A weekly summary of the essential e-commerce news in sectors such as marketplaces, consumer, and luxury e-commerce news. I also ask three questions that are on my mind.
Around The World In Commerce No. 314 - The Return
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Dear Readers, I wrote my last newsletter in November 2024, and then it got really busy. I did not realize at the time that the world would undergo significant changes by 2025. I was aware of elections in Singapore, India, and the US, but had no idea that in April 2025, the trading hierarchy would be rearranged. The chaos and uncertainty created in 2025 have likely changed commerce, and especially cross-border e-commerce, which will likely never be the same. So why restart this newsletter for the 5th time, you ask? I miss writing, but more importantly, I do not see the content that I want to read. I am going to test the format of this Sunday's email as I want to offer readers value. I will also send a weekly email on Wednesdays, focusing on a singular topic that has been top of mind for me. The three big questions on my mind this week: 1. What will change, if anything, at Mercado Libre in 2026? CEO and Co-founder Marcos Galperin announced that from 1 January 2026, he will become executive chairman of Mercado Libre and that Ariel Szarfsztejn will become the company's CEO. The markets did not react, which to me conveys how well Mercado Libre has performed. I think it's telling that Szarfsztejn is being elevated to this role after spending time being responsible for Commerce, and previously to that, he was the head of Mercado Libre's logistics supply chain business. It's telling me that Marcos Galperin is handing the reins to a younger executive rather than promoting someone who has been in the industry for over a decade. I am long MELI. 2. Amazon is both a custodian and a challenger. It's not lost on me that Amazon has partnered with Saks Global, bicycle brand Canyon, and seen Nike return to its marketplace. What is the single commonality to all of these brands? In all cases, these brands are under significant pressure to grow revenues, and Amazon, just by accident, are partnering with these brands. Am I the only one that views this akin to the gazelle sitaution that Amazon has discussed previosuly. As a custodian it feels like Amazon is about to be in direct competition with AI rival such as OpenAi, and Microsoft? These companies have not allowed models from other companies on their platforms yet it feels like they are now trying to follow Amazon's business model to offer a marketplace of models to their developers? This could get messy and will place financial demands on all of these companies. 3. The new race of logistics operators in the US seemingly is to buy logistics companies that service the health sector. UPS and DHL both acquired 3PLs that primarily focus on the healthcare sector. Is this a hedge against lower-priced consumer package deliveries, or is it the potential beginning of carriers looking to reduce their dependence on e-commerce delivery volume? Alongside Vinny O'Brien and me, we are launching a marketplace-focused podcast called The Ostrich Report. Vinny wrote about it on LinkedIn , but I will add that currently, there is no marketplace-focused podcast that helps brands make sense of the channel. If you're interested in becoming a sponsor of the podcast, please feel free to reply to either Vinny or me. Feel free to respond to this email - I read and respond to all replies and would love to hear from you! Till Wednesday! Onwards, Hendrik The content here is for informational purposes only and should NOT be taken as legal, business, tax, or investment advice. It does NOT constitute an offer or solicitation to purchase any investment or a recommendation to buy or sell a security. The content is not directed to any investor or potential investor and may not be used to evaluate or make any investment. This was edition number 314, sent on 1 Jun 2025. |
Hendrik Laubscher
A weekly summary of the essential e-commerce news in sectors such as marketplaces, consumer, and luxury e-commerce news. I also ask three questions that are on my mind.
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