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WhatsApp for businesses in test phase – Looking at the Internet of Things [5 Reading Tips]

20. March 201717. March 2017 | by Sara Herrera

It is not a secret that WhatsApp has been exploring ways to profit from its customer base (1,2 billion active users worldwide) since it was acquired by Facebook for $19 billion three years ago. However, no business development had been reported until last week, when it came to our attention that a Whatsapp version for businesses is in the test phase.

Will the mobile messaging app find the way for monetization with this move? Has WhatsApp anything else in mind, like making the most of artificial intelligence advancements or, what is more decisive, fullly getting into the Internet of Things ecosystem?

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(1 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)

E-Commerce Reading Tips of the Week

Is Artificial intelligence really taking off? [5 Reading Tips]

20. February 2017 | by Sara Herrera

The buzzword Artificial Intelligence (AI) is passing from hype to reality and it is expected to become not only a game changer but also one of the main global economy growth drivers in the years to come. The different AI technologies already put in place by traditional companies as well as the increasing number of AI start-ups that successfully offer value added through these AI technologies, already give us a glimpse of AI’s full potential for consumers and also industries.

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(1 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)

E-Commerce Reading Tips of the Week

Alibaba is using big data analytics to fight against fake products [5 Reading Tips]

23. January 2017 | by Sara Herrera

Internet is a free channel; however it does not mean that anything goes. For many years, the largest e-commerce platforms of the world (Amazon and Alibaba) have been looking the other way when fake products issues started to arise, undermining the reputation of online retailers and threatening the viability of many honest businesses. However that tendency has changed radically.

After Amazon gave the first moves against IP infringements, Alibaba has found the perfect formula to clear their e-commerce sites from intellectual property pirates: the use of advanced technologies (big data analytics and AI, among others) in combination with close collaboration between them and genuine brands, such as Louis Vuitton, Huawei, or Samsung, and relevant authorities.

Will this promising recipe redefine the way we are fighting against fraud, scam, and IP infringement? To what extent are companies adopting big data solutions and in which segments has big data taken off?

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(2 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)

E-Commerce Reading Tips of the Week

Gartner’s most important strategic tech trends for 2017 [5 Reading Tips]

2. January 201722. December 2016 | by Sara Herrera

A new year is always synonymous with new objectives, strategies, and projects. Since mobile has ceased to be a trend to becoming a natural state for an increasing mass of people and a must for organisations, the main challenges organisations should face in order to lead the race towards innovation during this new year are both to wisely handle the strong emergence of smart digital technologies, and to be able to provide competitive advantages. Having said that, what are the main technology trends for 2017 that no company should miss out according to Gartner?

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(2 vote(s), average: 3.00 out of 5)

E-Commerce Reading Tips of the Week

Mobile, AI, and AR hit 2017 UX trends

8. December 20168. December 2016 | by Sara Herrera

Amazon have just presented their new business proposition with which they want to revolutionise the shopping experience in the physical world. ‘Amazon Go’ is a new kind of supermarket. There are no cashiers. Nor queues, but a lot of sensors that detect every product that leaves the shelves to fill the customer’s digital shopping cart. Shoppers only need an Amazon account, a smartphone, and the ‘Amazon Go’ app to come inside, pick up what they need, and walk out the door.

The shopping experience Amazon offers is as fast, easy, and seamless as it is online. To achieve that, the smartphone is again the integrative element that, together with a great sense of UX, allows the connection between two worlds and between different technologies with the objective of benefiting consumers.

Amazon inspire us with their commitment to innovation but also show us the right track: scanning codes, sensors, in-app mobile payments, and (especially) smartphones. The digitalisation of marketing and sales is also driven by mobile. The optimisation of businesses of any kind for mobile is, more than a need, a competitive advantage, and the 2017 UX trends confirm it as well.

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(3 vote(s), average: 5.00 out of 5)

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