Here are the 18 most important e-commerce news stories of 2024 that'll have the biggest impact on 2025. What would you add or remove? Join the convo on my LinkedIn post.
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#1) Congress passed a bill that requires TikTok to either sell to a US company or face removal from US app stores.
A move like that is unprecedented. TikTok made it clear it's not selling. An outright ban would ripple through the industry and brands and creators look to fill the giant hole that TikTok left.
#2) BigCommerce appointed Travis Hess, who joined the company as President in May, as its new CEO.
BigCommerce has been in desperate need of a change in leadership. 2025 could see major changes in the company that'll either seal its fate or put BigCommerce back on the map.
#3) Matt Mullenweg went on the attack against WP Engine.
WordPress partner companies, developers, and users are being forced to choose sides. Next year could prove to be a divisive period for the ecosystem at large with WordPress becoming vulnerable to give up market share.
#4) Buyer fee mania. Marketplaces are shifting fees from sellers to buyers.
When buyers and sellers leave a marketplace, there are limited places to go, inevitably resulting in the further consolidation of market share. Buyer fees that appear at checkout also make it more difficult for consumers to comparative shop.
#5) The de minimis loophole could be revised.
Removing or revising the loophole that allows Chinese brands to ship duty-free ultra cheap products to US consumers could be a win for US retailers, but could also increase the end cost of goods to consumers. However it could also force Chinese retailers to compete on US turf, which could bring down seller fees and prices.
#6) OpenAI to restructure into a for-profit business.
Given its current structure, OpenAI has been operating with its hands tied behind its back. Restructuring would take off its cuffs. Combined with antirust cases against Google and Amazon, this could lead to a shift in the balance of current market dominance.
#7) Shein to open its small-batch manufacturing model to brands and designers as a “supply chain as a service.”
Shein is embedding itself into the operations & livelihood of independent brands, much like Amazon did when it opened its marketplace to 3rd party sellers.
#8) Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok also owned by ByteDance, launched a standalone shopping app.
What works in China is often tested in Western markets. TikTok's got the market share dominance to launch a new independent marketplace overnight. Major US marketplaces better beware.
#9) PayPal took a slice of Shopify's payment action in the U.S.
2024 has already proven to be a major year for the company's PayPal Everywhere movement, and partnerships like this will continue to expand its payment processing footprint next year. It also proves that Stripe partnerships aren't impenetrable, which could help bring down processing fees for merchants.
#10) Amazon Prime squeezes an extra $2.99/month for ad-free experience
The price hikes won't stop there. The more valuable Amazon's video ad business becomes, the more costly the ad-free experience will need to be in relation. Amazon is pioneering a new era of streaming ads that will bleed into other platforms.
#11) PayPal is launching an ad network.
More ad networks is great for merchants and consumers alike. The ecosystem is in desperate need of more customer acquisition channels. Look how fast we ate up TikTok.
#12) Walmart integrated with StockX, and online sneaker and streetwear marketplace.
Marketplaces listing products on bigger marketplaces is a new phenomenon. Does this lead to further consolidation as niche marketplaces pledge their allegiances to the biggest players in the space?
#13) Temu opens its marketplace to US & EU sellers
It's always a slow burn when new marketplaces become available to sellers, but once the momentum starts, it's hard to stop a moving train. 2025 is the Great Chinese Marketplace Experiment for U.S. sellers.
#14) Squarespace went private
Going private allows the company to focus on long-term innovation and growth without the pressure of public market scrutiny, an advantage which might encourage other companies to explore privatization as well.
#15) Meta cannot tell users to “consent or pay”
Allowing users to opt-out of sharing their personal data could change the advertising world as we know it. Meta will have to rethink its monetization and data-collection strategies, potentially reshaping user incentivizes to share their personal data.
#16) Amazon launched a direct-from-China marketplace
It'll be harder to revise the de minimis loophole if U.S. retail goliaths like Amazon are also taking advantage of it. As more companies shift to this model to save costs, our country's infrastructure will be put to the test.
#17) OpenAI launches a prototype of its AI search engine
When a user starts some searches away from Google, they're likely to begin shopping searches on other platforms too. At this point, I already search ChatGPT more than Google throughout the day. 2025 could mark the first major shift in search in decades.
#18) Amazon teamed up with TikTok & Pinterest for in-app shopping
One way or another, you're going to shop on Amazon, no matter where you begin your search. That is if Amazon can help it. Embedded shopping partnerships like this will add even more advantages to selling on marketplaces. Shopify will be the closest friend of D2C with the reach of a marketplace.
What did I miss?
Which top e-commerce stories of 2024 would you have added to this list? Alternatively which stories am I overestimating their impact (and you'd remove from the list)?
Join the conversation on my LinkedIn post.