Online shopping stories
Mastercard & Lobster.cash team up for AI agent payments
Today
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fintech
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risk & compliance
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open source
Mastercard and Lobster.cash to let OpenClaw users authorise AI agents to spend on existing cards, backed by Verifiable Intent.
Zippd rebrand targets faster logistics network growth
2 days ago
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digital transformation
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cx
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martech
DeliveryApp becomes Zippd as UK logistics firm touts faster fulfilment and a network-led model that can cut marketplace lead times by up to 40%.
American Express launches AI commerce kit & protection
3 days ago
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fintech
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martech
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commerce systems
American Express adds AI agent safeguards and purchase protection as it opens a developer kit for software-led buying.
Scurri reports 22% Q1 growth as retail shifts local
4 days ago
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e-commerce
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online shopping
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customer expectations
Scurri posts 22% parcel growth as retailers favour nearer European markets and faster delivery options amid shifting consumer demand.
Frasers AI assistant lifts online sales conversion by 25%
Last week
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devops
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digital transformation
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cx
Frasers launches Ask Frasers AI shopping assistant as early results show up to 25% higher online conversion, in a push to sharpen digital sales.
Dig appoints Ideal World Co-founder Paul Wright to board
Last week
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fintech
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cx
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martech
Dig adds Ideal World Co-founder Paul Wright to its board as the savings platform pushes into consumer tech and digital shopping.
AI skincare searches surge as consumers seek guidance
Last week
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martech
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personalisation
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cdp
AI skincare searches jump 2,647% as Fresha says beauty buyers are turning to image analysis, smart devices and app-led routines for guidance.
Shoppers turn against AI social content, survey finds
Last week
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cx
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martech
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partner programmes
Shoppers increasingly prefer human-led social posts over AI-generated material, with Gen Z driving brands towards micro-influencers and niche creators.
Taboola says DeeperDive nears 7 million monthly users
Last week
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martech
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genai
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llms
Taboola's AI question-and-answer tool expands beyond the UK as publisher adoption grows, with the firm touting higher engagement and ad returns.
Retail websites worst for accessibility, report finds
Last week
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cx
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martech
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risk & compliance
Shopping sites top accessibility failure list as WebAIM finds 71 errors per page and disabled users struggle to complete purchases.
Superdry appoints Verde Digital to boost organic search
Last week
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digital transformation
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martech
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partner programmes
Superdry & Co turns to Verde Digital for SEO and AI search support as the rebranded retailer targets broader fashion discovery worldwide.
Rithum appoints Mausam Bhatt as Chief Product Officer
Last week
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data analytics
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digital transformation
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martech
Rithum brings in former Realtor.com executive Mausam Bhatt to steer product strategy as it ramps up AI-led tools and automation across its platform.
UK online sales rise 11.4% in February despite dip
Last week
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digital transformation
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martech
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commerce systems
Parcelhero says eCommerce kept driving UK retail in February, even as monthly sales volumes dipped and geopolitical tensions clouded the outlook.
Visa says AI agents may soon negotiate business deals
Last week
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digital transformation
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fintech
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cx
Businesses warm to AI agents haggling over deals, but consumers remain wary of handing software full control of spending.
Evri opens Barnsley fulfilment centre with GBP £4m
This month
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cx
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martech
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commerce systems
Evri opens Barnsley fulfilment centre after GBP £4m investment, creating more than 150 jobs and enabling 11.59pm next-day cut-off times.
Poor product information fuels returns & lost sales
Last month
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cx
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martech
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commerce systems
Poor product information is pushing up retail returns and turning shoppers away, with Akeneo research saying clearer data could protect margins and loyalty.
Cake launches brand refresh after record year & growth
Last month
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martech
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commerce systems
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partner programmes
Birmingham eCommerce consultancy Cake unveils new brand identity after its strongest year yet, with nine hires and Shopify Premier Partner status.
Rugs Direct launches WhatsApp returns service in UK
Last month
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digital transformation
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cx
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martech
Rugs Direct and stampfree.ai unveil WhatsApp returns in UK retail pilot, as research shows shoppers want messaging apps for post-purchase tasks.
UK shoppers will pay more for seamless retail experience
Last month
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digital transformation
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cx
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martech
UK shoppers willing to pay more for seamless cross-channel retail, with younger consumers leading demand for friction-free journeys and consistent payments.
OpenAI adds shopping tools to ChatGPT with visual discovery
Last month
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martech
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personalisation
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cdp
OpenAI is turning ChatGPT into a visual shopping hub, adding side‑by‑side comparisons and richer merchant data for in-chat product discovery.