Today's Ecommerce Pulse
Target launches Circle Deal Days to challenge Amazon Prime Day
Target is launching its Target Circle Deal Days from June 23‑26, positioning the free‑to‑join program as a direct rival to Amazon Prime Day. New members who enroll between June 14‑22 receive a 15% discount on their first purchase, plus a free Starbucks coffee or Bullseye cookie on launch day, and a 50% discount on the first year of Target Circle 360.
Also developing:
By the numbers: FirstClub raises $55M Series B
Affirm Outlines Options if Economic Stress Rises
Affirm's CFO Rob O’Hare said the buy‑now, pay‑later lender could tighten its underwriting if U.S. economic stress intensifies, including dropping low‑margin loans, requiring down payments, and asking for more financial information. He emphasized these measures are hypothetical and that the company has not yet seen a dip in consumer demand. The comments came amid broader macro concerns such as a 92,000‑job loss in February and a one‑third rise in gasoline prices. Affirm’s in‑house underwriting gives it flexibility to adjust risk exposure across its loan portfolio.
AI Shopping Gets Simpler with Universal Commerce Protocol Updates
Google announced updates to the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) that add optional Cart, Catalog, and Identity Linking capabilities, enabling AI shopping agents to add multiple items, fetch real‑time product data, and apply loyalty benefits. Retailers can customize which features to...
Marketplace Briefing: Amazon Says Customers Make Three Times More Purchases Using Alexa+ on Devices than the Original Version
Amazon announced that its generative‑AI‑enhanced Alexa+ is prompting customers to make three times as many purchases as the original Alexa voice assistant. The upgraded assistant can handle complex, conversational requests, build shopping lists, place orders, and book reservations, moving beyond...
What’s Next for Retail in 2026: An Industry Perspective – Placer.ai Blog
Nearly 500 retail executives surveyed by Placer.ai indicate a cautiously optimistic 2026, with 55% confident in brick‑and‑mortar performance despite modest 1% visit growth. While 70% anticipate e‑commerce outpacing stores, a third remain more bullish on physical locations, underscoring a shift...
TVB Launches Artiste-Creator Network, Merging Broadcast Stars with AI‑Powered Influencer Marketing
Television Broadcasts Limited (TVB) introduced the Artiste-Creator Network (ACN) at MarketingPulse 2026, linking its roster of Hong Kong stars with Starry’s AI‑driven talent‑matching platform. The move creates a digital‑first, influence‑driven marketing engine for ecommerce brands seeking cross‑media reach.
AI Drives Smarter Ecommerce Pricing
AI is shifting ecommerce pricing from static, rule‑based models to real‑time, shopper‑specific offers that protect margins. By analyzing intent, timing and browsing history, AI decides whether to intervene, what type of incentive to apply, and how personalized it should be....
Supply Chain 101: What’s Really Happening Between Amazon and USPS?
Amazon announced it will keep its partnership with the U.S. Postal Service but is accelerating the shift of parcels to its own delivery network. ShipMatrix data shows Amazon now handles roughly the same volume as USPS, and the retailer could...
Walmart's Instant Checkout Flops, Turns to ChatGPT Bot
Conversion rates were 3X LOWER than when users click out to the website... "Put simply, Instant Checkout has been a flop." But Walmart is not giving up -> Walmart is embedding its own chatbot Sparky in ChatGPT, after conversion rates...
Retail's Future Is Tied up in Agentic Commerce, Yes? Well, up to a Point, Says BestBuy, Wayfair, and Electrolux with...
A new Logicbroker survey shows 90% of enterprise retailers expect AI agents to influence at least 20% of online orders by 2027, with over a third anticipating agents handling more than half of transactions. Kingfisher is already rolling out Google...
OPINION: Five Forces Reshaping the Checkout in Germany
German retailers are accelerating POS modernization as labour costs rise, regulations tighten, and consumer payment habits shift. Cash still accounts for about 35% of sales, but card usage is projected to climb to 42% within five years, while contactless and...
Apple's iPhone Sales Jump 23% in China, Defying 4% Market Decline
Apple posted a 23% surge in China smartphone shipments during the first nine weeks of 2026, while the overall market fell 4% year‑on‑year. The growth stems from aggressive e‑commerce discounts and eligibility for state subsidies on the base iPhone 17,...
Online Grocery Shoppers Prioritize Health Over Taste
A Purdue University study of 1,200 U.S. consumers finds that health and nutrition now eclipse taste as the primary driver for online grocery shoppers, with only 37% ranking taste first. Nutritional targets and health goals were cited by 59% and...
Clarity Beats Fancy: Simple Loom Video Outperforms $5k Production
I spent $5k on a fancy explainer video. It had a 10% view-through rate. I recorded a simple screen-share with Loom. It had a 70% view-through rate and drove sales. The market doesn't care about fancy. It cares about clarity....
When to Outsource Fulfillment: The 3PL Decision Guide for E-Commerce
E‑commerce brands typically start fulfillment in‑house, but rapid sales growth, rising shipping costs, and multi‑channel complexity often trigger a shift to third‑party logistics (3PL). The guide highlights five key signals—order‑volume spikes, escalating carrier fees, tighter delivery expectations, operational distraction, and...
How TikTok Shop Predicts Sales
TikTok Shop is emerging as both a discovery engine and a conversion platform for beauty brands, influencing purchases across in‑app, e‑commerce, and physical retail channels. The platform’s halo effect has generated double‑digit growth in brick‑and‑mortar sales and a measurable lift...
TikTok Shop Turns Shopping Into Shoppertainment in New Fishermen Integrated Spot
TikTok Shop partnered with Fishermen Integrated to launch the Ramadan‑Raya campaign “Bazar Direka Untuk …”, turning the shopping journey into a curated shoppertainment experience. The initiative runs from 1 March to 13 March 2026 and blends product curation, creator‑led content, original music and...
AEO/GEO Strategy Dramatically Boosts Impressions
SoOoOoOo the AEO/GEO strategy stuff you keep hearing about *actually* works for increasing impressions in a very big way https://t.co/WkJfoUTEc9
Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Up to 50% Off Tools
Early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals are live on tools and outdoor equipment from DeWalt, Craftsman, Bosch, Greenworks, and more—with savings up to 50% off. https://t.co/Atqjulni2k https://t.co/nxrswbidfl
Coupang Teams with Nvidia to Build AI Factory, Boosting Logistics Efficiency
Coupang announced a partnership with Nvidia to launch an "AI factory" that integrates Nvidia's DGX SuperPOD with Coupang's Intelligent Cloud. The collaboration lifts GPU utilization to 95% and sent Coupang shares up 3.4% in pre‑market trading, signaling a major push...
Vietnam: Global Tech Partnerships Boost Regional Trade Safety
The ASEAN Product Safety Portal is being rolled out across member states to share real‑time data on unsafe goods, enabling regulators to swiftly remove hazardous items from online marketplaces. Technology‑driven monitoring and web‑scraping tools aim to cut flagged unsafe products...
Research on ChatGPT, Buy Elsewhere: Instant Checkout Lags
Where you discover ≠ where you buy. People use ChatGPT to research what to buy. Then they leave to actually buy it. Instant checkout converts 3x worse than clicking out to the store.
Claresa.ie – A Modern WooCommerce-Based Store Driving Advanced Manicure Sales
Claresa.ie, a WooCommerce‑powered e‑commerce store specializing in gel nail and manicure products, showcases how the platform can be leveraged to maximize conversions and scale a beauty brand. The store integrates abandoned‑cart recovery, email marketing, and advanced product‑variation tools to boost...
Shopify’s USDC Integration Shows How Platforms Could Pick Stablecoin Favorites
Shopify has embedded USDC stablecoin into its core payments stack, allowing merchants to accept digital dollars at checkout without new providers. The integration, built with Stripe and Coinbase, lets shoppers pay via crypto wallets and gives merchants the option to...
Key Tools That Help E-Commerce Businesses Manage Pricing and Product Information
E‑commerce operators are turning to a suite of tools to streamline both physical and digital product management. Handheld labeling guns such as the Monarch 1153 enable fast, uniform SKU and price tags in warehouses, while automated pricing platforms synchronize prices...
How AIOps Is Keeping Retail Lights on Behind the Scenes
Artificial intelligence for IT Operations (AIOps) is helping retailers keep e‑commerce platforms running smoothly by automatically detecting and fixing order‑flow glitches, pricing mismatches, downtime, and data‑sync issues. Machine‑learning models surface anomalies before customers notice them, enabling proactive remediation. A real‑world...
How to Build a Video Asset Library That Drives Revenue Across Email, Ads, and Landing Pages
The article outlines how ecommerce brands can build a video asset library to repurpose Facebook and Instagram videos across email, SMS, landing pages, and paid ads. It provides a quick decision framework, step‑by‑step download methods, format guidelines, and a simple...
AI-Assisted Commerce Is Here. Trust Will Define Who Wins
Google introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) in January 2026, creating a standardized, machine‑readable layer for product data, pricing, carts, payments and order tracking. UCP already powers AI‑driven purchases on Google Search’s AI Mode and Gemini for retailers like Etsy...
How Local DTF Printing Improves E-Commerce Fulfillment Speed in Arizona
Arizona‑based Shopify merchants can dramatically accelerate fulfillment by switching to local Direct‑to‑Film (DTF) printing partners such as Custom Print AZ. The article outlines a quick decision framework showing that production can shrink from weeks to days, enabling 48‑72 hour restocks and on‑demand...
Huawei and YowPay Launch Open Banking Smartwatch POS App
Huawei and fintech YowPay have introduced what they call the world’s first open‑banking smartwatch point‑of‑sale (POS) application. The solution lets merchants capture bank‑to‑bank payments directly from a Huawei smartwatch, removing the need for traditional card terminals or card‑based hardware. Built...
Los Angeles Small Business ‘Spreads’ Global Reach with Coupang
Los Angeles‑based organic nut butter maker Spread The Love is expanding into South Korea by partnering with e‑commerce giant Coupang. The partnership leverages Coupang’s AI‑driven export platform, which handled over $5 billion in U.S. export sales in 2025, to manage logistics,...
Invest in These DTC Essentials, Not Fancy Extras
A few things that are actually worth the money (for DTC operators): • A founder who will record videos • Knowing contribution margin before opening Ads Manager • A creative producer you can text at 9 am and have content ASAP • Raw over...
Prophit Engine Delivers Accurate Forecasts, Consistent Growth, Lower Costs
More isn't always better. Better is better. Forecast more accurately, grow contribution more consistently all while saving money with the Prophit Engine from CTC. Big love to the boys: @Seanfrank @iamshackelford @Jaredorkin @stevenborrelli @steviej @SJohnson_89 for the acting brilliance. This one is a...
Doba Adds Walmart Marketplace Integration for Drop Shipping Sellers
Doba announced a verified integration with Walmart Marketplace, using OAuth 2.0 to automate product listings, inventory syncing, and order processing. The connection replaces legacy APIs, reducing manual errors and ensuring compliance with Walmart’s strict performance standards. Walmart ranks #2 among U.S....
AI Agents Poised to Capture Up to 25% E‑Commerce
J.P. Morgan & Mirakl Nexus Unveil AI Agent Checkout A first-of-its-kind solution designed to enable secure AI agent checkouts for enterprise merchants. J.P. Morgan’s tokenization and fraud protection to allow agents to move from "browsing" to "buying" within a regulated framework....
Xandres Expands Its Secondhand Service Online
Xandres has launched its second‑hand platform, Xandres Preloved, via a dedicated website covering the Benelux region and Germany. After pilot programs in Ghent and Bruges, the brand is rolling out the service nationwide, allowing customers to buy and sell pre‑owned...
Marks & Spencer Becomes ‘Exclusive Digital Wholesale Partner’ for David Gandy Wellwear
Marks & Spencer has launched David Gandy Wellwear on its Brands at M&S platform, becoming the brand’s exclusive digital wholesale partner. The partnership adds the designer’s best‑selling T‑shirts, loungewear, underwear and robes to M&S’s expanding third‑party menswear portfolio. Gandy, who...
Shopify POS Smart Grid Now Lets Merchants Select Discount Codes From a Dropdown Instead of Typing Them Manually
Shopify has upgraded its POS Smart Grid editor to include a dropdown menu for selecting discount codes when building Discount tiles. The change replaces the previous free‑text field, which was vulnerable to typos and mismatched codes. Each tile now pulls...
EBay Beta Testing Video Ads in Promoted Listings Priority Cost-per-Click Placements Starting in Australia
eBay has begun beta‑testing a video‑enabled version of its Promoted Listings Priority in Australia. The feature allows sellers to attach 5‑ to 60‑second videos that auto‑play in eligible ad placements, reverting to static images where video isn’t supported. Pricing remains...
Klarna Hits 1 Million Merchants: BNPL Giant Signals Continued Global Expansion
Swedish buy‑now‑pay‑later provider Klarna announced it has surpassed one million merchants worldwide, a 47% increase from the previous year. The growth includes roughly 285,000 new merchants in 2025, with 115,000 added in the fourth quarter alone, and a 91% surge...
Best Platforms to Sell Memberships: 5 Options Compared
A new guide compares five membership platforms—Beamly, Kajabi, Podia, Mighty Networks, and Memberful—across pricing, content support, community tools, and scalability. Beamly stands out for podcasters and video creators with zero platform fees, while Kajabi offers an all‑in‑one suite for course...
FonQ Is Struggling: Payment Deferral and Online Store Shut Down
Dutch online home‑furnishings retailer fonQ is facing collapse after its holding company filed for a stay of payments. An administrator will now assess options to keep the business afloat. The company, which also owns brand Naduvi, saw CEO Itai Gross...
Diversify Ad Spend: Single-Platform Reliance Risks Revenue
Pinterest's CEO blamed tariffs for the company's weak Q4 2025 performance. > Stock dropped nearly 17% > They laid off 15% of the workforce. Tariffs had nothing to do with it… Pinterest's ad auction was being propped up by a handful of large...
Why Delivery Reliability Now Matters More Than Speed
Retailers have spent a decade chasing Amazon‑style speed, but a Locus survey shows only 9% of shoppers believe promises are consistently met. Missed windows and silent delays erode trust, with 92% of customers abandoning a brand after just a few...
Walmart and Target Are Battling to Show Up in AI Shopping Tools. Here’s How Their Strategies Compare
Walmart and Target are racing to embed artificial intelligence in the shopping journey, but their tactics diverge sharply. Walmart is building four proprietary AI "super agents" to power consumer assistance, supplier operations, and internal workflows, leveraging its massive transaction data....
Ikea Expands Its Secondhand Marketplace to Belgium
Ikea will launch its digital secondhand marketplace in Belgium on April 29, extending the service to six European countries. The free platform lets Ikea Family members scan items, receive auto‑generated pricing, photos and details, and sell for cash or a 15%...
MELI's Explosive Growth Shows Market Undervaluation
$MELI - Why the market is underestimating this stock. 👇 Revenue growth accelerated to +40% YoY (+36.8% FX-neutral). Gross merchandise volume grew +36.8% YoY (+36.5% FX-neutral), while successful items sold increased +43% YoY — suggesting higher engagement, increased purchase frequency, and...
Turn Customers Into Creators, Cut Ads, Grow 50%
Chubbies grew 50% year-over-year by turning 1.5M customers into content creators. Free UGC from their 'Chubster Nation' replaced paid ads. Meanwhile you're spending on ads with no community behind your brand. That's the gap.
Six Months After Launch at ING Germany, Wero Hits Major Adoption Milestones and Strengthens European Payment Collaboration
Six months after its launch at ING Germany, the Wero digital wallet has surpassed 500,000 activations, while the European Payments Initiative (EPI) now counts over 50 million users across its markets. Expansion plans include a Luxembourg rollout in 2026 and a...
A Fast Way to Find Triathlon Gear Deals
Triathlete has launched the Deals Finder, a new online hub that aggregates triathlon gear discounts from trusted retailers such as REI, evo, and Competitive Cyclist. The tool lets users sort results by biggest discount, brand, or price and refreshes its...
From Garage to Global: Chieh Huang on Building Boxed and Launching Pelgo
In this episode, Chieh Huang, founder of Boxed and now CEO of Pelgo, shares his journey from a garage‑based wholesale startup to a public company and his latest venture helping workers transition to AI‑augmented roles. He highlights the stark difference...