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🧠 Big Story: 
AliExpress US surge, stumble in EU 🌍

📊 Key Data:
Influencer marketing market 📊

📖 Ecommerce players news:
🇺🇸 Amazon directs shoppers to brands' sites for unavailable items
🇺🇸 Temu shifts supply chain model amid Trump tariffs
🇺🇸 Shopify Advocates for Open Trade Amid De Minimis Debate
🇰🇷 Temu hires in Korea, plans local logistics system
🇺🇸 TikTok introduces subscription service, challenging Amazon
🇨🇳 AliExpress expands local payments in Africa.

+ over 15 other handpicked hot news from the last week you need to know 🔥

What’s next for the MarketMaze+ reports? You decide! Vote in the poll below. In the meantime, we’re preparing dive into de minimis, the duty-free loophole fueling e-commerce growth (and headaches) in the U.S.

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AliExpress US surge, stumble in EU 🌍

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• 📚Sources: ecommercedb linkedin ecommercedb 

The global e-commerce landscape is shifting. While AliExpress is surging in the U.S., its European presence is fading. This rise in America is fueled by aggressive pricing, while its struggles in Europe stem from local competition and shifting consumer preferences. MarketMaze+ subscribers can access the full report with deeper market insights.
🌀AliExpress: Learning, Adapting & Expanding🌟 

🚀 AliExpress size growth globally

AliExpress is expected to reach $60B in 2024. With a 38% CAGR, it outpaced Amazon’s 5% growth. Price-conscious shoppers are driving this success, favoring cheaper alternatives to Amazon and Walmart. However, AliExpress still trails Temu, which skyrocketed with a 107% CAGR and continues to dominate discount e-commerce.

📊 AliExpress gains ground in the U.S.

AliExpress climbed to #6 in the U.S. marketplace rankings in 2024, surpassing Etsy and Wayfair. Its steady expansion is fueled by competitive pricing, aggressive marketing, and improved logistics. However, Temu is catching up fast, breaking into #7 within just two years. While Amazon and Walmart still lead, the rise of Chinese marketplaces in the U.S. is undeniable.

📉 Position in Europe

In Europe, AliExpress has gone in the opposite direction. Once #3 in 2019, it slipped to #7 by 2023, losing ground to Zalando, Wildberries, and Ozon. Amazon still dominates, with a 60% larger market share than its top nine competitors combined. With European shoppers favoring localized platforms and faster delivery, AliExpress has struggled to maintain its presence.

Influencer marketing market 📊

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• 📚Sources: hypeauditor 

The global influencer marketing industry will grow from $19.8B in 2024 to $31.2B by 2027, making up 4% of digital ad spend. The USA and Brazil lead in adoption, while nano influencers maintain the highest engagement despite mega influencers’ rising rates.

📈 Market Growth and Brand Shifts

Influencer marketing is booming. In 2024, it stands at $19.8B, projected to hit $31.2B by 2027—a 57.5% increase. This sector is expected to take up 4% of digital ad spend, as brands invest more in influencer-driven campaigns. AI is transforming the space, helping brands track ROI, fight fraud, and optimize ad performance. Sponsored posts, user-generated content, and affiliate marketing remain the top collaboration models, making influencers a key part of digital strategy.

🇺🇸🇧🇷 USA & Brazil Lead in Adoption

The USA and Brazil are leading the influencer marketing charge. In 2024, 23% of posts in the USA are sponsored, followed by 15% in Brazil. Both countries also account for 16% of all global influencers. India follows with 7% sponsored content and 8% of influencers. Meanwhile, Germany, Italy, and France stay below 3%, indicating slower adoption. Brands in top-performing markets are doubling their investment in influencer partnerships to increase engagement and boost sales.

🤝 Mega Influencers Are Catching Up

While nano-influencers (1K-10K followers) still drive the highest engagement, mega-influencers are gaining ground. Engagement rates for mega influencers reaches only 40-70% of nano influencers’ performance on Instagram and TikTok respectively. On TikTok, nano influencers lead with an 11.9% engagement rate, but brands are finding value in mega creators with broader reach and rising interaction rates. Nano influencers remain key for trust and authenticity.

🛒 Mass Platforms

🇺🇸 Amazon directs shoppers to brands' sites for unavailable items. Amazon's new feature redirects users to brands' websites when products are not in stock, enhancing customer experience and selection.

🇺🇸 Temu shifts supply chain model amid Trump tariffs. Temu is moving to a "half-custody" logistics model, shifting shipping to merchants as U.S. tariffs disrupt its low-cost strategy, Bloomberg reports.

🇺🇸 Shopify Advocates for Open Trade Amid De Minimis Debate. On February 7, 2025, Shopify emphasized the importance of de minimis tax exemptions for small businesses, following President Trump's temporary reinstatement of the provision after initial repeal caused significant disruptions.

🇰🇷 Temu hires in Korea, plans local logistics system. Chinese e-commerce platform Temu is recruiting Korean staff and developing a local logistics network to strengthen its presence in South Korea, following a strategy similar to AliExpress.

🇺🇸 TikTok introduces subscription service, challenging Amazon. TikTok is testing a subscription feature similar to Amazon's Subscribe & Save, aiming to offer users recurring deliveries and discounts, thereby enhancing inventory management for sellers.

🇨🇳 AliExpress expands local payments in Africa.. Starting February, AliExpress will support local currencies in Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, Ethiopia, Tanzania, South Africa, and Uganda, enhancing its African market presence.

🇪🇺 EU mandates VAT for online platforms by 2030. On February 12, 2025, the European Parliament approved updates to VAT rules, requiring online platforms to pay VAT by 2030, aiming to eliminate market distortions and combat fraud.

👗 Fashion, Sports, Beauty, Home

🇮🇹 Amazon opens first beauty store in Milan, Italy. The store offers curated beauty products and over-the-counter medications, featuring brands like Eucerin and La Roche-Posay.

🇳🇱 Mytheresa sales jump 13%, fueled by luxury shoppers. Mytheresa credits “big spenders” in the U.S. and Europe for its Q4 sales surge. CEO Michael Kliger highlights strong demand in bags and accessories, while China lags.

🇫🇷 La Reboucle boosts kids' second-hand fashion with partners. La Reboucle expands children's second-hand clothing through strategic partnerships, enhancing sustainable fashion options for families.

🇪🇺 Vinted boosts payments by 4.15% with Checkout.com. In 2024, Vinted enhanced transaction success rates by 4.15% through Checkout.com's AI-driven payment solutions, improving user engagement.

🇦🇺 The Iconic adds ex-David Jones exec to advisory team. The Iconic appointed Donna Player as an independent advisor. The Australian fashion veteran brings 30+ years of experience to support its rapid growth.

🇭🇰 Taobao unveils 25,000 sq ft furniture store in Hong Kong. Opening on February 22, 2025, in Tsim Sha Tsui's China Hong Kong City, the store offers over 10,000 items from 100+ Taobao sellers.

🇩🇪 JD.com renews bid for Ceconomy, owner of MediaMarkt.. On February 5, 2025, Bloomberg reported that JD.com is in talks to acquire Ceconomy AG, aiming to expand into Europe.

🍔 eGrocery, Delivery, qCommerce

🇨🇳 JD.com enters food delivery with zero commission offer. On February 11, 2025, JD.com announced its new food delivery service, offering zero commission fees for merchants joining before May 1. This move challenges industry leaders Meituan and Ele.me.

🇺🇸 Instacart introduces paid in-store brand tasks for workers. Instacart's new pilot program allows gig workers to earn extra by photographing in-store brand displays, enhancing data collection for CPG companies.

🇬🇧 Deliveroo denies CEO Will Shu's departure rumors. On February 11, 2025, Deliveroo refuted media claims about CEO Will Shu's potential exit, affirming his commitment to the company's future.

🇩🇪 Wolt launches Valentine’s Day gift delivery feature. Wolt now allows users to send gifts with a personal message. Valentine’s Day orders for flowers and gifts surged globally, with Germany leading in pre-orders.

🇩🇪 Lanch raises $27M to scale influencer-led fast food. Germany’s Lanch secured $27M in Series A funding to expand. Using social media and influencers, it’s scaling ghost kitchens and retail food brands.

🇪🇪 Bolt unveils new visual identity with 3D illustrations. Bolt's 2025 rebranding introduces 3D illustrations, updated color palette, and a new font to enhance brand recognition and accessibility.

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