e-commerce

The European Union plans to introduce a €2 handling fee on small parcels imported from outside the bloc. The charge would apply to online orders shipped into the EU, adding a new cost to cross-border e-commerce purchases. The move is expected to affect shoppers buying from non-EU retailers and could draw criticism over added consumer costs.

Shopify has opened its checkout system to browser-based AI agents, according to TechCrunch. The move means autonomous shopping assistants could complete purchases on merchants' stores on behalf of users, rather than only browsing. It signals a shift in e-commerce toward agentic commerce, where software agents search, select and pay for goods directly, raising questions about merchant control, fraud prevention and how retailers adapt to agent-driven traffic.

Amazon has blocked Meta's Muse AI agent from making purchases on its platform, according to a report by Mashable. The move prevents Meta's automated shopping assistant from completing transactions on Amazon. It highlights growing tension between major tech companies over access to e-commerce platforms as AI agents increasingly attempt to act on users' behalf in online shopping.

Google has begun testing a feature that lets users in India buy products from Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce platform owned by Walmart, directly through its Gemini assistant and AI Mode in Search. The trial points to a broader push to turn AI chat and search experiences into shopping channels, as tech companies race to blend conversational AI with online commerce.

Amazon is offering its Prime delivery service on merchants' own websites at no additional fee, extending the programme beyond Amazon.com. The move lets participating retailers display fast Prime shipping benefits on their own storefronts while Amazon handles fulfilment. It reflects Amazon's push to embed its logistics network deeper into third-party e-commerce and tighten its hold on online retail.

Investors and analysts are debating whether Alibaba's heavy spending on artificial intelligence can be sustained. The Chinese e-commerce giant has committed large sums to AI infrastructure and model development, prompting questions about returns and the impact on profitability. Market watchers are weighing the long-term payoff of its AI push against near-term cost pressures.

Amazon has expanded its partnership with Affirm to let shoppers pay for purchases over up to 48 monthly instalments directly in checkout. The move extends buy-now-pay-later beyond short-term instalments, making long-duration financing a standard option on one of the world's largest retail platforms and deepening the fintech's presence in mainstream e-commerce.

Google is testing AI-powered shopping in India, letting users buy products from Walmart-owned Flipkart directly through its Gemini chatbot and AI Mode. The move allows purchases via conversational AI and is seen as a significant step toward agentic commerce, where AI assistants complete transactions on behalf of users rather than just recommending products.

The government has permitted e-commerce providers to deliver food items and gadgets, expanding the scope of online retail services. Details on when the rules take effect and which platforms qualify have not yet been reported. The move is expected to widen consumer access to delivered goods and open new business opportunities for online sellers.

Google is piloting the ability to purchase products from Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce platform owned by Walmart, directly through its Gemini AI assistant and AI Mode in Search. The test, reported in India, would let users complete purchases without leaving Google's AI interfaces, deepening the company's push into AI-powered commerce and tightening its ties with Flipkart.

McDonald's has announced the launch of a new advertising network, moving into the fast-growing retail media space. The move means the fast food giant will sell ad space across its own channels, joining retailers and brands that have built media businesses on their customer data and reach. Industry observers are watching how a restaurant chain competes in a space dominated by grocery and e-commerce players.

New software tools are making it easier for United States e-commerce sellers to enter European markets, according to an E-Commerce Times report. The tools are said to lower barriers such as logistics, compliance and cross-border payments, letting smaller merchants sell to European customers. Details on which tools and companies are involved were not provided.

Retailers are rebuilding their payment infrastructure to serve agentic commerce, where AI agents rather than human shoppers initiate and complete purchases. The shift requires new payment rails that can authenticate machine-driven transactions, handle delegated authority, and manage fraud risks when software acts on a customer's behalf. Industry coverage suggests payments providers and merchants see agent-led buying as the next major e-commerce battleground.

Zalando's Partner Day event centered on artificial intelligence in online fashion, examining both the opportunities and the limits of the technology for e-commerce. Discussions reportedly covered what AI can and cannot do for the fashion retail business, drawing attention from industry watchers tracking how major European platforms adopt AI tools.

Sellers across the European Union will have to display guarantee notices both in physical shops and online within a seven-day deadline, under new EU requirements. The rule obliges retailers to inform consumers clearly about their legal warranty rights at the point of sale, whether in-store or on e-commerce platforms. Consumer groups are expected to welcome the move, while sellers face quick compliance work.

Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment has named Alibaba Group an official technology and cloud partner of the Brooklyn Nets, the NBA franchise based in New York. The partnership makes the Chinese e-commerce and cloud computing giant a technology provider for the team, underlining its push into sports and entertainment partnerships in the US market.

Russian e-commerce giant Wildberries has begun testing a ride-hailing service in Armenia, according to Civilnet's weekly business roundup. The move marks an expansion of the company's activities beyond online retail into mobility as it grows its footprint in the South Caucasus.

Retailers are increasingly turning to AI-powered shelf technology, with Modern Retail reporting on the growing adoption of automated shelf monitoring and inventory systems. The trend points to bricks-and-mortar stores using sensors and computer vision to track stock levels, pricing and product placement in real time, as chains look to cut waste and compete with the efficiency of e-commerce operations.

Snack giant Mondelēz is sharpening its digital commerce strategy around micro-occasions — small, specific moments of consumption throughout the day — as a way to grow online sales. The company is using these targeted occasions to tailor marketing and product offerings to shoppers buying snacks via digital channels, part of a broader push into e-commerce growth.

OpenAI's ChatGPT has rolled out a virtual try-on feature for clothing, letting users see how garments would look on them while shopping in the app. The capability takes a page from Google Shopping, which has offered similar try-on tools. Tech watchers are calling it another sign of ChatGPT expanding into e-commerce and challenging Google's shopping features.

Major US retailers, including QVC and Kohl's, are divided over adopting agentic shopping — AI tools that browse and purchase on behalf of customers. According to the Wall Street Journal, some see the technology as the next evolution of e-commerce, while others worry about losing direct customer relationships and control over branding and data. The debate reflects broader uncertainty in retail over how quickly AI agents will reshape online buying.

Tata CLiQ, the Tata Group's e-commerce platform, is facing scrutiny over claims that it sells genuine products at roughly half their usual price. A reality test of the platform's discounts has drawn large attention online, with viewers debating whether the steep price cuts on gadgets and other goods are legitimate offers or marketing tactics. The discussion has resonated with bargain hunters wary of fake products on online marketplaces.

E-commerce platform Shopify has purchased the shop.com domain in a deal reported to be worth around $100 million. The acquisition gives Shopify one of the most generic and valuable web addresses in online retail. Commenters are debating the steep price for a domain name and what it signals about Shopify's branding and growth ambitions.

Flipkart, India's largest e-commerce company, is expanding into many business lines simultaneously, and a new discussion of the strategy is drawing wide attention in Indian startup circles. Commentators are debating whether the Walmart-owned retailer is diversifying wisely or spreading itself too thin across quick commerce, fintech and other ventures.

DoorDash is expanding beyond food delivery by bringing more retail partners onto its platform and introducing a shopping assistant that works over text messages, allowing customers to browse and order from retailers conversationally. The move signals DoorDash's push to compete more directly with e-commerce and quick-commerce rivals for everyday shopping orders, not just restaurant delivery.

Minnesota-based women's fashion retailer Evereve has hired Alanna Baker, an executive from retail giant Target, to lead its digital operations. The appointment is part of the company's business staffing news circulating in regional retail circles, signaling Evereve's investment in strengthening its e-commerce and digital strategy by drawing talent from a major national retailer.

DoorDash, which began as a food delivery service, has expanded into delivering apparel, with a new partnership bringing North Face jackets to customers within an hour of ordering. Coverage from regional outlets highlights the company's shift from restaurant meals to broader retail goods, as it continues pushing into on-demand delivery of everyday and specialty products beyond food.

A new study indicates online retailers that do not offer digital wallet payments are losing younger customers. Gen Z shoppers are reportedly more likely to abandon purchases, or shop elsewhere entirely, when their preferred payment method is not supported, adding pressure on e-commerce businesses to modernise checkout options.

Fender has revamped its online shopping experience as more customers move toward higher-end instruments, Forbes reports. The guitar maker is reworking its digital storefront to match buyers who increasingly spend more per purchase and expect a more premium, seamless e-commerce experience.