Who will gain the position of the online sales leader? eCommerce news no. 60

180 industry news from the world of eCommerce - this is the amount of content we have managed to publish for you so far in our regular series on our blog - Advox Press Release. Every two weeks, always on Tuesday, we present a subjective compilation of the most intriguing news from the world of online business. What awaits you in the 60th edition of this publication? Find out for yourself!

Amazon and Google in the race for the best use of artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence is becoming an increasingly important support for content creation in eCommerce. It already helps not only in editing descriptions but also in the process of preparing product photographs. Some time ago, Google released its tool for generative creation of advertised offer images. Photo Studio allows, among other things, to make simple modifications (e.g., improving photo quality), change backgrounds, or colours without the need for a professional graphic designer or photographer. This solution, mainly aimed at small and medium-sized entrepreneurs with limited budgets for professional photo sessions, opens up new possibilities in the presentation of products online.

However, it's worth noting that Google is not the only company using the potential of Artificial Intelligence in this area. Amazon, the online sales leader, also recently introduced its own tool of this type, the Titan Image Generator. What characterises this solution? Amazon's tool stands out for its ability to generate images based on text descriptions and to adapt existing photos according to given prompts.

Titan Image Generator is not the only solution in Amazon's offering that uses AI. So far, the company has introduced, among other things, a tool that creates summaries of hundreds of reviews on the product page. You could read about it in the 52nd of the Press Review. Currently, the Titan Image Generator is only available in a demo version for AWS (Amazon Web Services) users, but it's certainly worth following its development and staying up-to-date with all changes.

Discover the detailed possibilities of Amazon's tool by clicking on this link. What do you think of such a solution?

Why do consumers give up on online shopping?

Industry reports typically study consumer preferences and needs. The independent polish organisation called Forum Konsumentów decided to approach this topic differently, examining the factors that discourage Poles from shopping online. What can be included among them?

Factors discouraging customers from online shopping include:

• lack of a sense of security - threats to consumers can include weak or outdated technical safeguards, lack of appropriate protection against cyber-attacks, and unsecured SSL connections. These deficiencies can expose personal data (e.g., addresses or credit card numbers) to the risk of theft or manipulation.
• excess of choice - consumers experience difficulties in making decisions due to the growing number of online stores and a wide range of products.
• false advertisements and offers on social media - constitute a serious problem and can lead to various undesirable consequences, such as loss of money, identity theft, and user security threats.
• risk of violating consumer rights by stores - cases of consumer rights violation may include various irregularities such as non-compliance with the right to withdraw from a contract, errors in product information, or unfair terms of complaint.
• non-ecological practices - the most conscious consumers also pay attention to whether the store operates in the spirit of sustainable development. It is important for them, for example, whether the company reduces unnecessary packaging, cares about the quality of materials used in production, or manages waste responsibly. If eCommerce does not meet certain pro-ecological assumptions, they are likely to refrain from shopping.

In addition to outlining these elements, the organization also formulated recommendations in the report that can help persuade some consumers to shop online. These include, among others: improving product presentation, prioritizing the protection and security of personal data, and reliable consumer education.

Feel free to check the full version of the report here. Will you draw conclusions from it?

Is Poland experiencing the most rapid growth in the eCommerce sector?

Although the United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain occupy top positions in the ranking of the largest electronic commerce markets in Europe, this does not mean that eCommerce is developing most intensely there. After the pandemic boom, the situation in these countries has stabilized, and the industry's growth in 2023 seems to be much less dynamic than before. Such conclusions come from the CBRE report titled: "E-Commerce in the Post-Pandemic Era". However, it is worth noting that this rule does not apply to all countries.

It turns out that Central European countries, especially Poland, still maintain a high growth rate. Poland has become a key market in the CEE and SEE (Central, Eastern, and South-Eastern Europe) region, representing as much as 46% of all online purchases in this area. Thus, it is ahead of the pre-pandemic predicted trend of online shopping development by 3 years. Similarly high rates of growth (though still less intense) are also seen in eCommerce in the Czech Republic and Romania.

What do you think, does Poland have a chance to become the leader of eCommerce among the countries of Europe? You can read more about the situation of European eCommerce here.