[ BDSN ] 📲 Amazon's Rufus has a competitor

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📲 PERPLEXITY LAUNCHES RUFUS COMPETITOR

Perplexity has launched an AI-powered shopping assistant just in time for BFCM that competes directly with Amazon's Rufus and other e-commerce platforms.

Here's how Perplexity's new shopping feature compares to Rufus:

1. AI-powered search: Both Perplexity and Rufus use conversational AI to help users find products. Perplexity allows users to ask complex questions or upload photos to find products, similar to Rufus's ability to understand natural language queries.

2. Visual product cards: Perplexity displays product information, pricing, and pros/cons in easy-to-read cards, offering a more comprehensive view than Rufus's product recommendations.

3. One-click checkout: Perplexity offers a seamless "Buy with Pro" feature for U.S. subscribers, allowing direct purchases within the platform. This is similar to Amazon's one-click ordering, which Rufus can facilitate.

4. Unsponsored recommendations: Unlike Amazon's Rufus, which may prioritize Amazon products, Perplexity's current system doesn't allow brands to pay for top placement in search results.

5. Visual search: Perplexity's "Snap to Shop" feature allows users to search with photos, similar to Amazon's image search capabilities.

6. Merchant integration: While Rufus is exclusive to Amazon, Perplexity partners with various retailers and integrates with Shopify, potentially offering a wider product selection.

7. Free shipping: Perplexity offers free shipping on "Buy with Pro" orders, competing with Amazon Prime's shipping benefits.

8. API access: Perplexity provides free API access for merchants, allowing them to integrate the AI shopping assistant into their own websites, a feature not currently offered by Rufus.

Both Perplexity and Rufus aim to revolutionize online shopping with AI, but Perplexity's approach seems more open and less tied to a single ecosystem, potentially offering a more diverse shopping experience

Perplexity also launched a merchant program

Perplexity says sellers who enroll in its merchant program will have a better chance of being a recommended product because they'll have more complete information in its index.

As a bonus, merchants will be granted free API access to power search on their own websites using Perplexity's large language models and search algorithms.

Currently Perplexity is not taking a cut from user purchases.

🤑  TRUMP DOUBLES DOWN on NEW TARIFFS

President-elect Donald Trump doubled down on his proposed new tariffs on imports from China, Canada and Mexico.

• Trump plans to impose a 10% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico, potentially affecting a wide range of goods including cars, food and manufactured products
  

• This proposal would effectively end the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the free trade deal that replaced NAFTA.
  

• Economists warn that these tariffs could lead to higher prices for American consumers and potentially trigger retaliatory measures from Canada and Mexico

• The proposed tariffs are part of Trump's broader "Trump Tariff" plan, which includes a universal baseline tariff on most imported goods and higher tariffs on countries like China.

• Critics argue that these tariffs could disrupt supply chains, harm U.S. manufacturing, and potentially lead to job losses in industries dependent on trade with Canada and Mexico.

• The plan has raised concerns among business groups and some Republican lawmakers who worry about the economic impact of such broad tariffs

• Trump's campaign defends the tariff plan as a way to protect American workers and bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States.
  

These proposed tariffs represent a significant shift in U.S. trade policy and could have far-reaching implications for North American economic relations if implemented.

🔭 YOU GOTTA SEE THIS - MOST POWERFUL ADVERTISING

🎯 Amazon's DSP (Demand-Side Platform) leverages first-party data on customer behavior to serve targeted ads across thousands of sites, aiming to bring customers back to Amazon for purchases.

🚀DSP is particularly effective for Amazon sellers with at least $2.5M in revenue, offering a powerful growth strategy in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

📊 DSP enables sophisticated targeting options including retargeting (up to 6 months later), competitor retargeting, location targeting based on IP addresses and Whole Foods shopping, and interest targeting based on lifestyle factors.

Learn how it works from BDSS Dream 100 member Adam Heist and how you can start using it today to get a ROAS of 8.8 or more!

🛍️  TEMU OPENS IT’S MARKETPLACE to ALL USA SELLERS

A Temu spokesperson says "Sellers can now ship directly from US warehouses, delivering products to customers faster than ever—sometimes in just one business day.”

How to Apply to Temu:

1. Visit Temu’s seller portal.

2. Create an account.

3. Enter your business details, including name, address, and EIN.

4. Provide personal information like address, citizenship status, and a driver’s license or passport number.

5. Submit your store name and logo.

6. Upload proof of address, such as a utility bill.

Applications are typically reviewed within one business day, with accounts approved or rejected accordingly.

Currently, US merchants account for less than 1% of Temu’s estimated 300,000 sellers, according to Marketplace Pulse. However, this number is expected to grow as sellers look to diversify their operations across multiple marketplaces and sales channels.

🏷️ SHOULD YOUR SELLING PRICE END in .99 or .95?

Whether to end prices with 99 or 95 depends on the item's base price and the customer’s expectations.

• Low-priced items (e.g., $3.99, $6.99): Customers prefer 99 endings as they fit the expectation of affordable prices.

• High-priced items (e.g., $49.95): Customers prefer 95 endings, signaling a more premium feel.

Why It Works:
Pricing perception is influenced by the expected price and the psychological "movement" toward the actual price:

• When the price exceeds expectations (e.g., $12 expected, $18.95 actual), a 95 ending feels less painful because it stops before a threshold.

• When the price undercuts expectations (e.g., $25 expected, $18.99 actual), a 99 ending feels better as it breaks through a boundary.

Action Steps:

• Use 99 endings for low-priced items to feel affordable.

• Use 95 endings for high-priced items to feel premium.

Ultimately, choose based on whether customers are moving upward or downward to the actual price.

Accomplish More. Juggle Less.

When you love what you do, it can be easy to take on more — more tasks, more deadlines, more hours – but before you know it, you don’t have time to do what you loved in the beginning. Don’t just do more – do more of what you do best.

BELAY’s flexible staffing solutions leverage industry experience with AI systems to increase productivity without sacrificing quality. You can accomplish more and juggle less with our exceptional U.S.-based Virtual Assistants, Accounting Professionals, and Marketing Assistants. Learn how with our free ebook, Delegate to Elevate, and leave the more to BELAY.

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🚀 LYDEN SMITHERS’ STEPS to BETTER SUPPLIER PRICING

Lyden Smithers of the Titan Network recently presented at the Southern Seller Fest in Singapore. He’s a pricing and supplier negotiating expert, and he shared some of his top strategies you an implement right now:

Negotiation Strategies

• Build brand credibility with past sales and future plans.

• Present a product-by-product sales forecast.

• Show before and after scenarios of payment terms.

• Explain the impact of being out-of-stock on both parties.

• Propose specific payment terms and be prepared to negotiate.

• Understand cultural nuances and build relationships with suppliers.

Building Supplier Relationships

• Face-to-face meetings with suppliers can lead to better results.

• Building relationships and understanding cultural nuances are crucial. Suppliers appreciate long-term partnerships and planning.

• Gifting and sharing cultural knowledge can strengthen relationships.

🕵🏽  MOST AI EVENTS are a WASTE of TIME - THIS ONE ISN’T

Perry Belcher has just slashed hundreds of dollars off tickets for AI Bot Summit 4 happening in Orlando, Florida in early January for Black Friday!

If you've been waiting for the right time to buy - congratulations. All you have to do is grab your ticket while this crazy discount lasts!

Not already sold on the biggest AI event of the year?

99% of the so-called "experts" out there teaching you how to earn with A.I. and R.P.A. have never actually used these technologies to make real money in a real business. Most of the so-called experts running AI events can barely spell GPT - let alone tell you how to use one.

They're what Perry calls "theory preachers" – all talk, no walk. Perry doesn't believe in wasting your time. In fact, he’s going to give you your time back.

Perry is not here to sell you a dream. he’s offering you a reality – proven, tested, and verified systems for leveraging A.I. and R.P.A. to build a business or even an Empire.

By the end of AI Bot Summit, you'll have the tools you need to save hours every single day. And that doesn't just mean you'll know their names.

Plus, Kevin King, Norm Farrar and Vanessa Hung will be presenting something special too (don’t miss it)!

Learn more and secure your spot at over 75% off while this deal lasts!

✌🏼 Have a great Thanksgiving weekend.

See you again on Monday.

The answer to today’s STUMP BEZOS is
59% of shoppers begin their Christmas shopping on BFCM weekend