Here is a list of product releases and updates for late December from companies that offer services to online merchants. There are updates on shipping, one-click purchasing, analytics programs, and text-to-order shopping.
Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.
Ecommerce Product Releases
BigCommerce and Visa partner to speed up checkout. BigCommerce and Visa have announced a new partnership to provide Visa Checkout to BigCommerce merchants, enabling roughly 55,000 small and mid-market retailers to easily set up and accept the payment method on their branded websites. The integration allows the more than 28 million accounts already enrolled in Visa Checkout to use pre-stored payment details and address information to complete a purchase on BigCommerce stores, using desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
BigCommerce
ShippingEasy adds product recommendations. ShippingEasy, a provider of cloud-based shipping, inventory management, and customer marketing solutions, has added product recommendations to its platform. The new feature allows ecommerce retailers to tailor recommendations to each of their unique customers via packing slips, confirmation emails, shipment notification emails, delivery follow-up emails, and the new Automated Marketing Emails tool.
Fastbase predicts visitors with its new B2B web analytics software. Fastbase, a database of worldwide businesses, has announced the launch of its new “Predicted Visitor” software that uses artificial intelligence — and Google Analytics data — to predict which companies will visit a B2B website in the future. Companies can make intelligent predictions about their future business customers, transforming marketing strategies and enhancing customer experiences. The new software is powered by advanced machine learning algorithms that analyze the online behaviors and actions of billions of website visitors, companies, and websites. Predicted Visitor will be available in beta to all Google Partners at the end of January 2018 and to companies worldwide at the end of Q1 2018.
Fastbase
Facebook launches facial recognition tools to manage identity. Facebook has announced new, optional tools to help people better manage their identity on Facebook using facial recognition. Powered by the same technology used to suggest friends to tag in photos or videos, these new features help find untagged photos and help detect when others are using your image as their profile picture. Facebook is also introducing a way for people who are visually impaired to know more about the photos they encounter on Facebook.
My Size upgrades its BoxSizeID application. My Size, Inc., a developer of smartphone measurement apps, has announced that it is upgrading its BoxSizeID application to measure an object with a smartphone in just one step. BoxSizeID is an intuitive box measurement app that enables users to quickly measure the size of the box and accurately calculate the shipping fees.
eBay partners with Openbay to expand automotive parts sales to aftermarket industry. Openbay has partnered with eBay Motors to provide the availability of millions of searchable automotive parts and accessories for its online marketplace. Powered by eBay Motors, businesses can research, source, and acquire automotive parts directly through the Openbay dashboard. The section features original automotive parts, white label parts, national brand aftermarket parts, and remanufactured and used parts, as well as hard-to-find parts that are no longer manufactured.
Openbay
ShipStation partners with Magento vendors. ShipStation, a web-based ecommerce shipping solution, has announced the addition to its Solutions Providers Program of Guidance, Redstage Worldwide, EYStudios, and Kensium Solutions. These companies provide website development, marketing consulting, and search engine optimization services to merchants using the Magento platform. They can now offer ecommerce companies the ShipStation features and benefits — such as automating the choice of shipping carriers — to choose the lowest cost based on geography, product type, and weight; return labels in every shipment; insurance for international orders over a certain dollar amount; and more.
Divido and Digital River partner to help ecommerce brands offer instant financing. Divido, a retail finance platform, and Digital River, a provider of commerce-as-a-service solutions, have announced their payments partnership. The global partnership provides a solution that enables Digital River’s ecommerce clients to offer instant financing to their online customers. Divido works with merchants, banks, and intermediaries to offer this financing to consumers at the point of sale. While currently available in the U.K., Germany, and the Nordics, Divido will offer its unique finance platform to eight new countries in 2018.
Digital River
Crownpeak launches critical path monitoring to improve customer experiences and conversion rates. Crownpeak has unveiled its new Critical Path Monitoring solution to uncover issues related to the marketing technology stack that may hurt on-site conversion rates or impede marketing initiatives. Critical Path Monitoring allows online retailers to identify a path along the customer journey that is important to the business, such as the checkout process. The technology will simulate a real user and reveal any issues that negatively impact the user experience. This process is fully automated, which means that retailers can spot and correct problems immediately.
Visa and Perch Security partner to bring Visa Threat Intelligence to SMB merchants. Perch and Visa have announced a technology partnership with Perch Security’s Community Defense Platform to expand the reach of Visa Threat Intelligence to small and midsize merchants. Perch will enable businesses subscribing to Visa Threat Intelligence with the tools needed to consume that intelligence data automatically. Integration is currently in development. Perch anticipates the product will be available for merchants by spring 2018.
Peapod launches text-to-order grocery app. Online grocer Peapod is making it easier for consumers to shop on the go by launching a text-to-order grocery application. Using the chat-to-cart platform from StorePower, Peapod shoppers can use their phones’ text feature to type and speak (and even use popular emoji icons) to build and update their carts. There’s no cost to use this service and Peapod customers can begin using chat-to-cart by clicking a link or texting 1-833-TXT-PPOD. Customers will receive a welcome text from Peapod and can then utilize text ordering.
Peapod