Tomi in the Metaverse! 🔮

This week, Microsoft spends big, Netflix shares are chilling, Amazon goes offline, and a Chinese-Canadian combo is here!

Jan 23, 2022

Into the Metaverse we go!!! 🌀

The Metaverse as we know it is expanding, and Microsoft just made a big move!

Microsoft announced Tuesday it will buy video game giant Activision Blizzard in a $68.7 billion all-cash deal. This January sapa no reach everybody ooo 🥲😥. Activision, which is known for popular games such as Call of Duty and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, had been mired in controversy for the last several months after reports of sexual misconduct and harassment among the company’s executives. They really needed this! 🤦‍♂️

The deal plays into a long-term vision for Microsoft as it competes with Meta (Facebook Y’all) to build the metaverse. Today, virtual worlds [especially the Metaverse] are dominated by gaming, but the hope is they expand to cater to other demographics and replace a lot of traditional social networking activity online.

“When we think about our vision for what a metaverse can be, we believe there won’t be a single, centralized metaverse,” according to Nadella. That being said, see you in the metaverse! 🥽

Tomi in the metaverse:

Coincidentally, Sony shares fell over 12% after Microsoft and Activision’s deal was announced. One man's food is another man's...🤮

Amazon Begins a Clothing War!! 👗👕🧥

The Wolf of E-commerce is coming for the brick and mortar stores

It’s not new that Amazon has been waiting to take a share of the multi-billion dollar brick and mortar market. Amazon opened its first bookstore in 2015, then it went on to acquire one of America’s largest chain stores, Whole Foods for $13.7 billion in 2017.

Now, Amazon plans to open its first Amazon-style physical clothing Store in Los Angeles later in the year.

Users will be able to enjoy both the online and offline experience in these stores. They will feature women’s and men’s apparel, shoes, and accessories from a mix of well-known and emerging brands, with prices catering to a wide range of shoppers.

Do you think Amazon will win against brands like Nordstrom (JWN), Urban Outfitters (URBN), J. Crew, H&M and others?

Amazon says it’s hoping to fix some of the pain points found in traditional retail stores such as the fitting room while cutting some of the clutter that can make sales floors look daunting and disorganized.

Netflix shares are....chilling? 🙄

Netflix shares fell 20% after the company reported fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday.

Why, you may ask?

Well…The company beat expectations on both top & bottom lines, but shares slumped due to slowing subscriber growth. The stock market strikes again!

Netflix added 8.28 million global paid net subscribers in the fourth quarter. Analysts had expected the company to add 8.19 million, according to Street Account estimates. But that’s fewer than the 8.5 million subscribers Netflix added in Q4 2020, the same figured it had forecasted for Q4 2021, and its outlook was worse.

Holders of Netflix (NFLX) right now:

“Consumers have always had many choices when it comes to their entertainment time - competition that has only intensified over the last 24 months as entertainment companies all around the world develop their own streaming offering,” Netflix said. [We hope these aren't excuses 👀]. “While this added competition may be affecting our marginal growth some, we continue to grow in every country and region in which these new streaming alternatives have launched.” What we like to hear! 😁

A Chinese-Canadian Partnership?

I’m as shocked as you are. You mean the Chinese can collaborate?

Crazy tings are really happening.

The Canadian E-commerce platform, Shopify, is partnering with Chinese online retailing giant, J.D to enable U.S merchants to sell their goods in China.

This partnership creates another gateway for Western merchants to sell their products in the country with the largest population in the world.

Sorry, Amazon 🤭

The service will make use of JD's 1,300 warehouses and 200,000 delivery employees in China, according to the firms. J.D will also handle price conversion, translation, and other support.

The partnership will be quite symbiotic, Chinese merchants will also be able to sell their products to Western markets using the service.

This agreement represents a major step forward towards Shopify's China expansion, as well as another step forward in JD's globalization ambitions.

Next step:

Meanwhile, this is me patiently waiting for the Chinese “authorities” to make an appearance.

Forget not this ministry of ours: You’ve got 5 FREE SHARES WAITING FOR YOU if you tell a friend to tell a friend to:

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