Hey there! Welcome to CartHustle, the ecommerce newsletter that's as good as the 'cha-ching' sound of a cash register.

Your order this week:

• eCommerce tool of the week 🪛

• Amazon’s Top Secret Project Unveiled 🙊

• Intuit Mailchimp and Wix Join Forces 🚀

• Costco’s ecomm performance and selling gold bars online 🪙

• eCommerce Book of the Week 📚

eCommerce Tool of the Week

(not a sponsor just a tool we like)

Bonjoro Testimonials lets you collect powerful video & text testimonials from your happiest customers and easily publish these to your website and social media channels at the click of a button.

Amazon: A Game-Changing AI Assistant Set to Transform Search and Shopping

Amazon is diving into the world of generative AI with Project Nile. Here's what you need to know:

Amazon is secretly developing Project Nile, a generative AI search engine designed to create a more personalized and conversational shopping experience for its customers.

Joseph Sirosh, Amazon's search head, is championing the project as a way to harness the "power of large language models" in the shopping realm. He envisions Project Nile as an AI assistant akin to an expert in-store salesperson.

Project Nile aims to provide personalized product recommendations and detailed comparisons. For example, if you ask for coffee maker recommendations, the AI might present multiple options, summarize reviews, and suggest picks based on your past purchases and preferences.

Additionally, Amazon recognizes the potential of mobile commerce and believes that Project Nile can significantly boost mobile sales. Despite mobile accounting for nearly 80% of Amazon searches, conversion rates on mobile devices lag behind the website. An intelligent AI assistant that facilitates natural conversations could bridge this gap. This will provide Amazon with a much-needed boost in mobile revenue.

The launch timeline for Project Nile still remains flexible, but Amazon is going all-in. The company is bolstering its teams to fulfill its vision of an AI that can synthesize Amazon's vast product information to cater to each customer's unique shopping needs.

In summary, Amazon's Project Nile is poised to revolutionize online shopping with its AI-powered search engine, promising a more personalized and convenient shopping journey for consumers.

Intuit Mailchimp Announces Wix Partnership + Buy With Prime

A promising collaboration is on the horizon for Mailchimp users who also have a Wix account. This partnership is set to streamline the syncing and organization of customer data, creating a seamless experience.

Marketers leveraging Wix will soon have the ability to customize campaigns based on real-time behavioral data from Mailchimp, utilizing segmentation and customer journey tools to drive enhanced engagement. Additionally, AI-powered features will be at their disposal, automating tasks and providing performance suggestions for strategy optimization.

The power of integrating customer data cannot be underestimated. The upcoming integration between Wix and Mailchimp promises a significant boost in functionality and ease of use for marketers, bridging the gap between marketing and business management.

This strategic partnership, combining Intuit's robust solutions with Wix's comprehensive online platform, offers mutual users the essential tools required to effectively manage and expand their businesses.

Anthony Scaglione, EVP of Global Partners at Wix, emphasized the strategic significance of this partnership, stating, "This partnership is a true collaboration of best-of-class solutions to support the ever-changing needs of businesses and will give users more tools to grow their businesses and thrive in today’s digital landscape."

The cross-platform integration will be gradually rolled out globally, starting with the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, promising an array of benefits for businesses looking to excel in the digital realm.

Boost Conversions and Enhance Customer Relationships with Mailchimp for Buy with Prime

Alloy Automation's Mailchimp for Buy with Prime app is set to revolutionize e-commerce.

This integration is designed to supercharge conversions and elevate the rapport between merchants and customers. It seamlessly transfers Buy with Prime events, like abandoned checkouts, and shopper contact details to Mailchimp's capable hands.

The result? Automated, personalized checkout recovery campaigns, masterminded by Mailchimp's Customer Journey Builder. These automations have been proven to generate up to 7 times more orders for users with connected stores compared to generic bulk emails.

Mailchimp users have even more to gain. After linking their stores with Mailchimp's e-commerce integrations, they typically experience a remarkable 21% boost in click-rates within a week.

Buy with Prime isn't just about increasing conversions; it's a game-changer for independent e-commerce websites. It empowers these businesses to harness the advantages of Prime, including swift, free shipping, seamless checkout, and hassle-free returns.

The combined might of these tools arms marketers with invaluable insights, enabling them to re-engage customers effectively. Through automated reminders and incentives, marketers can guide customers through complete purchase cycles, fostering enduring relationships.

Costco's E-commerce Sales Show Improvement, Yet Remain Down Year-Over-Year

Costco Wholesale Corp. has recently released its fiscal fourth-quarter results, shedding light on its e-commerce performance and overall growth.

Here are the key highlights:

Costco reported that its e-commerce sales remained relatively flat in its fiscal fourth quarter, ending on September 3, 2023.

Although exact dollar figures were not provided, the company noted a 0.8% year-over-year decrease in e-commerce sales for the quarter. Additionally, its e-commerce sales for the fiscal year saw a 5.7% decline compared to the previous year.

Despite the e-commerce fluctuations, Costco's overall sales exhibited robust growth, surging by 9.4% during the quarter.

To achieve that Costco has made significant improvements to its mobile e-commerce website, including redesigning parts of it, enhancing the account page, and introducing a digital membership card.

The mobile app now features a larger search bar, expanded selling space, an app box for messages and advertisements, and even an optical digital store where customers can virtually try on and order prescription glasses.

Moreover, the company is actively expanding its Costco Next initiative, which connects members with its top suppliers through an e-commerce website.

This platform allows members to purchase directly from Costco's suppliers, who handle shipping, customer service, and returns. Costco Next currently boasts 62 suppliers on its site and is onboarding more in various categories, including apparel, electronics, home improvement, pet, sports, and toys.

Costco's latest financial results reflect its efforts to adapt to changing consumer preferences and enhance its e-commerce offerings while maintaining strong growth in its core business.

eCommerce Book of the Week

eCommerce Marketing: How to Get Traffic That BUYS to Your Website

Have you struggled to work out how to improve your marketing?

This easy-to-read and hype-free book will help you to understand what marketing you should be doing, and how to optimize your marketing for sales growth.

Written to help time-poor eCommerce marketers and business owners, this book will become the marketing handbook that sits on your desk ready to help you solve each future marketing challenge.

As well as walking you through each of the essential eCommerce marketing methods it includes tips that will improve your marketing in every channel.

GET THE BOOK ON AMAZON

Signing off,

The Merchant @CartHustle