Around the World In Commerce 317
Did Andy Jassy say anything newsworthy in his Amazon memo on AI? JD.com is going international and are targeting Meituan, FedEx founder Fred Smith passes away. And all th marketplace news.
Dear Readers,
The three things on my mind this week:?
I find Amazon and its AI future fascinating. Did Andy Jassy say anything new in the note sent to Amazon staff this week? We are entering an era where technology companies will have fewer staff due to the rise of AI. Amazon is unique in that it will need staff for its warehouses, but let's not get carried away with this being something like Bezos' shareholder letter. Really? No Brittain.
Did something happen at JD.com this past week? I ask, as we learned about the five missing years and the sudden interest in food delivery in China (hello, Meituan), as well as the sudden interest in international markets. Why now? I do not get it. Feels desperate almost.
Can we please remember FedEx founder Fred Smith as a great entrepreneur rather than an incumbent who failed to foresee the disruption from Amazon? May he rest in peace.
Marketplaces
Beyond Take Rate: Frameworks for Marketplace Pricing + Growth.
Around The World in Marketplaces
Africa
Chinese sellers fuel 60% growth on Africa’s Jumia. ‘Amazon of Africa’ Jumia fights to rebuild investor trust ($). After raising $38M, African e-commerce startup Sabi lays off 20%, pivots to traceable exports.
China
Foreign E-Commerce Platforms Pitch Themselves to Chinese Merchants. China's JD.com looks to the international market for growth. JD.com founder: We will help 1000 Chinese brands go overseas.Shopping Made Even Easier Through RedNote x Taobao x Tmall Partnership. China’s 2025 618 Shopping Festival: Simplified discounts and new incentives from Tmall, JD.com, Douyin, and PDD. JD.com revamps store rating system. Pinduoduo joins China’s instant retail war. Meituan’s food delivery market dominance in China remains stable at 70%, report says. Kolmar, Tmall team up for K-beauty push in China. 2025 "618" Promotion Report: GMV Reaches 855.6 billion RMB. Chinese exporters increasingly need to build brands to survive. The Chinese trendy toy Labubu sold out immediately during the 618 livestreaming event on AliExpress...
Europe
Otto is allowed to keep traders away from his marketplace [in German]. The European Commission accepts commitments offered by AliExpress under the Digital Services Act and takes further action against illegal products. ‘Rules for large marketplaces are too strict’.
Trendyol strengthens its electronics offering with evomag listing, Temu reportedly sets up Türkiye office with one-day delivery promise. BigBuy Partners with Kaazar Capital to Fuel European E-commerce Expansion. About You lowers barriers to its marketplace. Recommerce Group acquires Switzerland-based Verkaufen. Amazon is under investigation in the UK over an alleged failure to pay suppliers on time. Refurbed achieved annual sales of 61M Euros in 2023 [in German]. Allegro enhances its lowest price guarantee program.
Wildberries and Russ have signed an agreement with the Eurasian Development Bank on the development of e-commerce and logistics infrastructure in the Eurasian region.
India
Flipkart Achieves India’s Longest ‘100 Hours Beauty Live Stream’; Redefines Online Shopping with 100K+ Viewers, 140+ Brands and Endless Discovery. Matter Of Minutes: Can Flipkart Strike A Fiscal Balance Ahead Of IPO? Amazon to invest $233M to strengthen India operations network. From shilajit to skincare, Amazon India aims for $80 billion in e-commerce exports by 2030.
Raids On Zepto, Blinkit: The Ugly Side Of Dark Stores. Meesho gets NCLT approval for its reverse flip from US. Udaan to acquire rival ShopKirana. How Zepto Is Monetising User Data Beyond Its Platform Through The Trade Desk.
Latin America
Brazilian Postal Service (Cerios) already has a date for the launch of its marketplace [in Portuguese].
Middle East
JD.com takes on rival Meituan in Saudi Arabia with launch of express delivery service. Meituan’s Keeta will expand into the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait, says founder Wang Xing.
South East Asia and Australia
Indonesia's antitrust agency gives 'conditional' go-ahead for TikTok's Tokopedia takeover.Toco was a ghost town. Then Tokopedia’s sellers showed up. TikTok to launch shopping feature in Japan, taking on Amazon, Rakuten. Is anyone willing to acquire Homeplus as its value drops? CJ Logistics Forms 'Alliance' with TikTok Shop to Support K-Brands. Korea's KCC investigates Coupang for alleged user rights violations in ads. Temu web traffic spikes after Catch exits Australian market. Doorzo Expands Global Reach Through Strategic Partnerships with Mercari, Rakuma, and Rakuten Ichiba.
US
Amazon announces its longest Prime Day is coming in July. Muamau Brings a Fresh, Affordable Shopping Experience to U.S. Consumers. TikTok Shop debuts live price match as it readies for summer deals. Authentic Brands Group Taps Amazon Exec to Head Marketplace Effort. Walmart Is Happy to Fulfill Your Amazon, eBay, Temu, and Shein Orders. Amazon’s New Stolen-Goods Policy Sparks Seller Discussion. Canopy Management Expands to TikTok Shop. Aterian Expands Omnichannel Reach with Product Launches on Temu. Cymbio Partners with SAP..
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