Amazon partners with small businesses / Amazon Logistics' growth / Revolution Beauty's shareholder problems

Plus, Vans' new marketing chief

Inside Ecommerce For June 29, 2023

Thank you to our sponsor

Hi Insiders! Today we cover Amazon's effort to expand its third-party last-mile delivery network. We also look at data on Amazon's logistics operations and cover Instacart's enhancement to its FoodStorm platform. Enjoy! Gregory p/Gregory_Bridgman

1 Amazon is recruiting small businesses to help with last-mile deliveries. The strategy is intended to reduce delivery costs. More: Amazon is working with small businesses through its "Hub Delivery" program. The company seeks to recruit 2,500 partners across 23 U.S. states this year. Amazon's rural delivery scheme originated in India in 2015. The company launched a U.S. pilot program in rural regions in 2020.

2 What the numbers say: Amazon Logistics delivered 4.75 billion packages in the U.S. in 2021, up from 750 million in 2018. Relevance: Amazon's logistics network has expanded rapidly since 2018. The e-commerce giant's logistics business generated worldwide revenue of over $80B in 2020. Despite the scale of its own logistics operations, Amazon continues to expand its reliance on delivery partners. This strategy may stem from Amazon's ongoing efforts to cut costs. Amazon's Delivery Service Partners program is facing growing scrutiny for its impact on delivery workers. What's next: Amazon announced that it is seeking more local businesses to assist with last-mile deliveries, particularly in rural areas.

A message from our sponsor, Vint. Vint is the most efficient and effective way to invest in fine wine and rare spirits. Amidst shuttering banks, tumbling tech stocks, and all the other chaos in the market, one asset class is aging like fine wine (literally). And now, there is a way to invest in it without being a billionaire. Vint makes it possible–and efficient–to diversify your portfolio with rare wine and spirit offerings. For centuries, the wealthy used wine as a hedge against traditional investments (i.e. stocks and bonds). Like other real assets, wine and spirits provide unique diversification that historically has shown stable and non-correlated returns. Investing couldn’t be easier–the experts at Vint leverage data to curate the most desirable assets with proven track records (it’s how they exited six collections for 28.3% net annualized returns across 2022). The best part? Vint's Reg-A+ offerings are qualified by the SEC, and their structure allows you to diversify efficiently at a realistic investment level. Get Started

3 One of Revolution Beauty's shareholders called for a general meeting. The shareholder wants the company to remove CEO Bob Holt and other top executives from its board. More: The general meeting was called by U.K.-based retailer Boohoo. Boohoo owns a 26.6% stake in Revolution Beauty. Boohoo called for Revolution Beauty to remove CFO Elizabeth Lake and Chair Derek Zissman from the company's board. Revolution Beauty's board director Jeremy Schwartz previously appointed Rachel Maguire and Matthew Eatough against Boohoo's wishes. The new directors subsequently reappointed Holt, Zissman, and Lake.

4 Drieke Leenknegt will become Vans' global chief marketing officer. The VF Corp-owned shoe brand is working to "turn around" its business. More: Leenknegt will manage Vans' global marketing and creative teams. Leenknegt previously held the same responsibilities at Timberland, another VF-owned brand. Leenknegt previously served as a marketing executive at Nike. Vans' revenue fell 14% YoY during its latest quarter.

A message from our sponsor, Remote. Remote makes it easy for any company to hire and pay anyone, anywhere in the world.  Your trusted HR team in every country! As the Employer of Record, Remote fully owns and operates entities in the markets we serve so you don’t have to. You’ll save time and money while protecting your business and employees. We offer comprehensive coverage at rates meant for larger groups — even if you’re still a small team.  Get personalized service from our HR and legal experts during every step of your global hiring journey. We do the work to understand and proactively act on local labor and tax law requirements. Our fair price guarantee means that you can say goodbye to 3rd party markups and hidden fees. Retain full ownership of your IP and invention rights in every country where you operate.  We help you understand tax treatment in each country so you can offer the best plans and packages. For employees looking to apply a special tax regime in their country, which will help them maximize their take-home pay, we have an expert team to help them navigate the process free of charge. We're proactive and not reactive about our customer service. We care for you, the customer, and that is why we make every interaction count. Start onboarding your team in a few clicks! Start today

5 Instacart is enhancing FoodStorm. The order management system will gain new omnichannel fulfillment capabilities. More: FoodStorm provides multi-channel order management, payment, and fulfillment solutions for retailers. Customers can now specify their requests and preferences for prepared food through the platform. The platform will also enable retailers to expand their online assortments. Instacart acquired FoodStorm in 2021.

6 Reformation opened a flagship store in New York last week. The D2C fashion brand seeks to build out its brick-and-mortar footprint. More: Reformation opened a 2,612-square-foot store in New York's SoHo neighborhood. The store integrates e-commerce technology, including touch screens for selecting items in dressing rooms. The new location marks the company's 39th retail store worldwide. The company operates stores in the U.S., Canada, England, and South Korea.

7 QUICK HITS Protect your code with help from Docker. Read our white paper to learn how to stay ahead of security threats and build a resilient tech stack.* Cart.com was valued at $1.2B in a $60M Series C funding round. Odoo received a $164M (€150M) investment to expand its integrated business software globally. U.S. Bank launched a commercial rewards card for middle-market companies. Best Buy launched new tiered membership options as consumer spending remains under pressure. It's never been easier for your sales organization to accelerate growth. Learn how AI and more can help you sell in a whole new way.* *This is a sponsored post.

Upcoming Events JUN 29 Inside.com Book Club - Automate Your Busywork (June 2023) Virtual Register Here JUL 12 Monthly Meditation guided by Nicholas Whitaker Virtual Register Here OCT 16 Meet Our Fund 5, Building and Investing in AI San Mateo, California Save Your Seat * This is a sponsored event

Knowledge Hub Term of the Day Product positioning: Product positioning involves creating a unique value proposition and an emotional connection between the customer and the product or service. Read More Question of the Week How do you feel about the phrase "The customer is always right"? Join the conversation

INSIDE ECOMMERCE LEADERBOARD (7 DAYS) 🥇 Irina Poslavsky (14) 🥈 Usman Adepoju (3) 🥉 Cosmas Gabriel (3)

Gregory Bridgman Writer / Editor Gregory Bridgman is a writer and researcher with an academic background in politics and the philosophy of science and technology. He holds a BA from the University of Cape Town, an MS from University College London, and a Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge. He is interested in climate issues, technological changes, and the implications of the fourth industrial revolution. Please feel free to contact me at gregory@inside.com! This newsletter was edited by Aaron Crutchfield

Discover more on inside.com/ecommerce Thanks for reading today's issue of Inside Ecommerce. Explore Explore

Invest in Fine Wine and Rare Spirits.

Meet the new standard in global HR, benefits and payroll for business, big and small.

Share Email Share on Twitter Open in Browser Open in Browser Open in Browser

Did someone forward this email to you? Get your free subscription here. Interested in sponsoring this newsletter? Connect with our sales team here. You received this email because you are subscribed to Inside Ecommerce. Manage your subscription or unsubscribe here. 767 Bryant St. #203, San Francisco, CA 94107 Copyright © 2023 Inside.com