Know What's Happening in Ecommerce
Know What's Happening in Ecommerce
Ecommerce Pulse
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
EMAIL DIGESTS
Daily
Every morning
Weekly
Tuesday recap
Pandemic cemented e‑commerce’s share and boosted contactless payments
The COVID‑19 shock locked e‑commerce at 16.6% of U.S. retail sales and set online grocery sales on a path to $250 billion by 2025. Two‑thirds of shoppers now use contactless payments, with 74% planning to keep the habit post‑pandemic.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Grab acquires Foodpanda Taiwan for $600M
The episode breaks down how to select a web development partner for custom ecommerce builds in 2026, emphasizing speed, SEO protection, and post‑launch iteration over mere launch dates. It presents a vetted list of top agencies—ranging from design‑focused Fireart Studio to enterprise‑grade Brainvire Infotech—each matched to specific business stages and needs. Listeners get a practical 30‑day hiring plan, including a one‑page brief, case‑study review, paid discovery, and clear ownership of QA, analytics, and accessibility. The host stresses targeting Core Web Vitals (LCP < 2.5 s, INP < 200 ms, CLS < 0.1) to boost SEO and conversion.
GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen announced plans to acquire a large publicly traded consumer company, aiming to transform the retailer’s valuation into the hundreds of billions. The move follows the recent transfer of the firm’s 4,710 bitcoin holdings to Coinbase Prime,...
I'm trying to build a billion-dollar SaaS, but the only problem with that is 100% of our business depends on a company that could kill us tomorrow. We make it possible for brands to email people who never opted in. Every...
Email works best when it matches where the customer actually is. This is how I think about the customer journey, and what email should do at each stage. Bookmark this. https://t.co/Vd28hv9taT
The episode explores how fragrance brands create emotional loyalty by turning scent into a personal, memory‑linked experience and shows how e‑commerce founders can apply those tactics across any category. Key takeaways include using discovery tools like quizzes, samples, or starter...
Robinhood UK is rolling out its stocks‑and‑shares Individual Savings Account this week, bringing the fintech’s zero‑commission model to a tax‑advantaged product. The ISA allows up to £20,000 of tax‑free investing per year and includes a 0.10% foreign‑exchange fee, no platform...
FedEx has introduced two AI‑driven services, Tracking+ and Returns+, that merchants can embed directly into their digital channels. Developed with parcelLab, the white‑label tools deliver real‑time shipment visibility, automated customer responses, and analytics on delivery and return performance. Early data...
Between Jan 8‑13 2026 a global sports organization faced a coordinated ticket‑scalping attack that generated over 16 million malicious requests from 3.9 million unique IPs. DataDome’s Galileo Threat Research team identified the threat in real time and deployed AI‑driven detection that blocked every request...
These flows look insane, right? It's intentional. We call it the waterfall. If the first identity resolution service doesn't fire, the next one catches it, and on down the line. One of the craziest things I've seen in Klaviyo...
Eddie Bauer's U.S. operating company, run by Catalyst Brands, is preparing to file for bankruptcy. The filing threatens the closure of most of the brand’s more than 250 North American retail locations. Authentic Brands Group, which owns the Eddie Bauer...
Retailers are rethinking costly search and volatile paid‑social spend as consumer budgets tighten, yet many still treat cashback as a peripheral affiliate tactic. In markets like Singapore and Europe, cashback platforms drive tens of billions in sales and deliver 18‑25%...
The episode explores how pre‑owned luxury handbags are reshaping e‑commerce by turning resale into a sustainable growth engine. It highlights the shift from viewing luxury as disposable to treating iconic bags as long‑term assets, enabled by digital platforms that provide...
Dollar Shave Club made $1B from ONE viral video. Meanwhile you're posting 'motivational quotes' nobody reads. That's the gap.
Genesco announced that CFO Sandra Harris will depart on March 6, with CEO Mimi Vaughn stepping in as interim CFO while a search for a permanent replacement begins. The footwear retailer reported a 3% year‑over‑year increase in Q3 net sales to $616 million...
The episode explores how Miami’s e‑commerce entrepreneurs are swapping costly, multi‑year leases for flexible shared‑office solutions. It highlights the financial upside—lower overhead, no build‑out costs, and the ability to scale space up or down—allowing retailers to redirect capital into inventory,...
The TikTok‑driven ‘No Spend January’ challenge, adopted by 26% of Americans and now extending to full‑year commitments, is prompting consumers to limit purchases to essentials. Small and medium‑size retailers are feeling the squeeze, as lower impulse spending threatens cash flow,...
Bricks & Minifigs, an authorized Lego reseller, opened its 300th store in 2025, doubling its footprint after adding 150 locations since 2023. The chain now spans the United States, two Canadian sites, and has secured authorization to sell in Australia. Revenue...
In 2026 businesses of all sizes are turning to autonomous workflows to eliminate repetitive manual tasks. Cloud‑based POS platforms like Epos Now automate sales recording, inventory tracking, and reporting, delivering real‑time data across locations. The article outlines how these systems free...
B2B manufacturers and distributors are stitching ecommerce platforms together with EDI networks and ERP systems to create a single, real‑time order‑processing fabric. The integration delivers consumer‑grade self‑service—contract pricing, live inventory, shipment tracking—while automatically converting online orders into standardized EDI documents...
AI‑driven agentic treasury systems are moving from prediction to execution, allowing CFOs to automatically sweep excess cash into short‑term instruments under predefined rules. Major vendors such as Oracle, SAP and Bottomline are embedding these agents into core finance platforms, and...
Bed Bath & Beyond announced the acquisition of blockchain investing platform Tokens.com, aiming to launch a unified investment and personal‑finance hub for homeowners by July 1, 2026. The move aligns with CEO Marcus Lemonis’s strategy to create an integrated home ecosystem that...
Target announced it will open 30 new stores in 2026, including seven this spring that exceed its typical 125,000‑sq ft footprint. Five of the spring openings range from 148,000 to 150,000 sq ft, while two are smaller at 40,000 and 110,000 sq ft. The retailer...
U.S. Bank launched the Business Shield Visa Card, a credit product aimed at small‑business owners. The card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers and integrates a spend‑management platform that automates expense controls, accounting, and receipt capture....
A Bitkom survey of over 1,000 Germans finds 23% use product subscriptions, averaging three each. Subscriptions cover essentials like razor blades, shampoo, flowers and surprise boxes. The market still has room to grow, as roughly 75% of shoppers lack any...
Dutch e‑commerce platform Bol announced the creation of an external third‑party logistics (3PL) ecosystem for its marketplace sellers. The initiative will let all 45,000 partners, currently limited to Bol’s own “Logistics via Bol,” outsource warehousing and order processing to vetted...
In this episode, Michael Herd of Nacha and analyst Ben Danner discuss the surge in ACH payments, highlighting a 4.9% rise in transaction volume and a 7.9% jump in value in 2025, driven largely by B2B use cases and the...
A Chrome extension called Amazon Ads Blocker, marketed as an ad‑hider, was found to silently replace creator affiliate tags on Amazon product links with its own identifier (10xprofit‑20). Socket researchers discovered the extension injects the tag on page load and...
In this episode of Tea with GaryVee, Gary outlines why Live Shopping is the biggest opportunity of 2026 and walks listeners through the exact steps to start selling on platforms like TikTok Affiliate, showing how a creator leveraged his framework...
Retail subscriptions are the only vertical experiencing a decline, even as the broader subscription economy grew 8.3% year‑over‑year in 2026. Guy Meyers of Recurly highlights that consumers want flexibility, with 38% more likely to pause than cancel, and value pricing...
Urban Outfitters and Dreams have been criticized for using the gig‑economy app Temper to staff retail and delivery roles, with some workers earning below the UK minimum wage after fees. The TUC argues the model creates bogus self‑employment, denying basic...
The National Retail Federation forecasts Valentine’s Day spending to hit a record $29.1 billion, surpassing the 2025 high of $27.5 billion. Average shoppers plan to spend $199.78 on gifts, up from $188.81 last year. The holiday’s reach is widening, with 55% of...
The episode breaks down 18 key PPC statistics across conversion rates, social media, search, marketplace, and video advertising, highlighting benchmarks like a 7.52% average conversion rate on Google Ads and a $5.26 average CPC. It shows the massive scale of...
Custom Channels has launched a unified in‑store engagement platform that links audio promotions with digital signage and loyalty applications, aiming to influence purchase decisions at the point of sale. The solution moves music from background ambience to a data‑driven communication...
UK ecommerce in Q4 2025 grew 17% YoY, driven by strong pet‑care (+35.2%) and beauty (+10.3%) shipments, while fashion and homewares fell sharply. Expedited delivery dominated premium categories, with 92% of beauty orders using Express or Next‑Day services. Overall parcel volume...
Retailers seeking fulfillment agility are shifting from massive overhauls to incremental improvements. A GXO and Retail Dive survey of 150 brand and retail leaders highlights five focus areas—inventory optimization, flexible workforce, purpose‑driven technology, cross‑functional decision‑making, and strategic 3PL partnerships. Small,...
Faire and Spring Fair have launched the "Voices of Retail" campaign, a national survey inviting UK independent retailers to share insights via a five‑minute questionnaire available at the Spring Fair exhibition and online. The survey runs until 2 March 2026 and will...
Dusk, the Yorkshire‑born online furniture and homewares retailer, posted a nine‑month revenue of £140.9 million, up 26% year‑on‑year, and recorded its strongest December profitability following a robust Black Friday. The full‑year 2025 results showed a 56% revenue surge, driven by a...
The 2025‑2026 Growth Corporates Working Capital Index shows North American mid‑market CFOs now value cash‑flow visibility more than sheer access to capital. Firms with $50 million‑$1 billion in revenue report that clear forecasting reduces surprise financing and enables strategic use of working...
I know stores doing $500k/year with 2 products. I know stores doing $50k/year with 50 products. Product count isn't the metric. Focus is. Less SKUs better margins happier founder.
The episode breaks down eBay’s new Promoted Listings General attribution model that takes effect on January 13, 2026, explaining that any click on a promoted listing within the past 30 days will attribute all subsequent sales of that SKU to...
In this episode Greg Styczynski outlines why Shopify merchants outgrow basic review apps like Doran and need more powerful solutions. He reviews eight top alternatives—Yotpo, Judge.me, Loox, Stamped, REVIEWS.io, Okendo, Junip, and Vitals—highlighting each platform’s key features such as AI‑driven...
In Q3 2025 U.S. e‑commerce surpassed $10 trillion in cumulative sales, highlighting the sector’s massive scale despite a slowdown to 5‑10% quarterly growth. The episode explains how growth spikes during the pandemic and the 2008 crisis were temporary, and notes a...
Sephora UK announced the opening of its 13th UK store in Belfast on 12 February 2026, occupying a 2,550 sq ft space at Victoria Square. The launch will feature the brand’s own Sephora Collection alongside exclusive “Only At Sephora” labels and a roster of...
Primark has introduced a new youth‑focused label called The Primark Scene, aimed at Gen Z shoppers who feel underserved by traditional kids’ ranges and adult fashion. The line, shaped over an 18‑month research period with direct input from teenagers, features low‑rise...
Zucora and HealthGuard have deepened their Canadian retail partnership by launching the SmartOne Sleep Plan, a 10‑year protection program for mattresses and adjustable bases. The new bundle pairs the plan with a complimentary HealthGuard mattress protector and a Zucora mattress...
Estée Lauder’s MAC brand is launching a first‑ever beauty partnership with resale platform Depop to tap Gen‑Z shoppers. The collaboration features influencers Jordyn Woods and Leah Kateb curating wardrobes, with each purchase rewarding buyers a MAC lipstick and custom Depop...
Congressman Morgan Griffith introduced the Hemp Enforcement, Modernization and Protection (HEMP) Act, proposing federal caps on THC levels for hemp‑derived edibles, beverages, topicals and inhalables. The bill would limit oral products to 10 mg per serving and 5 mg of delta‑9 THC...
Brilliant Earth opened a flagship showroom in Beverly Hills, expanding its 42‑store network and shifting from appointment‑only spaces to high‑traffic locations. The brand is redesigning the in‑store experience to cater to couples who now shop for engagement rings together, a...
Walmart announced a sweeping C‑suite overhaul, moving growth, e‑commerce, and merchandising leaders into roles that centralize its global platforms and accelerate AI‑driven capabilities. New CEO John Furner highlighted the need for shared technology infrastructure to stay ahead of Amazon’s AI...
Jennifer Lai, a former Adidas and Dyson executive, has joined Gymshark to design and launch its first North American brick‑and‑mortar stores. She will oversee expansion, operations and people, creating a community‑first retail experience that mirrors the brand’s digital DNA. Lai...
