Here is a list of late July product releases and updates from companies providing services to online retailers. There are updates on customer chat, cross-border sales, live streaming, social commerce, design tools, and local sales.
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E-commerce product releases
Shopify introduces Inbox for customer chat. Inbox is Shopify’s new home for customer meetings. Shopify merchants can add Inbox for free and customize shop chat, saved replies, and more through the Shopify admin. According to Shopify, merchants can talk to customers and manage conversations through their online store, social media, and email through Inbox’s mobile and web apps. Metrics in the Shopify admin can monitor chat performance.
BigCommerce and Mercado Libre team up to drive cross-border ecommerce growth. BigCommerce e-commerce platform has announced a partnership with Mercado Libre, a leading marketplace in Latin America. BigCommerce merchants now have the ability to sell to nearly 133 million unique consumers across Latin America in the Mercado Libre marketplace. It’s also Mercado Libre’s first partnership with a major North American e-commerce platform, complimenting its recent expansion into the United States. BigCommerce merchants can find Mercado Libre through the BigCommerce Channel Manager.
GoDaddy introduces Studio for SMBs. GoDaddy launched Studio, a suite of creative tools for small and medium-sized businesses looking to make a big impact on social media. GoDaddy Studio includes thousands of customizable templates and easy-to-use tools that provide small business owners with various options for developing visual assets. Features include the ability to overlay videos over images to create attention grabbing posts.
BigCommerce is taking over Feedonomics. BigCommerce has acquired Feedonomics, a data feed management platform that helps midsize and large companies integrate into hundreds of advertising channels and marketplaces, and then syncronize the resulting order data back into existing systems to optimize operations. Together, BigCommerce and Feedonomics offer merchants the ability to connect their back-end operations and their sales, marketing and advertising channels.
Twitter introduces the shop module so that users can shop from profiles. Twitter has introduced the Shop Module, a pilot e-commerce function with which brands, companies and retailers can present products directly in a company profile. Followers can then scroll through a carousel of product images and tap a product they want to buy. This tip opens the company’s website on Twitter for additional product information or to make a purchase. The function is currently only available to a small group of selected brands with a professional profile.
Astound Commerce expands partnership with Klarna for flexible payment options. Astound Commerce, a provider of e-commerce technology, has expanded its partnership with Klarna, a payment provider. Astound Commerce’s US customers can now offer flexible payment services and marketing tools under the Klarna for Business platform, including Klarna’s interest-free “Pay in 4” service. This expansion follows a partnership between Astound and Klarna in the UK that began in 2020.
Pinterest is a new way for YouTubers to make money and collaborate with brands. Pinterest has opened up new opportunities for YouTubers to build their business and make money by getting their Idea Pins for shopping, earning commissions through affiliate links, and working with brands on sponsored content. Creators can add any Product Pins on Pinterest to their Idea Pins. Branded content creators have an easier way to disclose paid relationships with a new tool that adds the “paid partnerships” label. With these updates, YouTubers can make their content actionable and buyable, make money, and easily collaborate with branded Pins. Idea Pins’ product tagging tool is available to all business accounts in the US and UK and continues to roll out for international YouTubers.
Walmart offers technology and capabilities to other companies and announces a partnership with Adobe. Walmart has announced that it will offer several of its own technologies and capabilities to other companies and brands. Walmart also announced a partnership with Adobe to integrate Walmart’s Marketplace, online and in-store fulfillment and pick-up technologies into the Adobe Commerce platform. Companies can reach new customers through the Walmart Marketplace, where they can use Walmart’s fulfillment services to offer nationwide shipping within two days.
Google offers new ways to find deals and shop. Google is introducing new tools in the US to bridge the connection between consumers and businesses trying to sell products. Google presents offers directly on its shopping tab. In addition, promotions and offers uploaded to consumers in the Merchant Center are automatically displayed in the “Shopping” tab, regardless of whether companies advertise on Google. Google now offers live stream shopping on YouTube through select YouTubers and brands. And finally, starting in October, users who shop on Google Search will be able to browse and discover the most popular offers for major retail events such as Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Mercari announces a nationwide delivery partnership with Uber to expand its local no-meeting marketplace. Mercari, a marketplace for buying and selling used items, has announced a nationwide U.S. partnership with Uber to expand Mercari Local, which will provide an easier way for casual sellers and avid collectors to exchange items. Uber’s technology platform aligns with delivery services nearby, enabling on-demand delivery of almost anything within hours of purchase. No packaging is required. The launch follows rollouts in San Francisco, New York and Houston.