Welcome to this week’s eFocus, RepricerExpress’ weekly round-up of ecommerce and Amazon news.
Amazon cannabis delivery: Orlando couple shocked by find: BBC News reports that a couple in the US state of Florida got a surprise when opening an Amazon delivery after finding 65lb (30kg) of cannabis inside. The pair from Orlando spoke anonymously to local media about the unwanted drugs drop. They ordered plastic containers to use for storage, but the package arrived weighing far heavier than expected. They said that Amazon had offered them $150 (£110) in compensation for the incident via email. Continue reading…
Amazon Key system will allow delivery drivers to unlock customers’ doors: The Guardian reports that Amazon has launched a service allowing couriers to open customers’ front doors and leave deliveries inside. The Amazon Key system combines an app, home security camera and a smart lock that couriers will be able to unlock via the app once they have scanned the package to confirm its arrival. Users will receive a notification to their phone when a delivery driver arrives and can choose to watch the drop-off live on their smartphone via the cloud-connected camera. Continue reading…
238 cities and regions vie for second US Amazon headquarters: John Glenday at The Drum reports that 238 US cities and regions are falling over themselves in a bid to woo Amazon as it deliberates over where to build its second headquarters in the country. In a PR masterstroke, the e-tailer hasn’t committed to a specific geographic location and has instead invited interested parties to come forward with their own incentives to locate to a specific area, opening the floodgates to a barrage of pleas, pledges and promises from politicians desperate to win the prize. Continue reading…
13,547 sellers on Amazon Handmade vs. 1,003,822 on Etsy: Marketplace Pulse reports that Amazon Handmade currently has just over 900,000 products listed, up from 80,000 when it launched two years ago. Compared to Etsy’s catalogue of 49 million products. Both marketplaces have plenty of sellers stretching the definition of handmade beyond what most would expect it to be though. Pressure from investors has forced Etsy to redefine what handmade stands for a few times. On Amazon too, some of the products offered are not strictly handmade. Continue reading…
Amazon will soon let you order from restaurants using the Amazon app on your phone: Deirdre Bosa at CNBC reports that starting in November Amazon customers in select states will be able to order take-out from certain local restaurants directly through the Amazon app. Users will be able to browse participating restaurants, place their order and checkout with stored payment information all through the app, without any additional accounts or logins needed. The expansion of Amazon Pay integrates Clover point-of-sale systems, sending orders directly to restaurants in select states in the Northeast US. Continue reading…
It’s nearly the weekend…are you excited?
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