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Bits & Bytes | Shoppers Prioritise Speedy Delivery, $1BN E-Commerce Venture Targets Middle East

This week, a report reveals the importance of speedy delivery services to holiday shoppers and a $1 billion e-commerce venture from Saudi Arabia PIF and Alabbar targets the Middle East's growing online retail market.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Source: Shutterstock
By
  • Helena Pike
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"Speedy Delivery Top of Mind for Holiday Shoppers" (Retail Dive)
"Retailers, spurred by Amazon, have helped set speedy delivery expectations for consumers, which will put supply chain and logistics strategies to the test this holiday season."

"Clicks to Bricks: Online Retailers Find the Lure of a Store" (The New York Times)
"Rather than crushing physical stores, the rise of online shopping is, in many cases, encouraging the development of new and innovative retail shops."

"Report: Google Buys Shopping Search Startup to Make Images More Lucrative" (Bloomberg)
"Google last month quietly bought Undecidable Labs, a startup founded by a former Apple director that focused on turning online searches into purchases, according to a person familiar with the deal."

"Brands Can Now Promote Their Chatbots With Targeted Facebook Ads" (Ad Week)
"ebook is further integrating chatbots into the platform by letting brands buy newsfeed ads that directly link to one-to-one conversations in Messenger."

"Saudi Arabia PIF and Alabbar to Launch $1 Billion E-Commerce Firm" (Bloomberg)
"Emaar Properties PJSC Chairman Mohamed Alabbar and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will each contribute $500 million to an e-commerce venture to tap the Middle East's fast-growing online retail market."

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