Jack Ma Calls for Stricter Penalties For Counterfeiters
Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba, recently called for stricter penalties for people selling counterfeit goods. Ma encouraged the Chinese government to imprison counterfeiters one week per every fake item they sell.
According to Business Insider, He blames soft penalties and lax law enforcement for the surge in fake items across China. This is a 180° from his previous position that counterfeits are often better quality than genuine items.
In the short term, this won’t affect sellers. But if this becomes a growing sentiment, it might make counterfeiting more difficult and help protect brands in the future.
Amazon Prime Launches in Mexico
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-announces-launch-prime-membership-153803446.html
After nearly two years in Mexico, Amazon announces the launch of Prime. A membership will cost Mexican shoppers $23 for the first year, and this cost will double in the second year.
In Mexico, Prime won’t come with all the perks offered in the US. The major focus will instead be fast, free shipping and Amazon Prime Video. Since Prime has been a huge success in the US, Amazon is looking to replicate this in international markets.
If you are a US FBA-seller, this might spur further incentive to explore the Mexican market and expand your reach with faster delivery times attracting more Prime customers.
Amazon and Pinterest Threaten to Shake Up the Search Ad Market
Google has been the big boss of ad spending for quite some time. But that might be changing. As online buying behavior changes, so might ad spending.
Wall Street Journal describes how people no longer turn only to search engines for answers, but get more specific:
“Now, particularly on mobile, people might turn to Amazon to look for apparel, Pinterest to look for home furnishing ideas, or a site like Trivago for travel plans.”
While Google definitely holds the dominant position in terms of ad spend, many see Amazon as a sleeping giant that will gradually increase its footprint in advertising. Read Wall Street Journal’s take on it above.
Warehouse in NZ Prepares for Amazon Juggernaut
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU1703/S00357/warehouse-prepares-for-amazon-juggernaut.htm
The Warehouse Group, a retail group in New Zealand, is anticipating Amazon’s entry into the country. The Warehouse Group is moving towards an “an engagement model”, which could include “walk-in health clinics, a return to pharmacies, financial advice and mobile services.”
Kiwi sellers should be on the lookout. Warehouse Group believes it’s only a matter of when Amazon arrives in New Zealand. A move which it estimates will strip $4-5 billion out of Australia’s retail market and provide a more provide more convenience and potential options for products that are normally available to US shoppers only.
