Due to the fast growth of ecommerce within the UK, many ecommerce companies have seen their data needs increase. Now, 57 percent of retail and ecommerce companies are scraping external public web data. External data can help their marketing and implement effective pricing strategies.

Chinese marketplace AliExpress has announced the launch of a new logistics solution. This enables the company to offer a 10-day delivery guarantee, significantly speeding up deliveries in Europe. The new streamlined network is expected to enhance AliExpress' cross-border ecosystem.

Meal kit delivery service HelloFresh has launched in Italy. This is the second European expansion this year, after the company set foot in Norway this summer. The service is now active in 9 European countries.

World-famous furniture retailer Ikea managed to grow its online presence last year. Its online channels welcomed more than 5 billion visitors and online sales increased with 73 percent. Even though most offline stores have opened, online sales now account for 26 percent of Ikea's total sales.