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🧠 Big Story: 
Ecommerce boom 💣

📊 Key Data:
State of AR shopping 📉

📖 Ecommerce ecosystem news:
🇺🇸 Google Ads tests AI-powered budget optimization
🇪🇺 Meta to open Marketplace to rivals after $828M EU fine
🇪🇺 Meta expands FB Marketplace partner program in EU
🇯🇵 Mercari launches CPC ads to boost Japan revenue
🇺🇸 TikTok unveils Automotive Ads for car buyers and dealers
🇺🇸 Instagram launches paid testimonials for creator comments

+ over 15 other handpicked hot news from the last week you need to know 🔥

Amazon vs. Temu in the U.S. 🥊 The fight for your wallet is getting brutal. We’re adding final touches, tapping experts, and squeezing every last insight. The report drops Sunday. Get ready.

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Ecommerce boom 💣

• 📚Sources: ProductHackers   

Global eCommerce expanded 22x since 2000, reaching $6.3T by 2025, but growth has slowed to 8% CAGR, down from 21% in earlier years. Penetration is stalling at 21% of retail sales.

📈 22x growth, but slowing

eCommerce grew from $0.3T in 2000 to $6.8T by 2025.

Penetration jumped from 1% to 21% of retail sales.

But while early years saw 21% CAGR, today’s pace has slowed to just 10%.

📉 Post-Covid reality check

Covid supercharged eCommerce, pushing growth to 24% pre-pandemic.

Now? It’s down to 8.5% annually.

Between 2015-2019, growth was 3x higher than what’s projected for 2022-2026.

The industry is stabilizing.

🇺🇸🇬🇧 Penetration trends down

US and UK online retail is falling below pre-Covid trends.

The US peaked over 30% penetration but is now lower. The UK followed a similar path.

Shoppers are heading back to stores, shifting eCommerce’s long-term trajectory.

State of AR shopping 📉

• 📚Sources: emarketer 

AR shopping was supposed to be a game-changer. But the reality? Consumer adoption is still underwhelming.

📉 AR Shopping Adoption Remains Low

As of 2024:
➡️ 66% of US adults are either unaware, uninterested, or have tried and disliked AR shopping apps.
➡️ Only 17% have used and liked them—a slow climb from just 8% in 2019.
➡️ 30% of users tried AR shopping but walked away dissatisfied.

But here’s where it gets interesting:
While dedicated AR shopping apps struggle, 85% of mobile AR users engage via social platforms. Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have seamlessly integrated AR, making it feel natural rather than forced.

So, what’s next?
eMarketer predicts 15.3% AR shopping penetration by 2025—showing growth, but far from mass adoption.

📣Marketing

🇺🇸 Google Ads tests AI-powered budget optimization. Google's new "Advanced Plans" in Reach Planner suggests ad type mixes and budgets using AI, aiming to improve conversions.

🇪🇺 Meta to open Marketplace to rivals after $828M EU fine. Meta will allow competitors to post ads on Marketplace, three months after a $828M EU fine for unfair competition. The EU is reviewing if Meta has fully complied with the ruling.

🇪🇺 Meta expands FB Marketplace partner program in EU. Meta adds more C2C platforms to Marketplace, challenging eBay’s role in its EU partnership launched last month.

🇯🇵 Mercari launches CPC ads to boost Japan revenue. Mercari Japan rolls out cost-per-click ads on and off-platform, tapping into Japan’s $21.9B internet ad market to expand revenue streams.

🇺🇸 TikTok unveils Automotive Ads for car buyers and dealers. TikTok’s new Automotive Ads help car brands target high-intent buyers. Dealers and OEMs can now optimize campaigns, boosting leads and improving CPA by 40%.

🇺🇸 Instagram launches paid testimonials for creator comments. Meta’s new ad format lets creators earn by endorsing brands via comments. These testimonials will be pinned to Instagram ads.

🇮🇳 Meesho launches creator marketplace for influencers. Meesho unveiled a creator marketplace to boost influencer-driven sales. The move comes after 14M purchases on its app in 2024 were influenced by creators.

🇺🇸 Google Ads adds AI image generation for advertisers. Google Ads now lets advertisers generate AI-driven lifestyle images with human faces, audience-based asset suggestions, and new asset testing features for better ad performance.

🛠️Tools

🇺🇸 Affirm expands Shopify partnership in the US and Canada. Affirm becomes the exclusive provider of Shop Pay Installments in the US and Canada, with plans to enter the UK, fueling its international expansion.

🇺🇸 PayPal stock drops 10% as Apple and Shopify gain ground. Investors worry as PayPal loses checkout dominance to Apple Pay and Shopify. Business owners say it feels outdated and needs a refresh.

🇺🇸 Amazon integrates Buy with Prime into Salesforce stores. Amazon launches Buy with Prime for Salesforce Commerce Cloud, allowing merchants to offer Prime benefits like fast, free delivery and trusted checkout within their own stores.

🇺🇸 Hightouch raises $80M, hits $1.2B valuation with AI tools. The Series C round, led by Sapphire Ventures, funds AI-driven marketing solutions. Hightouch’s valuation doubles since 2023, fueled by strong demand for its AI Decisioning product.

🇺🇸 Joor launches Joor Discover to transform retail partnerships. The wholesale platform’s new tool leverages data to connect brands with retailers, boosting efficiency and repeat orders.

🇺🇸 HubSpot integrates Canva for seamless design workflow. HubSpot now offers a built-in Canva experience, letting teams design and publish content directly within its platform.

🇫🇷 AUTODOC debuts marketplace for car parts in France. The platform, powered by Mirakl, allows third-party sellers to reach millions of customers. AUTODOC plans expansion across Europe to boost growth.

🇺🇸 Fiverr introduces AI tools for freelancers at $25/month. Fiverr now lets freelancers train AI on their work, sell AI-generated content, and automate client interactions with a chatbot for $29/month.

🚚 Logistics

🇺🇸 FedEx accused of swaying Trump on e-commerce imports. Rep. Rosa DeLauro claims FedEx influenced Trump to reverse his ban on China’s duty-free e-commerce imports, keeping the $800 de minimis exemption intact.

🇺🇸 FedEx launches tool to streamline global imports. FedEx introduces the Collaborative Shipping Tool, enabling real-time airway bill creation for importers and shippers, improving shipment pickup success and efficiency.

🇪🇺 EU vows swift response to Trump’s tariffs. The EU Commission warns of immediate countermeasures after Trump imposes tariffs on steel and aluminum, reigniting a trade dispute with annual trade volumes of $1.5T at stake.

🇵🇱 DHL expands OOH network with 20K+ new pickup points. DHL strengthens its cross-border logistics, adding 20K+ OOH locations in Poland. The company aims to enhance delivery speed, flexibility, and sustainability.

🇳🇱 CIRRO E-Commerce partners with Sendcloud for shipping boost. The partnership enhances cross-border logistics, integrating CIRRO’s global shipping with Sendcloud’s automation tools to streamline e-commerce deliveries.

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