Ecommerce Product Releases: Oct. 9, 2023

Here is a list of new product releases and updates from companies offering services to ecommerce and omnichannel merchants. There are updates on email marketing, generative AI, carbon-neutral delivery, returns delivery, B2B tools, point-of-sale features, and full-stack commerce technology.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

Product Releases: October 9

Amazon introduces a new pricing structure for Vine. Amazon has added lower-priced fee tiers to Vine, its program that selects trusted reviewers to help brands get insightful reviews and shoppers make informed buying decisions. The new pricing structure includes two new, lower-priced tiers to make Vine more accessible to brands with varied budgets and products. With the $0 tier, enroll up to two units per parent ASIN and get up to two quality Vine reviews for free.

Amazon Vine

Intuit MailChimp partners with Wix on ecommerce features. Intuit Mailchimp has announced a strategic partnership with Wix. According to the companies, Mailchimp users with a Wix account can soon sync and organize their customer data. For creators using Wix, the integration will provide greater functionality and ease of use. Agencies and freelancers using Wix Studio will benefit from offering their clients an email marketing suite with marketing tools.

GoDaddy adds smart terminal features for brick-and-mortar retailers. To support quicker consumer and small business experiences at checkout, GoDaddy has introduced new capabilities to its Smart Terminal Point-of-Sale. New features include reports on recent orders, real-time notifications for pickups and deliveries, contactless payments, and expanded integrations with third-party applications. Coming features include a visual product catalog, increased product discoverability, smart terminal customization options, and more.

Uber introduces package returns. Uber is expanding its package delivery program, Connect, to include returns. With the new “Return a Package” button, users can have a courier pick up prepaid packages, up to five at a time, and drop them off at a local post office, UPS, or FedEx. Customers can track their packages in real-time in the Uber app. When the drop-off is completed, the courier will send a visual confirmation or photo of the receipt.

Uber Connect

Easyship and Sendle expand partnership for sustainable deliveries. Sendle and Easyship have announced an expansion of their partnership, which began in Australia, to offer small and medium-sized businesses in the U.S. and Canada access to sustainable parcel delivery. Sendle’s portfolio of affordable, 100% carbon-neutral door-to-door delivery services is available as a shipping option for businesses in the U.S. and Canada that use Easyship’s free software.

Fintech Iwoca integrates B2B payments with Shopify. Iwoca, a London-based fintech, has announced the integration of IwocaPay, its B2B payment service, with Shopify. The move will allow Shopify’s B2B retailers to embed IwocaPay, a B2B trade credit platform, into their ecommerce checkouts. With IwocaPay, Shopify merchants can offer flexible payment terms to their business customers at checkout while assuming no credit risk and getting paid instantly.

Communication company WPP announces partnership with Shopify. WPP, a communications and advertising company based in the U.K., has formed a partnership with Shopify, pairing WPP’s network of 13,500 commerce experts with Shopify’s platform. Shopify will collaborate with WPP on product development to build targeted solutions across sectors, including consumer packaged goods, health and wellness, and fashion. The companies will roll out certification pathways for WPP employees, creating 300 certified Shopify specialists across WPP’s network within the first year.

WPP

Meta introduces generative AI features for ads. Meta has begun deploying generative AI-powered features for ad creatives in its Ads Manager, with global rollout complete by next year. Background Generation creates multiple backgrounds to complement product images, allowing advertisers to tailor creative assets. Image Expansion adjusts creative assets to fit different aspect ratios. Text Variations generates multiple versions of ad texts based on advertisers’ original copy.

Walmart experiments with AI to enhance shopping. Walmart is leveraging generative AI to enhance its search experience to understand the context better and allow shoppers to search by specific use cases. Walmart is testing a voice experience in its mobile app that allows consumers to shop hands-free. Also, Walmart’s new tool for help with designing a room allows shoppers to share their budget, theme, and other preferences to receive assistance powered by generative AI.

India-based Flipkart launches Commerce Cloud to provide retail intelligence services. Flipkart, the India-based marketplace, is launching Commerce Cloud, a suite of retail applications for international retailers, marketplaces, and ecommerce platforms. According to Flipkart, the AI-driven suite comprises an entire marketplace technology stack, including tools for retail media, pricing, inventory management, and forecasting.

Flipkart Commerce Cloud

Squarespace introduces tools to earn income and create content. Currently in beta, Squarespace Payments is rolling out to customers in the U.S. and, in 2024, to additional markets, enabling merchants to accept payments directly through Squarespace instead of connecting to a third-party provider. Squarespace has also launched Client Invoicing to manage billing, Courses to earn income, domain and email forwarding, AI tools to generate content, and tools for fulfillment, scheduling, and email marketing.

Nuvei launches platform for B2B payments in Canada. Nuvei, a Canadian fintech company, has launched its platform for B2B payments in Canada. B2B businesses working with Nuvei can offer customers in Canada a payments platform that includes card-not-present and account-to-account capabilities, level 3 line-item processing, and Nuvei’s proprietary accounts receivable application directly integrated with their ERP system. Nuvei states the benefits of its accounts receivable app include simplified workflows, B2B payment capabilities, and shortened invoice-to-cash cycles.

Bringg launches last-mile delivery optimization on Google Cloud Marketplace. Bringg, a delivery management platform, has announced the availability of its open SaaS solution on Google Cloud Marketplace. According to Bringg, companies using Google Cloud can quickly deploy Bringg’s platform to manage internal fleets, grow delivery capacity, and provide branded customer experiences. Bringg’s global network of 200 integrated carriers includes parcel, same-day, and LTL freight.

Bringg