Agentic Commerce Has Arrived

AI shopping agents, once a combination of novelty and hype, are becoming a viable ecommerce sales channel.

Last month, Google and Stripe announced new shopping and payment processing tools for AI-related purchases.

Standards

Google’s Agent Payments Protocol (AP2) and Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP) offer a degree of transaction standards for agent-based commerce.

That standard addresses concerns about turning AI-driven discovery into sales while keeping payments safe and authorized.

For example, how does a merchant know if a human authorized an AI agent to make a purchase? Who is responsible if the buyer contests it?

A male and female shopping on a laptop computer

Once a novelty, AI shopping agents are becoming a reality for consumers.

Google’s AP2

AP2 seeks to answer those questions. The protocol provides a framework for authenticating and validating AI-led transactions, enabling banks, merchants, and consumers to trust the outcome.

The solution uses what Google called “tamper-proof, cryptographically-signed digital” mandates with verifiable credentials.

A mandate is a digital contract between the shopper and her AI agent. It proves what she asked the agent to do and under what conditions. That mandate then becomes the evidence that merchants and payment providers can rely on if she disputes the transaction.

AP2 documents the mandate when, for instance, a shopper tells an AI interface to buy a pair of blue, size 10 men’s running shoes. Thus AP2 could be a foundation for agentic commerce that payment networks, regulators, and retailers can accept as legitimate.

Stripe’s ACP

While AP2 focuses on trust and authorization, Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Protocol focuses on turning conversations into transactions. ACP provides merchants with a way to present products, pricing, and checkout information in a format usable by AI agents.

Behind the scenes, Stripe issues a Shared Payment Token that passes payment details from the AI agent to the merchant without exposing the shopper’s credentials. The order itself flows into the merchant’s backend via ACP to be accepted and fulfilled, like any other ecommerce order, which the buyer can return later.

Stripe launched ACP alongside its Instant Checkout in ChatGPT. U.S.-based Etsy sellers are the first participants, with Shopify merchants expected to follow. A shopper asks ChatGPT for recommendations, chooses a product, and completes payment through a Stripe-powered checkout without leaving the chat.

Implications

New technologies often create both opportunities and challenges. For merchants, agentic commerce is no exception.

A promising opportunity may lie in latent demand. Shoppers sometimes want to buy a product, but the item is out of stock, too expensive, or takes too long to ship. A simple search doesn’t result in a sale.

An AI shopping agent could scour dozens or even hundreds of merchant sites and feeds, identifying the proper product at the right price, which the consumer would have otherwise missed. This solves the latent demand.

Yet instantly comparing prices, shipping rates, and product availability across many merchants creates intense competition. That’s the challenge.

It could even lead to platform pressure, where merchants are present on multiple channels — Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, eBay, and others — to access the dozens of AI shopping portals.

Permission Marketing

Imagine a shopper prompting an AI agent to “look for noise-canceling headphones less than $200, and buy them if they go on sale during Black Friday.”

The agent monitors products, validates prices, and executes purchases automatically. The scenario — an AI agent shopping for a human — is futuristic, but is also familiar to those old enough.

In his 1999 book, “Permission Marketing: Turning Strangers into Friends, and Friends into Customers,” Seth Godin argued that interruption marketing — television commercials, display ads, email promos — was losing its effectiveness. Businesses needed consumer consent to build ongoing relationships. Permission, not promotion, was the key.

Shoppers who allowed merchants to execute purchases on their behalf were Godin’s ultimate example of trust.

Agentic Permission

In all likelihood, agentic commerce will depend on the same foundation Godin described a generation ago: trust and consent.

The key will be how ecommerce businesses react when algorithms programmatically select and buy products.

Permission marketing, such as opt-in email, forced merchants to rethink customer relationships. Similarly, agentic commerce could require merchants to prove reliability, value, and transparency.

Success may hinge less on who has the flashiest storefront and more on which merchants provide the cleanest data, fairest pricing, and the most dependable fulfillment for AI agents to recognize.

New Ecommerce Tools: October 1, 2025

Our handpicked list this week of new products and services for ecommerce merchants includes updates on sustainable packaging, website builders, agent-based commerce, social commerce, pay-later purchases, B2B marketplaces, B2C CRMs, and more.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

ChatGPT launches Instant Checkout. OpenAI announced that ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Free users can now buy directly from Etsy sellers in chat, with Shopify integration coming soon. Instant Checkout supports single-item purchases, with multi-item carts to follow. OpenAI is also exposing the tech that powers Instant Checkout (i.e., the Agentic Commerce Protocol), so that more merchants and developers can build integrations. Co-developed with Stripe, the Agentic Commerce Protocol enables AI agents, people, and businesses to collaborate on purchases.

Web page for ChatGPT's Instant Checkout

ChatGPT’s Instant Checkout

Klaviyo launches B2C CRM with AI agents for marketing and customer services. Klaviyo has unveiled Marketing Agent and Customer Agent for its B2C customer relationship management tool, built on its data platform and unifying data, marketing, service, and analytics. Marketing Agent autonomously plans and launches campaigns, creates on-brand content, personalizes each send, and learns without prompting. Customer Agent delivers personalized assistance to consumers by resolving common questions, recommending products, and escalating when necessary to a human agent with full context.

Ordoro and Cartology partner to empower ecommerce merchants on Amazon. Ordoro, an ecommerce logistics and multichannel fulfillment platform, has collaborated with Cartology, an Amazon agency specializing in brand strategy and account growth. Together, the companies aim to provide Amazon sellers with a streamlined path to scale, combining front-end optimization with backend fulfillment. The partnership combines Cartology’s expertise in marketplace strategy with Ordoro’s capabilities in inventory management and shipping automation, enabling sellers to grow smarter and more sustainably.

PayPal Honey turns queries into shopping. PayPal Honey is turning AI-centric shopping queries into buying experiences, transforming its coupon finder into a value-focused commerce intelligence platform. Honey’s extension will display products that its chatbot recommends, with real-time pricing, merchant options, and exclusive offers. Honey draws from the company’s SKU-level product catalog, spanning hundreds of millions of items, to match AI-recommended products. These features will be available by Black Friday at no cost to Honey users, per PayPal.

Mercado Libre expands into B2B with launch of Libre Negocios. Mercado Libre, the leading ecommerce platform in Latin America, is entering the B2B market with the launch of Mercado Libre Negocios (loosely, “Mercado Business Freedom”). Negocios aims to streamline wholesale buying and selling across the region. Businesses can create accounts linked to a tax ID number to unlock purchasing options and exclusive benefits. Buyers gain access to competitive pricing, volume discounts, fast deliveries, approved invoices, and flexible financing through Mercado Pago, the payment platform.

Home page of Mercado Libre Negocios

Mercado Libre Negocios

Pinterest introduces Top of Search ads. Pinterest is previewing in beta Top of Search ads, which appear in the top 10 slots of search results and Related Pins. Per Pinterest, Top of Search ads ensure products show where shopping journeys typically begin. Also, a brand-exclusive ad unit will highlight advertiser catalogs.

Zoovu launches enhanced AI shopping assistant. Zoovu, an AI search and product discovery platform, has announced enhanced capabilities and increased availability of Zoe, its generative-AI shopping assistant. According to Zoovu, Zoe is composable, modular, and natively integrated into an entire shopping journey, providing a conversational AI expert on product detail pages, search results, category pages, and self-service portals. Zoe syndicates the same AI expert to retail partner sites and in-store kiosks.

PayPal to sell BNPL loans to Blue Owl Capital. PayPal and Blue Owl Capital, a lender and investor, have announced a two-year agreement wherein Blue Owl will purchase approximately $7 billion of PayPal’s buy-now, pay-later receivables. PayPal will remain responsible for all customer-facing activities, including underwriting and servicing, associated with its U.S. “Pay in 4” product.

Recommendation engine Novi launches Shopping Optimizer. Novi, an AI-powered recommendation engine, has unveiled Shopping Optimizer, designed to increase sales by helping merchants surface products backed by verified info from AI shopping assistants. Novi says its proprietary optimization models leverage trust signals, such as badges, labels, certifications, and endorsements, as proof points of credibility.

Home page of Novi

Novi

NameSilo acquires CommerceHQ, a drag-and-drop website builder. NameSilo, a domain registrar, has announced the acquisition and integration of CommerceHQ, a website builder with ecommerce capabilities. The acquisition brings a drag-and-drop builder into NameSilo’s ecosystem, enabling customers to build and launch ecommerce-enabled websites alongside their domain registrations. As part of the integration, NameSilo introduced bundled offerings that combine domain, website, and email. Customers can choose self-serve or concierge-style services.

PAC Worldwide releases sustainable packaging innovations. PAC Worldwide, a provider of protective packaging and part of ProAmpac, has introduced (i) Post Consumer Recycled Bubble Roll and (ii) fixed release liner for its wicketed paper mailer, helping packers streamline workflows, reduce ergonomic strain, and maintain safer packing areas. According to PAC Worldwide, the new offerings underscore its commitment to delivering more sustainable, high-performance solutions for today’s ecommerce and retail markets.

Acadia, a product data app, integrates with BigCommerce. Distributor Data Solutions has integrated its “Acadia by DDS” app with BigCommerce. The app expedites product data management for B2B distributors and manufacturers by enabling real-time synchronization of product content from DDS Acadia accounts directly to BigCommerce stores. According to DDS, Acadia instantly updates product details, leverages advanced AI to categorize new products, enhances searchability, and supports multi-storefronts.

AI-native ecommerce platform Genstore secures $10 million in seed funding. Genstore, an AI-native store builder, has completed a $10 million seed funding round, led by Weimob with participation from Lighthouse Founders’ Fund. Genstore provides online merchants with a suite of intelligent assistant agents, automating operations such as product listing, copy, customer service, and marketing. Merchants can launch a store through AI conversation, requiring no coding or design skills, per Genstore, which states the funding will accelerate product development and market expansion.

Home page of Genstore

Genstore

New Ecommerce Tools: September 25, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products and services for ecommerce merchants includes updates on agentic commerce, multichannel fulfillment, email and SMS marketing, automated sales tax, sponsored ads, social commerce, AI assistants, and ecommerce accelerators.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

ReFiBuy launches Commerce Intelligence Engine. ReFiBuy, a company focused on leveraging agentic AI for ecommerce, has announced the availability of its Commerce Intelligence Engine. The tool helps retailers, brands, and agencies evaluate, enrich, distribute, and monitor their products on generative AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Meta.ai, Microsoft Copilot, Grok, and Claude. ReFyBuy’s engine integrates with merchants’ existing systems.

Home page of ReFiBuy

ReFiBuy

Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment expands to Shein, Shopify, and Walmart. Amazon has announced the expansion of its logistics service, Amazon Multi-Channel Fulfillment, to support merchants on Shein, Shopify, and Walmart. By year-end, Shein merchants can fulfill their orders through the “Amazon MCF for Shein” app. Shopify merchants can now select Amazon MCF as their fulfillment partner via Shopify’s Fulfillment Network. Merchants can also use Amazon MCF for Walmart Marketplace orders.

Google releases store widget to build shopper confidence and drive sales. Google has released a store widget to embed on any page of an existing ecommerce site. The widget displays current store ratings as well as details such as shipping, return policies, and customer reviews. The widget is available in three tiers, depending on a store’s eligibility.

Fast Simon launches three agentic AI agents for ecommerce brands. Fast Simon, an ecommerce optimization platform, has released three AI agents for automation and personalization. AI Shopping Assistant delivers personalized product discovery, interpreting consumer intent and guiding shoppers through complex catalogs. AI Merchandising Assistant enables merchandisers to manage fast-changing assortments and product displays. The AI Analytics Assistant provides merchants with conversational access to insights and reports.

Home page of Fast Simon

Fast Simon

Omnisend launches AI-powered assistants, advanced SMS, and enhanced reporting. Omnisend, an email and SMS marketing platform for ecommerce brands, has announced a platform update featuring personalization tools, AI-powered assistants, advanced SMS capabilities, and enhanced reporting. With its Personalize Content suite, Omnisend automatically displays recently viewed products inside campaign emails, suggests complementary products based on purchase history, and dynamically displays content blocks. It also (i) enables AI-driven form creation based on events, brand assets, and tone, and (ii) facilitates branded domain shortlinks and enhanced reporting.

Numeral raises $35 million to automate sales tax with AI. Numeral, an AI-powered sales tax compliance platform, has announced a $35 million funding round by Mayfield, with participation from Benchmark, Uncork Capital, Y Combinator, and Mantis. The funding will fuel product innovation, global expansion, and AI-driven automation. Numeral says it serves 2,000 ecommerce and SaaS brands, including Ridge, Eight Sleep, Graza, Grüns, and Manus. The company supports tax compliance across 60 countries.

Amazon provides access to Marketing Cloud for sponsored ads advertisers. Amazon has opened Marketing Cloud to provide instant, self-service access for any sponsored ads advertisers directly within their Amazon Ads account. This capability enables advertisers to leverage Marketing Cloud’s analytics suite immediately upon logging in, without requiring partner intervention. Through an enhanced interface featuring no-code templates and AI-powered assistance, advertisers can analyze campaign performance and create high-intent audiences to improve relevance and effectiveness in their sponsored ads campaigns, per Amazon.

Yuno naunches Nova AI agents to convert payment friction. Yuno, a financial infrastructure platform for global payments, has launched Nova, a series of AI agents that streamline payment friction. Nova says it turns card declines, abandoned checkouts, and missed payments into AI-powered customer conversations via phone and WhatsApp. AI agents choose the optimal outreach method, generate the right script, localize conversations across 70 languages, and adapt dynamically based on a customer’s responses and preferences.

Home page of Yuno

Yuno

Social commerce platform Whop launches payments with smart routing. Whop, a social commerce platform, has launched a comprehensive payment infrastructure. Whop Payments connects to multiple processors simultaneously, rerouting declined transactions to alternative providers while offering sellers instant payouts via cryptocurrency and traditional banking channels across 241 regions worldwide. The system’s backup routing activates instantly when encountering declines, routing payments through alternative processors to consummate transactions. Sellers receive funds through traditional bank transfers, Bitcoin, stablecoins, or digital wallets such as Venmo.

Amazon Ads launches agentic AI tool for creating ads. Amazon Ads has announced an agentic AI tool to create ads for campaigns. Within Creative Studio, advertisers click “chat” to access a conversational, AI-powered partner to research, brainstorm ideas, develop storyboarded concepts, and produce video and display ads. The tool combines shopper signals with information from the advertiser’s product pages, Brand Store, and website.

Google and PayPal partner on commerce features. Google and PayPal have announced a multiyear partnership focused on advancing several commerce features. PayPal’s features, including branded checkout, Hyperwallet, and payouts, will integrate with various Google products. PayPal Enterprise Payments will be one of the key card processors across Google Cloud, Google Ads, and Google Play. PayPal will also partner with Google Cloud to reimagine its technology foundations, applications, and infrastructure.

Bolt launches founder-first program to accelerate digital commerce. Bolt, a financial technology company specializing in one-click checkouts, has launched Activate to help ecommerce founders bring ideas to market faster and scale. The program targets (i) early-stage direct-to-consumer businesses, (ii) gaming, fintech, consumer health, and creator-led brands, and (iii) physical retail companies expanding into ecommerce. Participants gain access to Bolt’s one-click checkout and product suite, as well as a curated global founder network.

Home page of Bolt

Bolt

New Ecommerce Tools: September 17, 2025

Every week we handpick and publish a list of new products and services from vendors to ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on agentic commerce, product customizations, embedded checkout, ecommerce search, reverse logistics, fulfillment, warehouse automation, and AI-powered merchandising.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Miva adds merchandising to its AI-powered product recommendations tool. Miva, a pioneering ecommerce platform, has launched dynamic merchandising for its new Vexture AI product search, discovery, and merchandising tool. The added feature utilizes natural language prompts and contextual AI intelligence to automate manual merchandising, providing businesses with more personalized product recommendations that drive sales, according to Miva. Merchants describe their strategy in plain English and instantly generate tailored, AI-powered recommendations across the entire catalog.

Home page of Miva

Miva

Rezolve AI launches visual search for conversational commerce. Rezolve AI, a developer of commerce solutions and a strategic partner of Microsoft and Google, has launched Visual Search, allowing consumers to upload a photo of an item and search across a retailer’s Rezolve-enabled catalog. The tool leverages multimodal AI, including image and text understanding, to interpret complex attributes and presents results with contextual prompts, suggestions, and natural-language dialogue.

Pinterest launches where-to-buy links. Pinterest‘s new where-to-buy links make standard image ads shoppable by surfacing multiple in-stock retailer options for a single product. Brands can add where-to-buy links through MikMak. Alternatively, they can use the free native option, powered by Pear Commerce, to build and launch where-to-buy ads within Pinterest Ads Manager.

Fortis and BigCommerce announce payments partnership to simplify checkout. Fortis, a provider of embedded payments and commerce technology, has partnered with BigCommerce. BigCommerce customers (including mid-market B2B sellers, distributors, service-based businesses, and developers) gain access to Fortis’ embedded payments technology. The solution enables real-time transactions, simplifies reconciliation, and provides next-day funding, while eliminating the need for third-party gateways and fragmented systems. This partnership enhances checkout conversion, optimizes operational efficiency, and fosters sustainable growth at scale, according to Fortis.

Home page of Fortis

Fortis

AI-powered product options app SectionlyAI launches on Shopify. SectionlyAI has launched as an AI-powered app on Shopify to generate and manage product customization. The app handles configurations, from basic options to complex, as well as multi-dimensional pricing combinations, via advanced natural language processing technology. Merchants can describe their requirements in plain language, and the AI will intelligently generate configuration options, conditional logic, and flexible pricing rules.

Spara launches AI platform with $15 million for sales and marketing pipelines. Spara, an enterprise-grade platform for voice, email, and chat AI agents to engage, qualify, and convert leads to revenue, has launched with $15 million in seed funding. The round was led by Radical Ventures and Inspired Capital, with participation from XYZ Ventures, FJ Labs, and Remarkable Ventures. According to Spara, the funding will fuel team expansion, product development, and advancements in machine learning.

Firmly.ai and CJ partner on native commerce for publishers and merchants. Firmly.ai, a provider of agentic commerce for checkout infrastructure, and CJ, an affiliate marketing platform, have announced a collaboration. The integration creates a native checkout solution for CJ’s merchant partners, keeping the consumer within a platform, without requiring any technical implementation, while CJ publishers can transform content into shopping experiences.

Home page of Firmly

Firmly

Unilog partners with HawkSearch on ecommerce search. Bridgeline Digital, a provider of AI-powered marketing technology, announced that its HawkSearch platform has joined Unilog’s tech partner ecosystem to power advanced search as an add-on option for the CX1 ecommerce platform. With the HawkSearch integration, Unilog customers can enhance their digital storefronts with AI-assisted search tailored to complex catalogs and buyer behaviors, improving product discovery and engagement.

Criteo and Google integrate for retail media. Criteo, an advertising network, has integrated with Google Search Ads 360 for retail media. Through the partnership, Criteo’s network of over 200 retailers can opt in to receiving ads from the Google Search Ads 360 platform, while advertisers receive a clear view into how their spend drives incremental impact.

Kibo Commerce launches enhancements in reverse logistics, B2B, and AI agents. Kibo Commerce, a composable commerce platform, has launched over 60 enhancements. Kibo’s new reverse logistics functionality empowers brands to control post-purchase operations, including intelligent return routing and custom return rules. Additionally, Kibo has strengthened its order management system and B2B capabilities with features such as order prioritization, purchase limits, estimated delivery dates, and rule-based inventory management.

Home page of Kibo

Kibo

Ordoro and DropStream partner on 3PL fulfillment for ecommerce merchants. Ordoro, a provider of ecommerce logistics and inventory management, is partnering with DropStream, a fulfillment platform that helps merchants simplify back-end operations and connect with third-party logistics providers. This collaboration merges Ordoro’s centralized order and inventory tools with DropStream’s integration platform to create a fulfillment workflow for brands. Merchants can automate post-purchase operations and route orders by location, inventory, shipping speed, or custom business logic.

Exotec and E80 Group partner on end-to-end warehouse automation. Exotec, a warehouse robotics provider, and E80 Group, a provider of automated and integrated logistics tools, have partnered on a joint solution design that integrates Exotec’s Skypod AS/RS with E80 Group’s suite of pallet handling systems. According to the companies, the collaboration enables customers to unify case and pallet handling within a single, scalable warehouse automation ecosystem.

Quack raises $7 million for customer experience with AI agents. Quack, an agentic AI platform for customer support, has raised $7 million in seed funding led by Hanaco Ventures and Storytime Capital, with participation from Fusion VC, Savyon Ventures, Seed IL, and private investors. According to Quack, the new capital will accelerate its U.S. go-to-market strategy and product development to advance its operating system for training and managing proactive AI agents.

Home page of Quack

Quack

New Ecommerce Tools: September 10, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products and services from vendors to ecommerce merchants includes updates on AI tools, shipping, video editing, shopping assistants, international commerce, B2B platforms, and crypto-to-cash payments.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

ESW partners with Shopify to power international ecommerce. ESW, a global direct-to-consumer ecommerce platform for brands, has announced a strategic agreement with Shopify. The collaboration aims to empower enterprise Shopify merchants to scale, localize, and optimize their ecommerce presence in more than 200 markets worldwide.

Home page of ESW

ESW

OnTrac introduces multiple cross-country delivery services. OnTrac, a last-mile ecommerce delivery company, has unveiled three new coast-to-coast services. The company will launch Express Service with ClearJet, a hybrid air-and-ground service offering 2– and 3-day nationwide (U.S.) delivery. Second, OnTrac’s new deferred delivery service, Ground Essentials, offers transit times two days longer than the company’s standard ground service at discounted rates. Third, 7-Day Play, an enhancement of its current daily service, integrates predictive AI technology to manage delivery times.

PayPal and Venmo customers get access to Perplexity’s Comet browser. PayPal and Venmo customers in the U.S. and select global markets can noew receive early access to Perplexity’s AI-powered Comet browser. Comet offers an integrated AI assistant, native answer-focused search, product comparisons, and more. PayPal users in the U.S. can sign up for Perplexity Pro directly in the PayPal app. Venmo users can access the offer through the Venmo app.

Nuvei partners with Early Warning Services to deliver Paze online checkout. Nuvei, a unified platform for payment processing, has partnered with Early Warning Services to bring Paze, an online checkout tool, to merchants and consumers. Nuvei will integrate Paze checkout into its payments platform, enabling U.S. merchants to offer a streamlined checkout experience where consumers can use the credit cards they already have with participating financial institutions without needing to manually enter card details.

Home page of Paze

Paze

Adobe Premiere brings professional-quality video editing to iPhone for free. Video-editing platform Adobe Premiere is releasing a mobile app, Premiere on iPhone, enabling users to create professional-looking videos for free. The app features a multi-track timeline with vibrant colors and dynamic audio waveforms. Users can (i) trim, layer, and fine-tune with frame-accurate precision and no watermarks, (ii) generate audio and video assets, and (iii) get automatic captions with stylized subtitles, unlimited video and audio, text layers, support for 4K HDR, and more.

Ant International’s Bettr launches AI-powered lending service. Bettr, a provider of embedded financing and tech solutions under Ant International, has launched its AI-driven accounts receivable financing service to provide global ecommerce platforms with rapid and secure access to working capital. The AI system analyzes real-time business data, including invoices, sales history, and customer ratings, to instantly generate a credit risk assessment and provide loan offers tailored to each vendor.

Etsy introduces AI tools to support sellers. Etsy has introduced AI tools to help sellers save time and grow their businesses. An optional tool in the Search Visibility dashboard suggests clear listing titles that are likely to perform well in search. The AI Writing Assistant drafts messages to buyers. Etsy also utilizes AI in its search, recommendations, and shopping features. Buyers can now see quick, AI-powered highlights from reviews as well as delivery arrival estimates.

Zenbundle debuts its retail media platform for Shopify. Zenbundle, a Dublin-based startup with a mission to transform Shopify-powered stores into retail media platforms, is now available on the Shopify App Store. Zenbundle says it helps Shopify merchants automate shoppable campaigns, boost online sales, and unlock supplier-funded revenue at scale. The system analyzes shopper behavior in real-time, matches products with shoppable video and native placements, and publishes campaigns across Shopify storefronts.

Home page of Zenbundle

Zenbundle

AI logistics startup Augment raises $85 million. Augment, an AI-powered logistics platform from the co-founder of shipping provider Deliverr, has raised $85 million in a Series A round led by Redpoint. Augment offers an AI assistant called “Augie” that automates tedious and repetitive work typically performed by freight shippers, carriers, and brokers. Augie can perform seven key tasks in the logistics process, including gathering and reviewing pricing bids, tracking packages, building a load by combining shipments, and collecting invoicing for timely billing.

Easyship integrates with the Shein marketplace. Easyship, a multi-carrier shipping software for global ecommerce, has integrated with the Shein marketplace, enabling sellers to sync orders, access discounted shipping rates, and automate global fulfillment directly through the Easyship platform. Shein sellers can leverage Easyship’s advanced shipping automation rules, tax and duty calculations, and cost-saving features. Sellers can access live, multi-carrier rates to automatically compare and select the cheapest, fastest, or best-value shipping option for every marketplace order.

Novatize launches Spine to streamline Shopify implementation for B2B. Novatize, a B2B commerce developer, has launched Spine, a tool that simplifies Shopify implementation for manufacturers, distributors, and wholesalers. According to Novatize, Spine includes features for complex B2B needs, such as real-time ERP-fetched pricing, account-based purchasing, multi-user access, and system integrations, as well as streamlined workflows for approvals, quotes, and shipping rules.

Anywhere Commerce launches crypto-to-cash payments platform. Anywhere Commerce, a provider of mobile and omnichannel point-of-sale payment tools, has launched its crypto-to-cash platform. The platform allows merchants to accept cryptocurrency and receive instant cash settlements in local currency. Transactions include encryption and authentication security layers and provide automatic crypto-to-cash settlement in local currency at the moment of sale, so that merchants never hold crypto exposure. The platform supports real-time payment rails, such as Pix (Brazil) and CoDi (Mexico).

Home page of Anywhere Commerce

Anywhere Commerce

New Ecommerce Tools: September 4, 2025

Every week we publish a handpicked list of new products and services from vendors of ecommerce merchants. This installment includes updates on email marketing, marketplace automation, AI agents, multi-site commerce, D2C subscriptions, interactive messaging, and website builders.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Getsitecontrol launches email deliverability tools. Getsitecontrol, an email marketing platform for ecommerce brands, has released features to help businesses monitor, understand, and improve email performance. Getsitecontrol provides live analytics for each campaign type. Users can now send email campaigns from their own domain instead of a shared one. Smart Sending mode uses AI to analyze each recipient’s behavior and deliver emails at the optimal time. Also, Getsitecontrol forms now support Google reCAPTCHA to verify subscribers.

Home page of Getsitecontrol

Getsitecontrol

Amazon introduces Lens Live, an AI-powered visual search feature. Amazon Lens, a visual search tool in the company’s Shopping app, is adding Lens Live. When shoppers with Lens Live open Lens, the camera instantly scans products and displays matching items in a swipeable carousel. Shoppers can tap an item in the camera view to focus on a specific product, add items directly to their cart, and save to their wish lists. Lens Live also integrates with Rufus, Amazon’s AI shopping assistant.

Fortis expands embedded payments capabilities with Adobe Commerce extension. Fortis, a provider of embedded payments and commerce technology, has launched its FortisPay extension for Adobe Commerce, accepting e-checks, ACH, credit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and more. Users of the Fortis extension can (i) securely store payment information and monitor for expired cards, (ii) get real-time order status updates embedded directly in the ecommerce platform, (iii) access Level 2 and Level 3 processing for B2B optimization, and (iv) embed workflows with NetSuite, Microsoft, Sage, Acumatica, and other leading systems.

eBay releases regulatory resource for sellers. eBay has launched a guide on the laws and regulations that may apply to sellers on the platform. The guide provides a central location for key regulatory information, a discovery tool to help identify relevant laws and regulations, and direct links to guidance on how to comply. Enter your location and shipping destination, and the discovery tool will highlight potential applicable laws and provide info on how to stay compliant.

ChannelEngine and Salsify partner on marketplace expansion. ChannelEngine, a marketplace integration and automation platform, has partnered with Salsify, a platform for product experience management and content syndication, to enable brands to expand reach, optimize performance, and scale across retail channels. Users can (i) enrich and localize product content through Salsify’s PXM platform, (ii) activate listings across 950 global marketplaces via ChannelEngine’s direct integrations, (iii) automate operations such as inventory syncing, pricing, order flows, and returns, and (iv) track performance and optimize growth with built-in reporting and insights.

Home page of Salsify

Salsify

Alibaba launches AI agents to boost efficiency for global merchants. Alibaba International has launched Marco, an AI tool to enhance global ecommerce operations. Marco assists ecommerce merchants across Alibaba’s ecosystem, handling over 60 tasks across marketing, marketplace compliance, and customer service. The company has also introduced three specialized AI agents for complex cross-border ecommerce tasks: Intelligent Refund Agent, HS Code Agent to automate customs classifications, and Merchant Recruitment Agent to identify and pre-qualify potential sellers.

Run Payments launches Merchant for payments, reporting, dispute management. Run Payments, a payments orchestration platform, has launched Run Merchant, an application to orchestrate credit card and ACH payment data across multiple gateways and processors. Merchants can (i) manage all transactions in real-time across every location, sales channel, and processor, (ii) accept payments via virtual terminal, hosted payment pages, or API, (iii) track, respond, and resolve disputes without leaving the portal, and (iv) stay compliant with B2B transactions by accommodating Level 2 and Level 3 interchange optimization under Visa’s evolving Commercial Enhanced Data Program framework.

RunDTC unveils Unify Accelerator to power multi-site commerce on Shopify. RunDTC, a digital commerce agency, has launched Unify Accelerator, a quick-launch platform for enterprise retailers, developed with Contentstack, an adaptive digital experience platform. Designed for large-scale commerce organizations, Unify provides an interface powered by Contentstack’s DXP, enabling marketers and merchandisers to manage content across Shopify efficiently and at scale. From a single interface, merchants can access scheduling, preview and staging functionality, and control who can create, approve, and publish content.

Cleeng unveils free D2C subscription platform. Cleeng, a developer of subscriber retention management solutions, has unveiled Pro, a direct-to-consumer subscription management platform that can be launched quickly. Free for up to 10,000 subscribers, Cleeng Pro offers subscription management, identity and entitlement control, advanced analytics, support, and optional Merchant of Record and payment orchestration services. Cleeng Pro features no-code onboarding, best practice guides, and a partner network that includes JWPlayer, Applicaster, Videodock, Urban Zoo, Alpha Networks, and Sportradar.

Home page of Cleeng

Cleeng

Genstore launches AI-native store builder with a conversational interface. Genstore, an AI-native store builder, has launched its platform, which enables small and micro businesses to start, run, and scale a store, combining a simple conversational interface, instant AI store setup, autonomous growth tools, and multichannel integration. Genstore lets users upload a product image in the chat and instantly generates a product page with descriptions, templates, and visuals. Sellers can create a site, list products, answer questions, and run campaigns — all by chatting.

WEX partners with Trulioo for digital onboarding and fraud prevention. Trulioo, an identity platform for personal and business verification, has partnered with WEX, a payment processing and fleet management company. WEX provides processing for customers in the areas of corporate payments,  employee benefits, and fleet services. Trulioo Document Verification combines advanced biometrics and machine learning to detect forgeries, deep fakes, and injection attacks.

Twilio introduces Rich Communication Services for branded interactive messaging. Twilio, a customer engagement platform for real-time, personalized experiences, has announced the global availability of Rich Communication Services messaging. Twilio’s RCS enables companies to send branded, verified messages with rich interactive features. RCS is available to all active customer accounts through Twilio’s Programmable Messaging and Verify APIs. Existing customers can upgrade, and new customers can implement both SMS and RCS through a single integration via the Twilio platform.

Miva launches Vexture, AI-powered search for ecommerce discovery. Ecommerce platform Miva has launched Vexture, a product discovery tool to help merchants deliver faster, more relevant search results based on real customer intent. Vexture combines local private AI embeddings from the merchant’s product catalog and other data, enabling it to interpret shopper language naturally and dynamically. Vexture leverages AI-driven natural language processing and store data to go beyond traditional keyword matching and understand what shoppers mean, not just what they type.

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Miva

New Ecommerce Tools: August 28, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products and services from vendors of ecommerce merchants includes AI-generated product images, fulfillment, social commerce, digital advertising, affiliate marketing, less-than-truckload shipping, autonomous ground deliveries, and more.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Google Ads launches Asset Studio beta. Google Ads has released, in beta, Asset Studio, a built-in creative hub streamlining how advertisers produce and scale ad assets with AI. Asset Studio appears in Google Ads under “Tools” and provides native creative features directly in the Ads interface. Advertisers can use it to generate images with text prompts, create lifestyle product visuals, edit photos, bulk edit assets at scale, create and trim ad-ready videos, and add voice-overs for video and audio ads.

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Google Ads

Shopify announces built-in fulfillment capabilities. Shopify is launching partnerships with the largest global carriers, introducing bulk order processing, and streamlining shipping workflows, all of which can be managed directly in the Shopify admin. Carrier partnerships include DHL, USPS, UPS, FedEx, Canada Post, Purolator, Royal Mail, Australia Post, and Flexport. For international shipping, merchants can collect duties and taxes at checkout and purchase Delivered Duty Paid labels from DHL Express and DHL eCommerce. New bulk order processing accommodates up to 250 orders simultaneously.

Walmart announces new seller tools and resources at Marketplace Seller Summit. At its Let’s Grow! Seller Summit, Walmart announced a suite of new tools and initiatives. The Seller Advisors Program provides feedback and insights to help foster impactful solutions. An AI-powered listing tool helps with setup for single and bulk items, while Smart Assistant provides support. Sellers who self-fulfill can now automate delivery promises by region. The Brand Portal safeguards sellers and identifies fraudulent activity with a heightened focus on product authenticity.

Wix integrates with Pinterest for social commerce. Wix merchants can now promote and sell their products directly on Pinterest, the visual search and discovery network. By establishing a connection between their Pinterest account and their Wix site, merchants can sync their catalogs and run targeted ads on Pinterest. These ads drive shoppers back to the merchant’s Wix site for a streamlined checkout experience.

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Wix

Domaine launches AI commerce suite for Shopify. Domaine Worldwide, a Shopify-focused design and development firm, has introduced AI Commerce Suite, combining large language model technology for automated product copy, imagery, and short-form video with adaptive search engine optimization and geo-targeting that respond in real-time to trending keywords and local demand. The new Suite delivers predictive search, personalized recommendations, and dynamic content to convert visitors into customers. Users can boost visibility in emerging search channels, guide shoppers to relevant products, and reduce time from idea to campaign launch, according to Domaine.

TestSquared launches free AffiliateTor directory for affiliate programs. TestSquared, an ecommerce tool developer, has launched AffiliateTor, a free directory to simplify how affiliates discover and connect with opportunities. Brands can showcase their programs to a network of potential partners and reach affiliates searching for programs. The directory is organized by industry niche.

Bandy AI launches to generate ecommerce product imagery with AI models. Bandy AI has launched its platform to help ecommerce stores and apparel brands create photorealistic on-model fashion images. According to Bandy AI, the platform enables brands to generate quality images of clothing and accessories on diverse AI models, with creative control over poses, backgrounds, and camera angles, all rendered within minutes. Bandy AI features a virtual try-on tool that digitally dresses photorealistic AI models with apparel and accessories.

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Bandy AI

Visa expands Click to Pay across Asia Pacific for enhanced ecommerce checkout. Visa has announced the expansion of Click to Pay across Asia Pacific through strategic partnerships with payment enablers 2C2P, Adyen, AsiaPay, and Worldpay. According to Visa, Click to Pay offers a seamless and secure online checkout experience, with biometric authentication through payment passkeys for enhanced security. By allowing customers to retrieve their saved, tokenized payment details using a mobile number or email alias, Click to Pay eliminates the need to enter card information manually.

BestBuy.com launches marketplace. Best Buy is launching a marketplace for third-party merchants to sell on BestBuy.com and through the app. According to the company, customers can shop from hundreds of brands and from categories such as seasonal décor, automotive tech, office and home, and movies and music. Best Buy says it will soon introduce licensed sports merchandise. Customers can return marketplace products at their local Best Buy store, in addition to shipping them to the seller.

Netcore Cloud integrates with Shopify for real-time ecommerce engagement. Netcore Cloud, a marketing technology company, has launched its plugin on the Shopify platform. Users can (i) access both Shopify and Netcore data in one place for improved segmentation and deeper customer understanding, (ii) leverage Shopify purchase history, product views, and browsing patterns to create campaigns that reflect individual customer interests, (iii) set up event-triggered journeys, from abandoned cart nudges to post-purchase sequences, and (iv) deliver highly contextual outreach across email, SMS, and WhatsApp, all according to Netcore Cloud.

Just Eat Takeaway teams with Rivr to pilot robot food delivery in Europe. Just Eat Takeaway.com, an on-demand delivery service, is partnering with robotics company Rivr to pilot doorstep delivery with autonomous ground robots. The Rivr ground robot combines wheels for efficient travel with legs for climbing stairs and curbs. Functioning with physical AI, the robot avoids obstacles, vehicles, and pedestrians. The Rivr robot will initially deliver food orders in Zurich, with plans to expand to other European cities later this year, and potentially into retail and convenience stores.

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Rivr

Pinterest debuts Thrift Shop, targeting Gen Zs. Pinterest has introduced Thrift Shop, a shopping space for thrift lovers, particularly Gen Zs. According to Pinterest, Gen Zs (ages mid-teens to late 20s) now account for more than 50% of Pinterest users; searches for “dream thrift finds” have skyrocketed by 550% amongst that cohort, while searches for “vintage fall aesthetic” are up 1,074%. The Thrift Shop will launch in September, enabling users to browse and shop secondhand finds directly on Pinterest.

DoorDash expands its Commerce Platform to restaurants. DoorDash has expanded its Commerce Platform with tools to help restaurants grow direct sales and deepen customer relationships. Using menu, branding, and images already on DoorDash, restaurants can instantly launch a search-engine-optimized website. Built-in customer management tools allow restaurants to automate, segment, and personalize email and SMS campaigns. The loyalty program rewards guests whether they order from a restaurant’s own app or website, the DoorDash Marketplace, or in-store, according to DoorDash.

TinyFish launches enterprise web agent platform. TinyFish, an enterprise web agent infrastructure provider, has launched with $47 million in funding (led by Iconiq) to transform complex business operations. TinyFish agents execute complete workflows mapped to measurable business outcomes. For ecommerce enterprises, TinyFish’s web agents enable brands to track competitor pricing, monitor inventory shifts, and capture promotional data across thousands of retail sites simultaneously. The company states it will use the funds for continued innovation.

Oway raises $4 million for AI-enabled ride-share freight platform. Oway, a San Francisco-based startup backed by Y Combinator and General Catalyst, has raised $4 million in a seed round to build a decentralized “Uber for freight” delivery platform. Using AI to help find and match cargo with empty trailer space and a convenient destination, along with automating standard shipping and insurance documentation, Oway seeks to reduce shipping costs by 50%. Ride-share cargo is made possible by electronic logging devices installed on long-haul trucks.

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Oway

New Ecommerce Tools: August 13, 2025

This week’s rundown of new products and services from vendors to ecommerce merchants includes tools for automation, personalized marketing, localized payments, AI-powered search, logistics, agentic commerce, generative AI, and omnichannel distribution.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Wunderkind marketing platform launches on Shopify. Wunderkind, a performance marketing platform, has launched on the Shopify App Store. The app gives Shopify brands the ability to connect with Wunderkind’s Autonomous Marketing platform to unlock personalized, omnichannel marketing. Merchants gain access to Wunderkind’s suite of capabilities, including a proprietary identity network to recognize anonymous visitors, hyper-personalized omnichannel messaging, and real-time performance insights and optimization tools to enhance decision-making.

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Wunderkind

ShipBob announces De Minimis Defense Program. ShipBob, a global supply chain and fulfillment platform for SMB and mid-market omnichannel merchants, has announced its De Minimis Defense Program to help businesses impacted by President Trump’s executive order suspending duty-free de minimis for all countries. This suspension starts at or after 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on August 29, 2025. To complement its De Minimis Defense Program, ShipBob’s network now includes multiple Foreign-Trade Zone warehouses

Fredhopper launches app for AI-powered product discovery on Shopify. Crownpeak, a digital experience management tool, has launched the Fredhopper Product Discovery Shopify App, enabling enterprise-grade AI search, personalized recommendations, and visual merchandising. Built for scaling brands with extensive catalogs and complex storefronts, the app extends product discovery capabilities to the Shopify platform. Features include AI-powered search, intelligent visual merchandising, localization compatible with Shopify Markets and region-specific catalogs, and native data sync. To launch Fredhooper, Crownpeak collaborated with Underwaterpistol, a Shopify Plus agency.

DCL Logistics launches SelectShip, an AI-powered shipping engine. DCL Logistics, a fulfillment provider, has launched SelectShip, a shipping engine to automate parcel decisions, reduce unforeseen delivery costs, and leverage real-time shipping market data. The AI-powered system automates shipping decisions in real time, optimizing for speed, cost, and reliability for each order, according to DCL Logistics, which states SelectShip requires no new tools, dashboards, or configuration from the customer.

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DCL Logistics

Click Labs expands logistics footprint with acquisition of Evermile. Click Labs, a provider of logistics and on-demand delivery software, has acquired Evermile, a London and Tel Aviv-based retail operations platform for small and medium-sized enterprises. The deal marks Click Labs’ expansion into retail operations. Evermile will continue to operate as a standalone brand in the near term, while its technology integrates into Click Labs’ products, including JungleWorks, Tookan, Yelo, and Hippo.

Forter launches identity monitoring for agentic commerce. Forter, an identity and fraud-prevention tool for digital commerce, has announced capabilities to trust AI agents from discovery through payment, including browsing activity referred from AI agents, chatbots, and other tools, and advanced models to distinguish different types of agents. Future platform releases are set to include multiple agents for automating policies and building insights, per Forter.

Klarna payment platform is now available via Stripe for WooCommerce. Klarna, the buy-now pay-later platform, has expanded its ecommerce footprint with its Stripe for WooCommerce integration. Klarna’s payment methods are now available to WooCommerce stores using the Stripe plugin, with no additional setup required from merchants.

Graas raises $9 million to launch an autonomous agent platform for ecommerce automation. Graas, an AI-native data and automation company for ecommerce, has raised $9 million in a round led by Tin Men Capital. Graas will use the funds to accelerate the rollout of Agent Foundry, a proprietary environment for developing autonomous agents for commerce challenges, such as customer acquisition costs, pricing optimization, and inventory management. According to Graas, Agent Foundry enables agents to analyze real-time performance and execute decisions across channels, SKUs, and campaigns.

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Graas

MetaFyAI launches commerce-focused generative AI suite. MetaFyAI has announced the release of its Generative AI Commerce Suite, a set of intelligent tools that enable retailers, direct-to-consumer brands, and marketplace sellers to automate operations, deliver personalized shopping experiences, and drive measurable revenue growth. MetaFyAI states its tool is trained on ecommerce data, giving it insight into industry nuances, consumer behavior, and platform-specific requirements, such as generating product descriptions and real-time dynamic pricing.

Cavallo expands SalesPad ecommerce capabilities for omnichannel distribution. Cavallo, a developer of distribution software, has integrated its SalesPad management platform with Shopify, WooCommerce, and Adobe Commerce. SalesPad supports sales-order export functionality, enabling orders placed through offline channels to be pushed from SalesPad back to the ecommerce storefront. This gives end customers visibility into their full order history, including fulfillment progress, tracking updates, invoicing, and cancellations, directly from the online portal, according to Cavallo.

Shopline and Quay Acceleration partner to scale omnichannel brands globally. Shopline, an ecommerce platform, has partnered with Quay Acceleration, a startup tool, to launch a three-month program for omnichannel retail brands ready to scale across markets, platforms, and storefronts. Built for early and growth-stage companies operating online, in-store, and via social, the accelerator blends infrastructure, mentorship, and retail strategy to help founders grow across borders and sales channels. The fall program will include 40 retail founders in fashion, beauty, home, and consumer goods, per Shopline.

dLocal launches SmartPix for Pix payments in Brazil. dLocal, a cross-border payment platform for emerging markets, has launched SmartPix, a tool enabling merchants in Brazil to process tokenized Pix payments, including recurring and on-demand charges, without requiring customers to authorize each transaction manually. With SmartPix, merchants can securely store customers’ Pix credentials, similar to card-on-file, and initiate charges in real time. Pix is the instant payment platform managed by the Central Bank of Brazil.

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dLocal

New Ecommerce Tools: August 7, 2025

Every week we publish a handpicked list of new products and services from vendors to ecommerce merchants. This installment covers AI-powered commerce platforms, embedded financial services, cross-border payment solutions, logistics optimization, marketplace incentives, and simplified transaction processes.

Got an ecommerce product release? Email releases@practicalecommerce.com.

New Tools for Merchants

Wix launches financial services for merchants. Wix has launched Wix Checking and Wix Capital to help clients manage cash flow and fund growth. Wix Checking, powered by Unit, a platform for embedded finance, gives users an integrated business checking account. By syncing automatically with Wix Payments, Wix Checking removes the need for external banking tools and manual reconciliations. Wix has also introduced Wix Capital, allowing clients to request a cash advance in exchange for a fixed fee and a percentage of future sales.

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Wix

Prepping for the holidays, Walmart Marketplace offers seller incentives. Walmart Marketplace will now waive referral fees to sellers on popular items. Plus, the company is waiving peak season storage fees from October 1 through December 31 for sellers using Walmart Fulfillment Services. Now through October 1, first-time users of Multichannel (shipping) Solutions get a 30% discount. Also, WFS has expanded international transport options with the addition of two ports in Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh City and Hai Phong.

BigCommerce rebrands parent company to Commerce, unifying BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift. BigCommerce has rebranded its parent company from BigCommerce Holdings, Inc. to Commerce.com, Inc., unifying BigCommerce, Feedonomics, and Makeswift for an era of agentic AI. Commerce will focus on providing merchants with data infrastructure and intelligent storefronts. Commerce also unveiled the company’s vision for powering agentic agents, where AI acts on behalf of consumers to research, recommend, and even transact.

BigCommerce and Feedonomics deepen partnership with Google Cloud. BigCommerce and Feedonomics, a data feed platform, have announced a deepened partnership with Google Cloud. Feedonomics Surface will deliver AI-enriched product data directly to Google Merchant Center, boosting visibility across sales channels. Using Feedonomics’ new Google Cloud with Gemini features, merchants can automatically enrich product catalogs. By combining BigCommerce’s Model Context Protocol with Google’s Agent Development Kit, developers can build commerce-aware merchant agents.

Blockchain fintech OwlTing introduces OwlPay Stablecoin Checkout. OwlTing Group, a global blockchain fintech company, has launched OwlPay Stablecoin Checkout, an API-embedded stablecoin function set to go live this month. Designed for global enterprises in mobility, hospitality, ecommerce, and gaming sectors, OwlPay Stablecoin Checkout enables seamless USD to USDC conversions, allowing businesses to accept stablecoin payments and settle in USD through their own platforms or leverage the built-in feature on the user interface of the OwlPay Payment B2B tool.

Home page of OwlTing

OwlTing

Rakuten launches Rakuten AI. Rakuten, a Japan-based ecommerce marketplace and online services company, has launched Rakuten AI, an AI agent to enhance user experiences and streamline interactions across the Rakuten ecosystem, including shopping, lifestyle, fintech, travel, education, work, wellness, and entertainment. The initial rollout integrates Rakuten AI into Rakuten Link, a communication app for Rakuten Mobile subscribers, and offers Rakuten AI as a web app in beta. Rakuten AI is free to use in all its forms.

Octup raises $12 million for 3PL operations. Octup, a real-time AI operations platform for third-party logistics providers, has closed a $12 million seed round co-led by Shine Capital and JAL Ventures. Octup’s platform provides real-time analytics for warehouse operations, including automated billing, labor tracking, and service-level-agreement management, while also offering client-facing portals with self-service reporting capabilities. With this funding, Octup plans to accelerate AI-powered forecasting and exception management development. The company also plans to expand its presence in North America.

FlavorCloud launches Localized Market Pricing. FlavorCloud, a provider of cross-border shipping solutions, has launched Localized Market Pricing, a recommendations and analytics tool that enables Shopify sellers to display fully landed costs, including duties, taxes, shipping, and fees, as a part of SKU-level pricing. The platform can adjust pricing based on actual landed costs, allowing retailers to choose whether to absorb or pass on cost changes. Price updates are automatic, triggered by schedules or specific events.

Home page of FlavorCloud

FlavorCloud

Amazon introduces star-only ratings. Amazon has launched a simplified experience to provide feedback on sellers. Customers can now provide star ratings without (or with) written feedback. Customers will be required to select a reason before they can submit any rating below four stars. According to Amazon, the new process will help sellers collect more ratings faster and may lead to an increase in the average seller ratings.

Splitit and Antom partner on cross-border card-linked installments for merchants. Splitit, an embedded white-label platform enabling card-linked installment payments, and Antom, a provider of merchant payment and digitization services under Ant International, have announced a strategic partnership. Splitit will integrate its installment technology into Antom’s checkout experience worldwide. Customers can split purchases into monthly payments directly at checkout, using existing credit cards, streamlining cross-border commerce and international payment processing.

eBay debuts Secure Purchase checkout for vehicle transactions. eBay has announced the availability of Secure Purchase, simplifying vehicle transactions by managing payment, financing, registration, ownership transfer, and transport. Both the buyer and seller verify their identity and provide basic information about the vehicle. The buyer selects financing, transportation, protection, and insurance preferences in a few clicks. The seller uploads photos of the title, vehicle identification number, and odometer readings. Buyer and seller digitally sign the required documents, then transfer funds to initiate registration and title transfer.

AstroPay launches platform to embed global financial services. AstroPay, a digital wallet provider, has rolled out a platform allowing companies to build and launch their own global financial products using the same infrastructure that powers AstroPay’s consumer wallet. Businesses can leverage AstroPay’s connections to multiple local and international payment schemes, along with its multicurrency wallet, card issuing capabilities, and regulatory compliance framework across jurisdictions. Current support includes accounts in Brazil, Argentina, and Europe.

Home page of AstroPay

AstroPay

5 Ecommerce Platforms for Startups 2025

Ecommerce entrepreneurs getting started in 2025 should look for easy-to-use platforms that won’t bust the budget.

The ecommerce industry is maturing. The first online shop was likely the Boston Computer Exchange, launched in 1982. Amazon and eBay turn 30 this year.

For the most part, the technology underpinning online selling, such as displaying products or accepting payments, is standard and reliable. The difference in ecommerce platforms is not core functionality.

AI image of a male working on a laptop in a living room setting

Bootstrapped and focused: launching an ecommerce business from the living room.

Key Elements

Entrepreneurs with limited capital and no technical help require ecommerce tools that work out of the box, grow with the business, and stay out of the way.

Thus new, bootstrapped ecommerce merchants should seek six platform characteristics, as follows:

  • Easy to set up. It should be possible to launch in hours without hiring a designer or developer.
  • Easy to maintain. Changing prices, updating products, and adding pages should be small tasks.
  • Inexpensive or free. New entrepreneurs should invest in inventory and advertising. An ecommerce platform should be a marginal cost at worst.
  • Comprehensive. The platform should perform all ecommerce functions with the stability described above.
  • Able to scale. As it grows, a shop will need more features and throughput; the platform should be viable through a few million in annual sales.
  • Easy to market. New stores depend on advertising. This means having good landing pages, email capture forms, and discount features such as coupon codes. Organic traffic from search engines and generative AI platforms is beyond reach, so startups require features that turn paid clicks into customers.

5 Platforms

No list of ecommerce platforms makes everyone happy. It’s especially true for the makers of the many capable software solutions not mentioned below. But here are my five recommendations for new ecommerce stores.

Shopify

Shopify, the leading industry platform, is built for growth. The Basic plan is $39.99 per month or $359 annually, plus transaction fees. That investment delivers a fully fledged online store with unlimited products, loads of payment integrations, and access to the platform’s massive app ecosystem.

It is reasonable to have a Shopify store up and running in less than an hour that can easily scale to the enterprise level.

Some parts of the platform may be confusing for a novice, but Shopify works for most ecommerce businesses.

Square Online

Ecommerce businesses sometimes originate from in-person experiences with point-of-sale software. This might be a business that sells handmade jewelry at local art shows, has an Etsy shop, and wants its own ecommerce site. Why not pick a platform from a supplier you already work with?

The Square Online platform is low-cost to start (just transaction fees) and integrates directly with Square’s POS system. The service is built on the Weebly platform, which Square acquired in 2018, and is simple to use and understand.

Ecwid by Lightspeed

The term “ecommerce platform” evolved with the software it described. Years ago, the industry called these tools “shopping carts,” and many could bolt on to just about any website someone had built.

Ecwid is both a freestanding platform and a bolt-on to an existing site, shopping cart style. So, the gardening blog turned organic seed seller doesn’t require a new website; it needs only to add Ecwid. The same is true for the social influencer selling directly from a profile page.

The Ecwid add-on is free for five products and remains reasonably priced as a store scales.

Wix and Squarespace

Drag-and-drop editors make it easy for some of the least technical ecommerce operators to produce functional and attractive online stores.

My final two recommended ecommerce platforms — Wix and Squarespace — are head-to-head competitors known for remarkable ease of use and clean website designs.

These platforms appeal to startup founders who want to prioritize branding, design, and speed to market without hiring developers. Ecommerce functionality is built in, and templates come optimized for mobile and desktop, although neither platform is ideal for scaling.

Both cost less than $30 per month to start.

Success

Every new, bootstrapped ecommerce entrepreneur would love to win the Google lottery and have hundreds of eager shoppers flood in, but organic search is not a viable way to drive site traffic to a new store.

A new shop, with relatively thin content, cannot compete for transactional intent keyword phrases against long-established ecommerce sellers.

Regardless of the ecommerce platform, success will come from paid or at least active customer acquisition.