eBay Foundation awards nearly $3M to 31 global nonprofits, including Defy Ventures, Hatch Enterprise, and Global Sisters. These organizations support entrepreneurship for historically excluded groups across the U.S., U.K., and Australia.

Amazon has introduced AI Shopping Guides on its mobile app and website, offering customers tailored product recommendations. The guides cover 100+ categories like TVs and headphones, using reviews and price data to help buyers find the best fit for their needs.

Walmart is enhancing its AI strategy, aiming to create personalized shopping experiences. By late 2025, every shopper will see a unique homepage, powered by Walmart’s Wallaby AI and content prediction tools. This plan includes augmented reality and AI search assistants to make the customer journey faster and more immersive, both online and in-store.

Vizit has raised $25M in Series B funding led by Industry Ventures to boost its patented Visual AI platform. The AI-driven solution helps brands like Mars and Ghirardelli optimize visual content, increasing conversion rates by up to 30%.

Henry Schein Inc. launched a dental supply marketplace, offering over 8,000 products. Partnering with TDSC and powered by Mirakl, the platform aims to enhance digital shopping for dental offices. Full rollout planned for 2025.

Shein and Temu may see minimal impact from the White House's proposed de minimis changes, thanks to their diversified supply chains. Smaller businesses, however, could face higher costs and complicated customs processes.

WP Engine filed a lawsuit against Automattic and Matt Mullenweg, accusing them of extortion and abuse. The conflict stems from trademark disputes and contributions to the WordPress project. WP Engine claims Mullenweg's actions could harm the WordPress community and its business.

Chipotle, Sweetgreen, and BJ’s Restaurant are first to use DoorDash's new Ads Manager. The platform offers advanced targeting, offsite ads, and sponsored placements to connect with 37M users. DoorDash's ad business grew alongside a 23% revenue jump in Q2 to $2.6B.

Gopuff unveiled new ad tools to help brands engage Gen Z and millennial consumers. With features like Brand Shops and AdAdapted’s Add-It, brands can now increase average cart values by 20% and boost sales conversions by 24%.

Invesco raised the valuation of Swiggy to $13.3B. The investment firm owns shares worth $237.24M. Swiggy is aiming for a $1.4B IPO with a valuation range of $13B-$15B. This comes amid market cuts for other Indian startups.

Amazon shut down three Go stores in New York, leaving 17 Go locations in the U.S. The company has cut its Go stores nearly by half since 2023. Despite this, Amazon continues licensing its Just Walk Out tech to third-party shops.

Nike’s sales fell 10% to $11.6B this summer, its biggest drop in 4 years. Gross margin rose, but earnings fell. With new competition and weak China sales, CEO Elliott Hill needs to rebuild key partnerships.

Poshmark lowers seller fees from 20% to 5.99%, adding a fixed fee from $1 to $3. This helps sellers earn more and provides buyers with clear price transparency while continuing buyer protection.

eBay’s AI-powered Magical Bulk Listing Tool speeds up product listings by auto-filling titles and categories using images. Starting with sports trading cards, eBay plans to expand to other categories soon.

Amazon Prime's new show, "Buy It Now," lets contestants pitch products to an audience and celebrity panel. Winning products will be sold on Amazon's special storefront. One winner per episode also takes home a $20K prize. The show premieres October 30th.

Amazon introduced 5 new visual tools for faster and more precise product searches. The company now allows text and image integration, showcases similar items, and highlights product videos, making searches 70% faster globally.

ShipTop, an eCommerce fulfillment platform, secured $500K in seed funding from DV Trading co-founders Dino Verbrugge and Jared Vegosen. The funds will enhance ShipTop's technology, expand services, and support eco-friendly shipping. Founded in 2021, the company aims to revolutionize logistics for online merchants.

HubSpot unveils its new AI, Breeze, at INBOUND 2024, featuring Copilot, four Breeze Agents, and over 200 product updates. HubSpot also introduces agent.ai, a professional network for AI agents, with 47K users and 1,700 builders signed up.

Checkout.com and Slope partner to boost US enterprise payments. Slope’s $252M-funded platform offers "Pay Later" and "Pay Now" options, while Checkout.com provides global processing capabilities. Their collaboration aims to optimize payment performance and improve cash flow management, helping merchants thrive in the digital economy.

ShipStation's new Google Merchant Center integration leverages Google’s Content API to offer accurate, location-based delivery predictions. This boosts online shopping experiences by increasing visibility, ranking, and customer satisfaction for ShipStation users.

FedEx launched its fdx platform, now available to U.S. businesses. fdx leverages FedEx’s vast data network to optimize customer journeys and boost conversion rates. Since its initial announcement in January 2024, brands like Z Supply have already seen revenue increases by 6.33% and a 1.34% lift in mobile conversions.

Meta now lets businesses use AI chatbots on WhatsApp and Messenger for ad-embedded customer interactions, helping to increase sales. Despite Meta’s claim of improved engagement, many customers prefer human agents over AI chatbots.

RedKangaroo, an e-commerce platform, rewards customers for promoting its brands on social media by offering discounts, cashback, and brand-specific vouchers. Shoppers can earn rewards by sharing posts on Instagram, TikTok, and X. Founded in 2022, RedKangaroo sells beauty, pet care, and home goods at discounted prices.

DoorDash partners with local companies in Austin and Fresno to pilot a new model where delivery workers are W2 employees, earning hourly wages, benefits, and reimbursements. This experiment contrasts with DoorDash's traditional gig-worker approach, representing a significant shift in the delivery service industry.

Mondelēz introduces a new AI-powered platform to boost global marketing and tap into consumer trends. The platform, developed with Accenture and Publicis Groupe, aims to speed up content creation, personalize messages, and drive innovation.

Nike CEO John Donahoe will step down on Oct. 13, to be succeeded by company veteran Elliott Hill. Hill, who retired in 2020, brings 32 years of Nike experience back to the role. Nike’s shares surged 8% in after-hours trading following the announcement.

eBay teams up with Luxe Collective to launch a consignment service for luxury handbags, starting with top brands like Chanel and Hermès. The service promises a potential 45% increase in sales price.

American Eagle filed a lawsuit against Amazon for unauthorized use of its Aerie and Offline by Aerie trademarks in ads and URLs, redirecting customers to substandard knock-offs. The lawsuit demands tripled damages and a halt to infringements. AEO claims Amazon’s tactics began after AEO denied Amazon’s request to sell Aerie products, aiming to protect its brand. Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit fights counterfeits but the line between counterfeits and ‘dupes’ remains blurred.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced a 5-day return-to-office (RTO) mandate, sparking dissatisfaction among employees. An internal survey reveals strong opposition, with concerns about collaboration and the risk of brain drain. Will Amazon listen?

Walmart is launching its first Holiday Deals event from Oct. 8 to Oct. 13, with Walmart+ members receiving 12-hour early access. The event coincides with Target's Circle Week and Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, intensifying the competition among retailers.

Amazon has launched its fully-managed Supply Chain service, allowing sellers to streamline operations and improve delivery speeds by 20%. The service also reduces costs by up to 25%. Sellers like Juvo+ report doubled sales conversions due to faster deliveries.

Expedia's new Travel Shops feature over 100 shoppable stores curated by influencers and brands. This exclusive launch, involving names like Jaime Camil and Virgil Van Dijk, offers users a way to book travel experiences directly from social media. By 2025, more creators can join, aligning with a growing trend in social commerce seen on platforms like TikTok.

Etsy launched Etsy Insider with free shipping, aiming to increase growth. New features like Gift Mode and improved search tools are designed to boost sales, app usage, and customer loyalty.

Olive Garden is partnering with Uber Direct to offer home delivery via Uber Eats drivers. This partnership, announced Thursday, aims to boost sales after a 2.9% drop in same-restaurant sales. A national rollout is expected by May 2025.

Instacart has upgraded its FoodStorm order management system with new features, boosting visibility and flexibility for retailers and customers. With holiday sales approaching, these updates aim to streamline ordering, improve inventory management, and maximize sales.

Grubhub’s campus dining tech, linked to over 360 colleges, now serves 4.5M students. It offers robot delivery, reusable containers, and Amazon's Just Walk Out tech at select schools, enhancing convenience and sustainability in college dining.

Oakland-based Trove strengthens its grip on the U.S. branded resale market by acquiring Recurate. Trove's platform now supports peer-to-peer resale, giving brands more flexibility in secondhand fashion. The company’s CEO, Terry Boyle, sees resale as key to growth.

Shein's recent survey reveals that 80% of U.S. customers choose the platform for its unique items, and 79% appreciate its variety. Despite limited funds, 90% of respondents believe they should still be able to buy clothes that make them feel good, highlighting Shein’s appeal among budget-conscious shoppers.

PayPal expands its partnership with Shopify to process online credit, debit, and wallet payments through Shopify Payments in the U.S. This integration provides a unified experience for merchants, building on their 2022 collaboration in France.

After two hours of intense debate in a Washington court, TikTok’s future in the U.S. hangs in the balance. Judges are examining whether a law targeting its Chinese ownership is constitutional, which could lead to a nationwide ban.

Amazon introduces Project Amelia, an AI assistant for sellers, starting in the U.S. The tool helps sellers manage and grow their businesses by answering questions about sales metrics and customer traffic. Available now in beta.

Amazon's Buy with Prime now accepts PayPal for payments. Starting next year, Prime members can link their Amazon and PayPal accounts for seamless checkout. Despite reported growth, some experts argue that Buy with Prime remains niche.

Cavela's AI marketplace simplifies product sourcing for brands. With $2M funding from XYZ Venture Capital, the platform reduces supplier engagement from 1,000 to just 10 touchpoints and lowers sourcing costs by 40% on average.

Nostra AI raises $8.9M, led by High Alpha, bringing total funding to $20M. With enterprise clients like Forever 21, the new funding will expand their technology into Shopify and Salesforce, improving website performance.

Ecomtent, an AI-driven startup, raised $850K to help retailers optimize for AI-based search. Its technology enables faster content generation, increasing conversions by 30%. Founders Max Sinclair and Timur Luguev plan to expand operations after this funding.

Shopsense AI teamed up with Paramount at the 2024 VMAs to let viewers shop for affordable dupes of their favorite artists' outfits. The AI can identify similar items from over 1,000 retailers, offering both style and budget options.

Simon has expanded and rebranded its online outlet marketplace as ShopSimon, featuring sale and discounted items from over 360 retailers like Adidas and Hugo Boss. The platform allows customers to shop by image, color, and access same-day pickups.

Innovative Food Holdings is selling igourmet.com for $700K plus $350K in liabilities. After years of losses, the company is refocusing on its retail cheese business to improve profits. CEO Bill Bennett sees big potential.

Walmart teams up with Parafin, a US fintech, to provide sellers with easy access to capital through its Marketplace Capital program. Parafin has already extended over $8B in financing across platforms.

The EPA has approved rules in Southern California allowing communities to sue warehouses for truck emissions. These warehouses are linked to a 20% rise in nitrogen dioxide levels. Non-compliance rates are high, with 1,400 out of 2,000 warehouses failing to meet standards.