Every week we publish a roundup of new products from companies serving e-commerce and omnichannel merchants. This installment includes updates to customer service, cybersecurity, analytics, accessibility, conversational commerce, in-app payments, and recurring revenue tools.
Do you have an e-commerce product version? Send an email to releases@practiticalecommerce.com.
New tools for merchants: February 19
Sprout Social launches customer service tool. Sprout Social, a social media management platform, has launched Care by Sprout, with case management, AI capabilities and reporting. Care by Sprout consolidates social media messaging to provide fast, personalized support. In addition to AI-powered case management and reporting on key metrics like engagement and satisfaction, Care by Sprout integrates with customer management platforms like Salesforce, Zendesk, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and HubSpot .
![Sprout Social Homepage Sprout Social Homepage](https://www.practicalecommerce.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Sprout-Social-Care-by-Sprout.jpg)
Sprout Social Care by Sprout
Google launches free AI cyber tools to boost online security. Google introduced an open source AI-powered resource that uses file type identification to detect malware. The tool, now used by Gmail and Google Drive, will be free. Google also announced additional investments in grants and partnerships to advance cybersecurity research initiatives using AI and an expansion of cybersecurity seminars.
AccessiBe launches Shopify app for accessible e-commerce. To streamline the process of making e-commerce sites more accessible to people with disabilities, AccessiBe announced the release of its Shopify accessibility app, available for purchase. The app is designed to streamline the setup process and simplify the shopping experience by integrating AccessiBe into the merchant store. AccessiBe promotes accessibility in accordance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Sierra Launches Conversational AI Platform for Customer Service. Sierra Technologies launched a conversational artificial intelligence platform to help businesses engage with their customers. The platform uses AI agents to make recommendations, answer questions and act on behalf of employees. The Sierra platform allows merchants to create an AI agent to represent their brand. According to Sierra, the agent will help customers navigate complexity, make better decisions and resolve issues.
Amazon adds metrics for brand performance. Amazon announced the availability of four new metrics to help brands measure market performance while providing recommendations to improve results. The four metrics are brand search rate, star rating, brand conversion rate, and repeat customer rate.
NMI launches integrated payments. INM launched NMI Payments, an integrated payments platform for software publishers and independent sales organizations. NMI Payments integrates with existing payment applications and solutions. NMI Partners have the ability to choose from a variety of processors and shopping cart options built directly into their applications. Partners can adjust these features according to their needs.
LiveRamp data collection platform offers privacy-centric integrations with Amazon Ads. LiveRamp has enabled Amazon Marketing Cloud and Delivery Service Partner features. Brand marketers and advertisers can now leverage LiveRamp’s integrations with these services to access insights and analytics. Customers can leverage RampID, LiveRamp’s privacy-focused identifier, to join first-party and third-party information with Amazon Ads. Integration with Amazon Ads services enables large-scale measurement and more. Additionally, LiveRamp’s existing integrated solutions with Amazon Web Services enable advertisers to create end-to-end measurement workflows.
BNPL provider Klarna launches “Connect with Klarna.“ Klarna, a buy now, pay later provider and shopping assistant, has launched “Connect with Klarna” to provide consumers with a smoother and more secure shopping experience. Klarna says the new service saves consumers time by speeding up the online shopping process and unlocking personalized offers from merchants. After a beta launch with the Maitres restaurant app and the Tradera marketplace, “Sign in with Klarna” is available in 23 countries.
Rasa raises $30M for enterprise conversational AI. Rasa, a generative conversational AI platform, has completed a $30 million funding round, co-led by StepStone Group and PayPal Ventures. Rasa powers AI assistants aligned with customers’ business logic, delivering meaningful and practical user engagement. PayPal Ventures joins this round for its first investment in AI, marking the launch of its new AI Fund to invest in early-stage startups across industries and verticals.
Singapore-based Qoo10 to acquire e-commerce platform Wish. ContextLogic has agreed to sell itself and its Wish e-commerce app for around $173 million for Qoo10, an e-commerce platform operating online marketplaces located in Asia. The Wish brand and platform will be part of Qoo10. Wish merchants stand to benefit from cross-border opportunities, while Wish shoppers could benefit from greater product selection.
Ordergroove and Commercetools partner on recurring revenue for brands and retailers. Control Groovea subscription platform for retailers and direct-to-consumer brands, has partnered with Trade tools, launching an integration for brands and retailers to unlock recurring revenue. Retailers can leverage Ordergroove’s subscription management tools and promotional capabilities to deepen customer relationships, build loyalty, and drive engagement and retention. Commercetools customers can access a wide range of subscription experiences, including single-product subscriptions, bundles, boxes, and clubs.