Hey there!
I’ve got a great round-up this week: Google plans to kill cookies by 2022, Amazon makes a surprising move toward de-emphasizing their own private label products, Amazon and FedEx improve their relationship and Google purchased who?!?
And if that’s not exciting enough……
Check out this fascinating video about the next chapter in human space exploration. If you’re still not impressed you have wildly unrealistic expectations you need to work on.
On the podcast edition I also talk about my journey toward crafting the ideal weekly schedule to maximize productivity and fun. You can listen here.
Hope you enjoy!
– Andrew
In the News
Google Plans to Nix Third-Party Cookies in Chrome by 2022
- Part of its open-source Privacy Sandbox project aimed at targeting ads while protecting user privacy
- Users must be part of a sufficiently large group to receive targeted ads
- Chrome will begin limiting insecure cross-site tracking next month
Google Introduces New Shopping Section in Search Results (Hat tip to Carson McComas)
- Displays links to popular clothing, shoes and accessories from stores across the web
- Can filter by style, department and size, or look at multiple images of a product
- Google indexes, organizes and updates information from more than 1 million online shops
Amazon Stopped Featuring Its Own Brands in Search Results
- Amazon quietly withdrew its “Top Rated From Our Brands” widget
- AmazonBasics products still appear as organic search results but are no longer featured
U.S., China Sign Trade Agreement
- China to buy an extra $200 billion in American products over the next two years
- Leaves in place tariffs on about $370 billion in Chinese goods (three-quarters of Chinese imports)
- Includes trade-secret protections and a commitment from China not to devalue its currency
Amazon Lifts Ban on FedEx Ground for 3P Marketplace Sellers
- Vendors can once again use FedEx Ground for Prime shipments after abrupt ban in December
- FedEx’s services are consistently meeting on-time delivery requirements, Amazon says
- Companies let two shipping contracts totaling about $900 million in revenue for FedEx expire last year
Shopify Launches Starter Loans for U.S. Merchants
- Shopify Capital offers initial $200 loans to new merchants in 14 states
- Loans repaid as a fixed percentage of the store’s daily sales and “milestone” payments every 60 days
More Brands Are Leaving Amazon, but the Strategy Could Backfire
- IKEA joins a growing list of brands that have ended a pilot program with Amazon that began in 2018
Google Buys E-Commerce Startup Pointy for $163M
- Dublin-based Pointy helps physical stores list their products online, no data entry required
- Merchants can plug a Pointy box into their barcode scanners or install an app on their POS systems
Interesting Things Online
How We Are Going to the Moon (hat tip to ECF member Carson McComas) – NASA explains Artemis, its next chapter of lunar exploration
Casper’s Business Model (hat tip to ECF member Lars Hundley) – Writer and podcast host Derek Thompson breaks down Casper’s apparent business model
Nathan Barry’s Year in Review – As someone who personally values blending family, business and adventure I thought this was a pretty impressive 2019. Nicely done, Nathan!
Tech Parents are Increasingly Homeschooling (Old, but Interesting) – A look at how tech-savvy parents are increasingly homeschooling their kids.
Top Forum Discussions
(Membership required to access. Not a member? Apply to join our vibrant community of 7-figure store owners today.)
- What’s Got You Inspired About 2020?
- 2019 Is Done … Thankfully
- My Best Investment of 2019 – Trip to China Factory
- How We Hired Great People in 2019 (and Lessons Learned From the Duds)
- Eric Shaves His Beard and Goes Viral!
- ECF Live 2020 – Meet Your Fellow Attendees!
Top Jobs
(Compelling opportunities from the eCommerceFuel Job Board. Find your dream job or post your own job opening right here.)
- Growth Marketing Specialist | LittleOnes | Auckland, New Zealand or Remote – One perk of joining this remote-first team is a paid-for company retreat in Singapore
The post News Cart for Jan 17 + Crafting a Perfect Weekly Routine appeared first on eCommerceFuel.
January 17, 2020 at 06:37AM
via https//www.brucedayne.com/
Andrew Youderian, Khareem Sudlow
