Weekly Round Off With HTE 🤘🏻

Welcome to our weekly round off edition!

It's the weekend, baby, and you know what that means - time to kick back, relax, and catch up on all the latest e-commerce news! We've got some juicy updates for you today, so grab a cup of coffee (or a glass of wine - we won't judge) and settle in for a wild ride.

From new product launches to crazy sales numbers, we've got it all. So let's get to it, shall we?

🚀 Big news in the world of e-commerce! OpenAI has just launched ChatGPT plugins, revolutionizing the industry with natural language interaction. Get ready for a whole new level of customer engagement!

😔 Unfortunately, not all e-commerce news is good news. Walmart's recent layoffs have left hundreds of workers at their e-commerce facilities without jobs. We hope they find new opportunities soon.

🧁 On a sweeter note, Magnolia Bakery is expanding its reach by debuting in grocery stores and partnering with Amazon. Now you can get your fix of their famous cupcakes and banana pudding from the comfort of your own home!

🎢 And finally, it's been a wild ride for TikTok lately. With the app facing potential bans and restrictions, it's hard to predict what's next for this tech giant. Hold on tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride!

OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Plugins, Revolutionizing E-Commerce With Natural Language Interaction

Get ready to ditch the hassle of browsing through various e-commerce websites to buy what you need. OpenAI has launched ChatGPT plugins, and your favorite e-commerce websites have already hopped on board!

With these plugins, ChatGPT can access third-party databases and other sources of knowledge, including those on the web, making it easier for you to find exactly what you need. Imagine having a personal shopping assistant that can quickly search across different websites to find the best deals and products for you.

OpenAI is hosting its own plugins, including a web browser and code interpreter, and is now extending plugin access to developers on its waitlist. This means that more e-commerce websites can join in and make the shopping experience even smoother.

A number of companies consumers know and love have already built plugins for ChatGPT, including Expedia, FiscalNote, Instacart, Kayak, Klarna, Milo, OpenTable, Shopify, Slack, Speak, Wolfram, and Zapier. These plugins enable you to search for available bookings and place orders from local stores in just a few clicks.

To get started, all you need to do is pick a plugin to enable when you start a conversation on chat.openai.com. In a demo on OpenAI’s website, it shows a user asking in plain language for “one great restaurant suggestion on Saturday” and “a simple recipe for Sunday” involving vegan food. The OpenTable plugin finds a local restaurant with a reservation, then follows detailed requests for returning the recipe info and ordering ingredients on Instacart. How cool is that?

This technology is a game-changer for the e-commerce industry. No longer do you have to waste time browsing through multiple websites or apps to find what you need. With ChatGPT plugins, you can simply ask for what you want, and it will quickly find the best options for you. This will not only save you time but also make the shopping experience more enjoyable and stress-free.

Imagine being able to shop for clothes or groceries just by talking to your phone or computer. With ChatGPT plugins, this future is not far away. You could simply ask for the latest fashion trends or the best deals on organic produce, and ChatGPT would do the rest. It’s like having your own personal shopper!

And let's not forget about the benefits for businesses. With ChatGPT plugins, companies can provide a more personalized and efficient shopping experience for their customers. They can also use the technology to gather insights about their customers' preferences and behavior, enabling them to offer even better products and services in the future.

ChatGPT plugins are a game-changer for the e-commerce industry. With the ability to quickly access third-party databases and other sources of knowledge, ChatGPT can make the shopping experience more enjoyable, stress-free, and personalized. It's like having your own personal shopping assistant.

And for businesses, this technology offers a wealth of insights and opportunities to provide even better products and services. So, what are you waiting for? Try out ChatGPT plugins and experience the future of shopping today!

Hundreds of Workers at Walmart's E-Commerce Facilities Lose Jobs due to Layoffs

Walmart, the nation's largest private employer, is giving some of its workers an early start to their weekend by laying off hundreds of employees at its e-commerce facilities across the country. Other retailers are also expecting a tough year ahead, with inflation and the shift back to services taking a bite out of sales of goods. Walmart's arch-nemesis, Amazon, has already announced job cuts of 9,000, and another competitor, Target, plans to cut up to $3 billion in total costs over the next three years. Yikes, tough times ahead!

Walmart stated that it is cutting jobs at fulfillment centers "to better prepare for the future needs of customers." A spokesperson for Walmart said that the decision was not made lightly and that the company is working closely with affected associates to help them understand what career options may be available at other Walmart locations. The company expects slower sales growth and lower profits in the coming fiscal year, with same-store sales for its U.S. business expected to grow between 2% and 2.5%, excluding fuel. That's compared to 6.6% growth in the previous fiscal year.

But hey, it's not all bad news. Online sales for Walmart's U.S. business rose 12% in the most recent fiscal year, which ended Jan. 31, and who doesn't love online shopping? While the growth rate is lower than during the pandemic peak, it's still something to celebrate.

Plus, with the reduction or elimination of evening and weekend shifts, Walmart's employees can now spend more time binging their favorite shows, hitting the beach, or doing whatever makes them happy on their days off.

Of course, we can't forget about the affected workers. Losing a job is never easy, and we hope that Walmart is doing everything it can to help them find new opportunities. In the meantime, we can take comfort in the fact that Walmart is making changes to better serve its customers, which ultimately benefits us all.

Magnolia Bakery expands reach by debuting in grocery stores and partnering with Amazon

Get ready to taste the magic of Magnolia Bakery! This bakery started off with a single bite of a cupcake on Sex and the City and has now become a global sensation. And now, they're venturing into grocery stores with their latest creation: the Banana Pudding Cookie!

These cookies are made with real butter, bananas, and chocolate, and come in three delicious varieties: Classic Vanilla with White Chocolate Chips, Chocolate Chunk, and Confetti with White Chocolate Chips. Plus, they're individually wrapped in four-packs for ultimate freshness. And the best part? They're only $7.99 for a pack of heaven!

But it's not just the treats that make Magnolia Bakery so special. They've got a vintage aesthetic and a friendly atmosphere that embodies the spirit of New York City. And their commitment to using high-quality, natural ingredients shines through in every bite.

So if you're craving a little taste of heaven, head to Fresh Market or Harris Teeter to pick up some Banana Pudding Cookies. And if you can't find them in-store, don't fret – you can also order them online from Amazon. Magnolia Bakery is bringing people together one delicious treat at a time, so why not indulge your sweet tooth and join in on the fun?

Tech Rollercoaster: TikTok on the brink, what's next?

It's time to talk about TikTok and its rollercoaster ride in the tech world. This week, TikTok announced that it has gained over 150 million monthly users in the US alone! Woohoo! That's almost half the population! Talk about taking over the world one short video at a time.

However, TikTok's success is not all sunshine and rainbows. The app's future is in jeopardy as the US government considers banning it or even forcing a sale to a local owner. That's right, folks, TikTok is facing an existential crisis!

US legislators are grilling TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew over the app's alleged ties to China and the potential threat it poses to national security. That's no joke! The Congressional hearing lasted over five hours, and the lawmakers wanted to know if TikTok has any autonomy at all.

TikTok has tried to ease fears by claiming that it has spent over $1.5 billion on data security efforts under "Project Texas" and rigorously screens content that could harm children. But it seems like it's not enough to convince several countries, including the UK, Denmark, Canada, and New Zealand, who have already banned the app from government-issued devices, citing security concerns.

It's not just the US that's giving TikTok the cold shoulder, folks. Even India and Taiwan have fully banned the app. Ouch! That must have stung for TikTok.

But hold on, TikTok is not backing down without a fight. Chew told the US lawmakers that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, is not owned or controlled by the Chinese government and is a private company. So, technically, TikTok is not a threat to national security. Chew believes that what's needed are clear, transparent rules that apply broadly to all tech companies.

TikTok has over one billion monthly active users, and it's facing increasing scrutiny from governments worldwide due to its China links. Even though TikTok has tried to downplay its China links, Beijing has made it clear that it would "strongly oppose" a forced sale of the app.

All in all, TikTok's future is hanging in the balance. Will it survive the ban and become the biggest short video platform in the world, or will it crumble under pressure? Only time will tell, my friends. Stay tuned for more updates on the TikTok saga.