Here is a list of product releases and updates for late July from companies that offer services to online merchants. There are updates on live commerce, installment payments, cross-border sales, packaging, targeting, and omnichannel services.
Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.
Ecommerce Product Releases
Google launches Shoploop, a mobile video shopping platform. Google has launched Shoploop, a project from Area 120, Google’s research division, to introduce consumers to new products in under 90 seconds. In Shoploop, users watch videos that show off products, such as makeup or hair products. Users can then save the product to buy later or click straight to the merchant’s website to complete the purchase immediately. Users can also follow their favorite Shoploop creators and share videos with friends and family.
Shoploop
Shopify to offer Affirm-powered installment plans. Affirm, a provider of installment loans for consumers at the point of sale, will power “buy now, pay later” plans on Shopify’s platform. Customers will be able to split the total purchase amount into four equal, interest-free payments. Affirm will not charge any additional fees. The installment financing option will be available to eligible Shopify merchants later this year.
eBay’s managed payments expand globally. eBay is expanding managed payments now that its operating agreement with PayPal has expired. eBay reports that as of June 30, nearly 42,000 sellers in the U.S. and Germany use managed payments, which streamline the experience of selling and getting paid on the platform and offer buyers more payment options, including seller financing.
AmeriCommerce adds three new features. AmeriCommerce, an ecommerce platform for high-volume stores, has developed three new features: (i) native integration with QuickBooks Online, (ii) upgrading to the latest version of PayPal Commerce Platform, and (iii) beta-testing Zapier integration to connect multiple apps and automate repetitive tasks.
AmeriCommerce
Amazon offers non-branded packaging. Most Fulfillment by Amazon sellers use Amazon-branded packaging, making FBA unusable for other channels such as Walmart. Amazon has now started to offer “MCF blank box order fulfillment” to a select group of sellers. Amazon states that it is working to bring non-Amazon packaging (“blank boxes”) as an option for all MCF (multichannel fulfillment) orders.
Avalara introduces new capabilities to help sellers manage cross-border tax compliance. Avalara, a provider of cloud-based tax compliance automation for businesses, has announced two enhanced capabilities for its cross-border compliance service. AvaTax Cross-Border calculates customs duties and import taxes in real-time, populating cross-border taxes into online shopping carts. Avalara Item Classification automates the assigning of country-specific Harmonized System codes for shipment to over 150 jurisdictions.
InstaPay to fund Amazon sellers daily. Due to increased activity from the pandemic, Amazon’s marketplace sellers are encountering increased payment holdbacks. As a result, merchants are unable to expand as quickly to meet demand. InstaPay has launched a new offering to pay Amazon sellers daily. The new service funds between 50 and 80 percent of sales and charges 1 to 2 percent of monetary volume per funding.
InstaPay
Walmart Media Group launches on-demand omnichannel reporting service. Walmart advertisers can now access performance dashboards through a new Walmart Ad Center, a self-serve platform. Performance dashboards provide advertisers with on-demand visibility as to how their campaigns are performing in Walmart stores and on Walmart’s digital properties — one dashboard for Display and one for Sponsored Products, with different metrics for each.
Sitecore leverages artificial intelligence for new Content Hub. Sitecore, a player in digital experience management, has released a new version of its Content Hub. The release offers enhanced digital asset management capabilities with artificial intelligence features to analyze images similarly, providing the choice to reuse or repurpose assets, rather than create new ones. The new Content Hub also includes the ability to automatically generate metadata as well as transcripts for video, using AI analysis from Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services. Video management now includes automated capabilities to make videos more consumable by different audiences.
Adobe Target announces enhanced analytics measurement and testing. Using Adobe’s personalization service, Adobe Target, marketing teams can now access Adobe Analytics-enhanced reporting with three AI-powered testing capabilities: Auto-Allocate, Auto-Target, and Recommendations. All use Adobe Sensei, the company’s AI technology. Also, a new dedicated target dashboard in Analytics provides visualizations and in-depth analysis.
Adobe Target
