Walmart's eComm Boom

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ECOMMERCE
Walmart’s eComm Boom

Walmart is quietly becoming a digital retail powerhouse, thanks to its sharp focus on eCommerce.

No longer just a big box store where you’d buy socks and storage bins before you go away to college. And, not just the largest grocer in the country (Axios). Walmart has slowly but surely become an all-around juggernaut. With the adoption of Artificial Intelligence and a rapidly growing online marketplace, Walmart has moved into direct competition with Amazon.

AI: The Invisible Stockboy

Walmart's eCommerce sales are through the roof, up 21% last quarter (Retail Dive). How'd they do it? By letting robots do the heavy lifting. They have AI working overtime, managing their product assortment & data, improving search & product recommendations, and making sure your cart is full of things you didn’t know you needed. The overall result is more efficiency for Walmart and a better customer experience for you.

The way they’re using AI is sort of like having a super-smart, never-sleeping employee to stock shelves while moonlighting as a personal shopper. Remember when Ryan compared the Dunder Mifflin website to a salesman who works 24/7?

Walmart Marketplace: The Everything Store 2.0

Walmart's online marketplace is blowing up fast—like faster than Tyreek Hill fast—growing 32% last quarter (Retail Brew). They’ve moved beyond home essentials and recruited an army of online sellers focused on everything from beauty products to second-hand clothes and refurbished tech like Postmark or eBay.

They're also helping their sellers ship stuff faster with Walmart Fulfillment Services similar to Amazon’s network of fulfillment centers. More efficient shipping solutions boost, both, customer satisfaction and marketplace growth.

Digital Transformation

Walmart’s shift to digital-first retail is paying off. With AI streamlining operations and expanding the marketplace, the company is keeping pace with the evolving retail landscape. As the holiday season approaches, these innovations are likely to keep Walmart’s eCommerce momentum strong, proving the retail giant is just as formidable online as it is in stores.

TECH
Apple Unveils iPhone 16

Apple's iPhone 16 announcement introduced upgrades to its display and performance, the most significant changes surround the camera and new AI-powered features.

• 48MP Camera: The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus, both, feature a 48MP camera with a 2x optical-quality telephoto lens, which will provide improved image quality, depth, and low-light performance.

• Spatial Photography: This feature enables users to capture photos that create more immersive, three-dimensional memories, designed to work seamlessly with Apple Vision Pro.

• Advanced Video Recording: Enhanced video capabilities include spatial audio capture and wind noise reduction, improving both video and audio quality for content creators and casual users alike.

• A18 Pro Chip: Exclusive to the iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max, the A18 Pro chip boosts processing power for handling high-end gaming, multitasking, and AI functionalities.

• Display Sizes: The iPhone 16 Pro comes with a 6.3-inch display, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max boasts a massive 6.9-inch display, making them the largest iPhones yet.

• Battery Life & Charging: Apple made improvements to battery longevity and introduced faster wireless charging options, continuing to refine the balance between performance and energy efficiency.

• Personalized Suggestions: The iPhone 16 leverages AI to provide real-time, context-aware recommendations. Whether it’s suggesting apps based on usage patterns or surfacing reminders and shortcuts, these features aim to streamline daily activities.

• Improved Siri Capabilities: Siri has become more intuitive with voice recognition, providing more accurate responses and proactive suggestions based on user behavior and preferences.

• Pre-Orders & Availability: Pre-orders for the iPhone 16 lineup are live, with the phones’ official availability beginning on September 20, 2024.

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OTHER
Self-Checkout

• Olipop launches Mountain Dew dupe, Ridge Rush, as their 18th flavor in their line of better-for-you sodas.

• Meta announces the deprecation of Spark, Meta’s third party AR tools and content platform, effective Tuesday, January 14, 2025.

• Jannik Sinner & Aryna Sabalenka win U.S. Open Singles Championships.

• TikTok becomes official partner of the NHL’s Washington Capitals in a deal that includes road jersey patch sponsorship.

• Capri Sun calms every millennial’s nerves, squashing rumors that they are replacing their infamous pouch with 12oz bottles.

• Adobe shares updates on capabilities within Firefly, their generative AI model integrated within their video applications.

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