Shopee, Meta, launch affiliate partnerships on Instagram in Asia

- Affiliate partnerships on Instagram are available for creators across Southeast Asia and Taiwan

- Builds on the success of Facebook affiliate partnerships

- Creators can earn commissions by sharing Shopee products on Instagram

Creators in Southeast Asia and Taiwan will be some of the first outside of the US to sign up for affiliate partnerships from Shopee on Instagram.

Source: Shopee and Meta. Shopee and Meta today announced the launch of affiliate partnerships on
Instagram for creators across Southeast Asia and Taiwan.

The initiative from Shopee and Meta enables eligible creators in these locations to connect their Shopee affiliate account to Instagram, discover Shopee’s affiliate products and share recommendations with their audiences through Instagram Reels and Feed content. When Instagram viewers complete qualifying purchases on Shopee, the creators are eligible to earn commissions. 

The expansion builds on the success of Facebook affiliate partnerships, launched in 2025. As of March 2026, more than 5 million creators globally have connected their Facebook account to their Shopee affiliate account, with around 50% of onboarded creators new to the Shopee Affiliate Program. These numbers highlight the partnership’s success in attracting and enabling a new generation of affiliate creators.

Through this partnership, Meta and Shopee are making it easier for creators to monetise product recommendations, while helping shoppers discover relevant products through the content they already engage with. 

“Our success with Meta on Facebook affiliate partnerships has shown how powerful creator-led commerce can be when content, trust and shopping come together. We are excited to build on this momentum with Instagram, giving creators more ways to earn from product recommendations across Reels and Feed, while helping shoppers discover and purchase Shopee products more seamlessly. 

"This is part of Shopee’s broader commitment to supporting creators, sellers and brands as content becomes an increasingly important part of the online shopping journey,” said Peggy Zhu, Executive Director, Brand and Growth Marketing at Shopee.

With affiliate partnerships on Instagram, eligible creators can:

● Connect their Shopee affiliate account to their Instagram professional account

● Discover and select Shopee affiliate products to recommend in Reels and Feed content 

● Showcase multiple products in a single piece of content, with a shopping icon and a “commission eligible” label, enabling viewers to easily identify featured products and enjoy a more seamless journey from discovery on Instagram to checkout on Shopee

 ● Earn commissions when viewers complete qualifying purchases on Shopee 

Early signals from the initial Instagram Reels rollout have also been encouraging. Across markets, creators have shown strong early interest in using short-form content to share product recommendations with their audiences. 

Meta and Shopee are committed to protecting user data. Account linking and affiliate activity data are processed in accordance with applicable data protection laws, and creators maintain control over their connected accounts at all times.

“As a creator, I’ve always used Instagram Reels to share product recommendations in a way that feels personal and useful for my followers. Affiliate partnerships on Instagram make this even easier because I can add Shopee products directly to my Reels, helping viewers find what I’m recommending more quickly. It also gives me more opportunities to earn from the content I already enjoy creating,” shared Ekida (@ekidarehanf), a content creator from Indonesia.

Shopee and Meta are also testing an affiliate ad solution in a limited rollout starting with selected Southeast Asia markets, with a view to expanding over the coming months. With the creator's consent, Shopee sellers and brands can amplify select affiliate content as clearly-labelled paid promotions, with Meta's ad system helping to reach relevant audiences. This gives sellers and brands a seamless way to amplify creator content that is already resonating with audiences, driving greater reach and return on investment. 

"By bringing affiliate partnerships to Instagram with Shopee, we're creating more opportunities for creators to earn from the content they love making, while helping businesses of all sizes reach new customers. The strong adoption we've seen on Facebook shows the real demand for tools that turn creative content into meaningful commerce," said Nicole Tan, MD, Meta Singapore. 

Details 

Affiliate partnerships on Instagram with Shopee in Asia are now available to eligible creators in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.

Trust and transparency hold the key to APAC checkout: Visa

Visa, a world leader in digital payments, has released new survey* findings on the state of digital commerce in Asia Pacific, revealing that while consumers are increasingly using AI to shop, concerns over security and transparency are creating hesitation at the crucial moment - checkout.

With Asia Pacific’s rapid shift towards digital commerce and mobile-first shopping, the research shows that consumers are drawing a clear line between using AI to help them browse and trusting the same technology to handle their money and personal data, Visa highlighted. Clearly demonstrating how AI is used to spark discovery and securely handle payments is critical if consumers are to feel confident using the technology to shop and pay. 

“The way people shop is changing quickly, with AI now playing a growing role in how consumers discover and choose products,” said TR Ramachandran, Head of Products & Solutions, Asia Pacific at Visa. 

“But as AI becomes part of the checkout experience, trust and control become even more important. Consumers want to understand how their data is being used and feel confident that every transaction is secure. Building that trust is what will determine whether AI-powered commerce can truly scale.” 

Consumers across Asia Pacific are increasingly relying on AI for the early stages of shopping, with 74% using AI-powered tools to discover, track or learn about products. Yet 26% remain unsure if AI recommendations fully align with their best interests, pointing to a desire for greater transparency and user control in AI-powered shopping. 

The research also reveals that this caution is more pronounced among affluent households**, where 39% express higher expectations around how their data is used, compared to 29% among lower-income groups. Digital-first markets such as Australia (38%), New Zealand (37%) and Singapore (34%) also show above-average caution. 

These findings underscore the need for trusted frameworks in AI-driven commerce, an area where Visa is enabling businesses to connect consumers, AI agents and merchants through a secure, scalable trust layer supported by Visa Intelligent Commerce and the Trusted Agent Protocol.  

While consumers are comfortable using AI to compare prices and better understand product features, this confidence fades as transactions become more personal. The study finds that 32% of consumers remain reluctant to share personal or payment information with AI systems, and nearly half (45%) say they would be more open to AI-powered or agentic commerce if they had stronger assurances around payment security.

These findings highlight that while AI can successfully drive discovery, secure authentication and trusted payment experiences are essential to convert interest into action to unlock the full lifecycle of AI-enabled commerce. 

“Consumers are ready for AI to play a more active role in shopping, and agentic commerce has already started scaling beyond concept and into daily life,” added TR Ramachandran. 

“For this shift to accelerate, trust and secure authentication must be in place. With solutions such as Tokenisation and Visa Payment Passkeys, Visa is delivering the seamless and secure experiences customers need — enabling people to shop with greater confidence as AI becomes a more natural part of everyday commerce.” 

Openness to agentic commerce varies across Asia Pacific, revealing that digital maturity does not automatically translate into trust. India and Vietnam lead the region, with 42% of consumers in each market open to using AI for online purchases, indicating strong appetites to experiment with new ways of shopping.

In contrast, consumers in digitally-mature economies show greater reservation towards AI-enabled online shopping, with 14% in Singapore, 14% in Japan and 16% in New Zealand expressing interest. This hesitancy reflects higher expectations for data protection, security and personal control before embracing agentic commerce. The study also found that improved payment security is the strongest enabler of increased adoption in these markets, reinforcing the need for a secure and trusted agentic ecosystem.

*The State of Digital Commerce in Asia Pacific 2025 study was commissioned by Visa and conducted by YouGov in September 2025. The study surveyed 14,764 consumers aged 18 years and above across 14 Asia-Pacific markets.

**For the purposes of this study, “affluent households” refer to respondents with a monthly household income of US$8,000 or above. 

Harnessing romance story-telling to boost sales

Research from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) Business School has linked romance-themed storytelling and the increased likelihood of making impulsive purchases.

Highlights of the research include: 

- Tourists exposed to romance-themed storytelling are more prone to impulsive buying compared to those in non-romantic settings.

- The effect is driven by a reduced sense of personal control that stems from an internalised belief that "romance is uncontrollable".

= Colour plays a crucial role: blue backgrounds enhance the impulsive buying tendency in romantic settings, while red backgrounds mitigate it.

The study, led by Professor Lisa Wan Chun-ying of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management at CUHK Business School, could present new opportunities for tourism marketers to enhance visitor experiences and boost consumer spending, the university said.

Titled Harnessing romance: The effect of exposure to romance-themed attractions on tourists’ impulsive buying and published in Tourism Management, the 2023 study involved 820 participants. Some participants were shown images of a medieval bridge which came with a love story, while others were told a romance-neutral story about friendship related to the bridge. Those exposed to the romance theme were more likely to make impulsive purchases compared to those under the non-romantic condition.

Look to Double Days for retail boosts: Criteo

- “Double Days” are growing into sales events of their own – during the most recent 9.9 (9th September) sale saw substantial growth in retail sales in Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, of 213%, 183% and 156% respectively.

- Singles’ Day 2019 (11th November) saw a 414% increase in online retail sales and 273% increase in online retail traffic across Southeast Asia. In Singapore, online retail sales and traffic increased significantly, by 477% and 126% respectively.

- In Indonesia, 12.12 (12th December) remained the largest shopping moment within the country (Online retail sales and traffic increases of 258% and 77%)

Criteo, the advertising platform for the open Internet, has unveiled seasonal data for trending shopping festivals for Southeast Asia. In Singapore, Singles’ Day was revealed to be the biggest shopping event of the year in 2019. According to Criteo’s Seasonal Sales Dashboard, which recorded over 2 billion transactions across 5,000 retailers from 35 markets, Criteo found that Singles’ Day 2019 saw a 414% increase in online retail sales and 273% increase in online retail traffic across Southeast Asia. In Singapore, online retail sales and traffic increased significantly, by 477% and 126% respectively.

Singles’ Day, once again, had the highest conversion rate, with an increase of 155% in Singapore, and strong year on year growth of 49% from 2018.

“Singles’ Day continues to be a key retail moment for our region. Specifically, in Singapore, where we continue to see new records in online retail sales and retail traffic on this date, every year,” said Taranjeet Singh, MD, South East Asia and India at Criteo.

“In light of today’s evolving landscape and developments as result of the current pandemic, retailers need to seize the opportunity of Singles’ Day 2020 to succeed with customers and drive strong sales.”

Across Southeast Asia, Singles’ Day remained the largest shopping event in countries including Singapore, Malaysia, and Vietnam. In Indonesia, 12.12 remained the largest shopping moment within the country.

Southeast Asia

- 10.10 (10th October): Online retail sales and traffic increased by 24% and 10%

- Black Friday (the Friday after Thanksgiving): Online retail sales and traffic increases of 44% and 20%

- Cyber Monday (the Monday after Black Friday): Online retail sales and traffic increases of 42% and 25%

Indonesia: 12.12 was the winning shopping festival, followed by Singles’ Day:

- 10.10: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 158% and 40%

- Singles’ Day: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 149% and 60%

- 12.12: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 258% and 77%

Taiwan: Singles’ Day was the largest shopping moment, followed by 12.12 and Black Friday:

- Singles’ Day: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 400% and 165%

- Black Friday: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 59% and 49%

- 12.12: Online retail sales and traffic increases of 149% and 61%

Criteo data also revealed that “Double Days” are growing into sales events of their own. In Malaysia and Vietnam for example, 7.7 (7th July) turned out to be an emerging sales peak this year, with increased retail sales by 132% and 64% in the two countries, respectively.

Most recently this year, substantial growth was recorded in retail sales in September, during 9.9, particularly in Vietnam, Singapore, and Malaysia, of 213%, 183% and 156% respectively. In October, during 10.10, the Southeast Asia region recorded an overall 46% increase in sales when compared to the last two weeks of September, and saw a conversion rate of 460% during the retail moment.

Criteo also noted that shopping apps continue to grow in popularity amongst users in Southeast Asia. According to Criteo’s Peak to Recovery study, which surveyed over 13,000 consumers worldwide in May 2020, 53% of consumers discovered at least one form of online shopping during the peak of the pandemic – be it purchasing through mobile apps, or picking up online purchases in stores – that they wish to continue.

“The unique circumstances of navigating COVID-19 have resulted in evolving consumer behaviour with regards to online shopping. Not only are people shopping more, they are also more inclined to using apps for retail,” explained Singh.

“In Q3 2020, our data revealed that the share of app sales was 75% for retailers with a shopping app and that Southeast Asia was one of the regions with the highest app share globally. With shoppers now inclined toward in-app retail experiences, retailers should step up efforts to engage consumers through these mediums during key retail moments like Singles’ Day for maximum traction.”

Jo Bjordal, CMO, ZALORA explained, "COVID-19 has changed shopping behaviour across our markets, with more people shifting to buying things online. The demand and consumption patterns for product categories have changed dramatically too.”

When it came to key changes in retail preferences, Bjordal elaborated on spikes in consumer demand that fashion e-tailer ZALORA has seen in the last recent months, even during the last Double Day, 10.10. “Within the lifestyle segment, we have seen a spike in demand towards the loungewear, beauty, kids, as well as continued growth in sports and wellness categories. In fact, these categories at ZALORA have grown by as much as 400% as seen in this year’s 10.10 sales days, as people continue to prioritise personal wellbeing and spend more time at home. On the other hand, demand for women’s apparel and occasion wear products has declined as compared to pre-COVID-19 levels, although this is expected to pick up again once the situation around COVID-19 stabilises, and countries gradually ease into their respective re-openings,” he said.

Criteo said brands should keep in mind the following best practices to drive maximum traction with customers as they get ready for Singles’ Day this year:

Target the most valuable audiences

Through website and campaign optimisation, brands can be assured of a wider reach from new and existing customers. This includes finding new, interested shoppers and re-engaging existing customers through data and insights.

Maximising customer value

Customers are looking to get the most value from their purchases, so it is key to ensure that this is communicated to customers, and brands look for unique ways to differentiate their offerings, apart from providing substantial discounts in cost. This could include unique and practical customer services, including safer store shopping options and online-meets-offline purchasing to address customer concerns during the pandemic.

Enhancing ad relevance

It is not enough for brands to advertise Singles’ Day deals – they need to ensure that ads are served in the right context and with the relevant content to their specific audience. This means considering the timing at which ads are served, preferably at a time when a consumer is likely to make a purchase.

Sales for Ramadhan peak two weeks before Raya

Source: Criteo Ramadan 2018 report.
Ramadhan graphic.

- The peak shopping period for Ramadhan 2017 was about two weeks before Eid al-Fitr

- Health/beauty and electronics categories saw the biggest sales uplift in Singapore, whereas Southeast Asia (SEA) saw the biggest sales uplift from health/beauty and toys/games. 

- More retail shoppers in SEA are shopping on mobile

Criteo, the commerce marketing technology company, has released seasonal data for Ramadhan from 2017 to help commerce providers better engage shoppers in anticipation of the festive season. According to the company, retailers should intensify their advertising campaign efforts during specific periods in Ramadhan to gain early visibility, increase engagement with shoppers and enhance sales.

The analysis revealed strong online sales in the Southeast Asia (SEA) region in the lead up to and during Ramadhan, which took place from 26 May to 24 June in 2017. Ramadhan 2018 begins 17 May, and ends 14 June. In 2017 online retail sales were at its peak on 8 June, about two weeks before Eid al-Fitr 2017 (25 June). Eid is on 15 June for 2018. 

A maximum of 52% increase in online retail sales was observed during this period in 2017, indicating exactly when shoppers are more compelled to spend for the season. Online travel sales also saw a gradual rise during Ramadhan, with the biggest uplift seen two days after Eid al-Fitr – a 14% uplift.

The top performing sub-verticals in the SEA region, based on uplifts in sales are:

- Toys and games – 62% (Singapore: 98%)

- Health and beauty – 53%(Singapore: 143%)

- Electronics – 42% (Singapore: 99%)

- Home and living – 42% (Singapore: 91%)

The trend is similar elsewhere. Shoppers in the Middle East typically shop a couple of weeks before Ramadhan begins as well, Criteo said. This trend continues to escalate during Ramadjan, where the highest uplift in sales was observed one to two weeks before Eid al-Fitr. 

Consumer electronics, fashion, and food and travel lead the way as the strongest performing sub-verticals, but more people are also shopping online for home and living goods, health and beauty products, and groceries. A difference between the region and SEA was that travel sales saw a surge in the last week of Ramadhan as many in the Middle East tend to travel during Eid al-Fitr, which also corresponds with three-month summer holidays in the region.

“The global halal industry is projected to surpass US$1 trillion in size by 2030*. Given that Ramadhan is a key festival in the region, SEA is set to contribute significantly to this market growth. We are seeing a rise in variety and awareness of halal products amongst Muslim and non-Muslim shoppers. Retailers can stand out by bidding more aggressively at the right time to boost online engagement and transactions,” said Alban Villani, GM, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Criteo.

Criteo’s findings also highlighted the need for retailers to optimise their mobile apps and sites for increased retail sales and travel bookings during Ramadhan. More retail shoppers in SEA are shopping on mobile, as seen by the maximum uplift of mobile apps at 64% (Singapore: 61%) and 52% (Singapore: 46%) on the mobile web. Travel sales are no exception, with SEA noting a 28% maximum uplift in sales for mobile apps three days after Eid-al-Fitr and the mobile web four days after Eid-al-Fitr respectively. 

For Singapore, the maximum uplift in sales for mobile apps was close to three weeks after Eid-al-Fitr at 20%, while maximum uplift in mobile web occurred slightly over two weeks after Eid-al-Fitr at 33%.

“Millennials are a rising demographic within the Islamic community*. They are tech-savvy and use social media to regularly connect with their favourite brands. With Millennials having a greater inclination towards discovering new online products and purchasing them during Ramadhan, this season presents retailers with a key opportunity to engage both first-time and existing buyers. This sets the platform for further engagement beyond the Ramadhan season, through our commerce marketing technology, to sustain brand loyalty and encourage repeat purchases. Our findings reinforce that mobile is an imperative channel for retailers to effectively reach out to Millennials,” said Villani.

Criteo’s findings were derived through an analysis of more than 44 million retail shopping transactions and more than 28 million travel sales transactions on desktops and mobile devices from 57 major advertisers across the SEA region.

Explore:

Read the Criteo report for Ramadhan in SEA 2018

*State of the Global Islamic Economy 2017/18, Thomson Reuters

HubSpot reveals what buyers really want from salespeople

HubSpot’s latest report, Asia Pacific Buyers Have Spoken: Sales Needs to Evolve, reveals what buyers really want out of the sales experience, from discussion topics for the first call to the appropriate time to meet sales.

According to the research, it is not so much that sales is getting harder as much as traditional sales tactics are losing their efficacy. The problem is that sales tactics today do not match up with buyer expectations. If salespeople can cater to what buyers want, the conversions will happen, HubSpot says.

The research provides insights from consumers in Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia like:

· More than half (57%) of salespeople agree that buyers are less dependent on sales during the buying process. During the awareness stage, buyers rely on search, vendor websites, and newsletters/emails as their top channels to find information. They opt to connect with a sales representative point when they are ready to buy.

- One-third of buyers in the Asia Pacific region (APAC) seek out product demonstrations early on in the buyer’s journey. This is contrary to the prevalent belief that product demos are a final closing action. One solution is a prerecorded video demo that is clearly visible on a vendor’s website, which can double up as a useful prospecting and qualifying tool for companies that have products that require demonstrations.

- Almost half (47%) of buyers find information from marketers trustworthy but just over a third (36%) of buyers trust information from sales. However, buyers are likely still missing crucial information that is not really available online, information that only a salesperson can provide. It is important to know how long an integration/installation will take, how long it typically takes to see results, or even if the product is a proper fit for an organisation. While buyers are ready to talk pricing, salespeople should also raise such considerations by asking buyers open-ended questions.

Interested?

Read more about the research

posted from Bloggeroid

HubSpot for Startups makes entry easier for young companies

HubSpot, a marketing and sales automation technology provider, has introduced HubSpot for Startups, designed for startups working with accelerators, incubators and entrepreneurial organisations.

The solution helps small businesses gain traction on their marketing and sales with a 90% discount on HubSpot products, which include customer relationship management (CRM), sales, and marketing solutions.

"HubSpot for Startups allows young, growth-driven companies to maximise their marketing and sales efforts right from the start and helps set them on a path to success,” said Itai Boublil, Global Marketing Lead at Impact Hub Network, and former CMO at Impact Hub Singapore. Impact Hub Network is a global business Incubator that offers an ecosystem of resources, inspiration, and collaboration opportunities for members.

"At Impact Hub we build ecosystems that inspire, connect and empower people to realise enterprising ideas for sustainable impact, supporting them from early-stage startups to mature ventures in their local market and beyond. The access to the HubSpot software, and the support that comes along with it through the HubSpot for Startups programme is a complete game changer in helping to make that happen."me

In 2015, HubSpot saw 150% year-over-year programme growth and has more than 250 certified member accelerators and incubators, with accelerators, incubators and startups in 26 countries.

As a former startup, HubSpot understands the unique pain points of young companies. HubSpot Co-founder and CTO Dharmesh Shah said: “HubSpot is dedicated to helping high-growth businesses grow and succeed. We’ve been there, and this programme is a way to expand our commitment to entrepreneurs and help excellent new businesses get ahead.”

Interested?

Apply

posted from Bloggeroid

Gulf Air extends direct presence to four cities in North Pakistan

Source: Gulf Air.

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has officially opened four new sales offices in the north Pakistani cities of Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Sialkot. 

Gulf Air operates direct flights between Bahrain and the Pakistani cities of Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Sialkot with 23 flights a week in total. Flights to and from Pakistan can be booked either online at gulfair.com, through the airline’s 24 hour Worldwide Contact Centre on +973 1737 3737, through any Gulf Air sales office or at approved travel agencies.

The new offices will manage passengers’ ticketing and sales requirements and respond to any general enquiries. The new Gulf Air offices in Pakistan can be found at:

Gulf Air, Islamabad
Unit 1-A, Shahid Plaza, 

Blue Area Jinnah Avenue F-6/4, 

Islamabad.
Tel: +92 512 8100 2832

Gulf Air, Karachi
1st Floor, Kashif Centre, 

Shahrah-e-Faisal, 

Karachi.
Tel: +92 21 5675 2316

Gulf Air, Lahore
Lufthansa House 5-G/2, 

Block H, Gulberg II, 

Lahore.
Tel: +92 423 5763 4569

Gulf Air, Peshawar
UG-46, Deans Trade Centre, 

Peshawar Cantt
Tel: +92 9 1556 0778

Gulf Air, Sialkot
10 Ground Floor, 

Abdullah Trade Centre, Kutchery Road, 

Sialkot.
Tel: +92 524 2684 2831

Jumei adds to online beauty portfolio

Source: Jumei website.

Jumei International Holding, an online retailer of beauty products in China, has made a number of strategic partnerships with overseas brands. The company announced that Max Factor and OPI Products are now part of the Authentic Beauty Product Alliance (ABPA) and that it has signed a cooperation agreement with American fashion designer Jill Stuart.

The company offers branded beauty products, fashionable apparel and other lifestyle products through the its website and associated mobile application. It also notes that according to recent reports from China's State Administration for Industry and Commerce that were released on December 11, 2014 and January 23, 2015, it is offering 100% authentic products.

Imperial Hotel, Japan eyes Southeast Asian arrivals

Source: Imperial Hotel website.

Japan's venerable Imperial Hotel has opened of its first full-service sales office in Southeast Asian to reinforce marketing efforts for the ASEAN region. Imperial Hotel, Ltd. operates the world famous Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, founded in 1890, the new riverside Imperial Hotel, Osaka, as well as several smaller second tier brand hotels and a 75-room mountain resort in the Japan Alps. 

Acknowledging that visa requirements for Japan have been relaxed in many countries in Southeast Asia, the Imperial's Singapore office, headed by Tokyo's former Asian Market General Manager Shohei Sekido, will focus on affluent individual travelers and a broad corporate market, including sales around conferences, seminars, regional government assemblies and incentive travel to Japan. 

Foreign arrivals have increased from North America and Asia and make up 40% of the flagship Imperial's market against the backdrop of a continuously depreciating yen. With accommodations for visitors from Asia now on the rise, The Imperial Hotel in the capital and The Imperial Hotel in Osaka are jointly targeting an increase of 40% in such revenue by 2020, compared with 2013.

Imperial Hotel also has sales offices in New York and a general sales agent in Taiwan. Sales aimed at mainland China, South Korea and Taiwan are directed from Tokyo headquarters. 

Warrior Forum launches e-marketplace that taps on existing members' reach

Warrior Forum, an Internet marketing community and marketplace, has launched Warrior Payments, an all-in-one payments, analytics, affiliate marketing and distribution platform which the company hopes will transform the way people sell products and services online.

Matt Barrie, Chief Executive of Freelancer.com, which acquired Warrior Forum in April 2014, said, "If you are an entrepreneur or startup, and trying to figure out how to launch your product or sell your product or service online, then Warrior Forum is the #1 platform to help you do this."

Warrior Payments integrates payment processing*, online product delivery, analytics, affiliate marketing and distribution. It handles customer management, customer feedback, and connects with preferred mailing list services like MailChimp and AWeber to automatically add customers who purchase a product to the seller's email lists. Warrior Payments also allows sellers to provide special limited time offers to create a sense of urgency around a product launch.

Barrie added that every product or service listed in the Warrior Forum marketplace can be sold via Warrior's existing network of over 780,000 Internet marketers, who can now request a payments link to sell the item.

The new feature comes with detailed analytics on how these products and services are selling, including which products are best-sellers or have the highest margins. Warrior says that this means marketers can weigh how successful a product is even before taking it on. 

Alaister Low, Warrior Forum Director, said, "Warrior Forum is the home of the world's top Internet marketing experts and entrepreneurs, like Noah Kagan (#30 Facebook.com, #4 Mint.com & Chief Sumo, App Sumo) and Matt Bacak (2010 Internet Marketer of the Year). Warrior Payments will flip the traditional world of sales inside out by exposing the analytics of how things are selling in real time and it will turn the power of the Warrior Community's 780,000 experts into your very own sales force selling your own product or service. Without a doubt, Warrior Payments will redefine the way people sell products or services online."

To celebrate the launch of Warrior Payments, Warrior Forum is launching a competition, giving away US$20,000 in cash. The top seller on the platform will take home US$10,000 and the title of 2014 Warrior Internet Marketer of the Year, and the top affiliate marketer will also take home US$10,000 cash and the title of 2014 Warrior Affiliate Marketer of the Year. Competition details can be found at www.warriorforum.com.

*Warrior Payments charges a 2% flat fee.

Criteo uncovers global love affair with m-commerce

Criteo, which specialises in digital performance advertising, has shared new consumer e-commerce insights in its Q1 2014 Mobile Flash report. 

Source: Criteo Mobile Flash Report.

The report, which represents the Internet browsing and shopping behaviour of the more than 920 million unique global Internet users* that Criteo’s advertisements reach, has found that mobile plays an increasingly critical role in effectively reaching consumers:

• Mobile delivers higher click-through rates (CTRs) than PCs across most industry verticals.
• Android tablets and smartphones account for 66% of total e-commerce sales globally.
• Average CTRs on Android devices are nearly two times that of PCs.
• Android devices generate more sales globally, but iOS leads in the US and Europe.

• Retail, travel, automotive and classified ads account for more than 70% of mobile clicks.
• Mobile not only substitutes, but also complements desktop usage and brings additional sales. For example, purchases coming from an iPad are 16% more likely to happen on a Sunday, while sales from a desktop drop by 10% on Sundays.
• Hotel bookings, car rentals and apparel account for the highest average purchase value on mobile devices (US$364.80, US$209.10 and US$105.30, respectively).

“Every quarter we’re analysing robust mobile data from close to a billion Internet users that we leverage to offer advertisers deeper insights that can help better shape their campaigns,” said Jason Morse, VP Mobile Product at Criteo. “We’re seeing some very exciting opportunities start to emerge for advertisers in mobile right now. The fact that mobile devices are responsible for a rapidly growing share of e-commerce sales, representing millions of dollars, makes it hard for advertisers to ignore the possibilities with mobile campaigns.”

Read Criteo’s Q1 2014 Mobile Flash report here.

*comScore, March 2014

The Bridge Phnom Penh offers Cambodia's first SOHO properties

Singapore property developer Oxley Holdings has introduced a small-office-home-office (SOHO) property concept in Phnom Penh at the official launch of The Bridge in Cambodia. This is the company’s maiden project in Cambodia through a joint venture with local property developer Worldbridge Land Cambodia.

Source: Oxley. Oxley Holdings’ CEO Ching Chiat Kwong (first from left) at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the showroom for The Bridge in Phnom Penh with Tan Teck Kee, Executive Director, Worldbridge Land, Guest of Honour H.E. Im Chhunlim, Senior Minister, Ministry of Land Management, Urban and Construction, H.E. General Sao Sokha, Deputy Commander in Chief of Royal Cambodian Armed Forces and Commander of Royal Gendarmary of Cambodia, and Oknha Sear Rithy, Chairman, Worldbridge Land.

The Bridge will comprise residential apartments, retail units and 963 SOHO units, spanning 46 sq m to 78 sq m, with starting prices of US$100,000. When completed in 2018, The Bridge will be the largest and tallest mixed development in Cambodia at 45 storeys and a land area of 10,090 sq m.
In conjunction with the official launch of the development, the Company opened a showroom in Phnom Penh featuring the possible configurations of both residential and SOHO apartments. More than 100 SOHO units have been taken up since the company began accepting bookings in June. This figure had doubled by the day of the launch.

A sales gallery for The Bridge opened on 14 June in Singapore, at 390 Orchard Road, #16-01, Palais Renaissance. It is open from 12 to 6pm daily.

An online sales training platform which allows role plays

Role plays are an indispensable part of sales training - an activity where two participants enact a real life scenario such as a salesman delivering a sales pitch to a customer. 

However, most businesses use meeting software to conduct sales training for distributed sales teams, but such software does not allow sales professionals to practice a pitch in an online environment, before they approach a customer.  
  
uniRow's TrainingCloud.com has been especially developed to support role plays during an online sales training session. With TrainingCloud.com, the trainer can not only conduct role-plays but also record them for later evaluation and share them to teach.

Says Nimit Kumar, CEO & Founder, uniRow, "Sales is not about knowing everything but about putting to work whatever you know. The only time-tested way of doing this is by practicing the pitch through role plays. Our platform makes it possible to be done online for geographically distributed sales teams.

"The greatest value proposition of TrainingCloud.com is it accelerates peer/social learning - the best approach in sales education where the good guys learn from the best guy."

Criteo offers three tips for sales conversions

Criteo, a digital performance display advertising player has some tips gleaned from working with travel industry partners that could help companies to turn contacts into paying customers. The tips are applicable to all industries: 

Tip #1: Acquire new users at the right time of the year
 
Travel apps are downloaded more in the summer (roughly June to September), so there’s a window of opportunity, before peak season, to reach a higher percentage of active users*.

Promote your download in sync with your customers’ planning and purchasing cycle to get the best return on new acquisitions, Criteo advises.  

Tip #2: Don’t just promote downloads: change the message based on user activity

Companies should offer alternative messages to reach different types of existing users. Companies can promote their product or service to active users or re-engage lapsed users, all during seasonal window of opportunity, Criteo suggests.

Tip #3: Reactivate your most valuable users while they are most receptive
 
Analytics can help to re-engage customers, says Criteo. By tracking registrations, sales, and sales value, companies can calculate average revenue per daily active user, their lifetime value, and ROI, then target them with relevant ads. 

*Active users = users who have opened the app at least 3 times