Online shopping stories - Page 3

Online Valentine's discounts shrink as shoppers browse earlier, research more and spread spending beyond traditional romantic gifts.

Cyber experts warn Valentine's Day brings a surge in romance and shopping scams, urging users to be wary of links, apps and payment requests.

Google maps out an AI-first overhaul of ads, Search and shopping, betting on creator-led influence and emerging agentic commerce tools.

AI shopping assistants win over UK and US consumers, but most abandon tools instantly when product suggestions feel irrelevant or pushy.

Criteo launches an AI-powered commerce service that plugs into shopping assistants, promising more relevant product picks from real purchase data.

Address validation on Shopify cuts failed deliveries, trims shipping costs and boosts loyalty by ensuring accurate, standardised customer data.

Shoppers turn to AI to find products, but 92% still demand reviews and real customer photos before finally clicking to buy.

Verde Digital has hired former PrettyLittleThing specialist Chloe Steele as SEO Manager to bolster fashion and eCommerce search expertise.

Online shopping scams in the UK jumped 416% in late 2025 as malvertising, social media fake shops and deepfake frauds surged, Gen warns.

SALESmanago upgrades its eCommerce platform with richer WhatsApp journeys and AI-led recommendations, targeting smarter real-time engagement.

PayPal-owned Honey is dropped by Rakuten's ad network, cutting it off from 2,000 merchants amid claims of affiliate fraud and link theft.

Walmart to embed shopping in Google's Gemini app, letting users browse and buy Walmart and Sam's Club items directly via AI chats.

Microsoft again tops global phishing brand list as attackers increasingly mimic big tech services to steal cloud and consumer credentials.

Akeneo launches an AI‑driven Winter Release to power “agentic commerce”, speeding product data from enrichment to activation for AI buyers.

Chargebacks surge after record online holiday sales, with USD $181 billion in returns putting retailers' first-quarter profits at risk.

Google launches a Universal Commerce Protocol and Business Agent tools as it bets on AI agents to drive the next era of online shopping.

Ant backs Google's new Universal Commerce Protocol to standardise how AI agents handle shopping, payments and post-purchase support.

Yext predicts AI will overhaul online discovery by 2026, as trust in AI search grows and brands race to be chosen by algorithms.

AI agents will reshape how shoppers discover brands, forcing retailers to rethink visibility as SaaS vendors and ad budgets come under strain.

Adobe says generative AI referrals to retailers jumped nearly 700% over the 2025 holidays, driving longer visits and stronger conversions.