> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nearmedia.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Amazon Passes Walmart, SMBs Cry for Help, Trip Rents the Runway - URL: https://www.nearmedia.co/amazon-passes-walmart/ - Published: 2021-08-18T21:52:48.000Z - Updated: 2021-08-19T05:09:51.000Z - Author: Greg Sterling - Tags: News ### 'Historic Moment': Amazon Passes Walmart Walmart [reported](https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2021/08/17/walmart-releases-q2-fy22-earnings?ref=nearmedia.co) quarterly earnings yesterday. The world's largest traditional retailer said that sales rose 5.2% and e-commerce grew roughly 6%. Global e-commerce sales were $75 billion. Online sales at subsidiary Sam's Club were up 27% year over year. However, in terms of gross merchandise sales (outside China) Amazon has now surpassed Walmart. This milestone [was predicted](https://www.nearmedia.co/prime-day-billions-value-of-stores/), but it wasn't supposed to happen until next year. Wall Street estimates put Amazon sales for the fiscal year at $610B, whereas they were $566 billion at Walmart. Walmart and Amazon are number 1 and 2, respectively, on the [Fortune 500](https://fortune.com/fortune500/?ref=nearmedia.co). Alibaba is the world’s top retailer by total merchandise sales. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/08/Screen-Shot-2021-08-18-at-2.11.19-PM.png) Source: Walmart **Our take:** - Walmart is arguably the most innovative traditional retailer, investing heavily in technology and ways to integrate traditional and digital sales. - It's possible that Walmart will reclaim the number 1 position. However, this is a significant moment, a kind of symbolic "changing of the guard." - Despite recent scandals, Amazon has managed to maintain consumer trust (and brand strength). Prime and free shipping are core success factors. ### SMBs Spend 20 Hours per Week on Marketing According to a survey based [report](https://www.callrail.com/learn/state-small-business-marketing-2021/??ref=nearmedia.co) from Call Rail, 51% of SMBs (n=600) don't have websites – amazingly. The survey polled SMBs (up to 200 headcount) in multiple verticals, asking about working with marketing agencies vs. in-housing. The majority (65%) of respondents were men: the average age was 39, average company age was 7 years. Call Rail found almost 75% of SMBs wanted to spend more time on their businesses and less time on marketing (average: 20 hours per week). About 36% had hired a staff member dedicated to marketing; only 14% used an external agency, but 94% were contemplating "external marketing help." What SMBs want ultimately from external agencies/consultants is a strategic business partner that will help them with more than lead-gen. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/08/Screen-Shot-2021-08-18-at-1.23.22-PM.png) Source: Call Rail **Our take:** - Website improvement was the top area for future marketing investment. Despite the above, improving lead-gen was number two. - Social media was the top channel used (57%), email followed at 43%. Amazingly, SEO/local SEO was only used by 15%. - Smaller agencies can be strategic consultants. Large "SMB aggregators" can't and will continue to see consistent churn accordingly. ### Tripadvisor's Travel Deal with Rent the Runway Tripadvisor and Rent the Runway (RTR) have partnered on a clever loyalty program perk for [Tripadvisor Plus](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Plus?ref=nearmedia.co) members. Tripadvisor Plus is the company's new loyalty program, which [launched in March](https://www.nearmedia.co/women-are-smarter/). It's "Amazon Prime for travel" and costs $99 per year. According to [Travel & Leisure](https://www.travelandleisure.com/style/fashion/rent-the-runway-tripadvisory-plus-partnership?ref=nearmedia.co), after booking a hotel stay on Tripadvisor, members will get an exclusive 30% off RTR discount offer. Rentals must be booked at least 48 hours before planned hotel arrival – they can be four or eight days. Clothes are then delivered directly to the hotel. At the conclusion of the rental, they can be dropped at an RTR [drop-off network location](https://www.renttherunway.com/stories/dropoff-network?ref=nearmedia.co) or shipped back. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/08/duy-hoang-ojZ4wJNUM5w-unsplash.jpg) Source: Photo by [Duy Hoang](https://unsplash.com/@zuizuii?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText)/[Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/clothes?utm%5Fsource=unsplash&utm%5Fmedium=referral&utm%5Fcontent=creditCopyText) **Our take:** - This is a useful perk (for some) and a creative example of co-marketing. Added value for Tripadvisor Plus members, acquisition for RTR. - One of the major benefits here is that you don't have to pack everything you might need for a trip (when you decide to take one). - Tripadvisor Plus launched at a difficult time but I expect it will ultimately be successful with certain classes of travelers. ## Short Takes - **Snap** launches its own [version of Google Trends](https://forbusiness.snapchat.com/blog/introducing-snapchat-trends?ref=nearmedia.co). - The same **keywords** [being used](https://www.seroundtable.com/cover-all-your-bases-seo-google-31930.html?ref=nearmedia.co) at different buying stages. - **FTC** to reveal [new antitrust strategy against Facebook](https://thehill.com/policy/technology/568302-ftc-expected-to-reveal-new-strategy-in-facebook-antitrust-fight?rl=1&ref=nearmedia.co). - **Taliban** using social media, getting PR help on messaging ([WaPo](https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/08/18/taliban-social-media-success/?ref=nearmedia.co)). - **Local social app Yik Yak** has [returned from the grave](https://www.theverge.com/2021/8/16/22627452/yik-yak-app-ios-back-local-anonymous-social-media?ref=nearmedia.co). - Lawyers in North Carolina [trying to kill ](https://mockingbird.marketing/is-the-north-caroline-bar-killing-googles-local-service-ads/?ref=nearmedia.co)**LSAs** in that state. - Six in ten Americans still [feel OK](https://morningconsult.com/return-to-work/?ref=nearmedia.co) about **going back into the office**. - Food delivery: Increasingly it's **DoorDash vs. Uber Eats** (.[pdf](https://files.constantcontact.com/150f9af2201/a518d7e1-a9f1-45db-90b7-9f3055669768.pdf?ref=nearmedia.co)). - **July US retail sales** saw growth YoY but sequential decline (.[pdf](https://www.census.gov/retail/marts/www/marts%5Fcurrent.pdf?ref=nearmedia.co)). - Has **CCPA** become an ineffectual, "[pointless and expensive exercise](https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2021/08/05/functionally-useless-california-privacy-laws-big-reveal-falls-short-1389429??ref=nearmedia.co)"? - 'Last mile' problems [holding back](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-08-17/waymo-s-self-driving-cars-are-99-of-the-way-there-the-last-1-is-the-hardest?ref=nearmedia.co) **Waymo, autonomous driving**. - **Nike localizing** its newest [retail concept](https://www.retaildive.com/news/nike-doubles-down-on-localization-with-nike-rise-concept/604819/?ref=nearmedia.co) in specific cities. - **Apple Maps** gets [Waze-like accident reporting](https://www.macrumors.com/2021/08/17/apple-maps-reporting-expands-to-the-netherlands/?ref=nearmedia.co) in Europe. Listen to our [latest podcast](https://www.nearmedia.co/memo/). [![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/03/80/0380d96d-ef7e-450e-96b3-2963e18aaab5/content/images/2021/02/near_memo_banner.png)](https://nearmedia.co/memo?ref=nearmedia.co) How can we make this better? Email [us](mailto:gsterling@nearmedia.co) with suggestions and recommendations.