Stripe confirmed on Twitter this week that its dashboard homepage is getting an new look and will now offer additional SaaS analytics features. The update adds customizable analytics and charts allowing users to view detailed reports for several metrics including subscriber retention, average revenue per customer, new customers, MRR and more. Metrics analysis and charts can be freely arranged providing users with a fully personalized dashboard. While the move should not cause issues for well regarded companies like ProfitWell (that also offer these analytics tools for free), it may affect others like Baremetrics (who took $500K in funding from Stripe in 2014) and ChartMogul.
Amazon has extended the FedEx Ground ban, adding uncertainty and stress on the supply chain for third-party sellers which account for more than half the goods sold on Amazon. With the holiday shipping season in full-swing (generating 60% above normal daily shipping volumes this month) delivery systems are already experiencing delays with consumers reporting extended wait times for next-day and two-day delivery orders. A UPS representative stated the company has “implemented recovery plans by adding resources and extending work schedules to address any delays.” Despite these measures sellers are still feeling the effects as they are having to pay more to meet deadlines and spend significant time re-routing packages as Amazon automatically suspends accounts if sellers reach a late shipment rate above 4%.
This week, members of the SEO/SEM community set off widespread alarm when Google Analytics reports were off. Conversation circulating on social media and online forums including Google Analytics Help Forums, Black Hat World and WebmasterWorld, debated whether the changes resulted from a GA bug or a potential Google Search algorithm update. Signs pointing to an algorithm update occurred between December 10th-12th when users reported notable shifts in keyword rankings, traffic and conversions. According to Search Engine Roundtable, Google later confirmed a bug was the culprit which caused a reporting outage for several hours on Monday. Google also announced the issue has been resolved and the company is working on re-processing the data to make sure all accounts are backfilled.
In other bad news for Google, the UK Competition and Markets Authority released a market study interim report outlining concerns over the anti-competitive nature of Google and Facebook. The document states the CMA is consulting on a number of potential interventions to help manage consumer data usage as well as a code of conduct to regulate platforms with market power to improve competition. Discussion of regulating these ad-funded enterprises is a popular debate amongst DC lawmakers as Google underwent an antitrust investigation for its advertising practices in September, but time will tell if the U.S. will align with Europe on regulation.
New in FE exclusive listings, this week we have an Affiliate business in the Power Tools and Home Improvement Resource niche listed at $3.5 million. This fast-growing business hosts a vast content library offering detailed articles covering tools and home improvement topics. With content ranking for c.300,000 keywords generating consistent traffic, this business has seen over 3.2 million visitors and 3.7 million pageviews over the LTM, a level of scale unmatched by its competitors. This has driven impressive revenue growth of c.868.7% from 2018 to 2019(e), and is expected to continue growing rapidly. Follow the link above to request a prospectus.
In events news, we have taken the time to update our Top Digital Conferences for 2020. First up in 2020 is our London Meetup on January 15th, discussing How to: Raise Capital For Your Technology Business! We still have limited seats available – visit our SaaS, E-Commerce & Content Online Business Meetup page to RSVP!
Continue reading below for more on Stripe, Google, Amazon and more!
Listings
New
Affiliate – Power Tools & Home Improvement Resource – $85K gross/mo
- Reputable and authoritative content business with keyword rankings for c.300,000 keywords
- Impressive revenue growth of c.868.7% from 2018 to 2019(e)
- Rapidly growing traffic profile with over 3.2M visitors and 3.7M pageviews in the LTM
- Vast content library with hundreds of detailed articles covering a diverse product range
- Lean cost structure driving high net margins
Yearly net profit: $996,000
Asking price: $3,488,000
Affiliate – Hunting & Outdoor Optics Product Reviews – $13.1K gross/mo
- Authoritative and market leading brand in the lucrative and growing hunting and outdoor optics niche
- Impressive CAGR 104% YoY growth from 2017 to (e)2019
- Strong traffic with c.1.8 million pageviews and c.1.2 million visitors in the LTM
- Strong organic search presence with features in numerous notable publications and keyword rankings for c.33,000 keywords
- Simple operations with high net margins and low owner involvement
Yearly net profit: $147,000
Asking price: $523,000
E-Commerce – Private Label Beauty & Skincare Products – $21K gross/mo
- Steady revenue growth with a high AOV of c.$72 and an attractive RCR of c.12.3%
- Robust business fundamentals with over $243,000 in gross income throughout the LTM
- Exceptional customer relations with hundreds of glowing user reviews and a high rating
- Highly automated operations allowing for minimal owner involvement
Yearly net profit: $107,000
Asking price: $290,000
Affiliate – Lifestyle & Travel Blog – $5.1K gross/mo
- Over seven years of operational history allowing for a firm foothold in the highly profitable travel and tourism niche
- 150+ high-quality posts helping rank for c.17,000 keywords
- Impressive traffic growth with c.1.3M pageviews in the LTM
- Revenues have risen at an impressive CAGR of c.129% over the 2017 to (e)2019 period
- Simple operations with a scalable cost structure driving high net margins
Yearly net profit: $60,000
Asking price: $167,000
Sold
Display Advertising – Fish & Aquarium Authority Site – $12K gross/mo
In the News…
Stripe Updates Dashboard Homepage
Online payments company stripe took to Twitter this week to announce an updated display for its Stripe Dashboard which will now include new metrics and charts for users to better analyze their data. With the sleek new display customers can track new customers, successful payments, gross volume, dispute activity and more, with the ability to rearrange analytics compartments on the dashboard. The update makes the tool even more competitive against platforms offering similar tools including Baremetrics and ChartMogul.
Amazon Extends FedEx Ground Ban
Amazon customers have lately been confronted with late deliveries, lost packages, and sidelined shipments, leaving users wondering what’s causing these service hiccups. It began earlier this year when Amazon cut ties with FedEx after the company consistently failed to meet deadlines, which has limited the number of delivery service providers shipping Amazon packages. The tech giant is also having to rely on its own air and ground transport vehicles as the company has also extended the Ground shipment ban to third-party sellers who will struggle to meet their delivery deadlines when competing with larger Amazon sellers.
Google Analytics Bug
This week, Google Analytics users sparked concern when analytics reports were incorrect. Some believed the miscalculations were due to an undisclosed Google Search Ranking update which altered traffic, ranking and conversion results and on the other hand, some attribute the faults to a bug in the system. Google later confirmed a bug caused the reporting outage on December 16th and that the issue is resolved. Google is currently working to make sure user data gathered during the outage is backfilled.
CMA Looks to Break Up Google and Facebook
The UK Competition and Markets Authority, an organization competition regulator, released a report suggesting measures to prevent American tech companies Google and Facebook, from further exploiting consumers data and to stop them from further engaging in anti-competitive behavior. According to TechCrunch, the authority is considering requiring Facebook to “interoperate specific features of its current network so they can be accessed by competitors.” The report came soon after another UK Watchdog published an unflattering document outlining privacy and programmatic advertising concerns.
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