassured him he always had a table.

At 7 p.m. on the dot, the doors to the restaurant, whose dining room was no bigger than a home’s family room, opened up and there stood Vanessa.

She was better looking than he recalled, and he’d had several days to romanticize her silky brunette hair and long kohl lashes. She beamed a wide smile upon seeing him and he stood, meeting her halfway in a brief, but tight hug before he pulled out her chair.

“It smells amazing in here,” she gushed before even saying hello.

“I love this place,” Carmen nodded, taking his seat. “I didn’t even think to ask if you liked Vietnamese, I just assumed,” he shrugged softly, a small smile on his face.

“I’ve never had Vietnamese,” Vanessa confessed, to which Carmen grinned, “but I have a feeling I’ll like it.”

Their server brought over shots of fresh coconut milk with lime before taking drink orders.

“Why don’t you order?” Vanessa suggested.

“Are you sure?” Carmen asked.

“Our server addressed you by name, so something tells me you’ve been here before – I’ll try anything,” she smiled. Carmen’s heart skipped a beat.

“No allergies?” He asked, closing his menu. He knew it front to back by heart anyway.

“None,” she shook her head. Carmen rattled off four or five dishes when the server returned with their Cokes and she gladly clinked her glass bottle against his.

“So you know what I do,” Carmen cleared his throat softly. “What do you do for a living?” He asked.

“I work in marketing,” she began, crossing her legs. “For a firm called Olson Group downtown, I’ve been there since I left school.”

“So what exactly does that mean? Like commercials?” He asked.

“Kind of – commercial adjacent,” she nodded, “I help clients of all industries, so retail, restaurant, tech and ecommerce with branding, advertising, public relations management, pretty much anything that’s public-facing for their company.”

“Who’s your favorite client?” Carmen asked, ready to listen to her talk about anything. He liked the way her mouth shaped around the words she spoke.

“Right now, probably United Airlines,” she grinned, “they’re doing this retro PanAm-type of throwback branding overhaul and it’s just been a blast going through old school inspiration and updating it to fit 2021, but with a nod to the past.”

“That’s a huge company,” he commented, surprised.

“Our firm does a lot of big clients,” she nodded. “Our headquarters are here, but we have offices all over North America and Europe – I got to do a transfer year in Luxembourg, it was one of the best years of my life,” she grinned.

“Are you from Chicago?” Carmen asked, realizing he was practically interrogating this woman. “Sorry, god, I don’t mean to grill you.”

“I’m an open book,” she laughed. “It’s like a universal truth that people enjoy talking about themselves, right? I am from Chicago,” she nodded, “and I don’t mean Evanston or Rockford, but Chicago.”

“River North,” Carmen nodded.

“Lincoln Park,” she replied. “But I should caveat I went to grade school in Evanston.”

“I see,” Carmen quirked a small, knowing smile. Vanessa couldn’t believe someone with eyes that blue even existed. There was something about the round of his shoulders, prominent nose and jawline that made Carmen breathtakingly beautiful.

“I knew it!” she laughed, “stop judging me!”

“I’m not judging! Just filing it away for later,” Carmen’s first laugh helped draw his shoulders down from his ears.

Dishes started to pile up on their table as plate after plate was delivered and Vanessa excitedly dug into everything she could, enjoying every bite.

“This one’s a little risky,” Carmen said, stabbing a piece of lemon pepper squid, twirling it about in a sauce before holding it up in front of Vanessa without second thought. She gladly leaned over their small table to take a bite.

“It’s so’good,” she moaned. Carmen’s arms broke out into goose bumps. “Everything is so good,” she commented, holding up her fork with excitement at the spread in front of her, deciding on what to eat next.

Carmen explained more and more of what they were eating and they compared the dishes, ranking them as conversation flowed.

“So why did you decide to come back to Chicago? Miss home?” Vanessa asked.

“Something like that,” Carmen nodded, averting his gaze to the table before looking back to Vanessa. He might as well be honest. “I actually hadn’t planned on it, but my brother, who owned The Beef, he died,” he said, picking up his drink. “And he left it to me.” Vanessa’s eyes softened.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Carmen,” she said with heartfelt honestly. “What was he like?” Carmen swallowed softly. People never asked follow up questions, and if they did, it was never that.

“Eccentric in the best way possible,” Carmen recalled the older days, cooking in their family kitchen and how he idolized Mikey growing up – before things changed. “He was a really good storyteller and knew how to bring people together.”

“Is he your only sibling?” Vanessa asked, taking another bite of her spring roll.

“I’ve got a sister, Natalie,” he nodded. “What about you? Only child?” Vanessa threw her head back with a laugh.

“Am I putting off only-child energy?” She asked. “No, I’ve got two sisters – Nicola, she’s 20 and goes to DePaul, and Hannah, she’s in sixth grade.”

“Three girls,” Carmen raised his brows.

“My Dad thinks it’s penance for his wild boy days,” she laughed. “He raised us on his own – he’s incredibly in touch with his feminine side. My mom died a few weeks after Hannah was born, drunk driver accident,” she offered, seeing as Carmen had really opened himself up by telling her about his brother, she felt compelled to do the same.

“I’m sorry,” Carmen winced. He wasn’t sure what was worse, losing someone by their choice, or against their will.

Vanessa simply smiled, reaching across to squeeze his hand on the tabletop.

“Do you think we could order more of these?” she held up her fork, which had speared a pork wonton.

“Anything you want,” Carmen said sincerely. He’d serve his heart up on a platter it meant she’d smile at him again.

After dinner was finished, they’d agreed to take a stroll and try to walk off their overstuffed stomachs. The weather was nice enough as Chicago approached the end of summer and they weren’t far from Oz Park, which Carmen learned was one of Vanessa’s favorite parks in the city.

Carmen skirted the side of the walkways that were closest to the street and when a large group of people came by, Vanessa deftly stepped closer into his side, tucking her hand around one of his biceps. His brain shorted at her soft skin pressed against his.

“Oh,” she said softly, pausing in front of the retaining wall of a brownstone where a small bear had been spray-painted just above where the wall met the sidewalk. “I need to take a photo quick,” she said, whipping out her phone and crouching down to snap a picture. “Bears are my favorite animal,” she explained, “which sounds really juvenile, but my sisters and I always send each other pictures when we see them out in the wild.”

Carmen gulped softly.

“Why bears?” He asked.

“It’s actually a story our Mom used to tell us that her mother told her,” she said, stepping back into his side and lacing her fingers with his. Carmen squeezed her hand softly as they began to move forward again. “There’s this belief in our grandmother’s culture that when you pass away, you come back reincarnated as an animal, and everyone wants to be a bear because they’re the king of the animal kingdom,” she explained. “So when people pass, they come back to the world as an animal and those that are bears are so happy, they dance,” she laughed. “I don’t know, it sounds silly, but it’s always stuck with us.”

Carmen paused, gently tugging Vanessa’s hand so she’d step closer to him.

“It’s not silly,” he assured. “It actually makes more sense than most things people have said to me about the afterlife – thank you for sharing that with me.”

“Carmen?” Vanessa asked as they continued their way toward Oz Park. He looked over at her, not minding when an errant curl flopped onto his forehead. “I know our first date isn’t over, but I’d really like to go on a second date.”

“Me too.”

[mariacallous]

Amazon deliveries could be headed for some turbulence in the new year. Pilots for US-based Air Transport International, a cargo airline that ferries Amazon packages from its fulfillment centers to airports nearer to its customers, voted to authorize a strike last month. During the three and a half years the union has been negotiating with ATI, wages in the industry have soared, and ATI’s pilots complain that their pay has fallen behind. Meanwhile, they say ATI is facing record attrition as pilots jump ship to better-paying carriers.

A strike could throw a wrench in Amazon’s logistics network. ATI, owned by holding company ATSG, operates half of the 80 US aircraft currently in service for Amazon, according to an estimate by Planespotters. But the pilots, who are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association union, can’t walk out until at least next year.

Federal law requires airline labor disputes to be mediated by the US government’s National Mediation Board, which will implement a 30-day cooling-off period if it determines the parties have reached an impasse and they refuse arbitration. If a resolution isn’t reached during that time, the pilots can walk off the job or the airline can lock them out. Some 98 percent of ATI’s 640 pilots participated in the vote and only one didn’t vote to authorize the strike.

Amazon outsources the operation of its air service, which it calls Amazon Air, to a small network of cargo airlines whose pilots fly Amazon-branded planes. In the US alone, they collectively operate more than 330 daily flights for Amazon between more than 50 airports, according to the logistics consultancy MWPVL International.

Most airlines that work with Amazon also devote a large share of their businesses to transporting cargo for other customers, including DHL and the US military. In recent years, ATI has gone all-in on the retailer, however. Amazon deliveries now comprise 94 percent of ATI’s flying hours, according to the pilots’ union, making the company and its workers dependent on the ecommerce giant.

ATI’s pilots’ union says that more than a third of the airline’s pilots have left so far this year, after 27 percent of them departed last year. The union says 42 percent of its pilots are currently on probation, meaning they’re in their first year of service. “We’re watching our carrier disintegrate,” says Mike Sterling, chair of the ATI pilots’ union.

The pilots’ union says they have delivered a 98 percent on-time performance rate, but the rapid turnover and declining experience levels are threatening that. “This market is highly competitive, and ATSG is diminishing its ability to provide quality service to Amazon,” says Sterling. “We think this is a conversation that needs to be had between all three parties.” Amazon and ATI did not respond to requests for comment. During an earnings call in May, ATSG’s former CEO said that ATI’s service quality remained outstanding, but acknowledged that training replacements for departing pilots had raised costs for the airline.

When the pilots’ union negotiated a contract with the company in 2018, pilots’ pay, benefits, and schedules were competitive with similar airlines, says Josh Hoy, a captain who started at the airline seven years ago. He initially looked at the job as just a stepping stone but decided to stick around when ATI’s relationship with Amazon took off. “It was a really exciting time, being on the ground floor of that kind of growth,” he says. “I started to have the conversation with my wife and said, ‘I think this might be the place to stay.’”

However, “as time went on, we’ve fallen far behind,” Hoy says. ATI’s union says its pilots are paid less on an hourly basis than those at all of Amazon’s seven other carriers. “We operate under the same rules, in the same airspace, on the exact same routes. The airplanes cost the exact same to operate,” says Hoy. “Everything is exactly the same, except for our pay.”

No Fondness for Labor

Amazon generally goes to great lengths to avoid engaging with unions and to deter its employees or those who work for its contractors from joining them. The company spent the last year and a half unsuccessfully challenging the first and only union victory at a US Amazon warehouse. When employees of a delivery contractor in Southern California unionized earlier this year, Amazon refused to jointly bargain with the workers and terminated its agreement with the contractor. “Amazon has not demonstrated a real fondness for labor,” Sterling acknowledges. “I would love to change that narrative with them.”

The last and only time Amazon faced a strike by one of its air carriers was in 2016, during the early days of its air cargo operation, when 250 pilots for ABX Air walked off the job. A judge deemed the strike illegal, however, and ordered the pilots back to work the following day. Nonetheless, a former Amazon Air employee told WIRED last year that Amazon suspended its business with ABX for several weeks after the strike ended to demonstrate the relative power it held in the relationship, which soon soured.

ATI’s pilots are taking a less antagonistic tone in hopes of bringing Amazon to the negotiating table. “What we don’t want to do is affect our customers,” says Sterling. “We’ve done a lot to protect our obsession with Amazon.” However, he says the intransigence of ATSG’s management has left the pilots with no choice but to call a strike.

“This side of Amazon’s network is the most vulnerable to labor strikes,” says Marc Wulfraat, president of logistics consultancy MWPVL. If drivers or warehouse workers strike, the company can shift the flow of products and packages to one of its many nearby warehouses, but airports are fewer in number and farther apart.

Amazon could compensate for a walkout at ATI by shifting volume to other air carriers under the Amazon Air umbrella, but only if they have the capacity to handle the influx at all of the airports. It could also transport some of its packages by truck instead, which it did during the brief 2016 strike. However, this could result in slower shipping times and reduced service, says Wulfraat, which flies in the face of Amazon’s mantra of customer obsession.

Pilots also have the advantage of being generally in a strong position across the airline industry. “It’s still a very, very hot job market” for pilots, says Geoff Murray, a partner who works on aerospace at management consultancy Oliver Wyman. Plummeting demand for passenger pilots during the pandemic sent many into early retirement, worsening an existing pilot shortage that got more acute as the industry bounced back. Wages have soared. Oliver Wyman estimates that captains’ pay at the US mainline carriers, such as Delta and UPS, has increased 46 percent since 2020, while regional carriers have increased pay by 86 percent.

Pilot Drew Patterson came to ATI in 2021, attracted by the work-life balance the airline offered, but as the carrier lost pilots, he has seen his workload creep up and his schedule become more unpredictable. With fewer crews to operate the same number of flights, “everybody else's schedule gets compressed,” he says. “Sometimes you can be away from home for a long time.”

Long-term, he thinks Amazon’s continued growth should be a good thing for ATI and its employees, so he’s been willing to stick it out. But he’s not so sure all of his colleagues will feel the same about current conditions at the company.

“All of this has a real house-of-cards feeling to it,” says Sterling. “We just can’t sustain what we’re doing.”

[onlineecommercestore]

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What is Etilize?

Etilize, a leading product content provider, offers a comprehensive database of detailed product information. By seamlessly incorporating Etilize's rich content into your product descriptions, you can enhance your offerings and captivate customers from the moment they land on your product page.

Etilize data partner integration provides in-depth product information. Product descriptions go beyond the basics, offering detailed specifications, features, and benefits. This wealth of information empowers customers to make informed decisions, fostering confidence in their purchase.

Imagine a customer searching for a new laptop. A generic product description may cover the basics, such as processor speed and storage capacity. However, with Etilize-rich content integration, your product description can delve into specifics like screen resolution, graphics capabilities, and even battery life. This level of detail not only satisfies customer curiosity but also positions your product as a superior choice, addressing potential concerns before they arise.

View Up-to-date Information

Moreover, Etilize content integration allows for dynamic updates. In the ever-evolving landscape of technology and consumer electronics, staying current is crucial. With Etilize, your product descriptions automatically reflect the latest information, ensuring that your customers are always presented with accurate and up-to-date details. This not only saves time on manual updates but also showcases your commitment to providing the most relevant information.

Get a Better Understanding of Products

Visual appeal is another facet where Etilize rich content integration shines. The platform offers high-quality images, 360-degree views, and even product videos for your aggregated catalog.

Incorporating these visuals into your product descriptions elevates the overall shopping experience. Customers can virtually interact with the product, gaining a better understanding of its design, functionality, and build quality. This immersive experience can be a decisive factor in swaying potential buyers towards a purchase.

Additionally, Etilize product content provides compatibility information, helping customers understand how a product fits into their existing setup. For example, if you're selling computer accessories, Etilize's compatibility data can highlight which devices your product is compatible with, easing customer concerns and streamlining the decision-making process.

Using product descriptions that sell with Etilize data integration is a strategic move in today's competitive e-commerce landscape. The depth of information, dynamic updates, and visually engaging content offered by Etilize enhance the overall customer experience and instill confidence in potential buyers.

By using this powerful tool, businesses can not only stand out from the crowd but also build lasting relationships with customers who appreciate the transparency and depth of information provided. Etilize integration is not just a feature; it's a pathway to creating product descriptions that sell and securing a competitive edge in the dynamic world of online commerce. By seamlessly weaving Etilize's rich content into product descriptions, businesses can elevate their offerings and captivate customers for increased sales success.

[mitchipedia]

How Cory Doctorow uses browser tabs for productivity superpowers

Cory defends lifehacking, which “is in pretty bad odor these days, and with good reason: a once-useful catch-all for describing how to make things easier has become a pit of productivity porn, grifter hustling, and anodyne advice wreathed in superlatives and transformed into SEO-compliant listicles.” But at its core, lifehacking is just a collection of little tricks that help people be more productive.

He links to his notes from a 2004 talk by Danny O’Brien: “Life Hacks: Tech Secrets of Overprolific Alpha Geeks”.

O’Brien’s inspiration was his social circle, in which people he knew to be no smarter or better or motivated than anyone else in that group were somehow able to do much more than their peers, in some specific domain. O’Brien delved deeply into these peoples' lives and discovered that each of them had merely (“merely!") gotten very good at using one or two tools to automate things that would otherwise take up a lot of their time.

These “hacks” freed up their practitioners to focus on things that mattered more to them.

… everyone who created a little hack was faintly embarrassed by it, and assumed that others who learned about their tricks would find them trivial or foolish. O’Brien changed the world by showing that other people were, in fact, delighted and excited to learn about their peers' cool little tricks.

(Unfortunately, this eventually opened the floodgates of overheated posts about some miraculous hack that turned out to indeed be silly and trivial or even actively bad, but that wasn’t O’Brien’s fault!)

Cory notes that he is a pretty productive fellow himself, having written nine books during lockdown. And he shares a couple of his little tricks.

One of them is having “a group of daily tabs that I open in a new browser every morning. The meat of this tab group is websites I want to check in with every day, either because they don’t have RSS feeds, or because I want to make sure I never miss an update.”

These include news and opinion websites, Wikipedia pages whose edits he is watching, and also personal finance and ecommerce sites.

I do something similar: I have three folders of tabs: One I open multiple times daily, another that I also open multiple times daily, but less often than the first group, and a third that I open 1x/day. I call them, imaginatively enough, “First,” “Second” and “Daily.” The first group is social media replies, the second group is social media streams, and the third group has more social streams, Discord channels and one or two blogs that have lousy or nonexistent RSS feeds.

Tabs, like lifehacks, are also in bad odor. Everyone stresses about how many tabs they have open…. But this is a very different way to think about tabs. Rather than opening a window full of tabs that need your detailed, once-off attention later, this method is about using groups of tabs so that you can pay cursory, frequent attention to them.

I find RSS, newsletters and daily tab groups do the same job, enable me to check on a couple of hundred websites daily in very little time. I currently use the NewsBlur RSS reader, which is also a great place to read newsletters. (If you don’t like NewsBlur, my friend Barbara Krasnoff writes up five good RSS readers.)

Also:

My little tab habit is so incredibly useful, such a powerful way to seize back time and power from powerful actors who impose burdens on me, that I sometimes forget how, for other people, tabs are a symptom of a life that’s spiraling out of control. For me, a couple hundred tabs are a symbol of a couple hundred tasks that I’m totally on top of, a symbol of control wrestled back from others who are hostile to my interests.

Cory talks about how tabs are an example of “generative” technology—innovations that users implement in ways that were unanticipated by people who developed technology.

It occurs to me that a reason I love the Obsidian documents app is that it’s an example of “generative” technology. I use Obsidian in weird ways that don’t seem to be the designers’ intent, but it works well for me—and I think that actually is part of the designers’ intent.

[cindylouwho-2]

RECENT NEWS, RESOURCES AND STUDIES, MID-AUGUST 2023

Welcome to my latest roundup of ecommerce and other online news for small and micro businesses, including Etsy sellers. Usually August is a slow news month, but there is still a fair amount going on.

Want to receive this report and my website blog posts by email? Sign up here: http://bit.ly/CindyLouWho2Blog

With the continuing demise of Twitter being a concern, here is a list of places you can find me, and here is where I am posting news:

LINKEDIN

BLUESKY

REDDIT

TWITTER

I hope to get the next report out before Labour Day, but of course I cannot predict what will happen between now and then. Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see more reporting on!

TOP NEWS & ARTICLES 

Repeating this from the last update since it so important: Etsy’s latest policy changes brought in the ability to opt out of the binding arbitration clause, but existing members only have until August 23rd to do so. The Indie Sellers Guild has some thoughts on this. If you are opting out, remember this must be done for each account (buyer or seller), and make sure to include the following information in your email to arbitrationoptout@etsy.com:

your name

the email address for your account

your username

your shop name (if applicable)

Expect a vague email response that does not verify that you are opted out, because this is Etsy and why would they be clear? 

If you have anything with images of children in your Etsy shop (including art and figurines), please carefully read Etsy’s new policy on such imagery, as it appears many current photos and other visual depictions will not be allowed as of September 8. I started a thread in the Etsy forum for discussion. 

Amazon changed the deposit rules for UK and EU sellers who started on the site before 2016, implementing the “7 days after delivery date” deposit release that newer sellers also face. The UK’s small business commissioner and the minister for small business were not amused, and that led to some money being released early, but with a warning that the new delayed deposits would resume in January 2024.  

ETSY NEWS 

Etsy has changed the criteria for payment reserves for the time being, but we don’t know much about how, other than the fact most have been reduced to 30% from the original 75%. We still don’t know how they have made “... adjustments for issues that are beyond sellers’ control” such as a lack of cheap tracking, or if they are truly providing better communications to sellers just put on reserve, other than this Seller Handbook article from August 4. That article does admit that most current reserves are about shipping. I do know that we aren’t seeing many new reserves mentioned publicly, so it appears they have changed something. 

A few sellers from the UK have been able to opt out of Etsy’s Offsite Ads, but Etsy is now pushing back and rejecting requests. Reminder that most of the EU and also Switzerland can now opt out. 

The Make an Offer tool now lets you choose which listings you will accept offers on, as well as other improvements. (It's still only available to shops that sell in USD, and not all buyers can see it yet.)

To accompany the release of Etsy’s new baby registry, Etsy reported on recent baby and nursery trends. Farm animals are apparently in, as are flowers. 

The holiday season trends report is also out; it covers Canadian Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve. “277% YoY increase in searches on Etsy containing “wooden christmas tree decor” - With sustainability in mind, many buyers are opting for ornaments made of solid hardwood over plastic.” And apparently maxi skirts are back? 

The second quarter 2023 report showed stagnation in sales but more new sellers, plus Etsy focussing on telling sellers to discount items. You can read my coverage here. Some analysts are starting to sour on Etsy: “They feel a little bit like Pinterest to me where they have something great but they're not finding the opportunity on it.” 

Smiley faces are one of the latest takedown targets - not by Etsy bots, but by the actual rights owner. 

SEO: GOOGLE & OTHER SEARCH ENGINES 

If you are using internal links on your website for SEO reasons, beware that the anchor text is also important. 

An analysis of the biggest winners in Google search results for the United States in the first half of 2023 shows Mercari had a huge leap in search visibility so far this year. 

Bing is not gaining much on Google’s market share, despite having a jump on AI search. 

Brave Search now includes both video and image searching. 

If you missed a lot of Google developments in July, Search Engine Roundtable has you covered. 

[Advanced content] An Ahrefs study found that ⅔ of websites using hreflang have at least one problem. 

SOCIAL MEDIA - All Aspects, By Site

General

Since most social media platforms don’t want people leaving their site, they tend to give lower ranking to posts with links in them. You can get around this issue by focussing on zero-click marketing. [text and video] There’s a followup video with transcript on the 4 ways you can promote content through social media as well. 

Another what and when to post on social media, this one covering Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, based on what brand accounts did in 2022. [I’m thinking the Twitter data may not be as relevant today.]

Several US states have passed laws requiring parental permission for anyone under 18 to join social media, or are in the process of doing so.

One of the downsides of Bluesky is that it counts any link URLs as part of your character limit, but you can get around that if you aren’t also adding a photo. 

Facebook (includes relevant general news from Meta)

Daily active users on Threads have dropped over 80% from their peak. The site is still developing, however, and desktop access plus searching is coming soon. 

Instagram

Instagram is adding more tools that use artificial intelligence. 

Photos carousels now support music. 

TikTok

TikTok will be offering fulfilment services in the UK, to be followed by the US. “The example merchants are influencers and beauty brands to start with.”

Users in the EU will be able to remove online tracking from their TikTok “For You” algorithm in the near future, possibly by August 28.There will also be advertising changes. 

Twitter

The Twitter algorithm is changing, and now prioritizes replies, plus it is pushing video. “X is also penalizing mentions of the term ‘Threads’ as well as links to the Meta competitor.” [Yes, I am still calling it Twitter, but you can call it X if you want.]

Tweetdeck is now a paid service only. The ability to organize different lists and even work with multiple different accounts made it an essential for doing a lot of work on Twitter. 

ECOMMERCE NEWS, IDEAS, TRENDS (minus social media)

Amazon

Amazon will be charging additional fees for sellers who use Prime but don’t ship through Amazon, starting October 1. 

Amazon added hundreds of new product attributes that need to be added to relevant new listings starting on August 16. 

Looks like there will be another Amazon Prime Day in several countries this year.

Amazon’s second quarter was strong, with a lot of growth in ads. 

Investors are suing Amazon over several issues, including lying to them. 

eBay

eBay is finally agreeing to negotiate with the union of its recent acquisition, TCGPlayer, after the larger company failed to reverse the vote to unionize.  

Poshmark

Poshmark’s app will soon include an image search, called “Posh Lens”, although only some have the beta test at the moment. 

All Other Marketplaces

Depop’s new seller protection policy for US and UK sellers kicks in on September 3, and requires sellers to purchase shipping labels on the site. 

Wish is laying off over ¼ of its staff, including up to 40% of its employees in the United States.  

Shipping 

The port labour disruption in British Columbia is officially over.

ONLINE ADVERTISING (NOT SOCIAL MEDIA OR ECOMMERCE SITES 

If you aren’t using the free Google Shopping ads for your website yet, here are some tips on optimizing your products. Note that “Google may also assess your landing page speed and experience to rank your products”; many think that is only for organic results. 

Google ended “similar audiences” from all ads on August 1. “Campaigns using similar audiences will automatically get opted into optimised targeting and audience expansion moving forward. Marketers who would rather avoid this can go to the audiences tab in the Google Ads settings page and manually turn off the campaigns instead.”

STATS, DATA, TRACKING 

Still not paying much attention to Google Analytics 4? Here’s more info on why and how it is different from Universal Analytics. 

And that's it for this edition! Please let me know if there are other topics I should be covering.

[aridradmx]

🚀 Why is SEO important for E-commerce websites? 📈

🚀 Boosting Visibility and Traffic: SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is crucial for E-commerce websites as it enhances online visibility, driving more organic traffic. Optimizing product pages with relevant keywords ensures better search engine rankings, attracting potential customers.

💡 Increased Credibility and Trust: Users tend to trust websites that appear higher in search results. SEO helps build credibility by optimizing content, improving user experience, and ensuring easy navigation, ultimately fostering trust among customers.

💰 Maximizing ROI: Effective SEO strategies result in a higher return on investment (ROI) for E-commerce businesses. By targeting the right audience and optimizing for relevant keywords, companies can reach potential customers who are more likely to convert into buyers.

🛒 Enhanced User Experience: SEO involves optimizing website structure and content, leading to an improved user experience. Easy navigation, fast loading times, and mobile-friendliness contribute to higher customer satisfaction, encouraging repeat visits and purchases.

In conclusion, SEO is the backbone of successful E-commerce, driving visibility, credibility, and a positive user experience, ultimately maximizing business potential. 🌐✨

💬 Share your thoughts: How has SEO impacted your business? Comment below! 👇😊

#ecommerceseo #ecommercewebsite #ecommerce #SEO #DigitalMarketing #OnlineVisibility #TargetedTraffic #Conversions #BusinessGrowth #MarketingStrategy #SearchEngineOptimization #ecommercesuccess #CompetitiveEdge #OnlinePresence #IncreaseVisibility #DriveTraffic #BoostRankings #BusinessSuccess #ChatGPT #aridradmx #AridraChandraDas 

[happilyfulllove]

Web Design in Madurai

Are you looking Web Design in Madurai ? Right now you are on right website. Century Minds are Madurai based Web design company and developing best websites like eCommerce, Blogging Website for Daily update and custom website development as per requirement of customers.

We provide better response for our client. Our team provide good communication with customer. Web Design in Madurai is an art where we craft websites, it involves a variety of aspects such as – graphic designing, web pages layout, logo, colours, layouts content generation and other things. A professional designers have the ability to highlight every details through their creative ideas.

We have a team of expert for Web Design in Madurai for our company who have years of experience in web designing and worked with many brands. We understand that web designing is a creative task that involves many things to deliver innovative and eye-catching designs to our clients. We deliver you with customized web designs that matches your businesses perfectly.

We’re a reputed and also most cost-effective Web Design in Madurai , Tamil Nadu. Our experience and knowledge has made us the best web designing company in the entire city. Our experts discuss with our clients about their requirements and expectations at every stage of development in order to deliver 100% customized solutions and results. We work round the clock on the doubts and queries of our clients to find best solutions and to deliver them with most appropriate results as per individual expectations of our clients. Our customization services are very much in demand which is why we are one of the leading Web Design in Madurai .

Contact With Us

Century Minds

Address: 32/44, 1st Floor Pillayar Kovil 2nd Street, SS colony, Madurai - 10, Tamil Nadu, India.

Phone:  72007-51000

Mail:  email@centuryminds.com

Website: www.centuryminds.com

[ae-shopify-experts]

How effective to work with Custom Shopify Application Developers in Chandigarh?

In this technical era, Shopify is one of the most popular e-commerce platforms that allows businesses to create and manage their online stores in a smart way. Despite a lot of built-in features and functionalities in Shopify, many businesses require out of the box customizations that are not available. This is where custom Shopify application developers come into the action.

One of the key benefits of working with custom Shopify application developers in Chandigarh is that they can help businesses stand out from their competition. It offers unique and innovative features for businesses that can provide a better user experience and increase customer satisfaction.

Another benefit of custom Shopify application development is that it can help businesses save time and money. By automating certain processes or creating custom workflows, businesses can streamline their operations and reduce the need for manpower which can lead to significant cost savings in the long run.

Why Do We Need to Work with Shopify Experts?

However, developing custom Shopify applications is not a task that can be taken lightly. It requires expertise in the Shopify API, as well as knowledge of trending programming languages. This is why it’s important to work with experienced Shopify Experts in India like Alliance Ecommerce who have a proven track record of delivering high-quality solutions for Ecommerce businesses over the world.

Let’s take an overview of the Alliance Ecommerce services

Shopify Theme Design: To streamline the user experience by making online purchases as easy and efficiently as possible, Alliance Ecommerce offers interactive E-Commerce UX Designs and helps businesses to accomplish their long-term goals.

Shopify Development: Alliance Ecommerce has a proven track record of creating advanced and high-performing Shopify stores by offering the best Shopify Development services in Chandigarh and for top brands and retailers worldwide.

Shopify App Development: To extend the functionality of your business apps, Alliance Ecommerce has expertise in all kinds of public, private, and custom app development as per your requirements. Also, it provides a free demo and setup for each of our apps.

System Integrations: Moreover, Alliance also offers the Shopify System Integration process and ensures that the subsystems work well at all phases of system development.

Digital Marketing and Optimization: Rather than just focusing on development and designing, It aims to increase traffic, engagement, and conversions on a business’s website, ultimately leading to improved revenue and growth through data analysis, speed optimization, testing, and conversion optimization.

Conclusion: To conclude, working with custom Shopify application developers in Chandigarh offers numerous benefits for businesses looking to improve their online stores. All you need to hire the best Shopify experts to accomplish your business goals.

[ecommercegyan]

How Does the Amazon PPC Advertising Work? 

PPC adverts are part of Amazon's internal advertising system. Businesses, agencies, and third-party sellers can advertise in Amazon's search results and their competitors' results pages using Amazon PPC Management. That way, merchants can show Amazon shoppers relevant products at checkout, improving the likelihood of a sale. Due to its effectiveness, three out of four Amazon sellers utilize this method.

Definition of Amazon PPC

Amazon PPC is the paid advertising service provided by Amazon to its independent sellers. It lets vendors set up advertising campaigns for their wares and collects payment from them at each interaction with a potential consumer.

Now the question at hand is, how much does pay-per-click advertising on Amazon actually cost?

How Much Does Amazon PPC Cost?

Each seller's Amazon PPC charges for Amazon PPC Services will be different based on the number of ad campaigns they're running and the number of keywords they're aiming for. Depending on the degree of competition in your industry, you could spend anywhere from $0.15 to $6 per click.

In What Ways Does Pay-Per-Click Marketing Function?

PPC advertising takes on a variety of forms depending on the medium, but typically consists of the following steps:

Determine your end goal before deciding on a campaign format.

The settings, audiences, devices, locations, schedules, etc., should all be fine-tuned.

List your spending limits and proposed bidding approach.

Enter the web address of the page you wish to visit.

Make a commercial ad.

Your ad's quality and relevance, as well as your campaign's budget, bid, and parameters, are all factored into an algorithm that then determines where your ad will show, how often it will appear, and how much it will cost per click.

Platforms will reward advertisers with better ad placement and lower costs if they take the time to generate high-quality, user-friendly PPC campaigns.

How Does Google Ads' PPC System Work?

Marketers choose keywords to bid on while building ads. You can instruct Google to show your ad for queries that match or are related to the keyword by bidding on it.

Google uses formulas and auctions to select ads for each search. Before entering the auction, your ad's relevance to the term, expected CTR and landing page quality will determine its Quality Score.

Your Quality Score multiplied by the maximum bid determines your Ad Rank. High-ranking ads are displayed first. This technique lets successful advertising access specific audiences at affordable prices. It resembles an auction.

Check here to more about - Why Amazon FBA Coaching is Important for Sellers

Invest In Online Marketing with the Assistance of Experts

Amazon PPC grants you to promote your company's products on the world's most visited online store. However, it takes time and work to create and run an Amazon PPC campaign, especially for companies that provide a vast selection of products. A service like ECommerce Gyan comes in handy at this point. Because of their expert team and long history in e-commerce training, they are the go-to solution for sellers and suppliers who wish to get trained to successfully market their items on Amazon.

Conclusion

E-commerce Gyan is an organization that provides Amazon FBA Course India and Ecommerce PPC management services and is considered the best Amazon PPC expert in India that assist businesses to maximize their advertising investment and accomplish sales goals. Their Ecommerce business training includes learning how to perform market research, create items, create websites, apply digital marketing, and handle logistics. The training can help those who want to start an e-commerce firm and sell things online. 

[5ft2sunflower]

The Death of a Keyword, and the Re-Shuffling of $500B in US eCommerce Sales

By Justin Leigh | CEO, Workflow Labs | Article Link

Search is really important.  It’s so much faster than browsing.  In fact, it’s so much better that over 80% of Amazon’s sales are driven by customers going to the search bar, entering some keywords and buying one of the top five products of the thousands that the search query returns.  

Keyword Search Sucks

As great as it is, keyword search sucks.  We just don’t know it yet.  We don’t know it yet in the same way we didn’t realize that stopping at a gas station to buy a paper map sucked compared to using GPS navigation.  Or having to wait in the rain at a designated meeting spot after a concert sucked compared to just texting your friends to ask where they are.

Objectively, it’s an odd process.  Customers must first think of words they believe a computer will understand.  The customer is then rewarded with an overwhelming amount of somewhat relevant products.  When the customer searches again, the search engine forgets they’ve ever talked with this customer before and returns a pile of new, unrelated products.  It’s like walking into a grocery store and yelling, “Peanut Butter,” and an army of clerks bring you all the cereal, dog treats and sandwich spread that contain the words “Peanut” and/or “Butter.”  You then yell, “Organic,” and get a bunch of bananas, flour, and healthy snacks.  

This is not how we’ve evolved to think or communicate, but we accept it because the alternative - browsing through thousands of products - is much worse.

Then the World Changed

Search is about to get a lot better.  Generative search, natural language processing and AI will replace keyword matching and the results are incredible.  Unfortunately, that’s terrible news for everyone who has built a successful business based on keyword search.

To understand the difference, consider the following product search in this new world:

Me: 

“please recommend a peanut butter that is healthy and comes in a large container because I make a lot of sandwiches”

ChatGPT: 

“When choosing a peanut butter, look for one that is made with only a few ingredients, such as peanuts and salt, and avoid those with added sugars or oils. Here are some recommendations for healthy peanut butter options that come in large containers:

Crazy Richard's 100% Peanuts All-Natural Peanut Butter: This peanut butter is made with only one ingredient: roasted peanuts. It's also gluten-free, vegan, and non-GMO, and comes in a 48-ounce jar.

Kirkland Signature Organic Creamy Peanut Butter: This peanut butter is made with only organic roasted peanuts and salt. It comes in a 28-ounce jar and is certified USDA organic.

Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter: This peanut butter is made with only two ingredients: peanuts and salt. It's also non-GMO and gluten-free and comes in a 26.5-ounce jar.

Remember that peanut butter is high in calories and fat, so be mindful of your portion sizes to maintain a healthy diet.”

Great, now I’d like to know what I should spend on these:

“How much do those items cost on Amazon?”

ChatGPT:

“The prices of these items on Amazon may vary depending on the time of purchase and location, but here are the current prices (as of my knowledge cutoff date of September 2021) for each peanut butter option:

Crazy Richard's 100% Peanuts All-Natural Peanut Butter (48 oz): $13.97

Kirkland Signature Organic Creamy Peanut Butter (28 oz): $9.86

Smucker's Natural Peanut Butter (26.5 oz): $5.64

Jif Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (40 oz): $9.99

Skippy Natural Creamy Peanut Butter (40 oz): $7.67

Trader Joe's Creamy Salted Peanut Butter (16 oz): $7.95

Keep in mind that prices may vary, and there may be other retailers that offer these products at different prices.”

I’m easily influenced by famous people, so naturally: 

“Are there any endorsed by celebrities?”

ChatGPT:

“There may be peanut butter brands that are endorsed by celebrities, but it's important to remember that celebrity endorsements do not necessarily mean that a product is healthier or of better quality. It's always a good idea to focus on the ingredients and nutritional value of a product rather than relying solely on celebrity endorsements.

That being said, here are a few peanut butter brands that have been endorsed by celebrities:

Justin's Nut Butter: Justin's is a natural nut butter company that has been endorsed by several celebrities, including Jennifer Aniston and Oprah Winfrey. Their products are made with high-quality ingredients and come in a variety of flavors.

PBfit: PBfit is a brand of powdered peanut butter that has been endorsed by actress and singer Vanessa Hudgens. Their powdered peanut butter is made with only roasted peanuts, salt, and sugar, and has 87% less fat than traditional peanut butter.

NuttZo: NuttZo is a nut butter brand that has been endorsed by Olympic athlete Lindsey Vonn. Their products are made with a blend of organic nuts and seeds and come in several different varieties.

Again, it's important to do your own research and read ingredient labels to make an informed decision about the peanut butter you choose to purchase.”

So, there you have it.  In addition to being endorsed by Vanessa Hudgens, PBFit was an early client at my last company so it’s the obvious winner.  If you conduct the same search, you will get different results.  The system is constantly learning and improving in ways no human can truly understand.

It makes the old keyword way seem so…old.

Who Will Mourn the Keyword?

There is no world in which keyword search wins.  It’s like bringing keywords to a natural language processing fight.  AI wins, Customers win, big time.  Shoppers will not mourn keywords.

Those who will mourn keywords are the owners of the products that have spent millions or billions of dollars on advertising, content, strategy, and execution to have the coveted top placement on the keywords that drive their business.  The ad platforms that generate billions of dollars selling keyword targeted ads will also mourn.  How will advertisers target consumers?  Other than just trusting AI, how do advertisers make decisions about how and where to invest?  How will brands know what content to develop? Companies that built entire businesses on keyword matching processes will mourn them.

AI in the Driver's Seat Means Different Products Win

As generative search based on natural language processing rolls out $500B+ of US retail sales will be completely reshuffled.  Ad tools and tactics will shift seemingly overnight.

Some products will just accidentally win.  They were always more relevant, but no one knew.  With AI in the driver seat, these products will steal share from others that had carefully, and expensively, mastered the now useless keywords.  Brands will be forced to learn to understand how the retailers’ different flavors of generative search work.  They will need to know a lot more about their customers.  Keyword stuffing into titles or bullets will not work anymore.  Brands will have to be strategic and highly engaged in actively managing the data that trains the AI models.  

Saying Goodbye is Hard

Having been there for the birth of the keyword and now standing here so close to the end, I’d like to say a few words:

Keyword, you were a good friend.  You led us out of the darkness of browse.  You exposed all the knowledge of the world so I could settle minor disputes with my friends in real time.  You changed our lives in unimaginable ways.  Born just thirty years ago in 1993 on Aliweb, you were so young.  But change is life’s only constant, and I need more, better ways to find the right peanut butter for me.  So, it’s time to say goodbye.  

But you never know!  Just like the acid-washed jeans I wore to your birthday party, maybe, one day, you’ll come back into style.

[thomasbui359]

Why You Need to Supercharge Your eCommerce Site Right Now ?

If you're running an eCommerce site, you know how important it is to stay ahead of the competition. With the ever-increasing number of online stores, it's crucial to find ways to stand out and drive more traffic, conversions, and revenue. This is where supercharging your eCommerce site comes in. Supercharging your eCommerce site means implementing strategies and tactics that can help you optimize your site for better performance, improve the user experience, and ultimately increase your revenue.

Here are some reasons why you need to supercharge your eCommerce site right now:

✅ Stand Out in a Crowded Market With so many eCommerce sites competing for the same customers, it's essential to differentiate yourself from the competition. By supercharging your eCommerce site, you can improve your site's performance, offer better user experience, and provide unique features that set you apart from your competitors.

✅ Improve User Experience User experience is crucial for any eCommerce site. If your site is slow, difficult to navigate, or lacks essential features, users will quickly lose interest and move on to your competitors. By supercharging your eCommerce site, you can optimize your site for speed, usability, and accessibility, making it easier for users to find what they're looking for and complete their purchase.

✅ Increase Conversions and Revenue The ultimate goal of any eCommerce site is to increase conversions and revenue. By supercharging your eCommerce site, you can implement proven strategies and tactics that can help you drive more traffic, increase conversions, and ultimately grow your revenue.

✅ Stay Ahead of the Competition The eCommerce landscape is constantly evolving, and it's essential to stay ahead of the curve. By supercharging your eCommerce site, you can implement the latest technologies, features, and strategies that can help you stay ahead of the competition and attract more customers.

✅ Build Customer Loyalty Customer loyalty is essential for any eCommerce site. By supercharging your eCommerce site, you can provide a better user experience, offer personalized recommendations, and provide exceptional customer service, all of which can help you build a loyal customer base that keeps coming back.

Supercharging your eCommerce site is essential if you want to stay ahead of the competition, improve the user experience, increase conversions and revenue, and build customer loyalty. So don't wait, start implementing these strategies and tactics today and watch your eCommerce site soar!

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6 Ways to Supercharge Your Ecommerce Business in 2023

How to supercharge your Ecommerce Sales ?

[mariacallous]

Zhang Xiaomeng, who lives in Beijing’s expensive central business district and runs her own design agency, had been putting off downloading Pinduoduo. Despite its popularity, she disliked how it gamified shopping, particularly a feature that prompts users to enlist their friends to click on a link in exchange for a price cut. This year, she finally gave in. “Things there are cheap,” she says.

Pinduoduo shares a parent company with Temu, the blockbuster retail app that has permeated US online shopping in recent years. The success of PDD Holdings, which owns both, has come in spite of economic headwinds and intense competitive pressures in China. But an international crackdown on retail imports could bring it back to earth after a meteoric rise.

The US has outlined plans to curb tax exemptions on packages worth less than $800, in a move that will affect hundreds of millions of packages shipped by companies like Shein and Temu. It will also mean more scrutiny of textile and apparel imports, popular Temu categories. And Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump has proposed a 60 percent or higher tariff on all goods from China—a potentially huge blow to a company built on bargains.

The success in China of Pinduoduo—and Temu in the US—counters Beijing’s desire to reposition China from a source of cheap goods to a hotbed of advanced manufacturing. Its appeal lies in offering the cheapest option for anything you might need. It works. According to the company, it had 850 million annual active buyers in 2021. PDD Holdings has twice outstripped Alibaba to be China’s most valuable ecommerce company by market share, albeit briefly. And because of Temu’s continued success abroad, domestic media now holds up its business model as an example to follow.

PDD Holdings’ founder, Colin Huang, briefly became China’s richest man in August before disappointing quarterly revenues caused his company to lose $50 billion in market value. As of September 10 his net worth stood at more than $40 billion.

China’s slowing economy has contributed to Pinduoduo’s rise. The downturn in the domestic property market and rising unemployment have made consumers hesitant to spend. At the most recent June shopping festival, where ecommerce platforms organize large-scale promotions and discounts, overall ecommerce sales in China fell 7 percent from the previous year to 742.8 billion yuan ($102.3 billion). When consumers do spend, they want better value for their money, searching for discounts, coupons, and cheaper versions of the same thing. “Consumers are more price conscious amid growing economic uncertainties,” Economist Intelligence Unit research analyst Aishwarya Tendolkar told WIRED.

Last year, ecommerce platforms JD and Alibaba’s Taobao offered users steeper discounts in a bid to compete with Pinduoduo. Neither has dislodged Pinduoduo’s reputation for offering the cheapest option online. In an April interview, when asked about his most serious competitors, Alibaba group chair Joseph Tsai acknowledged that Alibaba had “fallen behind,” because “we forgot about who our real customers are.”

Tsai didn’t mention Pinduoduo by name, but from its beginnings, the shopping platform has never made the merchant its focus like Alibaba did: It has always prioritized getting the user the lowest price online.

“In retail ecommerce, price wars are continuous and will never stop,” says Zhuang Shuai, retail analyst and founder of Bailian Consulting. “They’re effective in the short term but not a long-term effective way to compete.”

Pinduoduo has even instated policies that favor customers to the detriment of merchants. Since 2021, Pinduoduo has allowed consumers to get refunds without returning the item, if what they got didn’t match the seller’s description. The Chinese counterpart to Tiktok, Douyin introduced a similar policy in September 2023, as did Taobao and JD at year end.

The platform is also edging into territory traditionally occupied by its competitors by welcoming dealers for established brands like Apple and Louis Vuitton.

Competitors like JD, which banked on being the destination for quality products and fast logistics, are at risk of their users being stolen. “JD is worried it can’t retain its existing users, and also won’t be able to attract price-sensitive users,” says one former mid-level JD manager, who asked for anonymity because of potential professional repercussions, about Pinduoduo’s rise. On its app homepage, JD has begun aping Pinduoduo by emphasizing discounts.

PDD Holdings has also made international expansion a priority by launching Temu for international markets, a step that many retail Chinese companies haven’t taken. It used to be fine for a Chinese brand to stay within the Chinese market—after all, the consumer base is huge. Rather than make international expansion a side thought, PDD Holdings spent a reported $21 million on ads at the SuperBowl earlier this year; The Wall Street Journal also reported that Temu was Meta’s single biggest advertiser in 2023, racking up $2 billion in spend. That push has paid off; in the first half of this year, Temu spent more days ranked first for downloads on both the iOS App Store and Google Play Store in the US than any other app.

The company is facing headwinds, though. In addition to the potential US curbs on cheap shipments, other countries and regions are moving in a similar protective direction. Brazil passed a law levying a 20 percent tax on purchases up to $50 in June. The EU has considered scrapping its $150 duty-free threshold. In August, South Africa announced it would introduce a value-added tax on imported low-value goods, which had previously enjoyed a concession.

Managing director of CTR Market Research Jason Yu says it’s ��very likely” that Temu would take a hit if the US goes through with it. “Competing on lower price will not be a sustainable strategy for companies like Temu or Shein in the long run,” he says. “With the change of law, their advantage in price will be less obvious.”

It all adds up to “a gloomy outlook for cross-border online shopping in 2025,” says Tendolkar, the research analyst.

At least on the surface, Temu isn’t worried. “If their [policy change is] fair," a Temu spokesperson tells WIRED, "we believe they won’t tilt the competitive landscape.”

[onlineecommercestore]

Elevate Your Brand: A Comprehensive Look at Designing an Engaging Online Office Supplies Catalog

In the digital age, where first impressions matter more than ever, the design of your online office supplies catalog can make or break your brand. A well-crafted catalog not only showcases your products but also establishes a visual identity that resonates with your target audience.

Let's delve into the key elements that can elevate your brand through the design of an engaging online office supplies catalog.

1. Visual Consistency

Creating a cohesive visual experience is paramount. Consistency in color schemes, typography, and imagery across your catalog helps establish a strong and memorable brand identity. Choose a color palette that aligns with your brand personality, and use fonts that are easy to read. Consistency fosters trust and professionalism.

2. User-Friendly Layout

The layout of your office products catalog should be intuitive and user-friendly. Arrange products logically, categorize them effectively, and provide clear navigation. Users should be able to find what they're looking for easily. Utilize whitespace to avoid clutter, making the catalog visually appealing and easy to scan.

3. Enhance the Overall look of your Catalog

Invest in high-quality images of your office supplies. Clear, sharp, and well-lit photos enhance the overall look of your catalog and give customers a realistic preview of the products. Consider incorporating lifestyle images to showcase how your products fit into a professional environment. An office supplies distributor can help you to get high-quality imagery.

4. Highlight Key Features of your Product

Accompany each product with compelling and informative descriptions. Highlight key features, benefits, and potential uses. Craft language that aligns with your brand voice, creating a narrative that engages and informs customers. Office supplies wholesale distributors can also help you to create compelling descriptions.

5. Include Interactive Elements for better engagement

Consider incorporating interactive elements to enhance user engagement. Features such as zoomable images, 360-degree product views, or clickable hotspots for additional information can elevate the overall user experience and keep customers exploring your catalog.

6. Provide Optimal Experience across all Devices

In today's mobile-centric world, ensuring that your office supplies eCommerce store is optimized for various devices is crucial. A responsive design ensures a seamless experience across desktops, tablets, and smartphones, allowing customers to access your catalog anytime, anywhere.

7. Integration with eCommerce Platform

If your goal is to drive sales, seamlessly integrate your office supply catalog with your eCommerce platform. Each product should link directly to its corresponding product page, facilitating a smooth transition from browsing to purchasing. Make the checkout process simple and secure to encourage conversions.

8. Integrate your catalog with share buttons

Leverage the power of social media by integrating sharing buttons or links within your catalog. Encourage customers to share their favorite products, creating a buzz around your brand and expanding your online reach.

9. Regular Updates

Keep your catalog dynamic by regularly updating it with new products, promotions, or seasonal offerings. This not only keeps your content fresh but also encourages repeat visits from customers who are eager to see what's new. Office supplies distributors catalog integration will ensure that the product prices are updated in real-time.

Designing an engaging office supplies online catalog involves a strategic blend of aesthetics, functionality, and user experience. By focusing on visual consistency, user-friendly layouts, high-quality imagery, and interactive features, you can create a catalog that not only showcases your products but also elevates your brand in the eyes of your customers.

Stay current with design trends, embrace technology, and continuously refine your catalog to keep your brand at the forefront of the online office supplies market.

[ecombootcamp]

How Ecom Bootcamp will help you to boost your Ecom Business?

Ecom Bootcamp is an internet based program intended to assist business people and entrepreneurs with figuring out how to begin, develop, and scale a fruitful internet business. To assist participants in increasing their sales, enhancing their marketing strategies, and optimizing their operations for greater efficiency and profitability, the program provides comprehensive training and support.

Ecom Bootcamp can help you grow your e-commerce business in the following ways:

Complete instruction: Ecommerce topics like product selection, sourcing, pricing, listing optimization, marketing, and more are covered in depth at Ecom Bootcamp. You might be able to learn more about the e-commerce industry and how to make better business decisions from this.

Expert advice: The program is run by seasoned e-commerce entrepreneurs who have built and grown their own businesses successfully. They can assist you in avoiding common pitfalls and accelerating your growth by providing helpful insights and advice based on their own experiences.

Community that is helpful: Additionally, Ecom Bootcamp provides access to a supportive community of entrepreneurs with similar objectives. Networking, learning, and sharing ideas can all benefit from this resource.

Resources and tools that can be used: Templates, checklists, and software recommendations are just a few of the useful tools and resources in the program that can assist you in streamlining your operations and maximizing your marketing efforts.

In general, Ecom Bootcamp can be a useful resource for anyone attempting to establish or expand an e-commerce company. The program can assist you in increasing sales, improving marketing strategies, and optimizing your operations for greater efficiency and profitability by providing comprehensive training, expert guidance, and useful tools and resources. Also read our blogs to get best and in-depth knowledge.