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Walmart Rolls Out New Discount Program
Walmart is increasingly challenging Amazon. From next week, it plans to offer discounts on around 10,000 online-only items. But there’s a catch: These items won’t be shipped.
Instead, customers will have to pick them up at one of the Walmart stores. This is how the company can offer the discounts in the first place.
The move is another example of Walmart’s recent initiatives to compete with Amazon. Earlier this year, Walmart announced its free 2-day shipping on all orders over $35. This was a response meant to rival Amazon’s Prime membership, which currently costs $99 per year.
Should you be concerned as an Amazon seller? Probably not. But as Walmart tries to drive more visitors online, it will become a more attractive marketplace for sellers looking to diversify.
Hackers Target FBA-Sellers
FBA-sellers beware. The Denver Post reports that hackers have recently targeted third-party sellers on Amazon.
They’re using stolen credentials to post fake deals and change the bank-deposit information on Amazon accounts. That way, many sellers have lost tens of thousands of dollars each.
This has largely been done by buying email and password password credentials on the dark web.
So what can you do to protect yourself?
Change your password immediately, consider using a password manager like Last Pass or One Password. And for added protection, ensure you have two-step verification on your Amazon account, as well as your email.
Don’t gamble with sensitive details.
Consumer Survey of Teens Reveals the Power of Amazon and Snapchat
A recent survey by Piper Jaffray revealed that Amazon was the favorite site for ecommerce among teens (at an average age of 16). Amazon received a 43 percent share of the votes, as compared to 40 percent last year.
This is hardly surprising, as Amazon is the dominant ecommerce player in the US. But it’s still worth keeping in mind, as this is a demographic that is growing.
And there’s another interesting snippet from this study that you should know. At least if you’re interested in marketing to this demographic. 81 percent of the recipients logged into Snapchat at least once per month, and 79 percent did the same on Instagram.
But Facebook, however, “only” attracted 51 percent of the respondents each month.
So if you’re marketing via social media, choose your channels wisely.
Amazon to Hire 5,000 People to Work From Home
Looking for a side-gig while building your FBA-business? Maybe you don’t have to look far. Amazon recently announced it’s hiring 5,000 home based workers for its customer service teams.
While the press release doesn’t mention the salary, Inc notes that: “…a separate job listing says the ‘pay rate nationwide is $10.00 per hour.’”
And even if you’re not looking for a side-job, Amazon hiring customer support is good sign. Amazon prides itself on its top notch customer service. And if you’re an FBA-seller, you rely on this as well.
More US based customer support will be a relief for FBA sellers, as opposed to the outsourced support that Amazon currently relies. This is because it can create potential cultural and language barriers. The move should make contacting support less painful.
