Amazon news

25 April 2022
Amazon has launched a $1bn venture investment programme, Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund. Amazon also announced a new service, Buy with Prime, that will enable Prime shopping on online stores outside of Amazon.com. Improvement of employee experience Amazon will use the new fund to invest in companies developing customer fulfilment, logistics and supply chain. The first round of investm...
24 March 2022
As Gopuff launches price matching for the UK’s largest convenience retailer and partners with Morrisons, Amazon rolls out Deliveroo Plus as a Prime benefit in Italy, I round up the latest developments within quick commerce. I also round up some of the latest activation I’ve seen from quick commerce pure plays Jiffy, Zapp and Gorillas, including a focus on events. Gopuff price matches Tesc...
20 March 2022
Amazon and Target have launched new stores packed with sustainability features, designed to help them on their journeys to becoming net zero companies. Creating a global benchmark Amazon’s latest Amazon Fresh store in Seattle features more than a dozen upgrades as it pursues the International Living Future Institute’s ‘Zero Carbon’ certification, the first grocery store globally to do so. Thi...
07 March 2022
Amazon will close all 68 of its physical bookstores, 4-star stores and Pop-Up stores in the US and UK. First store opened in 2015 Amazon opened its first physical bookstore in 2015. It then launched its 4-star concept in 2018, offering a range of products which were all rated 4 stars or better on Amazon.com. The retailer had 32 4-star stores in the US and one in the UK, which launched in...
10 February 2022
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has ruled that Amazon must now comply with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice. The code applies to retailers with an annual turnover of more than £1bn in grocery sales. Increasing grocery focus The announcement follows Amazon’s increased focus on grocery over the last few years. In 2020, the UK was Amazon’s fastest growing market at +51% YoY, a...
04 February 2022
Amazon's net sales increased by 9% year-on-year to US$137.4bn and net income increased 98% to $14.3bn for Q4 (ending 31 st  December). Amazon Web Services covering higher costs Amazon’s total operating income for the quarter was $3.5bn (50)%. Amazon is facing into higher costs. Amazon’s fulfilment costs in Q4 increased 21% YoY to US $22.4bn. It’s also spending more on marketing, with costs ...
24 January 2022
Amazon Style will launch later this year with in-store technology enhancing and personalising the shopping experience. Advanced technology in-store Amazon’s first physical clothing store, Amazon Style, is set to open in Los Angeles later this year. According to Amazon, it will offer a “ seamless and elevated shopping experience” . The store will feature items from brands customers “know an...
13 January 2022
We have just published our  Amazon marketplace best practice report. I’ve interviewed leading suppliers and third-party specialists. The report includes food and consumer goods examples from fast-growing start-ups, businesses acquired by Amazon aggregators, and leaders in eCommerce such as Unilever, P&G, Mars, and Reckitt Benckiser. Subscribers to IGD Retail Analysis can see the full report ...
12 January 2022
A.S. Watson is partnering Amazon to launch a wider range of health and beauty products through a dedicated storefront. Amazon Singapore’s first partnership a health and beauty retailer Prime members will be able to buy from brands such as Aveeno, Biore, Cetaphil, Bifesta, Wavertree & London, L’Oréal Paris, Oral-B, Anessa, Tsubaki, ZA, and other items from facial care to health supplements. ...
04 January 2022
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has suspended Amazon’s 2019 deal with Future Group. This could lead to Amazon’s competitor in the market, Reliance Retail, acquiring Future Group’s retail operations. Meanwhile, Amazon India is set to launch Amazon Pharmacy in the country, allowing customers to purchase medications on Amazon’s website or app for delivery. Suspension of the deal I...