Marketplace Talk: May's Ecommerce News

🌍 Tariffs rolled back temporarily - but sellers must stay agile 

In a surprise move, the U.S. and China have agreed to temporarily slash tariffs for 90 days, dropping U.S. rates on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%. While this opens short-term opportunities, especially in electronics, apparel, and home goods, marketplace sellers shouldn’t get too comfortable.

Customs scrutiny and De Minimis reform are still advancing, tightening compliance requirements. Sellers are also adjusting fulfillment models, diversifying warehouses, and investing in real-time cost visibility to protect margins. With Prime Day and Back-to-School approaching, brands are recalibrating sales strategies, marketing budgets, and pricing to stay competitive during this window of relief.

“Trade environments are shifting faster than ever, and this temporary tariff relief is a perfect example. Sellers can't rely on guesswork or static pricing anymore. They need to actively model their landed costs, integrate dynamic pricing strategies, and rethink their cross-border fulfillment setups, so they can stay profitable regardless of how trade policies evolve.”

Jordi Vermeer,
VP Revenue North America

Agility, transparency, and operational flexibility will be key for sellers navigating this dynamic trade landscape in 2025. For a deeper dive into how you can stay prepared, check out our guide to tariff mitigation for marketplace sellers.

🚀 Shopify’s B2B sales soar 109% amid global ecommerce shifts

Shopify delivered a stellar Q1 2025, with B2B GMV skyrocketing 109% year-over-year, signaling its growing dominance in wholesale and enterprise ecommerce. The platform’s rapid innovation, like AI-driven duty calculators and buy-local filters, helped merchants like Kering Beauty, VF Corp, and Follett thrive amid trade headwinds.

International GMV surged 31%, while Shopify’s POS tools also saw increased adoption. Shopify’s global-first approach, swift response to tariff shifts, and expanded cross-border features make it a compelling platform for B2B brands seeking resilience in a volatile market.

Already selling on Shopify? See how our integration helps you scale smarter and sell globally with ease.

🎯 Target Plus sets sights on $5B GMV: A curated marketplace on the rise

Target’s third-party marketplace, Target Plus, has hit $1 billion in GMV and is now scaling fast, with plans to quintuple that number by 2029. Unlike open marketplaces like Amazon or Walmart, Target Plus follows a curated approach, inviting only trusted, brand-aligned sellers to ensure a consistent, high-quality customer experience.

This strategy is paying off. Target Plus now contributes 10% of the company’s external search volume, and it’s helping Target grow in categories like home decor and specialty apparel, areas where it previously lacked depth. Backed by its partnership with Shopify, Target is accelerating brand onboarding and adapting to fast-changing consumer trends.

For marketplace managers, selling on Target Plus is a textbook example of how selective third-party growth, paired with strong loyalty and fulfillment ecosystems, can drive customer value and digital expansion, without the overhead of holding inventory.

💥Amazon haul arrives in the UK

Amazon’s new ‘Haul’ offering has made its UK debut. This beta launch focuses on ultra-affordable products under £20, many priced below £10, delivered through a dedicated experience within the Amazon app, blending bargain hunting with trusted reviews and product safety checks.

As competition from Asian platforms intensifies, Haul is Amazon’s move to defend its UK market share and appeal to budget-conscious shoppers. With plans for wider European rollout, marketplace managers should monitor how this low-price play reshapes the cross-border discount landscape.

“Amazon Haul shows that even established marketplaces are evolving to meet shifting consumer expectations around price and experience. For brands, it’s a reminder to stay flexible, testing new formats and pricing strategies to capture these emerging shopper segments without compromising on brand integrity.”

Mitchel Droge,
Global Manager Channel Partnerships

Considering expanding your presence on Amazon? Learn how ChannelEngine keeps you competitive across regions and product lines on the Amazon marketplace.

🛍️ TikTok Shop expands pre-owned category across Europe

TikTok Shop is set to bring its pre-owned category to the EU, following successful launches in the US and UK. The platform is hiring a dedicated manager to scale second-hand product sales, from luxury fashion to refurbished electronics, across the continent.

Already partnering with resale heavyweights in the UK, TikTok Shop aims to challenge platforms like eBay and Vinted by tapping into Gen Z’s appetite for circular fashion and sustainable shopping. Sellers should expect new opportunities as TikTok Shop widens its recommerce scope.

👚 Vinted tops France's fashion market, signaling a recommerce surge

Vinted has emerged as France’s leading clothing retailer by sales volume, beating Amazon and Kiabi, according to the latest IFM data. Recommerce now accounts for 10.9% of all clothing sales, 16.3% among Gen Z shoppers.

While Shein and Temu dominate globally, they trail far behind in France’s rankings, reflecting consumers’ preference for trusted recommerce platforms and bargain pricing. The message? Recommerce isn’t a trend, it is reshaping the fashion market and driving a new era of sustainable commerce.

“The French fashion market is clearly embracing recommerce, not just as a way to save, but as a lifestyle choice that blends sustainability with savvy shopping.

For brands and marketplaces, the challenge now is to find ways to integrate these behaviors into their offering, whether through partnerships, resale programs, or curated second-hand categories.”

Hugo Denoyelle,
Responsable Commercial France

💄Walmart leans into premium beauty

Walmart is making bold moves in beauty. With prestige beauty sales up 7% last year, the retail giant is doubling down on premium offerings, adding over 60 high-end brands like Curology, Pretty Smart, and Being to its shelves and online assortment.

It’s not just about physical stores either. Walmart’s marketplace is playing a critical role in this expansion, helping brands like T3 and L’ange achieve double- and triple-digit growth. At the same time, the company’s beauty accelerator program, Walmart Start, continues to bring new, diverse voices into the fold, highlighting emerging players across fragrance and hair care, the two fastest-growing prestige categories.

For ecommerce professionals, Walmart’s beauty push signals a growing opportunity to blend affordability with aspiration, and shows how marketplaces can become engines of both innovation and growth in increasingly competitive verticals.

Curious about Walmart’s potential? Discover 5 reasons to sell on the Walmart marketplace.

🚚Lost parcels: A costly threat to online retailers

Lost parcels are quietly eroding profits, costing European retailers over €540 million in just four months of 2024. Metapack estimates 3.72 million lost shipments, potentially as high as 0.7% of all parcels when ‘potentially lost’ shipments are included.

Beyond financial loss, brands face reputational damage and eroding customer trust. Metapack urges retailers to implement secure shipping, multi-carrier strategies, and data-driven anomaly detection to safeguard customer experience and profitability.

🏪In-store stock status becomes retailers' go-to omnichannel feature

While omnichannel feature adoption dipped across most services in 2024, one stood out: in-store stock status. Now offered by 65.5% of North American retail chains, this feature drives higher conversion rates and meets customer demand for real-time inventory transparency.

Retailers who prioritize stock visibility avoid lost sales and frustrated shoppers, especially as consumers blend digital browsing with in-store purchases. For ecommerce managers, in-store stock status is proving to be a must-have tool for seamless, frictionless customer experiences.

"Offering clear in-store stock status is becoming a key differentiator for retailers aiming to bridge the online and offline experience. It supports smoother shopping journeys, reduces friction, and helps customers plan their purchases with confidence.

Especially in omnichannel strategies, it's a simple yet impactful feature that enhances customer satisfaction and supports stronger conversion rates."

Lucas Kuijken,
Manager Customer Success

Looking to unify your online and offline sales? Discover how to deliver seamless customer experiences with our guide to omnichannel ecommerce.