Amazon acquires small digital commerce platform to challenge Shopify

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Written By Rick Watson

I was featured in this article from RetailDive about the Amazon acquisition of Selz. They did a great job summarizing my take on the situation:

Climbing back into the multi-channel business was probably easiest done via acquisition, and, having raised just $11 million so far and in need of distribution, Australian startup Selz was an easy target for the e-commerce behemoth, according to Rick Watson, founder, and CEO of RMW Commerce Consulting.

Selz's notice that it won't take new sign-ups could mean that new digital storefronts will only be found on Amazon, and the Selz brand could disappear if the move is intended to poach Selz's expertise, Watson said.

But it's "likely Amazon saw Selz as a viable way to enter the market faster," Watson said by email, adding that most cloud-based e-commerce tech isn't unique any longer. The "special sauce," as Amazon sees it, "could be the combination of this cloud eCommerce platform with either its marketplace or advertising and fulfillment offerings — or all 3!"

Rick Watson

Rick Watson founded RMW Commerce Consulting after spending 20+ years as a technology entrepreneur and operator exclusively in the eCommerce industry with companies like ChannelAdvisor, BarnesandNoble.com, Merchantry, and Pitney Bowes.

Watson’s work today is centered on supporting investors and management teams incubating and growing direct-to-consumer businesses. Most recently, in partnership with WHP Global, Rick was a critical resource in architecting the WHP+ platform, a new turnkey direct to consumer digital e-commerce platform that powers AnneKlein.com and JosephAbboud.com.

Watson also hosts a weekly podcast, Watson Weekly, where he shares an unbiased, unfiltered expert take on the retail sector’s biggest players.

In the past year alone, Rick has spoken at many in-person and virtual events as well as podcasts on topics ranging from retail/ecom to supply chain/logistics and even digital grocery including CommerceNext IRL, ASCM Connect, and Retail Innovation Conference.

https://www.rmwcommerce.com/
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