YouTube Inks Amazon Partnership to Boost Online Shopping Bet at Bloomberg. “YouTube creators can now seamlessly tag Amazon products in their videos and livestreams, driving more business directly to the enormous global marketplace while taking a cut from sales. “It’s the biggest online retailer in the world coming together with the most-used application on the internet,” YouTube Shopping chief Travis Katz said in an interview.” Bloomberg subs.

 

…Livestream shopping is gaining steam in the U.S., thanks to apps like TikTok and Whatnot at CNBC. “It feels like things are really, really clicking and live shopping is becoming a bit more mainstream,” said Whatnot’s Chief Revenue Officer Armand Wilson. “In year one, it was largely all collectibles … Now pretty much anyone can download Whatnot and find something for them.” Read more

 

Amazon Ads Launches “First Day Ready,” Targeting Gen Z College Students “Gatorade, Michael Kors, and SharkNinja join Amazon Ads back-to-college brand partnership…On September 5, the campaign moves to campus with a block party at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.” Press release

 

Kohl’s Names Ryan Waymire Chief Merchandising Officer “Most recently, he was SVP of Fashion at Walmart U.S. Prior to that, he was GM, Brand President for BirchLane at Wayfair…” Press release

 

Federal Trade Commission and 22 states sue Amazon over inflated advertising prices at AP. “The lawsuit…claims that Amazon overcharged 1.2 million advertising customers by misleading them on prices for online auctions for ads. The complaint says Amazon said it was offering competitive prices on several ad products when it was actually inflating auction prices.” Read more

 

…How Amazon’s ‘Secret’ Ad Pricing System Worked, According to the FTC at WSJ. “The allegations center on an auction system Amazon uses to determine prices for ads known as Sponsored Products, Sponsored Brands and Sponsored Display… Instead of having the winner pay just above the second-highest bidder, Amazon started charging advertisers higher prices set after an auction was completed.” WSJ subs.

 

Shein’s shares fall after Hong Kong trading debut at AP. “Shein raised about $1.7 billion, priced at HK$48.56 ($6.19) a share, in its initial public offering…But in early trading, the shares fell to below HK$44 before losses narrowed.” Read more

 

The Store Isn’t Dead—but the Merchant Model Is at HBR. “…the store-in-store model deserves far more attention than it receives in the United States…This is not a call for retailers to rent out space indiscriminately. A weak platform becomes a bazaar. A strong platform has rules…” Read more

 

What Back-to-School Tells Canadian Retailers About the Seasons Ahead at Boston Consulting Group

 

Don’t Let Retail Media Tell You It’s Brand Building at Adweek. “Retail media is nothing new. It’s slotting fees with a fancy name and a dashboard. Ever since the 1980s, brands have been paying retailers for a whole raft of favors: shelf position, end caps, gondola ends, and the distinct privilege of not being delisted. Retail media just represents its natural evolution. And like slotting fees, none of the manufacturers paying into the retail media machine are going to complain about it.” Read more