Amazon Toolkit Launch by Voc.ai, Cool Art Vending Machines in Airports, and More News
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Ready for the last day of the week? Last Friday, we covered some interesting news. And this week isn’t lacking in good info either. Get ready for AI, fashion, and seaweed — definitely not a mix we saw coming. But then again, doesn’t the eCommerce world surprise us daily?
Today’s news is 1439 words and takes 6 minutes to read.
Voc.ai Launches Amazon Toolkit Powered by ChatGPT
This week, the news of Voc.ai blew the internet away.
If you haven’t heard about it yet, Voc.ai is a Hong Kong-based AI SaaS company, and just a few days ago, the organization announced the launch of its brand-new Amazon toolkit powered by ChatGPT.
The product aims to provide sellers with tools to acquire customer insights and enhance their marketing campaigns while utilizing the most recent technological advancements.
Having secured funding of over 12 million US dollars from investors like Northern Light Venture Capital, the company plans to expand into new markets.
What does that mean for sellers?
Due to the intensifying competition on Amazon, it has become increasingly difficult for sellers to stand out from the crowd and connect with their desired audience.
By employing natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning (ML), the Amazon toolkit from Voc.ai can scrutinize customers’ behaviors and preferences. This empowers sellers to select appropriate keywords, optimize product descriptions, and develop persuasive marketing messages that effectively communicate with their target audience.
How to access the toolkit?
The innovative AI solutions of Voc.ai are now accessible to sellers through their Amazon toolkit, which we can find on the Chrome web store by searching for “ChatGPT for Amazon”. For further information regarding Voc.ai and its offerings, please visit the website at www.voc.ai.
But that’s not all…
Voc.ai isn’t the only place that can help you with business optimization, of course. Make sure to check out some alternative eCommerce marketplaces. There are features and tools out there perfect for your business, so look around and compare!
Big Retailer News
SouveNEAR – Art Vending Machines in Airports
Airport vending machines have come a long way since their creation. They started as corner spots offering soda and chocolate bars and have become modern-day “automated retail” machines that dispense a wide variety of products. Filled with toys, fresh salads, and gourmet coffee drinks to hygiene products and dog treats, these vending machines offer a diverse selection of items that cater to the needs of everyone.
With such a diverse range of products that can fit inside these machines, two women from Kansas decided to take it one step further. In 2014, Suzanne Southard and Tiffany King launched SouveNear — a company that sells branded products in airport vending machines.
What’s inside?
Inside the vending machines, potential customers can find items such as T-shirts, jewelry, stickers, gourmet treats, and other bits and bobs made by artists and designers. The concept was a complete success, and although the pandemic hit the women-made business hard, it seems that the vending machines are here to stay, with new opportunities for them to pop up.
Where can I find one?
They now have three art vending machines at Oakland International Airport (OAK), one each at Sacramento International Airport (SMF) and Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas, and four machines at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).
Travelers can also find SouveNear vending machines at Union Station in Kansas City, as well as the Salesforce Transit Center and the Mark Hopkins Intercontinental Hotel in San Francisco.
We did a little digging…
We discovered that eBay did something in similar fashion a few years ago with luxury handbags. Their concept had a different meaning, though; check it out for an interesting throwback!
Claire’s Next-Gen Store Opening in Paris
Claire’s — the popular accessories brand — opened a new generation store in Paris on the 6th of March 2023. The celebrations took place during a Fashion Week event featuring a collaboration with fashion designer Nicola Formichetti and V Magazine. The brand also announced its expansion across grocery stores in the US.
A “chandel-ear” welcome
“The new Paris store is a portal into our brand world and a glimpse into our future.” says Richard Flint, President of Europe for Claire’s.
As customers enter the store, Formichetti’s “chandel-ear,” greets shoppers and draws attention to Claire’s #EarPrint campaign that promotes its ear-piercing services.
Inside the Parisian store, customers can find two specialized ear-piercing studios and an in-store content creation studio to encourage customer creativity. Described as a “glimpse into the future”, the store will serve as a platform for launching exclusive new products and testing product lines. We can also expect experiential and pop-up events on a regular basis. Sounds like quite the experience!
Great retailer skills
Clarie’s is giving us a great example of how a brand should care for its customers. Keeping their ideas in mind, we also recommend checking out our article on sales skills that every retailer should have. Are you sure you’re doing everything to keep your customers happy?
Also in the News
- Is US TikTok ban closer to passing? South China Morning Post
- Amazon NFT rumors continue. Bitcoin Insider.
International Retailer News
Amazon to Shake Up Europe’s Seaweed Market
The exploitation of seaweed in the food industry is not new, but for most consumers, it’s still not a product that they would choose to use regularly. A Dutch non-profit group — North Sea Farmers — is leading a project which is testing the viability of growing seaweed commercially.
The project — known as North Sea Farm 1 — has received funding from Amazon, and is on its way to research seaweed’s potential for carbon capture.
How will it work?
Amazon Netherlands Manager, Roeland Donker, states,
“Like trees, as seaweed grows it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, and it can be used to create biodegradable packaging, as well as food and fashion products. We’re hugely excited to be investing in such an important project off the coast of the Netherlands, which could significantly boost Europe’s seaweed sector.”
“Seaweed could be a key tool in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, yet it’s currently farmed at a relatively small scale in Europe,” Amazon EU Director of Sustainability Zak Watts said. “We’re delighted to fund this project to help us reach a greater understanding of its ability to help fight climate change.”
Sustainability is a big topic
We say it every week, and for a good reason, too — sustainability is a top trend, and to be fair, it has been for a decent amount of time. Just check out our news from a few weeks back — we said that caring for the planet is getting more important than ever, and we definitely meant it!
Ukraine to Become European Hub for High-end Fashion Production
Some good news have come our way. During Paris Fashion Week, executives from Ukrainian fashion brands such as Bevza, Katerina Kvit, Kachorovska and Chereshnivska admitted that their production has returned to some degree of normalcy, more than a year after Russia’s invasion devastated the country.
The designers admitted to becoming more united at this time, with many of them sharing mixed feelings about traveling abroad, and wanting to stay in their own country instead. They further added that Ukraine is now viewed as a potential hub for high-end tailoring and production in Europe, with many brands contacting them for their high quality materials and designs.
“A lot of our production is B2B now, because brands in Europe are impressed with our quality,” said Katerina Kvit. “Ukraine could become a production hub like Turkey has been for high-end garments going forward. It’s not cheap to produce higher-end goods in Europe. It would be a good opportunity for the country in an area where there are a lot of skilled workers.”
eCommerce sales turnover in Ukraine (2018-2020)
The e-commerce sales turnover in Ukraine amounted to around 365 million Ukrainian hryvnias in 2020, reflecting a rise of nearly 25 percent compared to the previous year. With designers signaling a return to normalcy, we’ll hopefully see a turnaround in these stats in the coming years.
Also in the News
- Alibaba’s electric vehicle with tank tracks. Electrec.
- Chat GPT-like services aiding hackers. South China Morning Post.
Webinars
For everyone
Various dates: Amazon advertising’s global webinar program continues with 20+ webinars scheduled, covering Prime Day Preparation, Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, reporting, optimization, and other tips. Amazon.
For US sellers
April 13: Consumer Trends for CPG Marketers. Tinuiti.
For UK sellers
Various dates: Amazon advertising’s global webinar program continues with 20+ webinars scheduled, covering Prime Day Preparation, Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands, reporting, optimization, and other tips. Amazon.
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