Global Marketing News – 26th April 2016
China blocks two Apple services
Apple’s online book and movie services have been shut down in China in a move that tightens internet security to prevent “online threats” such as terrorism or harmful foreign ideas.
This comes after a ruling that outlaws foreign owned online services that now requires all content shown to the Chinese public to be based in the country’s mainland.
The new regulations announced in March are a blow to Apple in China, its second biggest market, where it is now expected to lose out to online native companies such as Alibaba or Tencent.
Since the pages have been blocked, any user who attempts to use either service will see a message stating that the page is “unusable”.
The Chinese media watchdog has defended the strict rules which it’s thought are in place to increase the governments control over the internet and other media outlets.
Dragon Egg Fund to help Australian start-ups targeting China
Australian start-up businesses received a boost this week with the launch of the Dragon Egg Fund, a new 15 million US dollar scheme that will target companies wanting to expand into China.
Created by Mai Capital, it will focus on investment in five sectors including health, education and agriculture.
Michael Mai, founder of Mai Capital, said that he wanted Australian start-ups to “think about the Asian market” as well as the global one.
In an attempt to bridge the gap between the “too narrow” Chinese startups and the more “globally focused” Australian startups, Mai told the Australian Financial Review that he was looking to “invest in emerging companies that are positioned to tap into the enormous Chinese market.”
UK ecommerce to hit 174 billion Euros in 2016
Ecommerce in the UK is to reach around 174 billion euros in 2016, according to a report by the Ecommerce foundation.
Expected to grow by 10.5% from last year, the report showed that around 43 million Brits shopped online in the past twelve months of which 20% used a mobile device, spending an average of 3,652 euros.
Whilst overall growth rate continues to declines from 14.3% in 2012, mobile sales have increased in the same period.
According to the study, whilst four years ago 51% or buyers used a tablet or smartphone, last year around 70% of Brits did the same accounting for 31.1 billion euros.
Online payments gain momentum in Germany
According to a study in Germany, online buyers are moving from more traditional methods of payment to more modern ones.
In the study traditional methods were classed as things such cash on delivery, credit card payment or direct debit, whilst modern forms of payment were PayPal, ClickandBuy or giropay.
The report revealed in the last 12 months that the amount of German buyers who use these modern methods has risen from 39% to 43%.
It was also report that between over 40’s and under 40’s the amount of people who used the modern payment schemes was almost identical with 42.4% of those under 40 and 42.8% of those over 40 using these payment methods.
Finnish ecommerce sites celebrate Earth Day
And finally, twelve top online stores in Finland celebrated Earth Day on Friday by having all orders shipped in reusable or returnable packaging.
On April the 22nd, all orders were sent out in a ‘RePack’ bag for the customer to return in exchange for a voucher when their package arrives.
The stores that include Makia, Globe Hope and the Scandavian Outdoor Store say that the reduction of waste will show support to environmental protection.
The first Earth Day was held in 1970 in the US, but is now a global non-profit organisation run by Earth Day Network.
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