We are definitely not ready to say goodbye to the summer. But what we are ready and glad to say is: welcome to the August edition of the B2B eCommerce News. Today we will look at the following issues:

• Omnichannel commerce needs a new kind of CMS
• Which comes first, the eCommerce platform or the developer?
• 3 fundamental areas of eCommerce you should never skimp on
• How to find a niche market to boost your eCommerce Business
• Facebook launches marketplace in Europe
• Amazon VS Alibaba

First, let’s take a look at the omnichannel commerce. Armando Roggio, a senior editor of PracticalEcommerce, has claimed that the omnichannel commerce needs a new kind of CMS. In the article, he is comparing the current systems and the ones that the industry actually needs. The material contains helpful and clear graphs and examples which make reading it even more enjoyable. An eCommerce version of the chicken-egg dilemma is discussed in the article Which Comes First, the eCommerce Platform or the Developer? We bet you will find it exceptionally useful even if the topic does not relate to you directly. Different eCommerce platforms are discussed here as well as the trust issues when hiring a developer first. Pratik Dholakiya, a founder of E2M, has shared three fundamental areas of eCommerce which you should never skimp on. With so many options nowadays it is easy to lose a focus, so the following recommendations will definitely come in handy for anyone working in this industry. In particular, the author advises to work on the visual design, store functionality, and marketing copy. Ecommerce Nation has posted another practicable piece of content. They have shared a list of tips on how to find a niche market to boost your eCommerce business. It catches on the controversial topic of whether to expand the business specialization to many categories or to focus on one thing. These recommendations will certainly serve you a good practice if you are facing some challenges in the niche market. To better navigate the complexities of B2B markets, understanding the role of contextual eCommerce solutions is essential. Our recent article on Contextual E-commerce and B2B Software Industry explores how tailored approaches can transform B2B sales strategies. Excellent news to all the sCommerce fans: Facebook launches a marketplace in 17 European countries. In May 2017, 18 million items were posted there by the U.S. users, and we are already excited to watch the next breaking record. Finally, this August has been all about discussing the Amazon and Alibaba new aggravation of the competition. After Mr. Trump has tweeted about Amazon not paying taxes, its stock market has dramatically fallen by $5 billion. The Guardian has already investigated this issue in the form of a critical report. The same day, news about the new Alibaba’s victories has heated the whole internet society: its quarterly results show massive customer growth. Forbes has hastened to follow the hype and published an interview with Golden Lam titled as Top Manager Says Alibaba Is A Better Investment Than Amazon. Are we watching a new business war rise? Yet, as the proverb goes: lose the battle but win the war… Till the next time! For more insights on Amazon’s impact on niche marketplaces, check out our detailed analysis in Will Amazon Handmade Kill Etsy? If you have any relevant news to share, leave the comments in the section below. P.s. In case you are interested in using a unified API for over 60 shopping carts and marketplaces, do not hesitate to contact us.