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Buy With Prime, which launched in 2022, gives retailers who are not Amazon merchants fulfillment and delivery through its logistics network. Its newest features aim to pull in fee revenue from shops outside of Amazon.com during the peak holiday season. Along with speedy deliveries, Prime shoppers can now return items purchased through Buy With Prime outside of Amazon.com without shipping labels and boxes. Amazon also announced that Prime customers who buy from Buy With Prime merchants can now see their order history on their apps and have 24-hour access to customer service representatives. Amazon last week launched a Shopify app for Buy With Prime, giving the Canadian e-commerce giant's 2 million merchants access to Amazon's 175 million Prime members.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Peter Larsen, Arriana McLymore, Stephen Coates Organizations: REUTERS, Amazon.com, National Retail Federation, Amazon, Thomson Locations: Staten Island , New York, U.S, New York City

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJAKARTA, Nov 13 (Reuters) - TikTok has been holding talks with Indonesian e-commerce companies about possible partnerships, an Indonesian minister said on Monday, a month after Southeast Asia's largest economy banned online shopping on social media platforms. "Some e-commerce companies in Indonesia have talked to TikTok," he said in an interview, citing what the companies' executives told him. It was a particular blow to TikTok, which was forced to close its e-commerce service TikTok Shop. A TikTok Indonesia spokesperson was not available to comment. Until it stopped operations, TikTok Shop was delivering about 3 million parcels a day in Indonesia, sources have said.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Teten Masduki, TikTok, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Blibli, Joko Widodo, Shou Zi Chew, Teten, Indonesia's, SEA's, Stanley Widianto, Ananda Teresia, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Indonesian, GoTo's, TikTok, YouTube, Meta, Google, Temasek Holdings, Bain & Co, HK, Lazada, Thomson Locations: Rights JAKARTA, Indonesian, Indonesia, Southeast, Singapore

☆ Xiaomi claims a record $3.11 billion in Singles Day sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

(Photo by Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesBEIJING — Chinese smartphone and consumer electronics company Xiaomi claimed record sales across platforms during the Singles Day shopping festival. For a second-straight year, the two online shopping giants declined to share total figures for the Singles Day shopping festival. That's the same figure JD shared for Singles Day results in 2021. The company also claimed first place in different categories of Chinese brands' smartphone sales across other online shopping platforms. In 2022, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Alibaba had said its Singles Day sales were "in line" with the prior year, which had recorded the equivalent of $84.54 billion GMV at the time.

Persons: Xiaomi, JD.com, JD, Alibaba, Tmall Organizations: Getty, Nurphoto, Apple, HSBC, Bain and Company Locations: YICHANG, CHINA, Yichang, Hubei province, China, BEIJING, Hong Kong, Alibaba, 2023e, 2024e

☆ Is that $35 Apple Watch real? How misleading TikTok influencer videos could be the next big headache in e-commerce
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Tyler linked his post to a $34.88 smartwatch available on TikTok Shop from a merchant called MoonMates, which did not represent the item as Apple-made. Because the video featured a TikTok Shop tag, Tyler was likely eligible for a commission on any watch sales his video generated. Others may do it unintentionally because they're not entirely sure whether a steeply discounted TikTok Shop product is authentic. If false video reviews proliferate across TikTok Shop, it could pose an existential risk for the nascent e-commerce platform. TikTok user Vincent Patritto went viral in September after promoting a pair of Crocs that were available on TikTok Shop.

Persons: Austin Tyler, Tyler, TikTok, they're, Brett Hollenbeck, Hollenbeck, it's, Vincent Patritto, they've, Patritto, Lululemon Athletica, Influencers, aren't Organizations: Apple, Apple Watch, Shop, UCLA's Anderson School of Management, New, Prime, YouTube, Expedia, UCLA

☆ Apple asked Amazon to block rival ads. Insider found evidence of this special treatment, while others suffer from 'junk ads'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Eugene Kim | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

Other companies's product pages are cluttered with a mix of ads and product recommendations from competitors or sometimes irrelevant brands. The latest Apple product pages on Amazon have none of this extra marketing. In contrast, Amazon search results for other brands, such as Samsung and Sony, show at least two or three sponsored ads from rivals. At the time, Apple also asked Amazon to make its product pages clean, without any non-Apple product recommendations. By providing "accurate, relevant and qualitative content on Apple Product pages," Apple has been able to address much of the counterfeit issues on Amazon, the iPhone maker said.

Persons: Jeff Bezos, Apple, Jeff Wilke, Kaziukenas, Amazon's, Wilke, Bose, it's, I'm, —, Bezos, Amazon Organizations: Amazon, Federal Trade Commission, Samsung Galaxy, Microsoft, Samsung, Apple, Sony, House, Committee, LG, Galaxy, FTC, Adidas

Data released on Thursday showing a drop in consumer prices to their lowest since the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the doubts in China's economic rebound after some months of indicators showing growth stabilising. China's big online shopping platforms did not release final sales figures for 2022, when analysts said COVID-19 restrictions inhibited spending and consumer confidence. Some indicators point to a slowdown in Singles Day sales. Data provider Syntun estimated e-commerce platforms sold 311 billion yuan of products from Oct. 31 to Nov. 3, a 7.1% decrease year-on-year. For Tan Jiapeng, a 35-year-old office worker in Beijing, his only Singles Day purchase so far has been a Descente winter jacket, an "essential purchase" for the winter.

Persons: Florence Lo, Jason Yu, Kantar, COVID, Bain, Jacob Cooke, Nomura, Tan Jiapeng, Tan, Casey Hall, Sophie Yu, Marius Zaharia Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, HK, PDD Holdings, Company, Technologies, Thomson Locations: Rights BEIJING, China, Beijing

☆ Meta lets Amazon shoppers buy products on Facebook and Instagram without leaving the apps
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

"For the first time, customers will be able to shop Amazon's Facebook and Instagram ads and check out with Amazon without leaving the social media apps," an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement. Amazon said last month that sales in its online ad business grew 26% from a year earlier in the third quarter to $12.06 billion. By partnering with Amazon, Meta can make it easier to allow shops to sell goods on Facebook and Instagram without creating custom storefronts on those apps. Meta provided some details about the new feature on Tuesday on a support page titled "Purchase with Amazon without leaving Facebook or Instagram." "You can check out with Amazon without leaving Facebook or Instagram, and experience more relevant ads."

Persons: Mark Zuckerberg, that's, Stuart McMullin, Maurice Rahmey, Rahmey, —, Annie Palmer Organizations: Meta, Facebook, Amazon, LinkedIn, CNBC Locations: Menlo Park , California, U.S, Pinterest

AdvertisementAdvertisementThere are many ways to narrow down your options for a business bank account, including interest rates. Business vs. personal bank account interest rates at online banks*Current and prior American Express Rewards Checking customers aren't eligible for American Express Business Checking. Business banking vs. personal banking: What you need to knowOpening a business bank account involves more documentation than opening a traditional bank account. AdvertisementAdvertisementFor example, you might consider getting a business checking account over a personal checking account because it offers greater protection and access to merchants' services. Products in this post: Bank of America Advantage Savings Account, Bank of America Savings Account, Chase Business Premier Savings, Chase Premier Savings℠ Account, Regions Bank Business Premium Money Market, Regions LifeGreen® Savings Account, U.S. Bank Platinum Business Money Market Account, U.S. Bank Elite Money Market Account, Wells Fargo Business Platinum Savings, Wells Fargo Platinum Savings Account, American Express Business Checking, American Express® High Yield Savings Account, Axos Business Interest Checking, Axos Bank Rewards Checking, Live Oak Bank Business Savings, Live Oak Bank Online Savings Account, Nationwide Business Premium Savings, Nationwide My Savings Account, NBKC Business Money Market Account, NBKC Money Market Account, BlueVine Business Checking Account, Bethpage Federal Credit Union Business Money Market, Bethpage Federal Credit Union Money Market Account, Blue Federal Credit Union Business Tiered Money Market, Blue Federal Credit Union Accelerate Savings, Consumers Credit Union Business Money Market, Consumers Credit Union Free Rewards Checking Account, Premier Members Credit Union Money Market Account, Premier Members Credit Union Business Money Market Account, Signature Federal Credit Union High-Yield Checking Account, Signature Federal Credit Union Business High Yield Checking

Persons: —, you'll Organizations: Service, U.S . Bank, Business, American, Consumers Credit Union, Products, Bank of America, Chase Business Premier Savings, Chase Premier, Regions Bank, LifeGreen, Bank, Wells, Savings, Wells Fargo, Express, Oak Bank Business Savings, Oak Bank, Business Premium Savings, Nationwide, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Money, Federal Credit Union, Blue Federal Credit Union, Money Market, Consumers Credit, Credit, Credit Union Locations: Florida, Alabama, U.S, Illinois, Wisconsin, Wells Fargo, Bethpage

☆ Singles Day: China’s e-commerce giants try to lure reluctant consumers with ‘truly low’ prices
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Laura He | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

The Singles Day festival, also known as “Double 11,” was created by Alibaba in 2009 and has turned into a weeks-long shopping bonanza in China. To lure them, e-commerce platforms are offering rock bottom prices this Singles Day. “While the government is looking for solid consumption growth, consumer spending is hampered by both lower household income growth and weak consumer confidence,” said Louis Kuijs, chief Asia economist at S&P Global Ratings. This is a real downgrade in consumption,” the user said, adding she hadn’t yet spent any money during the current Singles Day. “Some promotions are fake,” said another user under the name “Nyanko.” “Merchants have raised prices before cutting them for Singles Day.

Persons: ”, Alibaba, Alibaba’s, JD.com’s, Pinduoduo’s, ” “, Alicia Yap, Zhejiang province Hu Xiaofei, Louis Kuijs, ” Kuijs, Jacob Cooke, “, ” Cooke, Cooke, John Donahoe, Lululemon Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Companies, Citi, “, China’s, Technologies, Bain and Company, Pinduoduo, Nike, . Company, Starbucks Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Jinhua, Zhejiang province, Asia

☆ TikTok Is Bringing Logistics to the E-Commerce Dance
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( Liz Young | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Influencers and content creators on TikTok recommend products to their followers with direct links to purchase the items online. Photo: bay ismoyo/Agence France-Presse/Getty ImagesTikTok, the viral video-sharing platform, is betting heavily on logistics as it tries to turn its outsize streaming audience into a big share of the U.S. e-commerce market. The social-media app is setting up a network of warehouses and fulfillment operations, taking on nuts-and-bolts tasks such as managing inventory and delivery from the array of independent merchants that are selling goods to TikTok’s legions of followers.

Organizations: Agence France Locations: U.S

☆ US commits $553 mln financing for Adani terminal venture at Colombo port
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Traffic moves past the logo of the Adani Group installed at a roundabout on the ring road in Ahmedabad, India, February 2, 2023. REUTERS/Amit Dave/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCOLOMBO, Nov 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) said it will provide $553 million financing for a Colombo port terminal project, partly owned by India's Adani Group, advancing the first foray by an Indian company into the sector. Ports-to-edible oils Adani group, controlled by Indian billionaire Gautam Adani, holds a 51% stake in the west container terminal of the port, which also has a terminal run by China Merchants Port Holdings Co Ltd (0144.HK). India extended about $4 billion in swaps and credit lines to Sri Lanka last year, providing critical support to import fuel, medicine and fertiliser during the worst of the crisis. Sri Lankan conglomerate John Keells Holdings owns 34% of the WCT and the rest is held by the state-run Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

Persons: Amit Dave, Gautam Adani, Scott Nathan, Uditha Jayasinghe, Kim Coghill Organizations: Adani, REUTERS, Rights, U.S . International Development Finance Corporation, India's Adani, China Merchants Port Holdings Co, HK, West, John Keells Holdings, WCT, Sri Lanka Ports Authority, Thomson Locations: Ahmedabad, India, Colombo, Indian, Sri Lanka, China, Sri

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — The U.S. announced a $553- million project Wednesday to build a new, deep-water shipping container terminal in the Port of Colombo as it competes with China in international development financing. The U.S.-backed financing comes at a time when Sri Lanka is struggling to recover from a dire financial and economic crisis. Sri Lanka borrowed heavily from China to build the port and other infrastructure including an airport and a city being built on reclaimed land. Both neighboring India and China are jostling for influence in Sri Lanka and both have already invested in expanding facilities at the Colombo port. Colombo port also has a terminal run by China Merchants Port Holdings.

Persons: ”, Scott Nathan, Sri Lanka’s John Keells, Lanka’s, Wang Wenbin, William & Mary, AidData, China's, saysChina, Bradley Parks, “, ” ___ Didi Tang Organizations: South, U.S . International Development Finance Corp, West, Local, Sri, Sri Lanka’s John Keells Holdings, Initiative, Foreign Ministry, China Merchants Port Holdings, CHEC Port City Colombo Co, China Communications Construction Company, William & Locations: COLOMBO, Sri Lanka, U.S, Port, Colombo, China, Bay, Bengal, Beijing, Hambantota Port, Hambantota, India, oceanside, Port City, Virginia, “ Beijing, Washington

☆ Shopify's new marketplace takes a markedly different approach than Amazon's
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Like on the app, shoppers using the new site can search for and purchase products from across Shopify's merchant base. Shop Cash can only be redeemed on Shop. The app and website also display special offers from merchants where shoppers' Shop Cash rewards are multiplied. Shopify's web app and Shop app before it are as much marketplaces as Amazon," Juozas Kaziukėnas, CEO of e-commerce intelligence firm Marketplace Pulse, told Insider. We're not disclosing just yet, but the Shop app is becoming much more popular," company president Harley Finkelstein said in response.

Persons: Shopify, Rick Watson, Watson, they've, Siti Panigrahi, Harley Finkelstein Organizations: Google, RMW Commerce Consulting, Cash, Shopify, Shoppers, Shop, Mizuho Securities, LTV, Amazon

☆ Klarna, Europe's $6.7 billion buy now, pay later firm, sets wheels in motion for eventual IPO
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Buy now, pay later firm Klarna has established a holding company in the U.K. that will sit at the top of its corporate structure, in a symbolic move that paves the path for an eventual listing. A Klarna spokesperson confirmed to CNBC that the Stockholm-based business, which lets shoppers defer payments over a period of instalments, has begun a legal entity restructuring to set up the holding company. "Klarna Holding will continue to be the regulated financial holding company under the direct supervision of the SFSA and we will continue to hold a Swedish banking license." It differs from these competitors in its flexible payment plans, known as buy now, pay later. WATCH: Klarna's buy now pay later losses are 30% below industry standard, says CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski

Persons: Klarna, hasn't, Sebastian Siemiatkowski Organizations: CNBC, Heartland, PayPal, Sequoia Locations: Stockholm, Sequoia, Swedish, Silver, Britain, Sweden

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNEW YORK, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) punished its own sellers to limit Walmart's reach as Walmart got into e-commerce, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Like Amazon, Walmart operates a third-party online marketplace, with merchandise from thousands of independent sellers. This, Amazon realized, could result in sellers passing on those savings to customers, the FTC said. To hamstring Jet.com, Amazon removed some third-party sellers' offers from its Buy Box. Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said the FTC "grossly mischaracterizes" the pricing tool and the company stopped using it several years ago.

Persons: Gonzalo Fuentes, it's, Burt Flickinger, Jet.com, Tim Doyle, Siddharth Cavale, Vanessa O'Connell, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Viva Technology, Porte de, REUTERS, Amazon.com Inc, Walmart, Federal Trade Commission, Jet.com, Amazon, FTC, Jet, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, New York

Chris DongCapital One's third airport lounge is a 10,800 square-foot "glass fishbowl" in Denver International Airport (DEN). Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business Card† credit cardholders get unlimited complimentary access and can bring up to two guests for free. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Spark Miles for Business† cardholders get two complimentary passes per year. Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture X Business Card† cardholders enjoy unlimited complimentary access to all Capital One Lounges. The parents' room in Capital One's Denver airport lounge offers a quiet space for rest, diaper changes, and feedings.

Persons: Chris Dong, cardholders, Business † cardholders, —, chai, chia Organizations: Business, Venture, Denver International Airport, Chris Dong Capital, Denver International, Service, Dulles, Fort, International, Capital, One, Premier, Rockies, Colombe, Fenway, Cervecería, Yacht Club, Sunrise, Denver Travelers, Chase Locations: Denver, High City, Washington, Dallas, Fort Worth, DFW, One's, Concourse A, Colorado, Downtown Denver, Cervecería Colorado, Capital One's Denver

☆ Shopify shares surge 20% on earnings beat, rosy guidance
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Gross merchandise volume, or the total volume of merchandise sold on the platform, rose 22% to $56.2 billion during the quarter. The solid earnings beat comes after Shopify, which makes tools for companies to sell products online, has sharpened its focus on costs. The sale included Deliverr, the last-mile delivery company Shopify acquired for $2.1 billion last May. During the quarter, Shopify announced a partnership with Amazon that allows its merchants fast and free Prime delivery on their storefronts off Amazon. Shopify also invested in online marketplace Faire as part of a deal that will make it the recommended wholesale platform for Shopify merchants.

Persons: Shopify, Gross, FactSet, Jeff Hoffmeister Organizations: Amazon

☆ Wholesale marketplace Faire, which raised $416 million 18 months ago, laid off 250 workers in a company-wide restructuring
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Faire, the wholesale marketplace company, laid off about 250 employees on Wednesday. This is the second time in just over a year that the company has laid off workers, although this second restructuring appears to be bigger. Faire is an online marketplace that connects independent brands with retailers that can stock their products in their stores. Faire recently announced a partnership with Shopify that established Faire as the preferred wholesale marketplace for Shopify merchants. Shopify also became a shareholder in Faire as part of the deal, which Insider first reported on in July.

Persons: Shopify, We're, who've, Layoffs.fyi Organizations: Dragoneer Investment, Sequoia Capital, Founders Fund, Forerunner Ventures, Tech Locations: mstone@insider.com

☆ Amazon and Shopify sellers are using AI to save time, better understand their customers, and improve their profit margins
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Madeline Stone | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

They're using AI to write product descriptions and analyze reviews to understand their customers. Sellers using e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Shopify are experimenting with AI to help them write product descriptions, optimize for SEO, and collate reviews so they can better understand how customers feel about their products. Matt Rollens owns a drinking-glass brand called Dragon Glassware and sells his wares on Amazon, Shopify, Etsy, and Walmart. Matt RollensHe told Insider he uses Perci, which uses AI to generate optimized product listings for Amazon sellers. Amazon, Shopify, and eBay have all launched their own AI tools and integrated them directly into the platform.

Persons: —, Matt Rollens, Rollens, there's, Mikey Kim, Olivier Toubia, Toubia, Robert Gomez, Gomez, hasn't, Kaffe, they're, Miqdad Organizations: Service, Walmart, Columbia Business School, Target, QVC, eBay Locations: Shopify

☆ [WATCH NOW] How to drive growth with seamless omnichannel payments
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Sponsor Post | Created Insider Studios With Paypal | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

At the recent event, "How Enterprise Merchants Can Leverage Seamless Omnichannel Payments to Drive Growth," experts shared insights on how to maximize customer conversions. Watch now and find out how to embed a seamless omnichannel experience into your customer engagement strategy. Omnichannel payments are vital to merchant growthOmnichannel can only deliver a seamless customer experience with a strong payment infrastructure behind it. Today's customers want a seamless omnichannel experience, and if your business can't offer that, they'll find one that can. Watch the video below to learn how adopting omnichannel payments can help your business drive greater growth.

Persons: Julie Fergerson, Fergerson, they're, Cindy Turner, Adam Kronengold, Vince Camuto, Eddie Bauer, Kronengold, Turner Organizations: Merchant Risk Council, PayPal, National Retail, Retail, Authentic Brands, Insider Studios Locations: National Retail Federation's, PayPal Braintree, Braintree

☆ DoorDash warns customers who don't tip: your order could be slower
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Grace Dean | Alex Bitter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

DoorDash is reminding customers their orders may be quicker if they leave a tip for their driver. It's the latest attempt by DoorDash to encourage customers to tip more. In June, DoorDash starting sending tip "nudges" to customers, reminding them that they can increase tips for 30 days after a delivery. "In some cases, customers place orders through merchants directly and are not given the option to provide a tip on an order," DoorDash notes on its website. "This does not mean the customer chose not to leave a tip – it means they were not given the opportunity to leave a tip when they placed their order."

Persons: DoorDash, —, Jenn Rosenberg, " Rosenberg Organizations: Service, Wall Street

It also provides apps for merchants to sell directly on marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart, which are also building out AI additions for merchants. As part of the AI suite, Shopify launched AI app Sidekick, which helps sellers decide on inventory, promotions and marketing, lessening their dependence on third-party widgets. Analysts expect sales of Shopify's merchant products, which includes Shopify Magic, to increase 21% to $1.2 billion compared to last year, the first deceleration in four quarters. Shopify Magic is part of the company's long-term strategy to gain more merchants on its platform that will pay higher prices for its services. Shopify's subscriptions include Shopify Magic at no additional charge.

Persons: Chris Wattie, Jeff Hoffmeister, Shopify, Michael Morton, Hunter, Harley Finkelstein, Angelo Zino, Zino, Arriana McLymore, Josie Kao Organizations: REUTERS, Walmart, CFRA, Thomson Locations: Ottawa , Ontario, Canada, LSEG, Ottawa, New York City

Alibaba's Taobao and Tmall Group did not respond to a request for comment. This year's Singles Day event is also the first since Alibaba Group split into six business units. This view is supported by recent polls on social media where the majority of respondents said Singles Day was no longer necessary. Meara He, a 21-year-old student from Wenzhou, says she often shops using Douyin live-streams and this year, "doesn't care" about Singles Day as much. "In the past I would wait for Double 11 (Singles Day) and do some shopping, but this time I just plan to buy products that I need," she said.

Persons: Alibaba, Pinduoduo, Josh Gardner, Alibaba's, Ashley Dudarenok, AlixPartners, Douyin, Melody Zhao, Casey, Sophie Yu, Brenda Goh Organizations: PDD Holdings, Kungfu, Tmall, Administration, Market, ByteDance, Alibaba, Suisse, Industry, Hua Gui Food Group, Casey Hall, Thomson Locations: SHANGHAI, HK, China, Wenzhou, Shanghai, Beijing

☆ Military Spending Is Something Both Political Extremes Get Wrong - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-31 | by ( Paul Krugman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Then there’s the war in Ukraine, where many on both the far left and the far right want to cut off aid, effectively giving Vladimir Putin victory. There are multiple reasons for that convergence, most of which I’ll leave to other analysts. But one common theme on the left and the right is the claim that we can’t afford the expense of that aid. What people making such claims should know is that their views about how much we spend on the military are generations out of date. Military spending today is much smaller as a share of the economy than it was then:

Persons: Vladimir Putin, I’ve, Dwight Eisenhower Organizations: Ukraine Locations: Ukraine, Israel, Spanish

☆ TikTok is testing an AI tool that identifies products in user videos so it can sell similar items via its e-commerce platform
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Dan Whateley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

TikTok has started shilling products for sale using videos that have nothing to do with shopping, as it continues its charge into e-commerce. The company is using artificial intelligence to scan videos, identify items, and encourage users to buy similar products through its e-commerce marketplace, TikTok Shop. The company uses machine-object detection to identify products in videos and suggest similar product categories, they said. TikTok added a "Shop now" button to Insider reporter Shriya Bhattacharya's video, encouraging other users to shop for wedding dresses on TikTok Shop. The arrival of shopping buttons on regular TikTok videos shows how deeply the company is integrating e-commerce into the app's overall user experience.

Persons: TikTok, it's, Shriya Bhattacharya, Shriya, Bhattacharya Organizations: Facebook, Google

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