The rapidly expanding world of the connected economy saw both expected developments on Tuesday (Dec. 1), like the release of figures showing a big Cyber Monday. But it also saw some unexpected things as well.
Here’s some of the latest news:
Adobe: Cyber Monday Sales Headed Toward Record $13 Billion
Last week’s Black Friday might have underperformed some market watchers’ expectations, but Adobe Analytics’ estimates for Cyber Monday seems on pace to exceed them.
Adobe found that sales on Cyber Monday — which has become the biggest commerce day of the year — increasing by 15 to 35 percent over last year’s levels to a record $13 billion.
“We face a different sort of problem today than early in the pandemic, when the issue was within the retailers’ warehouses, and the question was: ‘Were they geared up enough to be able to pick [items] fast enough and get it out to the shippers?’” Michael Brown, partner at Kearney, told CNBC.
Brown said consumers’ main concerns were product availability and whether merchants can ship gifts out fast enough for the winter holidays.
BNPL Payments Provider Klarna To Offer Live Fashion Show
The connected economy is all about leveraging the power of digital to create new contexts for commerce to happen in. That’s a concept Swedish-based BNPL leader Klarna is apparently running with by hosting a new live fashion show called “Livestyle,” done in partnership with technology firm Bambuser.
Customers can open up Bambuser’s Live Video Shopping within the Klarna app and use Klarna’s services to pay for any goods that they like.
“While many live shopping events focus on sales and promotions, Livestyle focuses on inspiring content [that] engages viewers,” Klarna said in a news release.
Klarna Fashion Director Emilia de Poret said that “Sweden as a market was quick to catch up on live shopping, but so far we have only seen the beginning of this phenomenon. I think it will continue to be a big trend next year as well, but in a more refined form.”
Instructors’ Posts Hint Apple Fitness+ To Launch Soon
It’s beginning to look like the long-anticipated Apple Fitness+ product is on the verge of officially rolling out, as instructors are using Instagram to tease new workout models, according to published reports.
Announced last September, Apple Fitness+ will be a workout-class subscription service powered by the Apple Watch. It’s expected to carry workout content for cycling, treadmill usage, rowing, HIIT, strength training, yoga, dance and more.
The site 9to5Mac.com reported that Apple Fitness+ will be available through the Fitness app on the iPhone running iOS 14. The workouts will also be available from the Apple Watch, and the tech giant is looking to add an app for the Apple TV, 9to5Mac said. The publication said the service will cost $9.99 per month or $79.99 for the year.