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“Brave New World” of Apple Vision Pro👀

Last week, Apple Vision Pro landed, signaling a seismic shift in e-commerce and consumer engagement. This isn't just a product launch; it's the inception of a new digital era. Let's dive into the implications for commerce.

🕶️ The Vision Pro Epoch
Apple's Vision Pro, retailing at $3,499, marries the physical with the digital via the visionOS. You can learn more about the capabilities here. This device isn't just for interaction; it's for immersion, with 600 apps crafted for a "spatial computing" experience. Apple's pre-launch sales hit 180k units, with analysts predicting a surge beyond 600k units this year. It's clear: we're on the brink of a retail revolution.

🛍️ Redefining Retail
A mosaic of brands, from household names to niche players, are queuing up to unveil apps that promise to exploit this new dimension. Let’s list some of those:

• Wayfair (Decorify): Places virtual furniture in real spaces.

• Lowe’s (Style Studio): Lets users design kitchens in immersive 3D.

• Mytheresa: Provides a luxury shopping experience in virtual reality.

• Decathlon: Enhances shopping with a seamless 3D experience.

• J.Crew (Virtual Closet): Combines styling with social interaction.

• Alo Yoga (Alo Sanctuary): Merges wellness with shopping.

• Elf Cosmetics (Your Best E.L.F.): Creates a playful beauty shopping adventure.

While these ventures are dazzling (you can watch them in this video), their real success lies in turning innovative marketing stun into actual sales

🔮 E-Commerce Reimagined
The Apple Vision Pro sets the stage for a future where it is used as:

• Virtual Tours & Try-Ons: End the guesswork with immersive experiences.

• Enhanced Product Visualization: AR lets users visualize products in their space.

• Immersive 3D Shopping: Makes exploring products as natural as touching them.

• Elevated Customer Support: Integrates AR for interactive problem-solving.

• Virtual Shopping Assistants: AI provides personalized shopping assistance.

⚠️ Key concerns
Apple Vision has also some drawbacks…

• 🕵️‍♂️ Privacy: The device not just peeks but also keeps tabs on your gaze. Web cookies? Now imagine cookies of things you’ve seen… Hello, privacy concerns!

• 💔 Human Connection: Despite tech advancements, the yearning for real interactions persists. “Avatar” experiences offer a middle ground, but the essence of genuine connection remains unmatched.

• 🏡 Individualized Experiences: Picture this: a family sitting together, but worlds apart, each in their own digital bubble. Family movie night is now "choose your own adventure," solo-style. It's like being alone together.

Despite these challenges, I am super excited for Vision Pro's potential in e-commerce and beyond. Apple's Vision Pro isn't just a new chapter in tech; it's a game-changer for e-commerce, blending the digital with the physical in ways previously unimagined. The real question now is how quickly the world of commerce will evolve to embrace this virtual frontier.

Marketplace Ads are Revenue-Boosting Cash Cow🐄

In the chess game of marketplaces, advertising has become the queen — powerful, versatile, and game-changing. Titans like Instacart, Etsy, Wish, Amazon, and Allegro are turning advertising into a weapon that leverages seller marketing dollars to crown themselves kings of visibility and sales. Lets unbox 5 different marketplaces, their advertising and its impact on their revenue

🛒 Mass merchant

▶ 🇨🇦 Shopify launches trio of game-changing features. Shopify reintroduces its Fulfillment Network with a twist, partners with Flexport, hikes Plus plan prices by 25%, and unveils an ad product mimicking Meta. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 TikTok tests links in videos for instant shopping. After TikTok Shop's US launch, TikTok's exploring auto-identifying products in videos for "Find similar items" links. This expansion could turn all videos shoppable, aiming for $17.5B in 2024 US sales. But, there's a catch: the accuracy needs work.👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Walmart lets merchants opt for 'Keep It' returns rule Walmart's Marketplace now allows merchants to choose if returned items are kept by the retailer, simplifying logistics and costs. "Keep it" policies aren't exclusive to Walmart; Amazon and Target are also in the game.👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Target eyes Amazon Prime, Walmart+ with new paid membership. As Target considers a dive into paid memberships, dubbed "Project Trident," it faces the challenge of differentiating itself in a crowded market. Nearly 86% of US adults already subscribe to similar services. Will Target's blend of Shipt, discounts, and possibly streaming partnerships be enough to stand out? 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇵🇱 Allegro rolls out cashback service Allegro Cash. Allegro, Poland's e-commerce giant, launches Allegro Cash, a new cashback payment method offering up to 2% money back. Effect of collaboration with Aion Bank and Vodeno. 👉 Deep dive

👗 Fashion & Beauty

▶ 🇺🇸 Amazon steps into luxury pre-owned fashion with HEWI. Amazon partners with HEWI (Hardly Ever Worn It), bringing pre-owned luxury fashion to Europe's doorstep. Offering Chanel to Prada on its Luxury Stores, Amazon eyes sustainable shopping, making luxury accessible while championing circular fashion. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇫🇷 Kering and Neiman Marcus end ties with Farfetch. Kering cuts direct Farfetch links, echoing Neiman Marcus's decision to exit a planned collaboration. The luxury giants' shifts reflect broader e-commerce and partnership realignments, highlighting Farfetch's challenging phase post Coupang acquisition. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 New Balance kicks off online resale program. New Balance steps up its game with 'Reconsidered', a resale program letting customers trade in gently worn shoes for vouchers. The initiative, powered by tech platform Archive and Tersus Solutions, aims to reduce footwear's environmental impact. Currently, it's a U.S.-exclusive. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇵🇱 Vinted launches item verification in Poland. Vinted's new verification service in Poland promises peace of mind for a $11 fee. Aimed at luxury goods, it requires items to be from certain brands and cost over $100. A German expert checks authenticity within 2 days, marking verified items with a diamond symbol, ensuring buyer and seller confidence. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Shein boosts U.S. reach with Bellevue office, faces labor heat Shein's new Bellevue office is set to supercharge U.S. logistics. But it's not all smooth sailing—labor controversies and ambitious carbon cuts shadow the expansion. The company is also trying to tempt Amazon logistics executives away from the e-commerce giant and has set up shop in the same office tower, the Key Center, where Amazon has space.👉 Deep dive

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🍔 Food & Grocery

▶ 🇬🇧 Deliveroo and pals strike for better pay in Watford. As 3k drivers from Deliveroo, Just Eat, and Uber Eats parked their bikes in protest, Watford's food delivery service hit a snag. With demands for fair pay amidst rising living costs, the strike spanned from London to Brighton, sparking customer fury and even brawls among the riders. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇩🇪 Delivery Hero hits 2023 targets, yet shares tumble. Despite achieving a gross merchandise value of $51.3B, up 6.7% YOY, and an EBITDA north of $250M, Delivery Hero's stock fell by 3.9%. Analyst doubts and a failed Southeast Asian sale rumor add to the drama. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇬🇧 Pret A Manger bids farewell to Veggie Pret. Goodbye, green dreams: Pret A Manger is ditching its Veggie Pret outlets, converting London and Manchester stores to regular menus. With veggie options now mainstream, Pret's closing the chapter on an 8-year experiment in plant-based dining. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Gopuff introduces Starbucks delivery, brewing a new era. Gopuff and Starbucks team up, bringing coffee to your doorstep 24/7. Starbucks-trained baristas prep orders in Gopuff's micro-fulfillment centers, promising 30-minute deliveries. The "Starbucks After Dark" campaign aims to boost nighttime sales, targeting a fresh opportunity for orders between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 DoorDash boosts abroad presence amid rivals' woes. As DoorDash eyes global domination from the U.S. to the sparsely populated landscapes of Europe and beyond, CEO Tony Xu admits there's a long road ahead. With ambitions stretching from Japan to Australia, and a new grocery ally in Ahold Delhaize, DoorDash's menu now includes more than just your favorite takeout. 👉 Deep dive

📦Other

▶ 🌍 Mirakl carts off to profit, banking 20% ARR boom. 2023 was a goldmine for Mirakl, with a 50% spike in GMV to $8.6B and ARR (annual recuring revenue) soaring to $160M. The platform turned profitable in Q4, launching Mirakl Ads & Payout and securing a €100M credit line. Global giants like Asos joined, pushing innovation with 340+ new features. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 BigCommerce launches storefront tech with composable architecture. BigCommerce unveils "Catalyst," merging headless tech with no/low-code ease for B2C/B2B brands. CEO Brent Bellm hails it as a game-changer, promising rapid, flexible storefront creation. Key feature: Makeswift, for easy content management. Aiming for high performance and faster market times. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Lyft ups the ante with driver pay standards. Starting Feb 6, Lyft promises drivers at least 70% of rider payments, aiming to boost transparency and earnings. With a national rollout this spring, drivers get an earnings summary app feature, shedding light on fare distribution. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 IKEA launches AI to revolutionize home design. Available on the OpenAI GPT Store, IKEA's new AI assistant brings customized furniture and décor recommendations. Imagine asking for a dining table and getting a holographic circus of options. Joining the AI bandwagon, IKEA is now blending Swedish minimalism with Silicon Valley tech. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇪🇺 European Commission delivers nothingburger to Uber and Deliveroo workers. On February 9, 2024, the EU's attempt to provide social protections to gig workers ended in a whimper, not a bang. The much-anticipated Platform Work Directive, two years in the making, was diluted to insignificance, leaving workers' status as murky as ever. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Owner.com nets $33M to spice up mom-and-pop restaurants online. Amidst rising costs and shifting dining habits, Owner.com's fresh $33M Series B is a lifeline for indie eateries. Adam Guild's vision? A digital haven for the mom-and-pop, battling big chains with AI-driven marketing and an all-in-one platform. From "Tell my customers about my new yellow curry," to tangible growth, Owner's on it. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇺🇸 Beni debuts iOS app & nets major resale partners. In a resale revolution, Beni's new iOS app & partnerships with Poshmark, ThredUp, & Patagonia’s WornWear, make second-hand shopping as slick as new. With 80% of online listings, Beni's aiming to make buying used as effortless as buying new, turning thrift into a trend. 👉 Deep dive

▶ 🇵🇱 Saleor nabs $8M in seed-extension round. Saleor, the Poland and U.S.-based open-source e-commerce darling, secures a hefty $8M seed-extension from Target Global and Zalando, with big tech names like Revolut and Auto1 cheering from the sidelines. This signals a seismic shift towards open-source in the e-commerce arena. 👉 Deep dive

That’s all. See you next week in the 🌀Maze!