🌀 Young Prefer Social Media over Google💬

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2024 "Internet Usage Report" by Forbes Advisor and Talker Research highlights the shift from desktops to mobile devices and changes in online engagement and commerce. The study, conducted via an online survey of 2,000 Americans, was commissioned by Forbes Advisor and conducted by Talker Research.

📉 Shift to Mobile Devices

• One-third of Americans now access the internet exclusively via smartphones.

• 30% of Americans primarily use phones, occasionally switching to laptops/desktops.

📱 Social Media as Search Tool

• 24% use social media for search traditionally reserved for search engines.

• This trend intensifies among younger users.

• For Generation Z, 46% primarily turn to social media for their informational needs.

🔍 Social Media's Role in Specific Searches

• 40% of Generation Z use TikTok to search for "Hair and Makeup" and "Gift Ideas."

• 39% of this demographic prefers TikTok for "Well-Being and Fitness" queries, surpassing the 29% who use Google.

🚨 Generational Changes in Search Behavior

• 25% decline in Google usage between Generation Z (1997-2006) and Generation X (1965-1980).

• Generation Z primarily uses Google for local services, restaurants, bars, electronics, and financial services.

• Generation X uses Google more frequently across all categories, showing a greater tendency towards traditional search engines.

🔗 Why Social Media?

• 29% of people say the reason they search on social media is convenience.

• 22% of respondents favor social media for its quick results and engaging video content over text-based articles.

The latest survey from Omnisend reveals fascinating trends in how consumers in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada shop online. The survey was conducted on 4K respondents!

🛍️ Shopping Trends

• 63% bought something from Chinese retailers in the last year.

• 34% buy monthly, and 10% at least weekly.

🤔 Trust Issues

• Only 6.4% of shoppers trust Temu more than Amazon.

• Despite this, 48% shopped at Temu in the past year.

• 17% believe Temu could overtake Amazon globally.

💰 Reasons to Shop

Shoppers are attracted to Temu for various reasons.

• 53% like the great prices.

• 31% find the platform easy to use.

• 29% are drawn by special deals and discounts.

👩 Gender Differences

• Survey showed a gender gap in rating Chinese marketplaces.

• Women rate Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and TikTok Shop higher than men.

• Shein was particularly favored by women.

2024 "Fossil-Free Fashion Scorecard" report by Stand.earth evaluates 11 global fashion brands on fossil fuel use, emissions reduction, and renewable energy adoption using public data. The 2023 Scorecard measures the performance of global brands across the following five categories and 2030 benchmarks (link).

📉 Majority of Fashion Companies Scored <25/100 Points

• H&M, Puma, and Nike earned the highest scores: 59, 51, and 46.5.

• Shein, Fast Retailing, Lululemon, and Inditex scored the lowest: 2.5, 14, 16, and 16.

🚨 Greenwashing Concerns

• Shein increased emissions by 50%, now surpasses Paraguay.

• Lululemon is under investigation by the Canadian Competition Bureau for alleged environmental impact misrepresentation.

🌱 Encouraging Signs

• Despite overall poor performance, there are pockets of progress among certain brands.

• Puma reported 27.4% of its electricity usage from renewables in key supplier tiers but needs to verify growth through on-site power generation and power purchase agreements.

• H&M offers grants for suppliers to install rooftop solar, but lacks full transparency on fossil fuel phase-out progress.

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▶🇺🇸 Walmart to Reach Ecommerce Profitability in the U.S. within two years. Sam's Club has already achieved this milestone. Walmart's e-commerce sales rose 22% last quarter, driving company growth.

▶🇬🇧 British retailers sue Amazon for $1.3B. Amazon faces a $1.3B lawsuit from British retailers over data misuse. BIRA, representing 35,000 small retailers, claims Amazon used their data to gain a competitive edge. This class action follows similar EU allegations. Amazon denies the claims but has previously made concessions.

▶🇮🇩 ByteDance to cut 450 jobs after Tokopedia deal. ByteDance is cutting 450 jobs, about 9% of its Indonesian workforce, after merging TikTok Shop with Tokopedia. The $1.5B deal aims to cut costs and streamline operations.

▶🇺🇸 TikTok challenges Google with image search. TikTok is testing a new image search feature in TikTok Shop, aiming to compete with Google Lens and Amazon. Available in the U.S. and Southeast Asia, this feature lets users find products by uploading or taking photos. TikTok Shop now has 15M sellers worldwide.

▶🇺🇸 Amazon drivers file 15K claims over wages. More than 15,000 Amazon Flex drivers have filed claims against Amazon for unpaid wages and overtime. The drivers argue they are employees, not contractors, and are seeking compensation for expenses like mileage and phone usage.

▶🇨🇳 AliExpress offers $2.4M rewards for UEFA EURO 2024. AliExpress is giving away $2.4M in rewards for UEFA EURO 2024 fans. Users can win tickets, smartphones, and coupons via the 'Shake & Win' competition. The event runs from 14 June to 14 July with offline events across Germany.

▶🇧🇷 Temu Launches in Brazil Amid Challenges. On June 5, 2024, Temu launched in Brazil, marking its presence in 70 countries. Despite new legislation imposing a 40% tax on cross-border parcels, Temu is determined to capture the Brazilian market. The company uses a full consignment model to offer attractive prices but may shift to semi-consignment like in the US. This shift aims to balance cost and delivery speed while navigating political pressures and logistical challenges.

▶🇨🇳 Shein increases prices by 28% ahead of IPO for dresses in the U.S. This move is part of their strategy to boost revenue ahead of their IPO. External brands like Skechers are also driving higher prices.

▶🇳🇱 C&A ends Amazon, Zalando partnership. C&A ends its partnerships with Amazon, Wehkamp, and Zalando. Higher sales but lower margins led to this decision. The retailer will now focus on its own digital channels and 'C&A for you' membership program, which has 4M members.

▶🇺🇸 Michael Kors boosts online sales with AI. Michael Kors introduces AI retail assistant, 'Shopping Muse,' on its website. Partnering with Dynamic Yield, it increases conversion rates by 15-20%. CEO Ori Bauer praises the innovation as a perfect example of ready-to-use tech in fashion.

▶🇻🇳 Vietnamese fashion brands thriving on TikTok. Vietnamese fashion brands are booming thanks to TikTok. Celebrities like Jennie from Blackpink and influencers are driving the trend. The brands focus on quality and sustainability, unlike Chinese fast fashion giants Shein and Temu.

▶🇺🇸 TikTok Shop Becomes Top Beauty Retailer. TikTok Shop is now the 9th-largest online beauty and wellness retailer in the US. This growth is reshaping e-commerce as brands and influencers sell directly through the app.

▶🇬🇧 Boots UK adds 25 new beauty brands in 2024. Boots is adding 25 new beauty brands, including The Beauty Crop and Tree Hut. The British retailer is revamping 200 stores, with new beauty halls and live demo zones. Competition with Sephora and Space NK heats up.

▶🇬🇧 Tesco’s Clothing Boosts Non-Food Sales. British supermarket Tesco saw a 3.6% rise in non-food sales, driven by strong clothing sales. CEO Ken Murphy highlights easing inflation and market share growth. Tesco expects an operating profit of £2.8B for the 2024/25 financial year.

▶🇬🇧 Debenhams relaunches Quiz with 600+ items. Debenhams and Quiz have teamed up again, with Quiz relaunching online at Debenhams. Over 600 items from the fashion retailer are now available. This move is part of Debenhams' strategy to expand its fashion, beauty, and home offerings.

▶🇬🇧 Amazon Fresh offers new Prime Member Deals. Amazon Fresh introduces Prime Member Deals, giving UK Prime members exclusive discounts and delivery options. Prime members get 10% off in-store price cut products and up to 50% off weekly specials. Non-Prime customers have delivery fees.

▶🇳🇱 Picnic achieves first gross profit via robotisation. Picnic, the Dutch online supermarket, reached its first gross profit since 2015. CEO Michiel Muller credits robotisation, with order processing becoming twice as efficient. However, he warns that net profits aren't expected soon due to ongoing investments.

▶🇺🇸 Domino's uses AI to make pizzas faster. Domino's, led by CEO Russell John Weiner, uses AI to start making pizzas before customers order them. This innovation aims to speed up delivery and improve efficiency. The company is also partnering with Microsoft to enhance their AI capabilities.

▶🇬🇧 Deliveroo partners with Mob Kitchen for recipes. Deliveroo has launched a new partnership with Mob Kitchen to provide exclusive recipes. Ingredients can be delivered from local supermarkets through Deliveroo in as little as 20 minutes. The partnership aims to inspire customers with easy, healthy, comforting, and impressive recipes.

▶🇵🇷 Uber Eats boosts sales for Puerto Rican restaurants. Uber Eats has helped Puerto Rican restaurants increase sales by up to 50% since its debut in 2018. Over 11 million orders have been placed, and 65% of its 1,700 partners are SMEs. This growth was crucial during the pandemic.

▶🇺🇸 DoorDash expands alcohol delivery and ads. DoorDash boosts alcohol delivery by partnering with Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop. It also introduces retail media solutions, enhancing sales for brands like Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors.

▶🇮🇳 Swiggy launches Handpicked premium grocery. Swiggy brings back Handpicked under Instamart, offering over 500 premium items in Bengaluru, expanding soon to Mumbai and Delhi. Delivery within 10 minutes. Handpicked closed in May 2023 due to restructuring. Valuation now $15.1B.

▶🇦🇪 Deliveroo launches electric bikes pilot in Dubai. Deliveroo, in collaboration with EEE Moto and EcoWay, has launched a month-long electric bikes pilot in Dubai. This initiative aims to explore electric bikes and battery-swapping technology as greener alternatives for delivery services.

▶🇺🇸 Newegg Launches SellingPilot platform that offers sellers tools for managing listings on Amazon, Walmart, and more. Key features include AI-powered product listings, influencer marketing, and price tracking.

▶🇺🇸 Google AI Overviews drop to 15% visibility. Google AI Overviews, once visible on 84% of searches, now appear only 15% of the time. The reduction began in mid-April, coinciding with multiple instances of incorrect AI-generated answers.

▶🇩🇪 Uber opens platform to German taxis, facilitating additional orders easily and transparently. This new strategy promises additional income for taxi drivers without membership fees or long-term contracts.

▶🇩🇪 OTTO launches live shopping on Apple Vision Pro. OTTO releases "OTTO Live Shopping for Apple Vision Pro" on July 12, offering 3D product experiences with LEGO and Miele. Developed by Otto Group Digital Consulting, it promises delivery within 1-2 days in Germany.

▶🇵🇱 Mastercard launches biometric payments in Poland. Mastercard and PayEye launch a three-month pilot for biometric payments at Empik stores in Poland. The innovative system uses iris and facial recognition. Poland's advanced payment infrastructure and high biometric usage rate make it an ideal testing ground.

▶🇸🇪 IKEA opens virtual store on Roblox. IKEA is launching 'The Co-Worker Game' on Roblox on June 24th. Players can apply for paid virtual co-worker roles until June 16th. This new immersive experience allows fans to work, explore, and earn in IKEA's virtual universe.

▶🇺🇸 RetailReady secures $3.3M for AI warehouse app. RetailReady, co-founded by Elle Smyth and Sarah Hamer, raised $3.3M for their AI-powered warehouse app. The app aims to save brands $40B annually by reducing compliance losses. Investors include Wischoff Ventures and Y Combinator.

▶🇩🇪 The Platform Group acquires Wehrmann GmbH. The Platform Group announced the acquisition of Wehrmann GmbH through GINDUMAC. The deal boosts their GMV forecast to $1.2B and sales to $600M for 2025. CEO Dominik Benner highlights positive market developments and countercyclical strategies.

▶🇺🇸 Amazon commits $230M to generative AI startups. Amazon pledges $230M to AI startups, with $80M for AWS Generative AI Accelerator. The program, partnering with Nvidia, offers startups compute credits and expert support. Amazon aims to catch up in generative AI amid tech rivals.

▶🇰🇪 Wasoko and MaxAB merger faces delays. The Wasoko-MaxAB merger, announced in December, is delayed due to economic headwinds. Initial completion was expected in Q1 2024. Issues include extended due diligence and currency devaluation in Egypt.

▶🇩🇪 Faircado secures €3M to boost AI shopping. Faircado, a Berlin-based AI-powered shopping assistant, raised €3M in pre-seed funding led by World Fund. The funds will help expand into the UK and France and improve image recognition technology. The round included investments from Accel, General Catalyst, and others.

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

Your guide through the maze

Artur Stańczuk Chief Strategy Officer at Packhelp, the leading European packaging marketplace. Previously worked ~8 yrs at Bain & Co. In the past, Digital Transformation Director at the leading Polish convenience chain Żabka and Entrepreneur that co-launched 3 startups