Here is a list of new product releases and upgrades offered by companies serving e-commerce and omnichannel merchants. There are updates on AI-powered shopping, order fulfillment, local marketing, website builders, and video advertising.
Do you have an e-commerce product version? Send an email to releases@practiticalecommerce.com.
Product releases: February 6
Shopify launches new tools in Winter ’24 edition. Shopify released its Winter ’24 edition, with approximately 100 new and updated tools in four categories: conversion, channels, marketing and operations. The conversion includes a web performance dashboard, an AI-powered storefront search feature, and a subscription app. Channels include POS Ship from Store and Markets Pro for selling internationally. Marketing includes smarter retargeting algorithms for Shopify Audiences. The operations include new financial solutions and AI tools, such as a Shopify credit line and a new media editor.
Shopify – Winter 24 Edition
Amazon announces Rufus, an AI-powered conversational sales assistant. Rufus is Amazon’s new AI-powered generative shopping assistant trained on Amazon’s product catalog, customer reviews, community Q&As, and insights from across the web. Rufus can answer buyers’ questions about various needs and products, provide comparisons, and make recommendations based on conversational context. Amazon is launching Rufus in beta, rolling it out to customers in waves, starting with a small subset using a mobile app.
Merchants can now ask Walmart to hold their returns. Walmart Market added features allowing online merchants to choose to have the retailer hold their returns rather than resend them. The “Keep It” rule applies to seller-fulfilled items and those ordered through Walmart Fulfillment. Walmart will also begin notifying sellers when a return is initiated or delivered and when a refund for a return is initiated. Sellers can set the frequency of notifications in the Walmart Seller Center.
Meta launches Engaged-View to help advertisers drive video insights and performance. Meta introduced a new attribution metric called Engaged-view, allowing advertisers to measure conversions within a day of a video ad serving. Engaged views can be counted in ad measurement reporting when a user plays a video ad for at least 10 seconds and converts within 1 day. Engaged View is available for all placements except Facebook In-Stream Video Ads which cannot be skipped.
Engaged meta view
Yelp launches AI-powered features for local businesses. Yelp announced more than 20 new features with its winter update, including AI-powered business summaries, recognitions to celebrate reviewers, and a new visual home flow and search experience. The update also includes a revamped experience for business owners providing market and competitive insights, while AI-powered smart budgets provide recommendations to optimize ad spend, helping local businesses to develop and be more competitive in their markets.
Deliveroo partners with Rokt to expand retail media. Roktan e-commerce technology platform that delivers relevant offers to shoppers, has partnered with the delivery platform Deliveroo. Advertisers on the Rokt Ads network can now access Deliveroo audiences, and Deliveroo can show customers the most relevant third-party offers on their order confirmation page. Rokt will become an extension of Deliveroo’s advertising platform through its delivery app’s order tracking page. The partnership is launched in the United Kingdom and France.
Delta Cargo launches DeliverDirect e-commerce solution in collaboration with SmartKargo. Delta Cargo threw DeliverDirectdeveloped in collaboration with SmartKargo. DeliverDirect is a door-to-door delivery service for the United States, offering a customizable solution for e-commerce retailers looking for direct-to-consumer shipping solutions. The DeliverDirect offering can be personalized with personalized pickup times, location-based consumer notifications, multiple delivery attempts, signature-required deliveries, proof of delivery with photos and access to advanced reporting features.
DeliverDirect
Ikea adds home delivery service in 62 new markets in India. Ikea has launched e-commerce deliveries across 62 districts of India in the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With this expansion, Ikea aims to strengthen the capabilities of its supply chain, making it more sustainable. Customers can explore the Ikea app and website, browse offers with special discounts and access services such as kitchen planning, living room planning, interior design services and personal shopper.
Amazon Mexico offers bi-weekly payments without a credit card through Kueski Pay. Amazon launched Pago en Quincenas with Pay Kueski, a method for rolling over purchases into biweekly payments. Customers using Pago en Quincenas with Kueski Pay can choose plans with up to four interest-free payments. This payment method is currently available to select Amazon customers.
Nuvei launches ERP integration with Microsoft Dynamics 365. Nuvei Corporationa Canadian financial technology company, has integrated into Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, an enterprise resource planning platform for small and medium-sized organizations. Businesses can now integrate relevant payment methods, including credit cards, instant bank transfers and disbursement services, into their business operations through their existing Dynamics 365 Business Central module. This is the latest step in the rollout of the global payments collaboration with Microsoft, announced in January.
Owner.com raises $33 million in Series B funding to help independent restaurants online. Owner.com, which helps independent restaurant owners manage their online presence, raised $33 million in Series B funding, bringing the total capital raised to $58.7 million. Owner.com offers an all-in-one platform for restaurants that includes online ordering, a website builder, customer relationship management tools, marketing automation, and a branded mobile app builder . Existing investors Redpoint Ventures and Altman Capital co-led the round, with participation from Horsley Bridge, Activant Capital and Transpose Platform Management.
Owner.com
