What We’re Watching This Week
WALMART IS TESTING IN-STORE PLACEMENT FOR 3P MARKETPLACE SELLERS...
DE MINIMIS ENDS: U.S. SMALL BUSINESSES EXPECTED TO SEE BIGGEST IMPACT...
AMAZON’S ECOMMERCE GROWTH OUTPACES WALMART'S BY 2X...
🔵 MARKETPLACE NEWS
Online Brands Are Finding a New Path Into Physical Retail
The path for online sellers to get into brick-and-mortar stores is changing. Success on a digital marketplace is now becoming a direct pipeline to a physical store shelf.
Walmart Tests In-Store Placement for Marketplace Sellers. Walmart has begun a pilot program that features products from its third-party marketplace sellers in a physical store. The test uses QR codes next to displayed items to link to online-only products, giving select sellers visibility to the 270 million customers who visit Walmart stores weekly. → via Modern Retail
TikTok-Famous Brands Land on Retail Shelves. The journey from viral video to retail placement is getting shorter. Brands like Medicube and GuruNanda have used their popularity on TikTok to land on the shelves of major retailers like Ulta and Sephora, proving online virality can be the new proof of concept for retail buyers. → via WWD
Walmart Recruits European Sellers for Its U.S. Marketplace
Walmart is actively recruiting U.K. and European businesses to sell on its U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Chile marketplaces. The company recently hosted a summit in London to provide localized guidance and support for European sellers looking to expand into the Americas. → via Walmart
🟢ECOMMERCE NEWS
De Minimis Repeal Expected to Hit U.S. Small Businesses Hardest
The end of the de minimis exemption was aimed at giants like Shein and Temu. But the biggest impact may be felt by U.S. small businesses. Many American sellers rely on the same loophole to import low-cost components and samples. The new tariffs threaten to raise their costs and have already caused international shipping disruptions, with postal services in several countries temporarily halting U.S.-bound shipments. → via Forbes & NBC News
Big Retailers Are Managing Tariffs, For Now
Major retailers are proving resilient against the recent tariff changes. Retail analyst Scot Ciccarelli says big players are creatively mitigating costs without dramatic price increases, and consumer spending has remained strong. But it's not all positive. Walmart noted price sensitivity among lower-income shoppers, and Crocs already reduced its orders for the back half of the year. → via CNBC
Google Prepares to Spin Off Its Ad Manager Unit
Google is getting ready to make its Ad Manager unit an independent company. The potential spinoff comes as the tech giant faces increasing antitrust pressure. It could signal a new era for the ad tech ecosystem that powers much of e-commerce. → via The Information
🟠 AMAZON NEWS
Amazon's Growth Outpaces Walmart's by 2x
The gap between the top two U.S. retailers is widening.
The Growth Story. New data shows Amazon's U.S. retail sales grew 9.5% in Q2, more than double Walmart's 4.6% growth. Amazon's reinvestment in its ecosystem is creating a growth cycle that legacy retail is struggling to match. → via PYMNTS
The Market Share Story. CIRP notes that while Walmart's innovations are significant, its goal may not be to beat Amazon online, but to use its physical footprint to defend its market share in a world Amazon continues to dominate. → via CIRP
Amazon Is Developing Its Own AI Agent, 'Quick Suite'
Internal documents reveal Amazon is testing new AI-powered workspace software called "Quick Suite." The tool is designed to unify AI agents for business insights, research, and automation. This signals Amazon's official entry into the AI agent arms race. → via Business Insider
Amazon to Face Nationwide Class Action Over Seller Pricing Policies
A U.S. court has ruled that Amazon must face a nationwide class-action lawsuit alleging it violated antitrust law. The suit claims Amazon's policies restricting third-party sellers from offering lower prices on other platforms have allowed the company to impose inflated fees and cause shoppers to pay higher prices. → via Reuters
🟤 SHIPPING & LOGISTICS NEWS
UPS Announces 2025 Holiday Shipping Surcharges
UPS has announced its peak season surcharges for the 2025 holiday stretch. They are higher than last year, matching a similar move by rival FedEx. Elevated fees for bulky packages will begin on September 28, with demand surcharges for most packages starting on October 26. → via Supply Chain Dive
📖 THE PLAYBOOK
A 7-Figure Seller's Advice: Stop Overthinking Data
Steven F. Pope, a seven-figure Amazon seller, shared his keys to success in 2025. His most contrarian take? Data is overrated. He argues too many sellers get paralyzed by analysis. He advocates for a "ready, fire, aim" approach. Get products to market quickly and iterate based on real-world customer feedback. → via Business Insider
🔵 GOFLOW NEWS
Amazon Accelerate Is Next Week. Come See Us.
Amazon Accelerate is nearly here. It's the biggest and most important event in e-commerce, and Goflow is a proud sponsor. Don't miss out on the insights and networking. Make sure to visit our booth to say hello and see what's new. We'll see you there!
🟣 INSIGHTS
Amazon Now Captures Nearly 10% of All U.S. Consumer Spending
New data reveals just how dominant Amazon has become. Its share of the U.S. consumer wallet continues to accelerate.
The Growth. In Q2 2025, Amazon’s share of U.S. consumer retail spending rose 7.6% year over year.
The Trend. Over the past six years, Amazon has more than doubled its share of the American wallet.
The Result. Consumers are defaulting to Amazon as the starting point for shopping, from household replenishment to groceries. → via PYMNTS
800+ Sellers Now Make Over $1 Million From a Single Product
Over 800 sellers on the platform now generate more than $1 million in annual revenue from just a single product. According to Marketplace Pulse, 19 of these sellers are even pulling in over $10 million from their single SKU. → via Marketplace Pulse
Department Stores Are Adapting to a New Era
Reports of the department store's death have been exaggerated. Both Macy's and Kohl's saw their stocks jump after posting better-than-expected earnings. They are thriving by transforming into omnichannel hubs. They're closing unprofitable stores, focusing on the ones that work, and successfully integrating their online and in-store experiences to drive sales. → via Axios
💡 QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"Competition is the easy part. The real challenge for a business is not beating the competition, but fighting your own bureaucracy."
🤡 WEIRD BUT TRUE
Taco Bell's AI Drive-Thru Defeated by 18,000 Water Cups
Taco Bell is rethinking its AI-powered drive-thru after a customer crashed the system by ordering 18,000 water cups. Another viral video showed a man ordering a "large Mountain Dew," only for the AI to continually ask, "and what will you drink with that?" Despite the glitches, Taco Bell says the AI has still successfully processed over 2 million orders. → via BBC News
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