online shopping

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.

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.

UBS analysts say AI shopping agents, which search and buy products on a customer's behalf, could significantly change hardline, broadline and food retail. The report suggests such agents may shift how consumers discover and purchase goods, with potential consequences for retailers' pricing, branding and online traffic. The analysis is circulating among market watchers tracking how automation affects the retail sector.

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.

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.

MediaMarkt has announced a promotion in which it passes on the value added tax to customers, effectively cutting prices by the VAT rate. According to the company, the offer starts on Thursday, October 1, applying to a range of products across its German stores and online shop. Shoppers are discussing the deal as a chance to save on electronics, though some question whether prices were quietly raised beforehand.

A question is being raised about whether Amazon can genuinely make fashion more sustainable, given the scale of its retail platform and the environmental footprint of fast fashion and mass online shopping. Debate centres on whether the company's commitments amount to real change or marketing, and how its marketplace model could push both brands and shoppers toward greener choices.

A mall retailer that has been in business for 48 years is closing store locations as consumer shopping habits change. The closures reflect the broader pressure on traditional mall-based chains, which have struggled to keep up with shifting trends and the move toward online shopping. No further details about the company's name, number of affected stores, or potential layoffs were provided.

People in the Netherlands are asking each other where to buy 3M Aura FFP2 respirator masks at a reasonable price, as Covid-era protective equipment remains hard to find affordably. The question has prompted discussion among Dutch users sharing tips on shops and online sellers that stock the masks without steep markups.

Bloomingdale's is rolling out a new creative strategy aimed at bringing shoppers back to its stores as foot traffic and sales remain under pressure. The department store chain, owned by Macy's Inc., is experimenting with fresh approaches to win back customers at a time when US retailers are competing hard for in-person spending and struggling to reverse the shift toward online shopping.

A YouGov analysis looks at whether Americans prefer shopping for fashion online or in physical stores, and how those preferences differ from state to state. The findings highlight that there is no single national pattern: shopping habits appear to be shaped by local factors that vary across the country.

Digital-first brands, built primarily on e-commerce, are increasingly opening physical stores, according to reporting by Forbes. The trend reverses the assumption that online-native retailers would replace brick-and-mortar shopping entirely. Commentators point to the value of in-person experiences, brand visibility and customer acquisition that physical locations can offer, even for companies that grew up online.

A report examines claims that a television's price at Target rose by $100 when checked in the store's parking lot, raising questions about app-based or dynamic pricing practices. The episode has fueled a broader debate over whether retailers adjust prices based on location, app usage, or in-store versus online browsing, and how transparent retailers are with shoppers.

Retailers are investing in immersive in-store experiences as a way to compete with the growth of online shopping. The strategy aims to give customers reasons to visit physical stores by offering interactive, engaging environments that e-commerce cannot replicate. Coverage highlights how physical retail is repositioning itself around experience rather than convenience as shopping habits continue to shift online.

The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates once again, and financial media are walking savers through the practical consequences. Higher benchmark rates typically push up yields on savings accounts, money market funds and certificates of deposit, while also raising borrowing costs on credit cards, loans and mortgages. Personal finance outlets are advising depositors to shop around, since big banks often pass on rate hikes to savers more slowly than online banks do.

Police in Warsaw detained a 15-year-old Ukrainian citizen after he searched online for information about carrying out a terrorist attack at a shopping center. The teenager was taken into custody following the discovery of the queries, which reportedly included plans to kill people. The case has drawn attention in Ukrainian media, raising questions about how authorities monitor online activity and the treatment of Ukrainian minors abroad since Russia's invasion prompted large numbers of Ukrainians to settle in Poland.

A live-streamed Turkish auction, or 'canlı mezat', is drawing tens of thousands of viewers by tagging itself with an eclectic range of hashtags spanning virtual reality, beauty products, beat-making, knitting and personal finance. The broadcast, also promoted as a live show ('canlı yayın'), uses the widely mismatched tags to reach browsing audiences, and its bell and knife emojis signal the rapid-fire selling style typical of these online auctions.

Fashion and retail technology is under scrutiny over whether virtual try-on tools live up to their environmental promise. The claim: letting shoppers see how clothes, glasses or shoes fit before buying could cut costly product returns, and with them the shipping, packaging and waste that generate emissions. Commenters are debating whether the technology genuinely changes buying behaviour or merely adds a digital gimmick to online shopping.