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Welcome to MarketMaze, the #1 newsletter for staying on top of the latest in Marketplace and E-commerce. Get all the insights you need in just five minutes!

🧠 Big Story: 
Europe's second-hand leaders 🛍️

📊 Key Data:
Walmart gains high-income shoppers 💰

📖Ecommerce players news:
🛒 🇺🇸 eBay introduces 7-day combined shipping window
🛒 🇺🇸 Amazon limits refunds to manufacturing costs
👗 🇩🇪 Zalando ends automatic free deliveries
👗 🇬🇧 Shein and Temu face UK labor questioning
🍔 🇰🇷 Instacart partners with Samsung on AI fridges
🍔 🇸🇬 Deliveroo reshapes daily habits in Singapore

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

Last week we launched a series of decks with the most important insights on Ecommerce and Marketplaces that we published in 2024. The first issue on “Marketplace growth & Evolution” can be found here. Let me know what you think about those longer decks!

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Europe's second-hand leaders 🛍️

Momox's EU survey reveals Spain tops second-hand buyers at 90%, with France, Germany, and Italy close behind. Germans focus on books and fashion, driven by low prices.

📊 Spain tops the second-hand scene

Momox's latest survey of 3,013 adults across Europe shows Spain leads in second-hand shopping. 90% of Spaniards have bought second-hand items, more than any other nation. France follows at 85%, Germany at 84%, and Italy at 83%. While 69% of Germans have sold used items, the numbers are slightly lower in other countries. This suggests Spain is not only a leader in buying but also encourages re-commerce as a norm.

💸 Germans earn less from selling used items

The study also highlights how much sellers earn on average. Germans earn up to €100 ($108) from selling second-hand goods annually. Italians, by contrast, are more profitable, with 10% making over €500 ($540). This might explain why more Italians see second-hand trading as a side hustle compared to Germans. The financial aspect is slowly growing across the EU, reflecting a rise in consumer-to-consumer commerce.

📚 Germans buy books and fashion

Germans are passionate about second-hand books, media, and fashion. 49% of them prefer buying pre-loved clothes, and 40% opt for books and CDs. Books and media also dominate in France and Spain, but Spain leads in electronics at 45%. This trend highlights cultural nuances, with Germans focusing on practical and affordable items.

🌍 Price, uniqueness, and sustainability

Price is the main driver for second-hand purchases, especially in Germany, where 39% of buyers seek cheaper alternatives. Another 29% enjoy finding unique items no longer sold in stores. Sustainability is also a key reason, with 25% of Germans viewing second-hand as eco-friendly. Across Europe, this trifecta of price, uniqueness, and sustainability keeps the second-hand market thriving.

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Walmart gains high-income shoppers 💰

Walmart’s 2024 push into genAI, advertising, and value pricing helped it capture 54.4% of high-income shoppers. Ad revenues soared 31.6%, and marketplace sales grew 42% YoY. eMarketer summarised Walmart's actions in 2024

💡 Walmart’s bold moves in 2024

Walmart’s investments in 2024 have paid off big, helping it capture 54.4% of high-income grocery shoppers, up from 48.3% at the start of the year. Key drivers included low prices, faster delivery options, and an expanded premium product range. Walmart made waves in generative AI, launching tools like AI-powered shopping assistants, product reviews, and personalized recommendations to enhance customer experience. Its $2.3B acquisition of Vizio enabled entry into connected TV advertising, growing ad revenues by 31.6% to $3.87B. Meanwhile, its online marketplace added 700M SKUs, driving a 42% YoY sales increase in Q3. These efforts solidified Walmart’s position as a leader in value, personalization, and innovation, helping it compete with Amazon and attract wealthier customers.

🛒Mass platforms

🇺🇸 eBay introduces 7-day combined shipping window. eBay's new 7-day shopping window for auction items enables buyers to combine shipping. The feature aims to reduce unpaid items and enhance buyer satisfaction.

🇺🇸 Amazon limits refunds to manufacturing costs. Amazon will only reimburse sellers for manufacturing costs for lost or damaged items starting March 10, 2025. This change may threaten margins for sellers of low-cost products.

🇨🇳 TikTok shifts refund costs to sellers. Starting January 10, 2025, TikTok Shop sellers using “Ship by Seller” must cover customer-paid shipping fees in all return cases. Sellers are advised to review their pricing strategy.

🇺🇸 Amazon sellers branch out in 2024. Sellers cite rising fees and tighter margins as reasons to expand beyond Amazon. Competitors like TikTok Shop and Walmart Marketplace lure merchants with lower costs.

🇰🇷 Alibaba teams up with E-Mart for $4B venture. Alibaba and South Korea’s E-Mart will form a $4B joint venture in 2025 by merging AliExpress Korea and Gmarket platforms, enhancing global eCommerce services.

🇨🇳 Alibaba exits Sun Art for $1.7B, refocuses online. Alibaba sold its 73.7% stake in Sun Art Retail for $1.7B at a loss of $1.8B. The move highlights its focus on e-commerce as competition with Pinduoduo intensifies.

🇺🇸 Amazon enforces 200-character title limit. Amazon sets new product title rules for 2025, limiting titles to 200 characters and restricting special characters. Changes aim to standardize listings and enhance user experience.

🇺🇸 TikTok Shop targets collectibles expansion. TikTok Shop added 10 new comic and manga categories, along with autographed items, while enforcing strict authenticity checks. A looming U.S. ban poses challenges.

👗Fashion & Beauty

🇩🇪 Zalando ends automatic free deliveries. Zalando will end free deliveries for orders under $30 by January 2025, revamping its loyalty program and reducing return periods to 30 days for improved efficiency.

🇬🇧 Shein and Temu face UK labor questioning. The UK Business and Trade Committee has summoned Shein and Temu for a 7 January hearing to address supply chain labor concerns. Representatives will discuss forced labor claims and related issues.

🇺🇸 Perfect Corp enters luxury fashion tech space. Perfect Corp. acquired Wannaby from Farfetch, aiming to expand virtual try-on capabilities for shoes, bags, and apparel. This strengthens its role in luxury fashion tech.

🇫🇷 Decathlon merges Wedze into Quechua's ski lineup. Decathlon integrates Wedze into Quechua, aligning with a strategy to unify 80+ sports under 9 brands. This simplification aims for efficiency and focused expertise.

🇪🇸 Inditex invests in biotech startup Epoch Biodesign. Inditex announces a strategic investment in Epoch Biodesign to boost sustainable enzymatic biorecycling. This move aligns with its commitment to circular fashion innovation.

🇺🇸 Macy's urged to sell real estate assets. Investors want Macy’s to spin off $5-$9B in real estate assets, consider Bloomingdale’s and Bluemercury, aiming to boost shareholder value amid retail challenges.

🇲🇽 Mexico imposes tariffs on duty-free apparel. Mexico’s crackdown on duty-free imports disrupts U.S. e-commerce. A new rule imposes tariffs up to 35% on apparel, forcing brands to rethink cross-border logistics.

🇬🇧 THG spins off Ingenuity at £90M valuation. THG shareholders backed the split of its Ingenuity platform into a £90M private company. The move simplifies THG’s business and allows Ingenuity to focus on cutting losses.

🍔 Food Delivery & eGrocery

🇰🇷 Instacart partners with Samsung on AI fridges. The new partnership introduces AI-powered Samsung fridges that let users order groceries directly via Instacart. Launching in 2025, it promises a smarter kitchen experience.

🇸🇬 Deliveroo reshapes daily habits in Singapore. A recent Deliveroo survey found food delivery integral to daily life in Singapore, with 68% using it regularly. Beyond meals, users now turn to delivery for groceries, gifts, and charity.

🇫🇷 Epicery closes after 9 years in business. French startup Epicery shuts down, citing financial challenges from inflation and competition. The firm leaves behind a legacy of empowering local food shops.

🇰🇷 Bum Seok Kim takes helm of Woowa Brothers. Bum Seok Austin Kim is the new CEO of Woowa Brothers, succeeding Pieter-Jan Vandepitte. Kim brings expertise from Uber, Glovo, and Trendyol Go to lead Korea's delivery giant.

🇩🇪 Kaufland slashes CO2 emissions by 500 tonnes. German retailer Kaufland's e-truck project has cut 500 tonnes of CO2 emissions since 2023. It includes ten 40-tonne electric trucks covering 560,000 km annually.

🇺🇸 Walmart faces $10M pay access lawsuit. The CFPB accuses Walmart of forcing Spark drivers to pay $10M in fees to access earnings. The lawsuit alleges deceptive practices by Walmart and fintech firm Branch.