Today's Ecommerce Pulse
Updated 59m agoAmazon automation emerges as a semi‑passive income model for 2026
Amazon automation can generate profitable, semi‑passive income in 2026, but success hinges on disciplined execution and seasoned oversight. Modern automation relies on advanced software for research, pricing, inventory, and ad optimization, while strategic decisions remain human‑driven.
Also developing:
By the numbers: MakeMyTrip to acquire majority stake in Flamingo Transworld
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Can AI Truly Provide Emotional Value? Decoding the Emerging Spectrum of Digital Personas
The episode explores how AI is shifting from pure efficiency to delivering emotional value, urging brands to evolve into AI personalities that foster trust and companionship. It outlines a spectrum of digital personas—from night‑time healers offering psychological support to career mentors and immersive fictional characters—and explains how creators can sculpt these "souls" using logical settings and emotional tuning rather than deep coding. The discussion highlights that emotionally resonant AI can combat digital fatigue, deepen user loyalty, and become a strategic business asset, positioning emotional connection as a new core competency for brands.
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Jan 22, 2026
Ecommerce Trends: Why AI Choices, Charges and Friction All Matter for Returns
The FedEx‑Morning Consult 2025 holiday‑season survey shows online retailers expect higher return volumes in 2026, with 40% of merchants now charging return fees—a jump from 25% in 2024, especially among small businesses. Consumers are sensitive to these fees; 59% say...
By Digital Commerce 360
News•Jan 22, 2026
EBay Bans Illicit Automated Shopping Amid Rapid Rise of AI Agents
eBay has revised its User Agreement to expressly forbid third‑party “buy‑for‑me” agents and large‑language‑model (LLM) chatbots from placing orders on its platform without explicit permission. The new clause, effective February 20 2026, expands the previous ban on generic bots to specifically target...
By Slashdot
News•Jan 22, 2026
Procter & Gamble Says Data and Technology Will Support Company’s Reinvention
Procter & Gamble’s new CEO Shailesh Jejurikar announced that data and technology will underpin the company’s near‑term performance boost and long‑term reinvention. The latest quarter showed flat organic sales overall, with beauty up 4% and health care up 3, while grooming,...
By PYMNTS
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Scaling International GTM for B2B SaaS eCommerce Products
The episode outlines how B2B SaaS eCommerce firms can scale internationally by first establishing a stable global positioning spine and then tailoring emphasis to regional buyer priorities. It stresses redefining the ideal customer profile with regional filters and using inbound...
By eCommerce Fastlane
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Consistent, Realistic AI Video Ads Transform Ecommerce
How To Create Viral AI Video Ads In 2026 (this feels illegal) Watch Here 👉 https://t.co/W58gL5fDW9 In this video, I break down how to create freakishly realistic AI video ads using Kling 2.6 Motion. This is a game-changer for ecommerce because it...
By Kamil Sattar
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
What Do Successful AI Startups Do Differently From the Start?
The episode explains that successful AI startups win by building diverse, inclusive teams that can spot design flaws and market needs, validating real, painful user problems before coding, and treating AI as the core engine of their business rather than...
By eCommerce Fastlane
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
5 Reasons Online Shoppers Prefer CPAP Machines Over In-Store Purchases
The episode outlines why CPAP buyers are turning to online retailers, highlighting five key advantages: a vastly larger selection and easy side‑by‑side comparisons; significant price savings of 25‑35% plus bundled deals and subscription programs that lower long‑term costs; abundant user...
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Jan 22, 2026
Dr. Phone Fix Expands to 44 Stores After Rapid Late-2025 Growth, Reports Higher Same-Store Revenue
Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corp. expanded its retail footprint from 35 to 44 stores by the end of 2025, a 26% increase driven by acquisitions and organic openings. The company reported same‑store revenue growth, with average annualized sales climbing to...
By Retail Insider Canada
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
How to Build a Personal Brand on Instagram From Scratch
The episode breaks down a step‑by‑step method for building a personal brand on Instagram, emphasizing the importance of a narrow, clearly defined niche and the use of a few recurring content formats to create familiarity and reduce burnout. It highlights...
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Jan 22, 2026
Nordstrom to Move Downtown Seattle Rack Store to Historic Building
Nordstrom is relocating its downtown Seattle Rack store to a nearby historic building, creating a 39,000‑square‑foot off‑price space that will open in spring 2027. The move highlights Rack’s role as a growth engine within Nordstrom’s broader strategy, contrasting with rivals that...
By Retail Dive
News•Jan 22, 2026
CEOs Know AI Is Important. But What Should They Do with It?
A Virtuous AI and Chief Executive Group survey of over 300 mid‑market CEOs shows 98.5% believe AI adds value, yet only 7% have a company‑wide AI strategy. More than half are still in pilot phases and a third have merely explored...
By Retail Dive
News•Jan 22, 2026
Store Openings Slowed in 2025
Retail store openings stalled in fiscal 2025, expanding only 0.7% year‑over‑year, according to Telsey Advisory Group. The slowdown follows tighter capital‑expenditure plans and macro‑economic uncertainty. Forecasts show a rebound in 2026 with net openings rising 1.4%, driven by beauty, off‑price...
By Retail Dive
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Own Your Money: Monthly Spot-Checks Prevent Financial Disasters
Financial Commandment #1: Your money, your responsibility. Running @ecomfuelco for 12+ years, I've watched hundreds of store owners behind the scenes. The ones who blow up often have one thing in common: they're mentally checked-out financially. Not the work. The ownership. Big...
By Andrew Youderian
Social•Jan 22, 2026
7 Essential Marketing Metrics You Should Actually Track
Most marketers track a lot of metrics. Very few know which ones actually matter. Here are 7 worth paying attention to, plus how to improve each one: (bookmark this) https://t.co/fPpNrpzoB1
By Chase Dimond
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Print on Demand Quality Control Tips for 2026
Print‑on‑demand (POD) sellers must treat quality control as a core business function, not an afterthought. The guide stresses regular sample orders, high‑resolution design files, and matching each product to a specialist provider. It also recommends systematic review of customer feedback,...
By Bootstrapping Ecommerce
Social•Jan 22, 2026
400+ Tax Rate Changes Demand New Compliance Checklist
The first week of 2026 brought over 400 sales tax rate changes across the U.S. That alone should tell you something: whatever setup worked last year probably isn’t enough anymore. Here’s the checklist I’d use to make sure compliance doesn’t become a...
By Chase Dimond
Social•Jan 22, 2026
Agency's Year-Long Shopify Migration Finally Completed
The cobbler's children have no shoes. Our agency site re-migration to Shopify has taken over a year because client work keeps jumping the queue. Finally crossing the finish line. https://t.co/Gq4c1fQJKU
By Kurt Elster
News•Jan 22, 2026
Safeguarding Autonomous AI Agents: Accertify’s Conrad Kennington Discusses Issues, Opportunities
Accertify’s AI chief Conrad Kennington warns that autonomous shopping agents erode traditional fraud signals, creating new vulnerabilities. As agents automate purchases, token‑based transactions strip away behavioral context, making fraud detection harder. Kennington stresses the need for fresh data points, device...
By Crowdfund Insider
Podcast•Jan 22, 2026•45 min
CFO Summit: How to Get Your Forecast Back on Track
In this episode, the hosts dissect why forecasts inevitably miss the mark and emphasize the speed of response as the true metric of success. They outline a three‑step process: early detection of variance, tightening the signal‑to‑action loop with daily accountability,...
By Ecommerce Playbook: Numbers, Struggles & Growth
News•Jan 22, 2026
TikTok Offers European Fulfillment for Asian Sellers
TikTok is extending its Fulfilled by TikTok service to Europe, offering Asian merchants warehousing, order fulfillment and returns through facilities in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The move positions TikTok not only as a marketplace but also as a logistics...
By Ecommerce News Europe
News•Jan 22, 2026
Francesca’s Reportedly Prepping to Shut Down Stores, Liquidate Inventory
Francesca’s, the women’s specialty retailer, is preparing to shut down operations and liquidate its inventory, with liquidation slated to begin on Jan. 16, 2026. The move follows abrupt staff layoffs announced without warning, as confirmed by former buyers and a customer‑service...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 22, 2026
Popular European Resale Platform Vinted Makes U.S. Debut
European resale platform Vinted, founded in 2008, is launching in the United States with an initial rollout in New York. The company posted €813.4 million in revenue for 2024, a 36% increase year‑over‑year, and aims to reach €1 billion in 2025. Unlike...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 22, 2026
Tesco Trials Crime Reporting Platform
Tesco will pilot the Auror crime‑reporting platform in 40 stores across Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire for a ten‑week trial starting 26 January. The system centralises incident data, enabling faster reporting, case management and police collaboration while trained staff review CCTV footage for...
By Retail Gazette
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
OpenAI Builds Secret Robotics Lab to Train Household Agents
OpenAI has quietly opened a secret robotics laboratory in San Francisco, reviving a hardware division it shut down in 2020. The facility employs about 100 contractors who train Franka robotic arms to perform everyday household chores. Data collection runs 24‑hour...
By Shopifreaks
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Shopify Cuts Partnerships Staff in Division Restructuring
Shopify announced a restructuring of its partnerships division, cutting a significant number of staff. The move, led by VP of Partnerships Atlee Clark, is intended to align the unit more closely with product teams and prioritize agentic commerce initiatives. While...
By Shopifreaks
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Kasada Launches AI Agent Trust to Secure Agentic Commerce
Kasada, a bot management and fraud protection company, unveiled AI Agent Trust, a solution designed to secure automated traffic on digital commerce sites. The platform provides a searchable directory that verifies AI agents and lets brands apply policy‑based controls to...
By Shopifreaks
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Hibbett Partners with DoorDash for On-Demand Sneaker Delivery
Hibbett Sports has teamed up with DoorDash to launch same‑day sneaker delivery across its 1,000 U.S. stores. Customers can order Nike, Adidas and other brands through the DoorDash app, with orders fulfilled from the nearest retail location. The service integrates...
By Shopifreaks
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Apple Asks Indian Court to Block Antitrust Demand for Financials
Apple has filed a petition with the Delhi High Court seeking to block the Competition Commission of India's request for its global financial statements as part of an antitrust probe into the App Store. The company argues that the CCI's...
By Shopifreaks
News•Jan 22, 2026
Why Shift4 Targets Big Merchants
Shift4 Payments is deliberately courting large, multi‑location merchants and venues because they face fewer payment‑processor alternatives. CEO Taylor Lauber highlighted the appeal of complex software environments, citing the New York Yankees, Hilton Worldwide, and Caesar’s Entertainment as prime examples. The...
By Payments Dive
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
Canada Court Overturns Order to Close TikTok Operations
Canada’s Federal Court has overturned a government directive that would have forced TikTok to shut down its Canadian operations. Judge Russell Zinn set aside the order and instructed Industry Minister Melanie Joly to conduct a new security review. The ruling...
By Shopifreaks
News•Jan 22, 2026
What’s up with Department Stores?
Department store closures are accelerating, with Saks Global filing bankruptcy and Macy’s planning to shutter 150 locations by 2026. Green Street reports rising mall anchor vacancies, linking the department‑store decline to 175 mall closures over the past 15 years. Despite...
By Retail Dive
News•Jan 22, 2026
Should Banks Compete in the Credit Builder Card Market?
The episode examines the rise of fintech‑driven credit‑builder cards, which let users fund a demand‑deposit account instead of a traditional secured‑card deposit, and compares this model to legacy secured cards. Brian Riley explains that while fintechs can reach a large,...
By PaymentsJournal
News•Jan 22, 2026
Zellers Sets Sights on National Expansion After Edmonton Debut
Zellers reopened its first new standalone store in Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall in October 2025, marking the launch of a privately‑owned, smaller‑format “Zellers 3.0” concept. The store quickly outperformed traffic and sales expectations, validating a value‑driven department‑store model that blends core apparel and home...
By Retail Insider Canada
News•Jan 22, 2026
5 Lessons the Fashion Industry Can Take From the CSRD
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is prompting fashion brands to overhaul ESG reporting, emphasizing supply‑chain traceability, dual materiality, and audit‑level assurance. Europe’s experience shows that rigorous, transparent disclosures not only satisfy regulators but also improve access to capital...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 22, 2026
How Gymshark and Good American Found Success by Bucking the Norm
Good American shattered the fashion myth that size dictates choice by expanding from plus‑size to petite offerings, creating a loyal, inclusive customer base. Gymshark, meanwhile, doubled down on its core lifting apparel, generating roughly $1 billion in sales while limiting brick‑and‑mortar...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 22, 2026
The Most Expensive Parts and Accessories Sold on eBay UK in 2025
eBay UK disclosed its 2025 most expensive vehicle parts, with an original aluminium Jaguar E‑Type bonnet leading at £18,564. The second‑most costly item was a complete Ford Transit Custom front end (£17,180), followed closely by a BMW M5 4.4‑litre V8...
By ChannelX (formerly Tamebay)
News•Jan 22, 2026
OnePay Partners Klarna to Let Shoppers Turn Debit Card Purchases Into BNPL Loans
Walmart‑backed fintech OnePay has announced a partnership with Klarna to embed buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) functionality directly into debit card transactions. The new service lets shoppers convert completed purchases into instalment loans, effectively offering retroactive financing. By leveraging Klarna’s established BNPL platform,...
By Finextra
News•Jan 22, 2026
Why Demand Gen Works Best Alongside Performance Max for Ecommerce
Google’s Demand Gen campaign type has matured into a powerful visual advertising solution for ecommerce, offering granular audience and placement control across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Shorts. When paired with Performance Max, which excels at automated, conversion‑driven scaling, advertisers can...
By Search Engine Land
News•Jan 22, 2026
Shopify Shares More Details On Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
Shopify unveiled its open‑source Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), co‑developed with Google, to enable agentic AI shopping that surfaces products based on personalized recommendations. The new Agentic plan lets non‑Shopify merchants upload product data to Shopify’s infrastructure, granting AI agents access...
By Search Engine Journal
News•Jan 22, 2026
Fruugo Update on EU Tax and Duty Changes for Low Value Consignments
Fruugo has warned sellers that the EU will eliminate the €150 low‑value parcel exemption, introducing a fixed handling fee and a €3 customs duty as interim measures before the 2028 threshold removal. Italy and Romania are already applying national handling...
By ChannelX (formerly Tamebay)
News•Jan 22, 2026
Morrisons Travel Launches in Partnership with Expedia
Morrisons has introduced Morrisons Travel, a new travel‑booking platform built with Expedia Group and accessible via Morrisons.com and the More app. The service lets shoppers reserve hotels, flights, car hire and activities while earning 10 More Points for every £1...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 22, 2026
Birdzi Launches Journey for Grocers, Retailers Aiming to Drive Personalization
Birdzi introduced Journey, a platform that lets grocers and retailers push real‑time, behavior‑driven offers to shoppers. The solution fuses retailer shopper data with Birdzi’s personalization engine, automating promotion delivery and enabling rapid implementation. It also opens a data‑sharing channel for...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 22, 2026
The Art of Retail Storytelling: Elevating Hospitality Through Meaningful Experiences
Retail storytelling is reshaping hospitality by turning spaces and services into emotionally resonant experiences. A cohesive brand narrative—anchored in a clear point of view, reinforced through design, and subtly supported by technology—creates lasting guest memories and drives repeat visits. The...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 22, 2026
3PR Revolutionizes Digital PR for Ecommerce Stores With New AI-Led Visibility Deliverables
Digital PR agency 3PR has launched an upgraded service aimed at ecommerce brands, integrating AI-driven visibility tactics into its productized campaigns. The new offering adds features to enhance search engine rankings, secure high-authority media placements, and improve conversion rates on...
By MarTech Series
News•Jan 22, 2026
Vahdam Teas Partners with 3PL for UK Multi-Channel Fulfilment
Vahdam Teas has teamed with UK third‑party logistics provider 3PL to run its B2B multi‑channel fulfilment operation across the United Kingdom. The partnership enables the tea brand to meet strict retailer requirements for Amazon, Costco, Holland & Barrett and others...
By ChannelX (formerly Tamebay)
News•Jan 22, 2026
Primark Owner Confirms Lowered Outlook and Festive Revenue Fall
Associated British Foods (ABF) confirmed a softened outlook for Primark, reporting a 2.7% like‑for‑like revenue decline over the 16 weeks to 3 January. European sales fell 5.7%, while the UK market posted a modest 1.7% increase and combined UK‑Ireland sales rose...
By Retail Gazette
News•Jan 22, 2026
The Works Posts Improved Interim Performance
The Works reported a modest 0.3% rise in like‑for‑like sales for the 26 weeks to 2 November 2025, driven by a 4% surge in store sales that outpaced the broader UK non‑food market. Total revenue slipped 0.3% to £123.8 m, while e‑commerce...
By Retail Gazette
News•Jan 22, 2026
Financial Stress Drives a 17-Point Jump in Digital Wallet Use
A PYMNTS Intelligence survey of 2,108 U.S. adults shows financial stress is driving a sharp rise in digital‑wallet usage. High‑stress consumers were more than twice as likely to use a wallet for their last retail purchase (28% vs. 11%) and...
By PYMNTS
Blog•Jan 22, 2026
How Ecommerce Order Tracking Works: Types, Benefits + Tips
The episode explains how ecommerce order tracking works, outlining the three main system types—automated, manual, and hybrid—and why tracking is essential for customer satisfaction, reduced support load, and logistics insight. It walks listeners through each fulfillment stage, from order confirmation...
By eCommerce Fastlane