Amazon moves into DTC; Walmart grows third-party marketplace

Amazon rolls out DTC marketing tools for email, Buy with Prime

At this week’s Accelerate conference for third-party sellers, Amazon debuted new email marketing tools that allow brands to reach beyond followers. Five months in, off-Amazon checkout and delivery service Buy with Prime is also adding marketing tools that allow DTC brands to create Amazon ads and advertise on Facebook and Instagram. Is it becoming the anti-Shopify? Check out the details, and The Current’s analysis on the latest releases.

Walmart's drive to add third-party sellers kicks into high gear

Walmart set out to grow its Marketplace in 2022, as it seeks to bring on third-party sellers that boost the assortment of products available on its ecommerce channels. Heading into the holidays, it is rolling out a new push to attract sellers, including an easier signup process, access to self-service advertising tools and a recruiting drive in Canada.

Will Temu have Shein-like success as it goes online in the U.S.?

Pinduoduo has arrived in America. Mere weeks after it first hinted at a move, the Chinese ecommerce company officially expanded to the US this month with the launch of Temu, a marketplace that offers products across a full gamut of consumer categories. Temu said it is aiming to stand out with low prices that come “thanks to our access to a global network of suppliers and fulfillment partners,” which it shares with Pinduoduo. 

Inside Mars Wrigley’s ‘bold ambition’ to create a $1.1B ice cream business

Household candy brands like M&Ms and Twix have been building blocks of Mars Wrigley’s ice cream growth. Now, the company wants to triple this frozen treats business by 2024. The path will not come through new products or revamped production, but in spreading awareness through digital campaigns and growing delivery through ecommerce channels. 

Billionaire No More: Patagonia founder gives away the company

Patagonia is often studied for branding and innovation that connects apparel to environmental stewardship. Now, owner Yvon Chouinard is pulling that thread tighter by transferring ownership of the company to a trust and nonprofit that will donate the company’s $100 million-a-year profits to fight climate change. And there's no tax writeoff. “We are going to give away the maximum amount of money to people who are actively working on saving this planet,” Chouinard told the New York Times.

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