TikTok $100 Incentives to U.S. Users

TikTok Offers Incentives to Users for Promoting App Downloads

TikTok is aggressively expanding its e-commerce operations in the U.S., despite its pending January ban in the US, by offering hundreds to users who spend time & invite friends to the app; in the form of shopping credits on its app - aiming for significant revenue growth through its platform-integrated shopping features. These efforts are part of TikTok’s broader push to replicate its Chinese counterpart Douyin's success, which has transformed social media into a seamless shopping experience.

The platform’s "Shoppertainment" concept, which combines entertainment and shopping, plays a key role in this strategy. TikTok uses live shopping events, shoppable videos, and virtual storefronts to keep users engaged while making purchases feel more integrated and enjoyable. By capitalizing on its vast U.S. user base of around 150 million, TikTok is targeting $17.5 billion in merchandise sales for 2024. Its innovative tools also include collaborations with platforms like Shopify to streamline online shopping and enable businesses to create targeted ad campaigns​. TikTok Shop achieved over $100 million in sales in the U.S. on Black Friday 2024, marking a significant milestone as it continues to grow its presence in the e-commerce space.

TikTok also recently hired Noel Francisco, a former U.S. Solicitor General who previously defended controversial Trump-era policies, including the travel ban. His appointment comes as TikTok faces a potential U.S. ban unless its parent company, ByteDance, divests from the platform. This legal move is critical as TikTok prepares for a Supreme Court appeal ahead of the January 2025 deadline

You can now purchase a Hyundai car on Amazon Autos

Customers in 48 U.S. cities can buy new Hyundai vehicles from their local participating dealer directly on Amazon. It launched a new service that allows customers to buy cars online through its platform, starting with Hyundai vehicles. Shoppers can browse models, explore financing options, and schedule delivery or pickup, simplifying the car-buying experience. This initiative reflects Amazon's move into the auto market, offering customers convenience and integration with its e-commerce ecosystem.

Microsoft’s Zero-Water Data Centers: Sustainability Leap

Microsoft has unveiled zero-water cooling technology for its data centers, aiming to significantly reduce environmental impact amid increasing AI demands. The system eliminates water use by operating at higher temperatures, which reduces cooling needs without compromising server performance. This shift is part of Microsoft's commitment to being water-positive by 2030 and addresses growing concerns about resource-heavy AI infrastructure. The initiative could save millions of gallons of water annually, especially in drought-prone regions like Arizona, setting a new standard for sustainable data center practices

Hershey’s Business Just Gets Sweeter Every Year

Mondelez, the global snacks giant behind Cadbury and Oreo, is exploring a potential acquisition of Hershey, whose recession-resistant chocolate business remains highly profitable. Hershey's enterprise value now exceeds $43.8 billion, far above Mondelez's 2016 failed $23 billion bid. The deal would solidify Mondelez's market dominance, adding Hershey’s 36% U.S. market share to its portfolio. Despite high cocoa costs and initial resistance from Hershey's main owner, Mondelez sees strategic benefits, including streamlined supply chains and enhanced resilience amid GLP-1 appetite suppressant like Ozempic reshaping the industry. In August, Mars, the world’s largest chocolate company, agreed to a $35.9 billion deal to buy Kellanova.

The potential takeover only gets sweeter when you consider that the Chicago-based food firm already owns two of Europe’s top chocolate brands: Cadbury and Milka. Acquiring Hershey would consolidate the industry significantly, bringing the biggest name in the world of American chocolates — in 2022, Hershey reportedly had 36% of the market share in the US — into Mondelez’s portfolio. Being bigger makes negotiating those all-important cocoa and commodity contracts a bit easier

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