Insights on why social app commerce revenue is underreported by 2.45 times

Social media platforms have played an important role in connecting brands and developers with their customers. However, commerce revenue on such platforms is not fully reported. As per SimplicityDX’s recent State of Social Commerce report, the revenue is underreported by 245 percent.

Social platforms are considered to host the highest ad trends for the ongoing year. Advertisements on social media apps such as Meta’s Instagram or ByteDance’s TikTok lead to 64 percent of the audience learning about new offers and items. Whereas 58 percent believe that influencers help them discover new items, only 16 percent of them use the platform for online shopping.

Buyers prefer using a brand’s website or application to place their order instead of using social media apps. Almost 71 percent of those who recently bought something via online shopping used the main website or application. Similarly, 77 percent of buyers prefer the same method when it comes to e-commerce. Almost 36 percent of the audience would buy products that would be displayed by their influencers during their live streaming.

Two of the main reasons behind such figures are that 86 percent of the customers didn’t have a good experience while using social platforms to order things. The other reason is the confusion over how the product will be returned. Furthermore, a large number of users don’t want their data or banking details to be compromised while using social platforms to place an order.

The survey shows that 67 percent of the respondents did not trust social sites with their personal information, whereas 49 percent don’t trust brands with the same information. Moreover, 62 percent of the survey participants didn’t trust social platforms with credit card information, while 44 percent had trust issues with the brand.

To break the trend, building trust is a key task for sellers. In addition to this, the brands and businesses need to keep their stock available on both social platforms as well as the main website. This will help customers with easy checkout, even on social media sites.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Most of the Retailers Throw Your Returns in the Landfill and You Can Avoid This By Following Some Tips

Retailers are facing a growing problem with the increasing number of returns that are being made by customers. While many of these returns are in like-new condition, they often end up in landfills, contributing to the waste crisis that the world is currently facing. The extent of this problem is not well known, as retailers do not like to share this information, according to Glenn Richey, who is the chair of the Department of Supply Chain Management (DSCM). Retailers fear that being caught disposing of returns could result in negative publicity, and they can ruin their brand reputation this way.

The returns tech platform, Optoro, estimated that as many as 9.6 billion pounds of returns ended up in landfills in 2021. This is equivalent to 10,500 fully loaded Boeing 747s and represents a 65% increase from the previous year. The amount of returns made by Americans has increased significantly in recent years, reaching $816 billion in 2022, a 7% rise from the previous year. The increase comes after a 78% jump from 2020 to 2021. The National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that returns are just a mathematical problem for many retailers without strong environmental or moral values. The cost of processing returns is high, involving shipping, inspection, repacking, and reselling. If the cost exceeds the value of the item, it is often discarded, leading to a large amount of waste ending up in landfills. To tackle this problem, some companies are adopting environmentally focused strategies to reduce waste and improve sustainability.

However, not all returns processors follow the same philosophy, leading to a massive amount of waste being sent to landfills every year. The increase in online shopping and the subsequent increase in returns has created a huge problem for the retail industry.

Consumers can take certain steps to reduce the chances of their returns ending up in landfills. These include considering the size and value of a product before purchasing, avoiding "bracketing" and "wardrobing," making fast returns in original packaging, and opting for high-quality, durable products. Retailers are also investing in returns technology and advanced strategies, and consolidation strategies used by major retailers like Amazon can reduce shipping costs. Companies specializing in returned products, such as Floorfound for furniture and Rebel Stork for baby gear, are also popping up. Overall, the increasing number of returns and the drive towards sustainability are pushing retailers to find innovative ways to reduce waste and minimize their environmental impact.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Religious Extremist Facebook Group Found Selling Guns, But Meta Rejected Complaints

Facebook is no stranger to controversy, but the social media platform has been gradually getting worse over the years. The latest controversy that the social media company happens to be embroiled in has to do with a Facebook group populated by Hindu extremists in India who were found to be buying and selling guns through their page.

The organization behind this Facebook group has a history of violent extremism in India, and the sale of firearms and ammunition should’ve been a serious red flag. In spite of the fact that this is the case, Meta not only failed to act when it received reports about the group, it rejected the complaints outright and said that the posts did not violate their community policies.

With all of that having been said and now out of the way, it is important to note that Facebook eventually ended up removing the posts after receiving an inquiry from the Wall Street Journal. They did not comment on the fact that they had initially refused to remove the posts, which makes this seem more like damage control rather than a true adherence to their community guidelines.

Facebook has often been lax in its policies when it comes to India, since the nation represents its single biggest market in the entire world with all things having been considered and taken into account. Conservative religious organizations in India as well as Hindu extremist and terrorist groups have begun to run amok on the platform, and this controversy is just the latest example of how badly Facebook is failing at regulating its platform in that particular region.

The people who were trying to sell these firearms claimed that they could conduct the transactions over WhatsApp, which is yet another Meta owned platform that has become embroiled in all of these goings on. Facebook must take swifter action, otherwise the violence that is occurring in India against religious minorities will only continue to get worse. The Indian government has already made overtures to take control of the internet, and if companies like Facebook comply things might spiral out of control.

Read next: Facebook Launches More Tools For Comment Moderation So Creators Can Better Manage Conversations
by Zia Muhammad via Digital Information World

Study Reveals That Many Sports and Betting Apps on Android Are At Security Risk

The top ten most widely-used Android sports betting apps are potentially exposing their users to a variety of cybersecurity threats, according to a recent report. Researchers from Synopsys analyzed these apps and found that these apps have over 21 million downloads. They discovered that the apps have an average of 125 components, with 10 being vulnerable. Each app also had an average of 179 vulnerabilities. This vulnerability is linked to the utilization of open-source dependencies. Although all of the apps are under development, some are using open-source components that are as old as 12 years, which the researchers consider "a long time in the software world."

The researchers have stated that the use of outdated open-source components increases the risk of cybersecurity dangers, and poor management of dependencies indicates inadequate security practices in general. Sports and betting apps have seen a decline in security, with 100% of them having vulnerable components, compared to 63% last year. To improve security, developers should regularly update, use secure coding practices, implement encryption, regularly test for vulnerabilities, and provide secure authentication methods. Users should be aware of the security of the apps they use and protect their personal information by researching the app, checking reviews, and being cautious with sensitive information. The researchers likely do not want to make blanket statements about the safety of these apps, as many factors can influence their security. The results of their analysis can be used as a starting point for further investigation and evaluation, but it's not possible to definitively say whether these apps are safe or not without a more in-depth analysis. Ultimately, it's up to users to make informed decisions about the apps they use and to take steps to protect their personal information.

Software composition analysis (SCA) is a valuable tool for identifying vulnerabilities in software, but it should not be the only step in ensuring software security. A secure software development life cycle (SSDLC) should include security considerations at every stage of the development process, from planning and design to deployment and maintenance. By incorporating security into the SSDLC, developers can create software that is more secure, and resilient, and minimizes risk for both the organization and its customers.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

WhatsApp Is Testing A New Feature For Android User: Schedule call

WhatsApp is always trying to improve its app and provide its users with the best experience possible. The latest update via the Google Play Beta Program has updated the app to version 2.23.4.4, and it includes a new feature that is currently under development, as spotted by WBI. The ability to schedule calls feature will allow users to choose a title, date, and time for their calls, making it easier for everyone in the group to plan their schedules and be aware of when the call will take place.

This feature will be most useful for the people who are planning an event, as members can schedule a call to discuss the details and make sure everyone is available. This way there is no need for daily reminders about doing a call. The scheduling feature will help in all of this, and it will be even easier for group members to do things according to the schedule.

The exact date for the release of this feature is still unknown, but there is a chance that it will be available for beta users soon. This feature is currently under development and it will be released in a future update of the app. The addition of the ability to schedule calls is a great step forward in enhancing the overall user experience of the app. It will make group calls even more convenient and organized, ensuring that everyone is on schedule for a certain call. In conclusion, the latest update to WhatsApp is set to improve the app even further and provide users with the best experience possible. The ability to schedule calls is just the beginning of what is to come, and users can expect even more exciting updates and new features in the future.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World

Instagram Is Working On Exciting Features Including Color Filters And A Pinch Gesture For Zooming Stories

Instagram never fails in terms of giving users something exciting to rave about. Now, the versatile app is working on some exciting features that may be in the pipeline.

The news comes to us thanks to avid social media expert and enthusiast Alessandro Paluzzi who shed light on the changes via his Twitter account yesterday.

For starters, the platform is working on introducing a new color filter accessibility feature. The idea seems to be adding a unique dimension to the usual colors observed on Instagram UI and we feel it’s about time someone thought outside the box and got a little more creative in this regard. This feature will be helpful for those who are colorblind to specific colors (such as red or green) and with this setting they can adjust their screen as per their needs.

For now, there is yet to be any update on this front but we do hope to bring you more details as they’re released.

On the other, another more exciting functionality of the app seems to be a rollout by which users can zoom in on stories. It’s about time the platform thought about this in detail because Stories have been present for quite some time now and it’s one of the main reasons many logs in to the platform in the first place.

According to Paluzzi’s status, the company hopes to give users the chance to zoom in by simply pinching the screen. It’s very similar to how you can see images on the platform. Again, not a lot of details have been mentioned as it’s just a highlight of what users can expect to see soon. But it’s definitely exciting.

#Instagram is working on the ability to pinch to zoom on Stories 👀 pic.twitter.com/bWe5m2bPOB

— Alessandro Paluzzi (@alex193a) February 5, 2023

The famous pinch gesture will just add so much more ease and convenience to users’ lives. This is because it would be easier to discern both texts as well as details of images in a user’s story in a more up-close manner.

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by Dr. Hura Anwar via Digital Information World

Google is Not Going to Update Chrome on Windows 7 and 8, And the Users Who Are Using Them Will be At Risk

Google has announced to stop updating its Chrome web browser on Windows 7 and Windows 8, and this has sparked concern among a large number of users who have stuck with the older operating systems. Despite Microsoft's discontinuation of Windows 7 and Windows 8, many users are still using these versions of Windows and do not want to discontinue using them anytime soon. However, Google's decision to no longer support Chrome on these operating systems will make people upgrade. Chrome is currently the most used web browser in the world by millions of users. Now that Google has decided to discontinue its updates on older versions of Windows, many users are going to get impacted because of this.

The discontinuation of updates for Chrome on Windows 7 and Windows 8 will bring serious harm to the safety and security of users. With no more updates from Google, any security issues will remain unresolved,, and users will not be protected from any threats such as new forms of malware. This will put users at risk, as their data will be exposed to cyber attacks.

This move will have significant consequences for users who have not upgraded to newer operating systems, and do not want to do that anytime soon. The decision to stop updating Chrome is going to impact many people still using older versions of Windows, and could lead to a serious risk when browsing the internet. That’s why users must upgrade to newer versions.

Despite Windows 7 reaching its end of life in January 2020, millions of users continue to use this OS. Over 9.6 percent of Windows users are still using Windows 7, compared to 18.13 percent using Windows 11. This means that when Chrome's announcement of ending support for Windows 7 hit the news, everyone got worried. The security vulnerabilities and new threats won't be fixed now, leaving users at risk while browsing the internet. Switching to a browser that still supports Windows 7 like Firefox is an option, but it's only a temporary solution as Firefox may soon end support too. The best option is to upgrade to Windows 10 or 11 or consider switching to a Linux distro like Ubuntu or Linux Mint. Linux distros are user-friendly and offer a similar interface to Windows 7, making the transition easier.

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by Arooj Ahmed via Digital Information World