Business
From the Simplr studios in San Francisco, this is your weekly briefing. OpeningWelcome to Simplr® CXLife Today, a resource for staying up to date on the latest consumer trends, as well as retail, e-comm, and consumer technology headlines. I’m Madison Huffman with this week’s news.Shopify has continued to perform well, becoming Canada’s second-most valuable stock on the market just last week, according to Bloomberg. Now it’s pushing into the crowded mobile commerce space with its new Shop app in an effort to help small, local businesses that are struggling and compete with other e-commerce platforms experiencing a surge during the pandemic, like Amazon.First, here are the latest headlines.Amazon Topped 4 Billion Visitors in MarchAccording to data from LearnBonds, Amazon had over 4 billion visitors in March. The staggering number is more than the combined number of visitors to eBay, Apple, Walmart, and Samsung during the same period. LearnBonds also predicted that since no economies have been reopened at large yet, the number of online shoppers in April will also be high as consumers stay away from physical stores during safer-at-home orders.Curbside Pickup Catching OnStaying at home hasn’t stopped consumers from shopping, as evidenced by the staggering number of visitors for Amazon during March. While pure online players have had an advantage during the current pandemic, many brick-and-mortar stores have relied heavily on strategies like curbside pickup. The strategy was already becoming a popular trend with shoppers before the pandemic, but since concerns over social distancing and health safety, the fulfillment option has become a go-to. April 1st through the 20th saw a 208% surge in curbside pickup orders when compared to the previous year, according to Adobe Analytics. According to the president of commercial real estate services firm JLL’s Retail Advisory Team, the trend is here to stay citing that shoppers will likely be more hesitant to visit stores even once restrictions end. The model of delivery has proven to be valuable to both customers and retailers during an unprecedented time.Allbirds Releases New Style Amidst PandemicAllbirds, known for making sustainable wool runners, is making a push into the highly competitive market for athletic footwear. It’s a bold move to release a new product during a pandemic while simultaneously joining the ranks of powerhouse brands like Nike, Adidas, and Asics. When asked about the decision to release the new athletic style now, co-founder Tim Brown said the company has been working on perfecting the running silhouette for years and stated, “In the midst of all this, people are running...more than ever...we felt like the product was serving that purpose.” He also suspects that people are growing more comfortable with making purchases online and said that while the current circumstances present unique challenges, they’re trying to adapt just like everyone else to the situation. Shopify Pushes Into Mobile Commerce With Shop App According to a press release, Shopify debuted a mobile shopping assistant app called Shop. The app provides a range of services for users from product discovery, to payment, and real-time delivery updates. In the press release, Shopify positioned the app as a means of deepening connection and loyalty between consumers and their favorite brands in, “a world of increasing physical separation.” Key feature of the app, including the spotlight of local brands and driving repeat business, could resonate with users. A recent survey from Ernst & Young found that 34% of respondents are willing to pay more for local products amid the pandemic. Small businesses in general have been at peril during the outbreak as store closures and safer-at-home orders have continued, forcing them to rely on pickup and delivery. Shopify is positioning the Shop app as a means of supporting those struggling at the moment. At launch, Shop has its share of large brands, including several in the direct-to-consumer category. Allbirds, Universal Standard, ThirdLove, and Brooklinen are among the brands that were highlighted in a video promoting the app. Shopify’s push into the crowded mobile commerce space comes as the company continues to perform well, becoming the second-most valuable company on Canada’s stock market just last week, according to Bloomberg. While it’s pushing into a crowded space, its focus on smaller, local merchants could help differentiate Shop from other e-commerce platforms seeing a surge during the pandemic, including Amazon. ClosingWant to hear the latest innovations in CX from leaders at companies like Uber, Doordash, LinkedIn, and more? Register for the CXLife Virtual Summit on May 21st. Find the link to register below in the show notes: https://cxlife.org/cxlife-2020 Thanks for listening to CXLife Today. Until next time.