Hey there!

Just when you thought the newsletter was going to take a long hiatus.

I'm back with another round of non-breaking news, memes, quotes, and updates for you in the most inconsistently published newsletter you'll find.

​

💬 Quote of the Week

​

We are the CEO of our businesses, Chief Everything Officer. There's no way to avoid problems, so we need to get good at fixing them.

​

Now let's see what we missed on the back pages of e-commerce news 👇

​

What's the Matter?

​

📰 Third Party Like It's 1999

​

Walmart's marketplace has reached over 200,000 active sellers, marking its fastest growth ever with a 30% increase in just five months.

The retailer now features more than half a billion items from both domestic and international sellers.

​

​

Why it matters:

Walmart is clearly declaring its intention to become a significant force in the ecommerce space. They are on pace to add close to 100,000 sellers this year.

If you're considering adding Walmart as a sales channel, now is an excellent time. And Walmart would love to have you.

(If you need some help learning the ropes, you can get hours of recorded sessions teaching you how to get setup and become successful on Walmart here.)

The second half of the article gets fixated on international sellers for some reason, but buried in there is a point worth monitoring: with this explosive growth rate, Walmart will be pressure testing its infrastructure and vetting process.

​

📰 Bot to Trot

​

Amazon is training humanoid robots to deliver packages using Rivian vans. These robots will be able to jump out of the vans and drop off orders at homes.

The nightmare fuel article shares that Amazon is building a "humanoid park" for training and is developing AI software to help the robots navigate cracks in sidewalks and stiff arm canines, I guess.

​

​

Why it matters:

Aside from being terrifying fascinating, there are some clear benefits that could be realized.

Last mile delivery could become even faster. As the robot delivers its package, the trucks will have a human driver able to deliver a second package at the same time.

There's likely some labor cost savings too. I know some of you may scoff at the thought of Amazon making more on their bottom line, but it's logical to think (hope) that better margins in other parts of the operation could keep them from trying to squeeze more from us.

We covered this piece of news yesterday on the live News and Q&A show. You can watch the replay here.

​

📰 Winging It With Walmart

​

Walmart and Wing are expanding their drone delivery service to 100 new stores in five US cities.

Since starting drone deliveries in 2021, Walmart has completed over 150,000 deliveries, making shopping faster and more convenient.

​

​

Why it matters:

First, I had no idea that Walmart was this deep in the drone delivery game.

More importantly though, I think it's a good idea to watch the steps Walmart takes to directly compete with Amazon.

Walmart has everything they need to become a legitimate threat, but until recently they've been slow to embrace the ecommerce boom. The moves they make and the speed they make them should be of interest to us considering how they have rolled out the red carpet for third party sellers.

​

📰 A Paws on Spending

​

A Bank of America Institute study found Americans are spending less at the pet store.

Costs for pet food and services have risen sharply over the past five years. While pet food inflation has slowed recently, spending on pet services remains high, leading some households to economize by buying cheaper food or shopping at grocery stores.

​

​

Why it matters:

Pet Ownership is on the rise and the pet category overall is projected to have positive growth. Oversimplified, units sold are increasing, but we're looking to spend less dollars purchasing them.

America loves its fur babies. And when we see consumers are looking for cheaper alternatives, Amazon is still largely seen and a place to save money in their eyes.

​

🎧 What's the Latest on the Clear The Shelf with Chris & Chris Podcast?

​

We have three four five (Idk, I lost track?) new episodes that just need a thumbnail, so be on the lookout in the near future.

Also, we're testing a new time slot for the Sunday show this week. Both shows will be at 5:30 pm est.

• Wednesdays at 5:30 pm est
• Sunday at 5:30 pm est

Be sure to stop by with any questions or just hang out and talk shop with us.

​

​ Listen to Clear the Shelf with Chris & Chris on your favorite podcast player: ​YouTube​ ​Apple​ ​Spotify​

​

💰 Alpha Weekend Lead List

​

We just had a spot open on the weekend list if you've been trying to get in.

​

​

📚 The Most Successful People I Know Are Readers

I saw this Stephen Covey Collection for the first time just the other day while scrolling through book deals. It has four of his bestsellers, including The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, plus videos, infographics, and more.

Covey has been a self-help rock star for decades. Presidents and famous CEOs have credited him with changing their lives.

It works out to less than a dollar per book at its current deal price. Don't sleep on First Things First if you need help with time management. It's very good.

​

I became a fan of Chip & Dan Heath after reading Made to Stick. I liked it so much that I have it in my head that I will read anything they write. And definitely snatch up anything I don't have already when it drops to a couple of bucks.

That's exactly what I did when I saw Decisive on sale. I haven't read it yet, but I'm excited to.

​

🤣 Sometimes I Think I'm Funny

​

Have a great week! Talk to you soon.

Chris

​

**Not interested in this newsletter? Scroll to the bottom and adjust your preferences.