International eCommerce News
Apple announces the integration of voice assistant Siri into Apple Music.
According to the Hong Kong Economic Journal, Apple announced the launch of a high-end MacBook Pro, self-developed chips, and new AirPods headphones. In addition, Apple also announced the integration of voice assistant Siri into Apple Music, launching the Apple Music "Voice Plan" package priced at $4.99 per month. The difference with Apple's other music subscription projects is that users can only access the Voice Plan through Siri without advanced features such as spatial audio.
eCommerce Marketing News
eBay spends about 1 million Sol to support Peruvian companies' cross-border exports.
eBay recently announced that it would invest more than 1 million Peruvian Sol to support small and medium-sized companies in Peru. eBay launched the "My 24/7 eBay Business" program in Peru, allowing companies to open stores on its website for free, helping Peruvian products sell globally. Peruvian companies can fill out the application before December 31st, 2021, to participate in the program.
The "My 24/7 eBay Business" program was initially launched in Latin American countries like Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Puerto Rico, and Brazil. eBay provides several support programs to speed up product export, including business development applications, training, etc.
eCommerce Logistics News
Uber tests "cut the line" service to cope with driver shortage in Brazil.
According to Bloomberg News, Uber is testing a new feature in Brazil due to a shortage of drivers, allowing customers to pay more for shorter waits. This feature will provide priority services 20% higher than the standard charge based on demand.
The price of gasoline in Brazil has increased by 40% compared to last year, which has forced many online car-hailing drivers to switch careers. According to data from the Sao Paulo App Drivers Association, up to 25% of online ride-hailing drivers in the region have resigned since the epidemic's beginning.
Singapore's second-hand e-commerce platform Carousell acquires Southeast Asian e-commerce platform Ox Street.
Singapore's second-hand e-commerce platform Carousell acquired the Southeast Asian apparel e-commerce platform Ox Street. This acquisition will improve Carousell's e-commerce business in Southeast Asia. After the acquisition, Ox Street will still retain its brand, platform, and team.
Ox Street was established in November 2019 and currently operates in five Southeast Asian countries, focusing on 85 million Gen Z and Gen Y consumers in Southeast Asia. These consumers are expected to spend 128 billion US dollars on fashion by 2025.
Amazon officially launches live-streaming shopping App "Amazon Live Creator."
One of the mainstream platforms for cross-border e-commerce, Amazon recently launched the live-streaming shopping app "Amazon Live Creator." It is Amazon's second live-streaming App after Style Code Live. The difference is that "Amazon Live Creator" is more like Amazon's online interactive version of QVC or HSN. In the future, this feature will also be integrated with Echo.
The APP has not been listed in Amazon's main navigation, and sellers must use the amazon.com/live URL to access it on the computer. In addition, "Amazon Live Creator" only supports American professional sellers registered in the Amazon Brand Record Center.
Walmart launches conversational shopping service "Text to Shop."
Walmart recently launched the "Walmart Text to Shop" service. It allows users to select products, view and update shopping carts, set pick-up and delivery times, and pay for orders via text messages. The voice-activated shopping service provides customers with a more convenient shopping experience.
It counters the Alexa voice-controlled device of its main competitor, Amazon. Alexa can play music, create shopping lists, and get news updates on devices that support Alexa.
eCommerce News India
Online pharmacy PharmEasy completed the financing of US$350 million.
According to Inc42, PharmEasy, which plans to submit a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) this month, raised a total of US$350 million in the Pre-IPO round of financing. Participants include Amansa Capital, ApaH Capital Management, Janus Henderson, Steadview Capital, etc. By. PharmEasy is currently valued at US$5.6 billion and is expected to conduct an IPO in March 2022.
India's B2B platform ApplicateAI received US$30 million in Series A financing.
According to YourStory report, ApplicateAI, a B2B sales platform based on artificial intelligence technology, raised US$30 million in a round of funding, and the company is currently valued at US$160 million. This financing round was led by Nexus Ventures Partners and AVANA Capital's senior advisor Sandeep Singhal, with investors including Javed Tapia, director of Clover Infotech, and Prashant Kumar, founder of Entropia. This round of capital injection will help the platform's rapid expansion in the global market.
eCommerce news Europe
Facebook intends to hire 10,000 people in the EU to develop the "meta-universe."
According to Sina Finance, Facebook recently stated that it plans to create 10,000 new high-skilled jobs in the EU in the next five years to develop a "meta-universe." Target markets for recruitment include Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Poland, and the Netherlands. Unlike Northern Ireland, Ireland is still part of the European Union. A Facebook spokesperson said that Britain is not on the list after Brexit.
eCommerce Tech News
Talabeyah, Egypt completed 1.1 million US dollars financing.
According to Disrupt Africa, the B2B platform Talabeyah, which provides customized e-commerce distribution services for food and grocery retailers, received $1.1 million in angel financing. The funding will help the platform expanding its business scale and investing more in R&D. Talabeyah has achieved a cumulative transaction value of US$6 million in its first 15 months of operation.
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