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
Rakuten Ichiba, Google Team on YouTube Shopping Experience
Rakuten Ichiba has become the inaugural Japanese partner in Google’s YouTube Shopping affiliate program, allowing shoppers to purchase marketplace items directly from YouTube videos. When viewers tap the “View Products” overlay, product names, prices, and a link to the Rakuten product page appear without leaving the video. The feature leverages creator trust to turn video content into a shoppable experience, blending entertainment and e‑commerce. The rollout marks a strategic push to embed commerce within YouTube’s growing creator ecosystem in Japan.
Munro Footwear Group Goes Live with Fluent Order Management, Supported by Amblique
Munro Footwear Group (MFG) has launched Fluent Order Management, backed by Amblique, to unify inventory and fulfillment across its 240+ stores, digital channels and distribution centres. The Distributed Order Management system provides a universal inventory view, ship‑from‑store capability and configurable...
Xbox Store Update Brings Useful New Sort Options to Console and PC
Microsoft quietly rolled out an Xbox Store update in February 2026, adding four new sorting filters—price high‑to‑low, price low‑to‑high, discount high‑to‑low, and most wishlisted. The feature is live on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, the PC app, and the web...
Handpickd Expands Into Flour and Spices Category, Plans New Cities Entry
Handpickd, the farm‑to‑home fresh food platform, is extending its product line into freshly milled flours and pounded spices, aiming for the segment to generate 20% of its revenue by the end of the next fiscal year. The company currently operates...
Switch Platforms, Save Money, Multiply Sales
Bombas crashed twice on Shark Tank and lost $15k in minutes. They switched platforms, saved $108k/year, and did $17.2M in sales the next year. Meanwhile you're on a cheap host praying it holds during a sale. That's the gap.
Geospatial Platforms and Location Based Services: Powering NextGen E-Commerce and Retail Business
At GeoBuiz Summit 2026, a panel of geospatial leaders highlighted how location intelligence is becoming the backbone of next‑generation e‑commerce and retail. They discussed the use of trusted geospatial data, AI‑driven analytics, and platform integration to optimize store networks, site...
FNP Posts Rs 861 Cr Revenue in FY25; Cuts Losses
Ferns N Petals posted operating revenue of Rs 861.5 crore for FY 2025, a 22 % increase over the prior year, driven primarily by product sales. The company narrowed its net loss to Rs 22 crore, an 8.3 % reduction, though EBITDA and ROCE remained negative at -1.25 %...
Superdrug Adds Made by Mitchell to Its Range
Superdrug has added the social‑media‑born Made by Mitchell Cosmetics to its in‑store and online assortment. Founded by professional makeup artist Mitchell Halliday, the brand is known for high‑impact, multi‑use makeup. The Superdrug collection launches five exclusive products, such as Head...
Why a Beauty Brand Is Giving Gen Alpha Equity
Evereden, the kid‑focused beauty brand that hit $100 million in sales, announced its Generation E program, granting equity stakes to three Gen‑Alpha creators aged 14, 15 and 17. The teenagers—Embreigh Courtlyn, Kaili Asa and Madison Rae—bring combined millions of followers and will...
A Buyer’s Take on London Fashion Week, with Mytheresa’s Tiffany Hsu
In the Glossy Podcast’s London Fashion Week edition, Mytheresa chief buying director Tiffany Hsu offers a buyer’s lens on the Fall 2026 collections. She highlights Burberry’s outerwear‑led show, the romantic opulence of Simone Rocha and Erdem, and the sculptural concepts of newcomers...
Gymboree Turns to Partnerships with Brands Like Marchesa for Its Next Stage of Growth
Gymboree is reviving its brand by launching co‑branded collections, beginning with a limited‑edition Marchesa line priced between $20 and $170. The retailer also introduced everyday collaborations with Peter Rabbit and Hello Kitty, aiming to attract both special‑occasion and casual shoppers....
Why Retailers Can’t Afford a Bad Delivery Experience in 2026
Retailers now bear direct responsibility for delivery performance, as a UPS Capital 2025 report shows consumer blame shifting from carriers (39 % vs 83 % in 2022) to retailers. Fast delivery ranks above price for 31 % of shoppers, and 85 % of merchants...
WhatsApp’s Quiet Takeover: How Conversational AI Is Redefining Retail
Conversational AI is moving from website bots to messaging apps, with WhatsApp emerging as the flagship channel for retail in markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Sanuker’s Woztell platform lets retailers stitch ecommerce, CRM and ERP data into...
AI and Intents Unite NEAR as Unified Commerce Layer
Here's my keynote from NEARCON earlier this week with all the launches and highlights – AI and Intents are converging to make NEAR the Unified Commerce Layer. We're in a new era of growth and adoption for @NEARProtocol.
1stdibs.Com Inc (DIBS) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
1stdibs.Com reported its first quarter of adjusted EBITDA profitability, posting $1.3 million at a 6% margin in Q4 2025. Gross merchandise value slipped 5% to $90.2 million, while net revenue edged up 1% to $23 million and the take rate rose 140 basis points....
Prioritize Contribution Margin Above All Other Metrics
99.7% to target on CM this month. Great growth teams are committed to a hierarchy of metrics. Every month is going to involve different trade offs to reach your goal. But great forecasting and execution requires being clear on the...
Stars Align for Passkeys but Will Adoption Follow?
Credential‑based fraud and login friction are eroding conversion for high‑value e‑commerce shoppers, prompting merchants to seek stronger, lower‑friction authentication. Passkeys, built on FIDO public‑key cryptography and unlocked via biometrics or PIN, promise to eliminate password reuse and phishing risk. PayPal...
Modern Cloud Analytics in 2026: Architecture, Use Cases, and Pitfalls – Shopify
Shopify’s 2026 guide outlines what makes cloud analytics truly modern, emphasizing a cloud‑native stack that couples elastic compute with a semantic layer, governed self‑serve, and built‑in FinOps. It contrasts legacy on‑prem and “cloud‑washed” BI with a fully modular architecture that...
Transforming Static Photography Into Cinema Quality Sequences Using Image to Video AI
Image‑to‑Video AI platforms now turn static photographs into short, cinema‑quality clips by analyzing pixel data and applying multiple neural models such as Sora 2, Veo 3.1, and Seedance. The workflow is a four‑step web‑based process—upload, prompt, neural processing (≈5 minutes), and export—producing 5‑second...
Amazon Same-Day Grocery Delivery and Pharmacy Services Comes to Louisville
Amazon has launched same‑day grocery delivery and pharmacy services in Louisville, covering a 55‑mile radius. The rollout adds Louisville to more than 2,300 U.S. cities offering Amazon grocery delivery and moves the company toward its goal of nearly 4,500 cities...
Master Incrementality Testing: From Replication to Golf Handicap
"I think it’s the most sophisticated conversation that will exist on this topic." @oliviaakory's feedback after watching back this episode. She and @Davisg207 came by the office to talk about Cozy Earth's incrementality testing journey. I think it is incredibly instructive...
ACV Auctions Expands AI Tools as Q4 Revenue Rises
ACV Auctions reported Q4 2025 revenue of $184 million, a 15% year‑over‑year increase, and full‑year revenue of $760 million, up 19% from 2024. The company narrowed its quarterly net loss to $20 million, improving by 23% versus the prior year, while selling 192,757...
Web to Print Storefronts for Shopify: Build a Customization Channel That Scales
Shopify merchants can add a web‑to‑print storefront to let customers design and purchase customized printed goods, automating file preparation and production routing. The solution typically requires a SaaS platform like PrintXpand, integration with Shopify, and configurable SKUs, with implementation taking...
More States Are Tightening Their Gift Card Regulations
In 2025, 22 U.S. states introduced legislation aimed at curbing gift‑card fraud, a sharp rise from eight states the previous year. While many bills increase criminal penalties, several also impose new duties on merchants, such as conspicuous fraud warnings and...
Ground Beef, Egg Purchases Surge on Flashfood as Grocery Prices Rise in 2026
Flashfood reported a sharp rise in protein purchases as grocery prices climb, with ground beef sales up 28% and egg purchases soaring 90% year‑over‑year. Protein now accounts for more than 30% of the app’s total sales, reflecting consumer shifts toward...
Unified Email and SMS Boosts Retention Trust
The retention stack at most brands is three platforms pretending to be one. Email in one tool. SMS in another. A "customer journey" that's really just a guess stitched together from disconnected data. Attentive solves this by putting email and SMS in...
Rackhams Partners with Base.com to Accelerate Seller Expansion
Rackhams has partnered with Base.com to simplify expansion for established Amazon and eBay sellers onto the Rackhams marketplace. Base.com provides a multi‑channel operating system that centralises listings, inventory, pricing, and order fulfillment across major marketplaces and ecommerce platforms. The collaboration...
UPI Payments in India Can Now Use Biometric Authentication for Transactions Up to ₹5,000
India's Unified Payments Interface (UPI) now supports biometric authentication for transactions up to ₹5,000, allowing users to approve payments via fingerprint or facial recognition. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) approved the change, positioning biometrics as an alternative to the...
E-Com Survey: Growth Is Inseparable From Operational Maturity
The 2026 State of Commerce Ops Report by Linnworks shows that mid‑market e‑commerce retailers in the U.K. and U.S. are experiencing robust year‑over‑year growth, with nearly 90% reporting moderate to significant expansion. However, the survey highlights that scalability hinges on...
From $187M Ecommerce to $5M ARR SaaS: Spresso's Post-Bankruptcy Pivot to Enterprise Software | Jared Yaman
In this episode, Jared Gaiman, co‑founder of Boxed and current CEO of Spresso, recounts the rise of Boxed from a $187 M e‑commerce business to its Chapter 11 filing and subsequent pivot to a $5 M ARR SaaS model focused on enterprise software...
Product Feeds, Entity Consistency, and Taxonomy Drive 2026 Retail SEO
💰 What is the most underrated retail SEO lever for 2026? Key takeaways from an insightful roundup by @SearchPilot : * Feeds decide eligibility. Weak product data does not push you down a few spots. It can remove you from...
Build a Personal Cash Cushion, Not Just Business Equity
How much of your net worth is your business? Knot in your stomach? Keep reading. Roman Khan (@RomanEcom) spoke at one of our eComFuel events a few years ago. If you ever get the chance to meet Roman in person, do...
Walmart's Advertising Revenue Is Outpacing Amazon's
Walmart’s advertising business surged 46% to $6.4 billion in FY26, outpacing Amazon’s 22% rise to $68.6 billion. The dollar gap narrowed from roughly 15:1 to 11:1, though it remains sizable. Growth figures include the VIZIO acquisition, while Walmart Connect – the core...
Validate Demand, Craft Standout Product, Let Creative Drive Sales
How to build a $10M+ ecom brand (based on some of the most expensive lessons I’ve ever learned) PRODUCT & BRAND - Dropshipping isn't a business, it's a test - validate demand then move to white-label or you'll be racing to the...
AI SEO Hype Outpaces Real Results, Says Brand Leaders
SEO for AI—or AEO—is having a moment Profound just raised at $1B valuation But after talking to many brand leaders this week, most agree much of the hype in the space is outpacing results & no dashboard does the work for...
Shopify Dominant Software in New Stores
ShopRank research shows Shopify powered 54% of new online stores in the Netherlands, 49% in France and 41% in Spain last year. Across seven major European markets, Shopify launched 148,044 new stores, outpacing WooCommerce’s 99,140 and PrestaShop’s 9,747. WooCommerce saw...
Third‑party Apps Often Bypass Consent Signals, Breaking Compliance
We’ve been running cookie compliance audits for our @Shopify retainer clients. A significant number of third-party apps and services either ignore consent signals or don’t properly integrate with Consent Mode. It's bad.
Cheap Experiments Outperform Expensive Guru Courses
I spent $10k on a Facebook ads course from a famous 'guru'. My ROAS went down. I spent $200 testing my own weird ad angles. Found a 5x ROAS winner in 48 hours. The market doesn't care about experts. Test...
Debit Card Fraud Losses Rise
A Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank analysis shows debit card fraud loss rates rose between 2021 and 2023, driven primarily by card‑not‑present transactions. While online fraud increased, in‑person fraud declined on dual‑message networks but grew on single‑message networks. The report...
Best Big Cartel Alternatives: My Top Picks in 2026
The guide reviews nine Big Cartel alternatives after 200 hours of hands‑on testing, ranking each platform on monetization options, design flexibility, product support, pricing, and scalability. Shopify emerges as the top choice for creators needing a full‑featured ecommerce stack, while...
UK Appoints Former Amazon Exec Doug Gurr as CMA Chair
The UK government has confirmed former Amazon executive Doug Gurr as the permanent chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Gurr, who previously led Amazon’s UK operations, had been serving in an interim capacity before his appointment. He will...
Triple-A and Mastercard Move Join Forces to Speed Up Global Remittances for Banks and Fintechs
Triple‑A has integrated Mastercard Move’s cross‑border money‑movement network into its remittance‑as‑a‑service platform, enabling near real‑time payouts for European banks, fintechs, and telecom operators. The partnership lets institutions launch branded global remittance services without building costly infrastructure, while also opening a...
Target Leans Into Spirit of Adventure with Roller Rabbit Collab
Target is rolling out a limited‑time collaboration with cult‑favorite lifestyle brand Roller Rabbit on March 7, offering more than 250 items that span apparel, travel gear, home goods and new categories such as luggage and outdoor products. The collection is anchored...
ChatGPT Ecommerce Traffic Converts 31% Higher than Non-Branded Organic Search
Visibility Labs analyzed 94 ecommerce sites in 2025 and found that traffic referred from ChatGPT converted at a 1.81% rate, 31% higher than non‑branded organic search. While ChatGPT visits surged 1,079% over the year, they accounted for only 1.48% of...
An Insider’s Guide to Small Parcel Shipping with Glenn Gooding
Glenn Gooding, founder of Gooding Supply Chain Advisors, joins Joe Lynch to explain how data‑driven tactics can tame today’s fragmented small‑parcel market. He highlights the "cube‑out" shift where dimensional weight, not scale weight, now drives most e‑commerce shipping costs. Gooding...
AI Revives Ecommerce DIY
Ecommerce firms are embracing AI and automation to revive a DIY spirit, letting non‑technical staff build custom tools. A Northwest retailer equipped employees with OpenAI, Gemini and n8n, creating a price‑monitoring workflow that feeds data into Google Sheets. The approach...
The Hidden Customer Experience Cost of Returns: Why Apparel Brands Must Rethink Reverse Logistics
Apparel brands are recognizing that returns have become a pivotal customer‑experience moment rather than a hidden back‑office cost. Over 80% of shoppers say return policies influence purchase decisions, and slow, opaque refunds erode trust and repeat‑purchase intent. Reverse‑logistics delays have...
40% Portuguese Consumers Shop Online Weekly
A new Webloyalty study shows 40% of Portuguese consumers shop online weekly, up from 24% a year earlier. Mobile devices drive 66% of e‑commerce transactions, reflecting over 14 million active connections. Convenience is the top motivator, cited by 62% of shoppers,...
Akeneo Partners with Stripe to Help Businesses Get Ready to Sell on AI Agents
Akeneo, a product experience company, announced a partnership with Stripe to integrate its PIM platform with Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Suite. The joint solution lets merchants expose structured, real‑time product data to AI assistants and enables agent‑ready checkout, payments, and fraud...
Ecommpay Launches Free E-Commerce Fraud Defence Guide
Payments platform Ecommpay released a free whitepaper titled “E‑commerce fraud defence: A quick guide for merchants.” The guide details nine top fraud threats, including friendly fraud, refund fraud, account takeover and AI‑powered deepfakes, and offers actionable mitigation tactics. Ecommpay claims...