Ecommerce Product Releases: January 16, 2023

Here is a list of product releases and updates for mid-January from companies that offer services to online merchants. There are updates on artificial intelligence tools, ecommerce page builders, digital advertising, 3D design, small business grants, and more.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

Ecommerce Product Releases

Google Cloud unveils new AI tools for retailers. Google Cloud has introduced four new AI technologies to help retailers transform their in-store shelf-checking processes and enhance their ecommerce sites with more natural shopping experiences. The shelf-checking AI platform utilizes Google’s database of facts about people, places, and things, allowing retailers to recognize billions of products to ensure in-store shelves are right-sized and well-stocked. Google Cloud also introduced new AI personalization and browse features to help retailers upgrade their digital storefronts.

Google Cloud

Miva debuts no-code PageBuilder. Miva, Inc., a leading ecommerce software and service provider for mid-size and enterprise merchants, has released version 10.05 of its platform featuring PageBuilder, a no-code page deployment and management tool. The release advances the speed, flexibility, and effectiveness of the page-building process and is available now for all merchants on the Miva platform. The tool requires no third-party plugins, with a no-code feature set to manage complex ecommerce promotions and multichannel audiences easily.

Amazon’s Buy with Prime expands availability. Amazon has announced that Buy with Prime, the company’s direct-to-consumer offering for merchants’ own online stores, will be widely available to U.S.-based merchants by January 31. Previously, Buy with Prime was available to merchants by invitation only. The company also announced the launch of Reviews from Amazon, a new capability to help Buy with Prime merchants increase shopper trust and conversion and better inform purchase decisions on their own online stores.

BigCommerce releases Microsoft Ads and Listings. BigCommerce has announced a collaboration with Microsoft Advertising with the release of “Microsoft Ads and Listings” in the BigCommerce marketplace. BigCommerce merchants in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and New Zealand can now directly integrate their stores to reach millions of prospects searching across the Microsoft Advertising Network. Eligible BigCommerce merchants in the U.S. who are verified Bing Places for Business account holders and spend at least $250 on ads will receive $500 in free credits from Microsoft.

BigCommerce – Microsoft Advertising

PixCap launches an upgraded platform to create 3D designs. PixCap, a browser-based 3D design platform, has unveiled new 3D tools that enable designers to quickly and easily create and edit professional digital content. This upgraded version contains a more intuitive interface and a library of over 1,000 3D templates, eliminating the need for lengthy tutorials or building each 3D project from scratch. Designers can use PixCap’s templates (multiple objects) and models (singular objects), or import their own, by dragging them into their project for further editing.

Maergo and Shipium partner for fast, accurate ecommerce shipping. Maergo, a logistics technology provider, has announced a partnership with Shipium, a shipping platform for ecommerce retailers. Maergo provides 2-3 day package shipping by optimizing parcel delivery from order to destination through its multi-modal network. Shipium helps those same retailers address “the Prime problem” by modernizing their shipping software stack. Retailers who use both firms have experienced reduced shipping costs by 19% on average while improving speed and accuracy.

New Salesforce for Retail features personalized shopping moments. Salesforce has announced new features to help retailers optimize advertising sales, gain a single view of transactions across digital and physical stores, and unlock value from their customer data.  Salesforce for Retail Media helps merchants activate first-party data, giving them new audience insight and targeting abilities. New Commerce Cloud innovations create frictionless experiences to accelerate time to value, streamline operations, and keep shoppers returning to retailers’ digital stores. With Salesforce Genie Customer Data Cloud, retailers can unlock value from their existing customer data, drive efficiency by reducing integration costs, break down data silos, and manage data quality.

Kore.ai and mParticle partner for retail shopping personalization. Kore.ai, a conversational AI provider, and mParticle, an AI-native customer data platform for consumer brands, have announced a partnership to deliver an AI-based search engine and intelligent chatbots that personalize shopping experiences for retail shoppers. The partnership will enable businesses with digital shopping interfaces to deploy native-language search assistants and intelligent chatbots powered with customer insights to boost service in areas ranging from purchases to support.

Kore.ai

Pivotree launches commerce-as-a-service, empowering frictionless commerce. Pivotree, a provider of frictionless commerce services, has announced the launch of commerce-as-a-service to transform business operations quickly. The new packaged services, applied as a subscription model, aim at eliminating heavy upfront costs. CaaS gives businesses flexible service offerings, enabling them to leverage the services they need to drive digital transformation. By brokering strategic partnerships with providers such as Commercetools, SAP, Spryker, and VTEX, Pivotree can advance customers’ transformations.

BigCommerce announces integration with Amazon’s Buy with Prime. BigCommerce, in development with Amazon, has launched the Buy with Prime app, a new self-service integration for U.S. merchants with no coding required. Buy with Prime is shown to increase conversion by 25% on average. The Buy with Prime app for BigCommerce enables fast and easy onboarding, Amazon Display Ads activation, and a Buy with Prime button for products on any BigCommerce storefront.

Markt POS launches cloud-based POS for SMB grocery and specialty markets. Markt POS has announced a cloud-based retail point-of-sale software for small-to-medium grocery and specialty markets. Designed by multi-generational grocers with local shop owners in mind, Markt POS provides a seamless experience by combining all essential aspects of the grocery business in one platform, including payments, POS, loyalty features, ecommerce, and analytics. More than 300 U.S. stores have adopted Markt POS for their grocery operations.

Alibaba announces recipients of U.S. grants. Alibaba has announced the 50 recipients of its second annual Manifest Grants Program. The winners, representing a range of U.S. industries, regions, and cultures, will each receive U.S. $10,000, along with a host of resources from Alibaba and Manifest Grants Program partners. Created in collaboration with Hello Alice, the Alibaba Manifest Grants Program supports American SMBs. New to the Manifest Grants Program this year is the “Bonus Round,” wherein a select number of recipients will develop new products with Alibaba suppliers for the opportunity to win additional support.

Hello Alice – The Alibaba.com Manifest Grants Program