Dharmesh Mehta, Vice President of Amazon Global Selling Partner Services, wrote an article on the fifth Amazon Brand Protection Report. Mehta stated that since 2021, Amazon’s annual Brand Protection Report has showcased its efforts to protect customers, brands, and partners from counterfeit products. He also added: “In its fifth year, the report continues to demonstrate how the combination of industry-leading technology and strategic partnerships successfully stops bad actors and creates impact beyond the Amazon store.”

Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) is a global team dedicated to disrupting counterfeiters and their networks by partnering with law enforcement, brands, and other stakeholders. Mehta noted that in 2024, Amazon invested over $1 billion in brand protection; employed thousands of people dedicated to combating fraud, counterfeiting, and other abuses, including machine learning scientists, software developers, and expert researchers.

Amazon’s Brand Protection Strategy

Amazon’s brand protection strategy focuses on four main areas: • Strong and highly effective proactive efforts to protect the store, • Industry-leading tools to help rights holders better protect their brands, • Progress in holding bad actors accountable, • Customer protection and education.

Mehta said, “This has been a years-long journey, and we continue to make great strides in stopping counterfeiting.”

Highlights from the Brand Protection Report

• 99% of Suspicious Listings Blocked

Through its investment in artificial intelligence, Amazon has automated and scaled intellectual property protection and counterfeiting detection systems, improving its proactive controls. Amazon’s proactive controls blocked over 99% of suspicious infringement listings before a brand had to find and report them. Since 2020, while the number of products offered has increased, the total number of valid infringement notifications sent by brands has decreased by approximately 35%.

• Over 2.5 Billion Product Units Verified

Amazon launched an application programming interface (API) for Transparency, which automates the process for brands to register and manage their products. Through Amazon’s Transparency program, over 2.5 billion product units have been verified as authentic. Worldwide, 88,000 brands have registered, including Fortune 500 companies, global brands, startups, and small businesses.

• Over 15 Million Counterfeit Products Detected

By partnering with brands and law enforcement, Amazon has been able to hold more bad actors accountable. Since the launch of its Counterfeit Crimes Unit in 2020, Amazon has tracked over 24,000 bad actors through cases and criminal referrals to law enforcement. In 2024, Amazon detected, seized, and properly disposed of over 15 million counterfeit products globally, preventing them from harming customers or being resold in the retail supply chain.

“We Won’t Rest Until Counterfeiting Is Reduced to Zero”

Dharmesh Mehta concluded his statement, saying, “We are proud of the progress we have made in preventing counterfeiting in the Amazon store. This required significant innovation and determination, and it would not have been possible without the partnerships we’ve established with brands, associations, policymakers, law enforcement, and others. We are committed to continued progress and will not rest until we reduce counterfeiting to zero.”

Fan Jin, Director and General Manager of Amazon Autos, stated in an interview with the Automotive News Daily Drive podcast that adding used car inventory for dealers is their next major goal.

“Auto dealers will have an online e-commerce channel”

When asked how Amazon Autos plans to compete with existing platforms where dealers can list their used cars, Jin responded: “We see the Amazon Autos service as a way for dealers to have a fully online e-commerce channel. This goes beyond just being a lead generation site.”

Jin continued: “We find this valuable because demographic customer data shows that more consumers are quite comfortable with a fully online vehicle transaction. Customers want a multi-channel experience. It can take some time for people to make a decision. So, they may start online, then choose to visit a dealership to see and test-drive the vehicle. Later, they might return home, think about it, and then complete the purchase online. We see this happening very often.”

Jin also emphasized that Amazon Autos aims to make the online used car sales process as seamless as possible.

Car Sales on Amazon Autos Began with Hyundai!

The company started introducing the Amazon Autos service in December. It announced its goal of integrating the Amazon experience into the vehicle purchasing process by collaborating with automotive dealers and brands.

Amazon launched this digital shopping experience in partnership with Hyundai. It enabled shoppers in 48 U.S. cities to purchase new Hyundai vehicles from participating local dealers through Amazon. At the time, the company stated that Amazon Autos planned to add more Hyundai dealerships as well as other manufacturers, brands, and cities.

Amazon Autos allows car buyers to browse vehicles, place orders, arrange financing, and schedule a pickup date from participating local dealerships. Additionally, they can receive instant valuation for their existing vehicles and trade them in. For dealers, this service provides a new sales channel while also streamlining the steps of the process.

“We are working day and night to improve the car buying experience”

A statement on the AmazonAutos website read: “We are working day and night to create a better car buying experience for customers. Amazon Autos is currently available in select metro areas, but we are continuously adding new locations, new dealers, new brands, and new features. In the meantime, visit the Hyundai Showroom on Amazon to explore Hyundai models and features.”

Amazon has launched an e-commerce site called Amazon.ie, specifically for online consumers in Ireland. Following its announcement in May 2024, the e-commerce giant officially opened the Amazon.ie website. The site offers more than 200 million products priced in euros for Irish customers.

“We Are Proud of the Amazon.ie Launch”

Alison Dunn, Country Manager of Amazon Ireland, stated, “Our teams across the country are incredibly proud and excited to bring Amazon.ie to life. This store offers Irish customers a wide range of products with fast delivery, great deals, and savings, as well as local Prime membership opportunities. It also provides Irish businesses with numerous chances to reach more customers. We have been working towards this moment since the opening of our distribution center in Dublin in 2022, and we are eagerly looking forward to writing the next chapter of our story in Ireland.”

Amazon Has Invested Over $24 Billion in Operations in Ireland

Amazon has also launched an “Ireland Brands” page in collaboration with the Irish government’s business development agency, Enterprise Ireland, featuring products from local companies. Among the Irish brands featured at the launch are Barry’s Tea, Bewley’s, and independent fitness brand Swifter.

Currently, Amazon employs approximately 6,500 people across various fields such as data engineering, operations management, and finance in Cork, Dublin, and Drogheda. Since 2004, Amazon has invested more than $24 billion directly in its operations in Ireland and has opened six facilities nationwide.

In 2023, Irish small businesses selling on Amazon achieved over $185 million in export sales, with more than half of these sales going to countries outside the EU. According to Amazon, these businesses created more than 2,500 new jobs in Ireland to support Amazon operations.

Amazon Prime Benefits

Customers in Ireland can enjoy one-day delivery on millions of products. Additionally, they can shop with local pricing and without additional customs fees. Amazon.ie customers can also join the Prime membership program for approximately $7.60 (monthly) or $76 (annually). This membership offers fast, free delivery as well as exclusive benefits such as Prime Day deals and shopping events.

Irish Amazon customers with UK Prime memberships can switch to the new system, with UK Prime memberships automatically canceled and fees refunded. All Irish customers transitioning to or signing up for Amazon.ie Prime can take advantage of a 30-day free trial.

Amazon Türkiye Promises Growth for SMEs!

The Chinese marketplace AliExpress has announced a significant expansion of payment options for online consumers in Africa. Last year, the company introduced some local mobile payment methods. This move has pleased consumers seeking better access to cross-border e-commerce.

Starting in March, AliExpress has expanded the ability to pay in local currency in several African countries, including Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, and Tanzania. This initiative, which provides local consumers with a smoother and more secure payment experience, was launched during AliExpress’s biggest promotion of the year, running from March 17 to 26. During this period, consumers will be able to take advantage of numerous coupon offers and the convenience of paying in their local currency.

AliExpress Has Taken Significant Steps in Africa Over the Past Year

Over the past year, AliExpress has made significant efforts to enhance the customer experience in Africa. Last year, the company successfully integrated card payments with “M-Pesa” in Kenya and with “Opay” and “Verve” in Nigeria. Currently, users in South Africa, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Tanzania can receive their cross-border orders within just 10 days. Additionally, the company established its first African showroom in Ethiopia, creating a space where wholesale buyers can physically inspect selected products and place orders directly.

“We Are Excited to Connect African Consumers with Our Products”

AliExpress Business Development Director Bonny Zhao stated, “AliExpress offers a vast range of products from hundreds of thousands of sellers, and we are excited to connect African consumers with our products through initiatives such as local currency payment integration.” He also added, “Cross-border e-commerce can sometimes be challenging for consumers due to shopping, payment, and logistics complexities. Our commitment is to simplify these processes, making global e-commerce more accessible and enjoyable for this dynamic market.”

Jiji, one of Africa’s leading classifieds and e-commerce platforms, is launching operations in Bangladesh. Planning to establish a strong team in the country, Jiji does not offer inventory or logistics services but enables sellers to reach price-sensitive buyers through listings. The platform aims to expand further in Asia in the coming days. Jiji currently has offices in Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, Warsaw, Dubai, and Kyiv.

As one of Africa’s top classifieds and e-commerce marketplaces based on gross revenue, Jiji is preparing to launch its successful classifieds-based online marketplace in Bangladesh. The company plans to expand further across Asia in the near future.

Jiji Has 12 Million Monthly Active Users in Africa

In a statement, Jiji announced, “Thanks to its successful premium listing packages for sellers, Jiji has become a market leader in various regions with a total population of 400 million. Currently, it has 12 million monthly active users and 200,000 business sellers in African markets.”

Jiji had previously acquired “OLX” and “Cars45” businesses. Strengthening its dominance on the continent with these acquisitions, the platform also integrated Ghana’s Tonaton business into its ecosystem. Headquartered in Warsaw, Jiji employs over a thousand people and operates offices in Lagos, Nairobi, Accra, Warsaw, Dubai, and Kyiv. The company is now planning to build a strong local team in Bangladesh.

The company aims to replicate its success in Africa within Bangladesh. Leveraging its financial strength, resources, and expertise in building profitable e-commerce businesses, Jiji plans to expand in Bangladesh, a market with similar dynamics. Some of the most popular classified platforms in Bangladesh include Bikroy, Bproperty, and Ekhanei. Jiji will compete with these platforms in the new market.

“Bangladesh Offers a Significant Long-Term Growth Opportunity”

Jiji Co-Founder and CEO Anton Volianskyi stated, “With its dynamic economy, rapidly growing digital adoption, expanding middle class, and still largely untapped e-commerce market, Bangladesh presents a significant long-term growth opportunity.” Highlighting the company’s rapid international expansion strategy, Volianskyi added, “We have extensively analyzed the Bangladesh market and see a great opportunity. Although there are existing players, we do not see a competitor that has fully implemented the classifieds marketplace model to its full potential.” He also expressed confidence that Jiji could become the market leader in Bangladesh within a short period.

“70% of Bangladesh’s E-commerce Market Remains Untapped”

Without maintaining its own inventory or logistics, Jiji facilitates sellers in reaching a broad base of price-sensitive buyers through listings. The company has registered its local subsidiary in Bangladesh and plans to invest millions of dollars to secure a significant share in the e-commerce market and establish itself as the leading classifieds platform. Additionally, Jiji is planning to expand into two or three more Asian markets within the next one to two years.

Jiji currently hosts 7 million active listings in Africa, where it holds a leading position in vehicle and real estate categories. The company noted that 70% of Bangladesh’s e-commerce market remains untapped and projected that the country’s e-commerce sector will surpass $12 billion by 2029. It also emphasized that the young, tech-savvy population and accelerating digital transformation will contribute to market growth. The statement further highlighted, “Classified platforms work well in emerging economies where price-sensitive consumers prefer direct transactions.”

Amazon’s Amazon Haul, launched three months ago as a competitor to Temu, is failing to capture the attention of U.S. online consumers!

Amazon has long been the go-to platform for discount hunters. However, the low-cost Amazon Haul platform is not receiving the same response. According to a survey by Omnisend, Amazon’s discount store has not garnered significant interest from U.S. shoppers. Despite this, Amazon is reportedly planning to expand Haul to Europe later this year.

Omnisend conducted a survey with 1,000 consumers in February. 76% of the survey participants stated that they had not shopped on Amazon Haul in the past year. The survey focused on the last two months of the previous year since Amazon Haul was launched in November 2024.

“Amazon is trying to catch up with Temu”

Omnisend Senior E-Commerce Specialist Greg Zakowicz stated that Amazon is trying to catch up with its competitor Temu, which started operations in the U.S. in September 2022. Zakowicz said, “Temu has solidified itself as a low-cost retailer with long delivery times, sourcing products directly from China. Even though Amazon has brand recognition, shoppers have already defined these roles. They look at Temu and say, ‘This is what they do. I get these types of products here.’ And I think Amazon, as strange as it may seem, is trying to catch up with Temu.”

Shoppers make purchases from Amazon Haul once a month

According to Omnisend’s survey:

• 16% of participants said they shop from Amazon Haul at least once a month.
• This rate was 28% for Temu and 23% for Shein.
• Only 1% of participants reported making daily purchases.

“We are pleased with the positive feedback”

Amazon’s PR manager Maxine Tagay stated that Amazon Haul is still in its early stages. Without sharing any data on the platform’s popularity, Tagay said, “We are pleased with the positive feedback we’ve received from customers so far.”

Haul was launched in the U.S. as a move against China-linked e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu. However, the future of these three online shopping platforms remains uncertain due to Trump-era tariffs. As price hikes loom, nearly one-third (29.45%) of survey participants said they would reduce or stop shopping from Chinese marketplaces like Temu immediately if prices rise. Meanwhile, 20.75% of participants stated that they would continue shopping only if the price increase is below 20%.

Amazon Haul Expands Into New Markets

The Poland-based online marketplace Allegro announced that it achieved 2.6 billion euros in sales in 2024. This sales figure represents a 7% increase compared to 2023. The company’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) also grew by 10%, reaching 15.3 billion euros.

The e-commerce marketplace Allegro was founded in Poland in 1999. It expanded to the Czech Republic in 2023 and entered the Slovakian market in 2024. The company aims to become a key player in Europe’s e-commerce sector.

Allegro’s Adjusted EBITDA Reached 718.8 Million Euros

In 2023, Allegro generated approximately 1.8 billion euros in revenue solely in Poland. The company has now released its financial results for 2024. Allegro’s adjusted EBITDA increased by 18% in 2024. Last year, the marketplace’s adjusted EBITDA reached 718.8 million euros (3 billion Polish złoty).

Allegro and Zalando Achieved Double-Digit GMV

Allegro’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) increased by 10% in 2024, reaching 15.3 billion euros. This figure stood at 10 billion euros in 2022. The Polish marketplace announced that it achieved 2.6 billion euros in sales in 2024, reflecting a 7% increase compared to the previous year. Excluding Amazon and Russian marketplaces, Allegro and Zalando were the only European online retailers to reach a double-digit billion GMV.

The company expects its GMV to reach 16.7 billion euros and its revenue to total 2.85 billion euros in 2025. It aims to accelerate international expansion in the second half of this year while also increasing advertising revenue.

“Our target market encompasses 63 million potential customers”

Roy Perticucci, Allegro CEO said: “Allegro’s GMV crossed the PLN 60bn mark, just in time for our 25th birthday. Customers’ purchases with us grew more than three times faster than Poland’s retail sales as a whole. We did well over the full financial year. This was our first Christmas peak operating our marketplaces in four countries. We did well. Our Q4 results comfortably met or exceeded all elements of our guidance, although it was close on the Polish GMV goal. Allegro launched marketplaces in Czechia, Slovakia, and Hungary within eighteen months.

Our addressable market has grown by 26 million and now encompasses 63 million potential customers. We served 21 million active buyers last year, six million of whom are based outside Poland. We have proven that we can launch our marketplace in new countries rapidly and cheaply, but we will pause our launch programme for a short while. We have learned a lot, and we have used our lessons to determine where we can enhance our marketplace to accelerate shopping frequency growth, both internationally and in Poland. We will resume expansion, once we have successfully implemented those changes and are satisfied with the results.”

Officials from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce held an important meeting with U.S.-based retail giant Walmart regarding supplier pricing. The meeting reportedly addressed issues such as supply chain policies, pricing strategies, and the protection of the rights of Chinese manufacturers.

Chinese Ministry of Commerce officials met with U.S. Walmart representatives. Following reports that Walmart had asked Chinese suppliers to lower product prices in order to offset the impact of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, Ministry officials convened with company representatives this week.

Walmart Signals Cooperation

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce emphasized its desire to ensure fair market conditions in order to prevent large retailers from exerting pressure on suppliers. Walmart, on the other hand, stated that it would continue to strengthen its cooperation with Chinese suppliers.

This meeting followed recent fluctuations and cost increases in the global supply chain. Officials expressed their intention to maintain dialogue with the parties to ensure that pricing policies are sustainable and fair.

Posts on the Weibo account of Yuyuantantian, affiliated with China’s state television CCTV, revealed that the meeting between the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and Walmart representatives took place on March 11.