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Amazon ends creepy program that sent samples based on purchase history
It's normally a bad thing when companies take freebies away, but you might not mind quite so much in this case. Amazon is ending a Product Sampling program that sent free samples of cosmetics, protein bars and other goods based on your shopping habits. While the company didn't explain why it was closing the machine learning-based program in a statement to CNBC, it did say the initiative would shut down sometime in 2020. It's not hard to see reasons why Amazon might shutter the program, mind you.
Macy's says its website leaked credit card info to hackers for a week
The constant stream of card skimming hacks just claimed a particularly high-profile target. Macy's has warned customers that intruders slipped code (believed to be JavaScript) into two pages on its website on October 7th, letting them collect data from shoppers that included names, addresses and payment info. Macy's shut down the attack soon after discovering it on October 15th, but it's unclear just how many people were affected. The company told Bleeping Computer that a "small number" of people were victims, and that it had both implemented "additional security measures" and offered free credit monitoring.
Even on YouTube you're not safe from Google Shopping ads
With the holidays approaching, YouTube is about to get even more cluttered with advertisements. You'll soon start to see Google Shopping ads in your YouTube search results and homefeed. Even if you don't know them by name, you're probably familiar with how Google Shopping ads work. They pop up almost anytime you search on Google. They're particularly prone to show up if you look for something like clothing or electronics.
Epic Games Store revamp helps you find trending titles
The Epic Games Store still has a lot of work left if it's going to match some players' expectations, but there are signs of progress. Epic has launched a redesigned storefront that lets you see what games are trending, filter releases by genre and otherwise track down the title you're looking for. It should also load faster thanks to local caching, so it won't be quite as glacial as it has been in the past.
Amazon told to stop tricking UK users into signing up for Prime
Think Amazon is a little too eager to sign you up for Prime? You're not alone. The UK ad industry's Advertising Standards Authority has ruled that an Amazon promo for Prime was "likely to mislead" and could have tricked users into subscribing to the service. A page in the checkout process pitched a 30-day Prime trial and prominently displayed a gold "order now with Prime" button, complete with a gray box promising "free one-day delivery," but relegated the skip option to a plain, subdued "continue and don't gain Amazon Prime benefits" link. This may have made it look like the only two options were the gold and gray boxes signing you up for Prime, the ASA said.
Porsche tries selling its cars online in the US
Porsche isn't just trying to fight Tesla by offering electric cars... it's hoping to replicate some of the business model, too. The automaker is piloting online car sales in the US, giving would-be owners a chance to buy from 25 of the country's 191 independently owned dealers. You'll have your pick of both new and used cars from the dealers' inventory, and can complete the brunt of the documentation and payment details online (including photos of your trade-in). You only have to visit the dealership for the last signatures and picking up your ride.
Amazon sellers are shipping long-expired food
Whole Foods thrives on freshness, but Amazon's online store? Not so much. CNBC reports that Amazon's third-party sellers are all-too-frequently shipping food that has long-since expired, including products like year-old Hostess brownies and Teavana goods discontinued in 2017. At least 40 percent of sellers had over five complaints about expired food, according to findings from data firm 3PM. And in cases where multiple vendors are selling the same product, it's not always clear who you're buying from or whether or not it's fresh.
YouTube's AR Beauty feature lets you try on lipstick by tapping ads
After launching in a limited alpha earlier this year, YouTube is expanding the availability of its augmented reality (AR) Beauty Try-On feature. Moving forward, you'll be able to digitally try on lipstick from brands like MAC and NARS by tapping on so-called Masthead and TrueView Discovery ads throughout YouTube on iOS and Android.
Instagram takes its first steps into becoming an AR changing room
As part of its ongoing commerce push, Facebook now allows you to use its Spark AR platform to digitally try on items you can purchase through Instagram. Instagram confirmed in an email that it has launched a pilot where you're able to check out eyewear from Ray-Ban and Warby Parker, in addition to cosmetics from MAC and NARS. The functionality is accessible directly from feed posts, as well as shop pages and stories.
North's smart glasses are now available across the US
One of the greatest obstacles to buying North's smart glasses has simply been to find them. They've only been available at the company's Brooklyn and Toronto flagship stores as well as its pop-ups, which isn't much help to, well, most people. You might have a much easier time shopping from now on. North has released a Focals Showroom app that makes the eyewear available to people across the US and Canada. The app takes you through a depth scanning-based sizing experience that previously required an in-person visit. If you're happy with the design and make a purchase, you'll get your glasses (plus instructions for final tweaks) in several weeks.
Amazon found selling unlicensed cell signal boosters
Amazon has been found selling more than some unsafe products. Wired has learned that the internet retailer has been selling cell signal boosters without FCC licenses (such as those from MingColl, Phonelex and Subroad), including some marked as Amazon's Choice. The devices are not only unlikely to pass the registration process with carriers, but have caused service disruptions -- more than one buyer has received complaints from carriers after their boosters interfered with cell towers. Call drops and disconnections are distinct possibilities.
You can chat with Shopify stores from virtually anywhere
You might not have to switch to Apple's iMessage or Facebook Messenger the next time you want to talk to a favorite online store. Shopify has introduced a native chat feature (appropriately called Shopify Chat) that lets you talk to a store through any page, regardless of your browser or operating system. There could always be help on hand, whether you're looking for pricing info on your phone or a recommendation when you're on your PC at home.
FedEx won't renew its deal for Amazon ground deliveries
FedEx is still busy cutting its ties with Amazon. The courier company has declined to renew its contract for Amazon ground deliveries when it expires at the end of August, leaving just an international delivery contract between the two. FedEx isn't shy about the reasoning, either -- it's about independence. This lines up with FedEx's plan to "focus on the broader e-commerce market," according to a statement sent to Bloomberg.
CafePress resets passwords months after reported data breach
StockX isn't the only company that appears to have warned users about a data breach through password resets. T-shirt seller CafePress has been asking customers to choose new passwords as part of an updated "password policy," but the news came soon after reports that the site had been the victim of a data breach in February. Have I Been Pwned claimed that over 23.2 million accounts had been exposed, including email addresses, names, physical addresses and phone numbers.
Amazon's next foray into fashion is a personal shopping service
Amazon's adventures in fashion haven't usually set the world on fire, but it might have a more appealing option: have someone else pick your apparel choices. It just launched a Personal Shopper by Prime Wardrobe service that, for $5 per month on top of Prime, has a stylist choose clothes based on your tastes. You start with a survey that helps set your preferences and measurements (a tight fit, a retro look and a long torso, for example), and then stay in touch with the stylist through the Amazon app to fine-tune the selection. You get as many as eight of those hand-picked items in a monthly box (you can preview the contents) and pay only for what you keep beyond the one-week try-on period.
Etsy buys music gear marketplace Reverb to expand its reach
Etsy is expanding its online shopping empire, albeit not in the way some would have expected. The company plans to acquire Reverb, one of the largest marketplaces for musical instruments, for $275 million. This is a chance to expand into a "new vertical" with a business that follows a similar strategy, Etsy said. It intends to run Reverb as a stand-alone business and help it grow through improved search, a stronger community and easier buying and selling.
Etsy faces backlash over attempt to push free shipping
Etsy's latest attempt to boost sales isn't sitting well with creators. The company has announced that, starting July 30th, it will give "priority placement" in US search results and advertising to items that ship free and to sellers that guarantee free shipping on orders costing $35 or more. While it's offering a tool to help include the shipping cost in the price, the decision has outraged sellers on Etsy's forums and on social networks -- they're concerned that this effectively punishes smaller outfits that can't afford to swallow the shipping costs.
Amazon won't have to offer a phone helpline in the European Union
Don't go looking for a customer support phone number for Amazon in Europe -- you probably won't find one. The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that Amazon isn't obligated to provide a phone helpline to customers in the region, rejecting Germain claims that the company's site violated national consumer protection laws by failing to clearly display a support phone number. An online shopping platform like Amazon is "not obliged in all cases" to make a phone number available, according to the judges.
StubHub's ticket loyalty program offers VIP access
Do you spend a fortune on StubHub tickets? To the point where you could buy a decent used car instead? StubHub is ready to spoil you. The ticket exchange has launched a Beyond loyalty program that gives its biggest customers some equally large perks. For one, you get VIP access to special events and early promotions, such as a private tour of Yankee Stadium on June 27th. You'll also have access to a "premier" support tier with fast turnaround times and veteran agents. There's even a once-per-year option for a no-questions-asked refund -- if a flight delay prevents you from seeing a can't-miss football game, you'll get your money back no matter what.
Fast delivery may negate the environmental benefits of online shopping
Many will tell you that online shopping is more eco-friendly since you don't have to drive as often, but just the opposite might be true in recent years. Axios has warned that the increasing number of super-fast delivery options may be leading to more CO2 emissions, not less. Annual emissions have increased at FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service, and academics have blamed it on people making many small-but-fast orders through the likes of Amazon Prime and Walmart instead of bundling a bunch of products into one shipment. If you can get candy in minutes, why would you wait to include it with a bigger purchase?
