Instacart aims to convert 25M annual users into monthly shoppers, driving up order frequency. CEO Fidji Simo sees a chance to increase average purchases from 11 to monthly. The company leads in large basket share at 70% of the market.

Instacart is growing by adding emerging brands to its ad base and expanding retail partnerships. CEO Fidji Simo said these moves, announced Sept. 12, could double the growth rate of retailers launching new services with Instacart.

Amazon introduces its new grocery brand, Amazon Saver, with most items under $5. Prime members receive up to 50% off rotating weekly groceries. This move aims to beat Walmart and Target’s price cuts as the grocery battle intensifies.

Zara will launch its ‘Pre-Owned’ platform in the US by October 2024, offering secondhand sales, repairs, and donations. The service already operates in 16 European countries. Inditex, Zara’s parent, sees this as part of its sustainability push.

Amazon’s new Export Central tool simplifies cross-border selling, allowing merchants from six European stores to sell in 39 countries. This program boosts traffic and sales, with FBA sellers automatically enrolled and MFN sellers required to set shipping rates.

Amazon launches a new “Refund Without Return” solution for U.S. FBA sellers, allowing refunds without the need to return items. Sellers can enable this, with restrictions on item eligibility and customer abuse safeguards in place.

The Biden administration plans to change the "de minimis" import rule, affecting Shein and Temu. The new proposal will add tariffs and more inspections to their shipments, aiming to protect US workers and businesses.

Temu's U.S. sales growth decelerated to 37% in August, down from 45% in July. Despite a slight market share gain to 3.4%, DAUs fell 17%. Bank of America cites plateauing sales and tough comparisons, along with challenges from parent Pinduoduo.

GoHealth has announced the acquisition of e-TeleQuote, expected to close on Sept. 30. This acquisition will strengthen its Medicare-focused offerings, combining GoHealth's scale and technology with e-TeleQuote's experience and talent.

Google expanded its AI-powered virtual try-on tool to include dresses, supporting brands like Boden and Sandro. Dresses are more complex than tops, so Google developed new technology to provide lifelike, detailed virtual experiences.

eBay shifted its global media account from WPP's EssenceMediacom to Dentsu's iProspect. After a competitive pitch involving Havas Media, iProspect stood out with its passion for eBay and an integrated campaign model.

Two CPSC commissioners are calling for a probe into e-commerce giants Shein and Temu. They want to examine their safety practices, particularly after reports of dangerous baby and toddler items. Both companies say they prioritize safety.

Walmart has teamed up with StockX to sell high-demand sneakers like Nike Jordans. StockX will launch next week on Walmart.com, offering hundreds of pre-verified shoes. The move is part of Walmart’s strategy to boost its marketplace’s growth.

Shopify has expanded its partnership with YouTube. Eligible U.S. merchants can now join the YouTube Shopping affiliate program. Creators can tag products in videos from thousands of new brands. This collaboration empowers businesses and creators.

GrubMarket, a $3.6B food delivery startup, has acquired FreshGoGo, a B2C platform for Asian groceries, expanding its customer base by 210K across 27 states. This is part of GrubMarket's strategy to grow through strategic acquisitions. FreshGoGo, which generates $30M in revenue but is not yet profitable, joins GrubMarket following its recent purchase of Good Eggs. The deal mixes cash and shares, with FreshGoGo founder Jianbing Duan staying on board to continue operations. GrubMarket aims to scale these acquisitions for better profitability and growth.

Branded and Heyday, two leading Amazon aggregators, plan to merge into a new entity named Essor, with an expected annual revenue of $400M. The merger reflects the contraction in the industry that once thrived on $16B in investments.

Mavely, the "Everyday Influencer" platform, achieved $675M in GMV, up 175% from last year. It supports micro- and nano-influencers, offering commissions from brands like Adidas and Macy’s. Over $37M has been paid out to influencers since 2019.

Similarweb has launched a new Rank Tracker feature that helps marketers and SEO professionals identify which keywords trigger Google's AI Overview. This AI-generated summary at the top of search results could change user behavior and search strategies. According to Baruch Toledano, VP at Similarweb, the tool is available for all SEO subscription tiers.

BigCommerce launched new tools like AI-powered product recommendations and B2B features, aiming to help brands globally. Updates include an enhanced visual editor, local payment options, and quicker checkout to boost sales by up to 200%.

GoDaddy's new AI-driven Digital Marketing tools help small businesses manage SEO, social media, and email marketing. With tools like Airo Assistant and a unified inbox, entrepreneurs can efficiently attract customers and grow their business.

🔍 Etsy has introduced a new Search Visibility Page for sellers. This tool gives personalized recommendations to improve product listings in Etsy's search results, including tips on images, return policies, and shipping costs.

Instacart's Daniel Danker shares their vision for the future of grocery shopping, centered around AI personalization. New features like personal planograms and digital flyers aim to make grocery shopping more tailored and cost-effective.

Amazon Fresh has added four new supermarkets, including its first Northern California location. The new stores in California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania offer advanced shopping tech and local products, bringing the chain close to 50 locations nationwide.

Amazon launched a grocery delivery subscription for $9.99/month, giving Prime members unlimited delivery on orders over $35. An annual plan at $99.99 offers two months free. EBT users get a $4.99/month rate. This benefit covers over 3,500 U.S. cities.

Uber Eats is launching robotic deliveries with Coco in L.A. Coco will deliver from hundreds of local merchants starting this week, with plans to expand. The partnership aligns with Uber's aim for sustainable delivery methods and broader U.S. expansion.

ThredUp and Vestiaire Collective join American Circular Textiles in petitioning to end double taxation on secondhand apparel. The move aims to promote sustainability, make resale more appealing, and support the growing circular economy.

Revolve, a leader in fashion e-commerce, is now investing in physical stores, starting with Aspen. This move responds to changing consumer behaviors and aims to revitalize growth. Investors are watching closely as the company shifts to a hybrid model.

UPS has seen a major volume increase, driven by Shein and Temu, with each providing 900K packages daily in July 2023. While this has helped carriers recover from a slump, it also brings profitability challenges as carriers offer low rates.

Walmart unveiled three major additions at its 2024 Seller Summit. These include Premium Beauty with 20+ brands, a new pre-owned marketplace with 5M items, and a collectibles category with 0% commission fees until Oct. 31.

Revenew, a fintech startup by Checkout.com alumni, raised $4.5M led by Fika Ventures. The funding will enhance its tools for managing payments and improving profitability for digital platforms like Uber and Airbnb, boosting their growth.

The Rounds, known for sustainable delivery in reusable packaging, secured $24M in Series B. The funding will support product development, hiring, and expanding to new U.S. markets. It added features like flexible delivery and one-time purchases.

DoorDash now offers an in-app appeal process for deactivated gig workers. The new feature allows workers to appeal directly via the Dasher app with real-time status updates. The goal is to resolve cases within a few days, addressing concerns about fairness and income disruption.

Grubhub has expanded its Campus Dining to over 360 schools, reaching 500K new students. The company now serves 4.5M students. With the addition of delivery robots and Just Walk Out technology, the service is growing faster than ever.

Instacart unveiled new money-saving features, including fee-free next-day deliveries for orders over $10 and personalized digital circulars highlighting discounted items. These initiatives aim to make online grocery shopping more affordable.

ThredUp has quietly introduced a peer-to-peer marketplace, similar to Poshmark, with no seller fees during its beta phase. The move comes as ThredUp seeks profitability after reporting a $71M loss in 2023 and exiting the European market.

Walmart is discontinuing DroneUp deliveries in Phoenix, Salt Lake City, and Tampa due to unsustainable costs. The company will shut down 18 hubs, affecting 70 jobs, and will now focus on Dallas-Fort Worth operations.

Walmart has sold its 9.4% stake in JD.com to focus on its own operations in China. The move comes as Walmart experiences 8.3% international sales growth, partly driven by China. Competition with Alibaba and Pinduoduo in low-cost goods is intensifying.

eBay has changed its purchase cancellation policy, enabling buyers to cancel orders until the item is marked as shipped, effective August 28, 2024. This adjustment, tested with minimal impact on abandonment rates, has led to a 25% boost in customer satisfaction, helping to maintain trust between buyers and sellers.

Amazon is experimenting with removing star ratings from its search results page. This test affects only a few products and requires consumers to visit the product page to see ratings. The change may impact how customers shop and interact with the site.

Photon Health, founded in 2021, is challenging the $700B U.S. prescription drug industry. The startup allows patients to shop for prescriptions like they shop online. With over 70K monthly prescriptions, they've raised $16M to take on industry giants.

StockX co-founder Josh Luber has launched Ghostwrite, a toy company focused on limited edition collectibles. Backed by notable investors like Michael Rubin and Mark Wahlberg, the company aims to replicate the success seen in sneakers and trading cards.

Flexport and Passport team up to provide a streamlined DDP option for North American brands shipping globally. This new partnership enhances the global reach of Flexport's clients, enabling them to sell in 180+ countries.

Trove, a leader in branded resale, has acquired Recurate, significantly expanding its market presence. The acquisition brings 29 new brands into Trove's portfolio, increasing its control to 75% of U.S. branded resale traffic, with plans for global expansion.

The FTC has finalized a rule prohibiting fake reviews, including those generated by AI. The rule, effective 60 days after its Federal Register publication, targets deceptive practices like fake endorsements, AI-made reviews, and review censorship. Violations could result in fines up to $51,744 per incident.

Instacart and Partnership for a Healthier America expand their grocery stipends program to Chicago, New Orleans, and Wichita, reaching 1,050 new families. By 2025, they aim to provide 10M servings of produce through the initiative.

DoorDash’s DashPass now includes Max streaming at no extra cost. The membership offers a Max With Ads subscription and an upgrade option for a discounted ad-free version at $10.99 per month. This marks DashPass's first benefit outside DoorDash.

Once valued at $12B, Getir now faces nearly $4M in unpaid rent and lease obligations in NYC. The Turkish grocery app, which bought FreshDirect in 2023, is dealing with multiple lawsuits, with some landlords demanding over $1M in back rent.

Chantecaille, a New York-based beauty brand acquired by Beiersdorf in 2022, expands its reach in China by partnering with Tmall. The move includes a flagship store and immersive pop-up experience in Shanghai, enhancing its market presence.

Walmart exceeded Wall Street's expectations with a nearly 5% revenue growth in Q2 2024, leading to a 6% stock increase. The retailer raised its full-year outlook but warned of a potentially weaker second half due to economic uncertainties.

Bloomingdale's teams up with Rebag to launch a luxury resale section both online and in five U.S. stores. Rebag will offer 2,500+ designer items on Bloomingdales.com and 500+ in-store, blending new and pre-owned luxury for discerning shoppers.